Following some rather tense days, Elijah worked on preparing the sacrifice.

Nik was suspicious. I knew that much, though I didn't think he knew of my betrayal yet, or he would've done something. He wouldn't have waited to retaliate for that. 

Elijah, ever the perceptive one, always had me run errands with him, every day, and in his car, far from Nik, we would do my exercises.

I was slowly getting better.

Emphasis on slow.

That is, until we came home, just before sunset. On the fourth day. Nik was seated at the table, set for three, with, more than likely compelled waiters bustling around the apartment like they'd always been there.

He sat at the head of the table, and spread his arms wide. "I thought we could do with a nice meal to celebrate. After all, tomorrow is the full moon and I've played with my food long enough."

"Of course." Elijah led the way, moving to sit in the seat opposite mine. He took off his jacket, laying it to rest atop his chair.

The plates were full, but the glasses were empty. I had a nasty feeling about this. Cautiously, I followed Elijah's example. "Please don't hurt my brothers."

"That decision is entirely up to them." Nik snapped his fingers, and a man appeared, his sleeve rolled up, and a knife clutched in his opposite hand. His eyes were glazed over.

Compulsion.

The man, likely the very same who'd made us our meal, held his wrist over Nik's glass, neatly slicing a thin line in his skin, and allowing it to flow into the cup.

I looked to Elijah in panic, he subtly raised his hand, ever so slightly, barely noticeable. "This is outside of Morgan's meditations. I will not have her perfect record sullied, even for an occasion such as this."

"Don't be such a bore, brother." Nik replied with a wave of his hand.

"I actually just drank some, I'd rather have water." I stood, grabbing my glass.

"Sit." It wasn't a suggestion. Fear gnawed at my stomach as I did what he said. Nik nodded to the man and he moved next to me, holding his bleeding wrist over my cup.

Just like that, a timer began.

I held my breath, trying desperately to think of anything else.

Elijah seemed the picture of ease, as they both watched me closely. It made me shift, to be under such scrutiny. I'd forgotten what it was like when I was on the run.

In too short a time, my lungs began to scream for air. I had two options here. Accept my fate and allow the obvious vampire expression to show, or refuse to breathe and confirm Nik's suspicions anyway.

It was a lose-lose.

Fucking hell.

Reluctantly, I took a quiet breath in, and the effect was almost immediate. Veins descended from my eyes, and I felt my fangs slide out from under my gums.

Fresh blood was more pungent than blood bags, but it had a better taste, usually, which is why vampires preferred it.

Nik leaned back in his chair. "I wonder. If Morgan's record is as flawless as you claim, why is her expression behaving like that of a newly turned?"

"I can explain." Well. The cat was practically out of the bag.

He gestured toward me vaguely. "Please do."

"Morgan and I were separated for a time." Holy fuck. He was going to rat me out. "When we were making our escape, we encountered Mikael. I instructed her to run."

His brows rose. "Why the secrets and lies, if it were only Mikael."

"Admittedly it took longer than I anticipated to find Morgan. We taught her too well." Elijah laid his napkin in his lap, looking for all the world like he was discussing the weather.

"That does not explain why she has veins descend when she catches a whiff of blood." Nik's gaze locked onto mine.

Embarrassment colored my cheeks. "I hadn't been doing my exercises, at least not in their entirety. Once I discovered I could last a full week without blood..." They had matching, disapproving, expressions. "I was on my own, okay?! I don't need your judgy stares."

I was self aware enough to acknowledge that starving myself wasn't good. But the control was far too tempting. It was something I'd done in childhood as well, not that anyone would know. I was extremely careful after a few close calls with Damon.

Then again with Elijah, who already monitored my blood intake closely. I could get away with missing a meal here and there.

With so many unknown variables in my life, no matter what stage, that was the one constant. I got to control what food I ate and how much, I could always rely on that.

Drinking blood fell victim to the same methods the second Elijah wasn't there to bear witness.

It was my choice.

No matter how I might try to stop myself, under some misguided attempt to stay alive, I didn't want to in the end.

"I was trying to save Morgan any more unnecessary embarrassment." He was a good liar. I couldn't even hear his heart stutter.

"Is this true?" Nik asked me.

I nodded, eager to get away from his critical eye. "I was doing as Elijah instructed." Which would explain why I gave him a panicked look earlier. My god, it was the perfect excuse.

Elijah is a genius.

Nik seemed to accept it.