SEVENTY-THREE | DECIDED

When I get to the usual conference room for my lesson with Ms. Jin, it's not Ms. Jin who's waiting for me. It's Mikyle. He's taken up Ms. Jin's usual pose, sitting on the table top with his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees. Only, his eyes are closed, and if I wasn't already aware he was real - I'd swear he was a wax statue with how still he is. Not even his chest moves. I pause in the doorway, glancing around the room before finally walking in and closing the door behind me.

I lean against the wall, studying the vamp for a second. His face is expressionless, lips slightly parted, like he's meditating or something - though I've never seen him 'meditate' before. He never seemed to be the type to sit still for too long. His sandy-brown hair's lost some of it's usual lustrous shine and he looks like he's lost some sleep since the last time I saw him. When I told him to consider becoming my sponsor.

"Did you come to give me your answer?" I decide to break the silence with my question - too curious to sensor my words. He lets out a breath and opens his eyes to watch me with his usual inscrutable coolness. Dark red eyes that I used to find creepy are now so normal to me.

"Yes." Mikyle says and I feel my back stiffen.

"*Yes* you're giving me the answer or *yes* you'll be my sponsor?" I try to clarify, saying the words slowly so he couldn't possibly misunderstand. His dark red eyes brighten a little, the caution giving way to amusement.

"Yes," A little smirk breaks through his calm façade. I roll my eyes in exasperation, about ready to throw the nearest thing at him for being an ass, but he continues. "Yes to both." He uncurls from his position and braces his hands on the edge of the table as his legs hang from the wood. "I thought about it and," He shrugs nonchalantly, but I know him well enough to see the tension in his shoulders - reading the posture of his body like a book. "As much as the thought of hurting you in anyway pains me, I know how much this decision means to you. The trust you're putting in me." He holds my eyes captive with his.

"It is a big responsibility. And I am *literally* trusting you with my life," I agree, feeling the gravity of his words - or the lifting of it from my shoulders. I let out a little laugh as some of my anxiety and fear from the last few days dissipates.

"You need to tell the pup about this." Mikyle suddenly tells me, his expression becoming guarded once again. I purse my lips in an effort to fight the grimace as the lightness turns to lead in my stomach. "He needs to know about the steps we're taking to keep those in your life safe. The possibility that I may need to-" He sucks in a breath, shutting his eyes for a second before continuing. "Intervene." I think about that for a second and feel my head wobble from side to side as I debate his words.

"I'll think about it." I finally say.

"Princess-" Mikyle groans, tensing as if in pain, the wood under his hands echoing his sound of distress with how tight he grips the table. I hold up my hand to silence him.

"I still don't know how things are going to turn out for me and Blue." I explain. "I don't want to worry him if..." I shiver at the mere thought of never being with him. "Anyway, I'll talk to him once I'm sure."

"*I*'m sure of it." Mikyle smirks ruefully at me, his eyes dimmer again. "Anyone with eyes can see you two are going to make it through this and be together." I wince, feeling his words sting a bit.

"Mica-" I begin, but it's his turn to hold up his hand to silence me.

"Now, I haven't give up on you, princess. We vamps live a lot longer than most Wolven." He shrugs. "I can wait. Centuries are but the blink of an eye for our kind." My stomach flutters at his words and I frown a little at him. More at the thought of me outliving Blue than the weight of Mikyle's confession. "Anyway, I just wanted to let you know my decision." He hops off the table and wanders over to me. "I'll be seeing you, princess." He pulls me into his arms, gently enveloping me in a hug before I can process more than a little surprise. "Take your medicine and be a good girl, now." He adds in my ear - like he's scolding a child. I feel the tension drain from my body and my arms come around him, smacking him on the back.

"You're such a-" I huff a little brokenly. My throat suddenly tight with emotion.

"I know, I know." Mikyle murmurs and plants a kiss on my forehead before moving away. "See you around, princess." He calls over his shoulder as he walks out of the conference room. I have a few seconds to collect myself until Ms. Jin pokes her head into the room.

"Ready?" She asks me, for once not assuming anything from my thoughts and actually asking me if I'm good. I nod to her, blinking a few times to clear my blurry vision before taking my usual spot at the table.

"Yeah. I'm ready." I tell her and she pulls her usual array of dry-erase markers from her pocket as she launches into the detailed topic of vampire anatomy and cellular differences between vamps, humans, and werewolves. For once, I take in the new information easily, focusing all my attention on this to get my mind off the mix of relief and newly awakened terror in me.

I resign myself to learn all I can. One week and two days is all the time I have left. The count down in my head has become a clock, running down to D-day. I have to be ready. There's no more time to act otherwise. I need to focus and be prepared for any eventuality.