The Captain pondered my request.

"Okay, we'll get him to the house. Collins, Archer, you two can carry him but be gentle, poor sod."

The two soldiers lifted the man until he stood, then carefully placed him over Archer's shoulder. The man might have been in pain but at least he didn't have to walk. I could hear Collins whispering soft words to Henry as they walked away from us towards Daisy's.

The Captain pulled out his radio and spoke.

"This is the XO, we have two soldiers on their way to the Frost house. They have one casualty, repeat, one casualty. It is NOT Rose, confirm."

"Copy that, XO. We'll inform HD. A medic is on the way. Out." The radio crackled and went silent.

"Right Rose, let's get you back home. I want single file, either side, one at the rear and one ahead. Let's move it."

Before I could blink I was flanked all around by the soldiers as we began walking the short way back to Daisy's.

"Pritchard, can I talk to you?" I sought him out and he joined my side.

"What is it?" he whispered, as he watched the Captain walking ahead.

I kept my voice low, hoping the other soldiers wouldn't hear. "Why were you tracking me?"

"I'm following orders, Miss. You're to be followed whenever you're out of the grounds of the house."

I was dumbfounded. The puzzle pieces had begun to get closer, but at my expense.

Daisy had said that it was safe here, that I didn't need to worry about the town or my own safety. I hadn't realised that she would go so far as to involve the army.

"Daisy's orders. Since you arrived we've been tracking you, making sure you're safe," he said bluntly.

"Is it just you?"

"No, it's all of us here. You have round the clock security. And at the house too. No one goes in or out without permission."

"And you report back to Daisy about what I do, where I go?" I said with irritation.

"No, that's not our objective. Our objective is to avoid any threat on your life. The rest we're not interested in. Although your relationship with the Deverill boy is raising a few eyebrows," he said with honesty, and chuckled.

I cursed loudly under my breath, a few soldiers sniggered.

"I think I need to talk to Daisy, I'm so mad at her," I said angrily through my teeth.

"Sorry Rose, but you weren't to know. Top secret and all that," Pritchard added apologetically.

We walked the rest of the way in silence at an even pace. At the entrance, the gates were open and I walked through with the Captain. The men stopped at the gates, their duty was done I presumed.

I stopped for a moment and stared at them. So, this was my security detail. Wherever I went, they wouldn't be far behind. I was angered by Daisy, she should have informed me but these men were here to protect me from whoever was chasing my dad. I owed them more than my anger.

"Thank you," I said at them. "To all of you."

A couple of them lifted hands in acknowledgement.

"See you around, Rose Frost," Pritchard shouted as the gates began to close. Soon they were gone.

I trod loudly across the gravel and soon caught up with Captain Robinson.

"I think, Rose, that you'd better leave your fight with Daisy until the morning. She'll want to tend to her friend tonight. The army doctor is here already and judging by Mr Cole's injuries, he'll be a while. Maybe it's best."

I nodded at the Captain, unable to speak anyway with all the deception that was around me.

The green army jeep on the driveway had a red cross on the door, and two other soldiers were already carrying medical equipment in through the hallway. The Captain entered the house and walked directly to the study, whereas I walked directly upstairs to my room, making more noise than I normally would.

I slammed my door shut and fell on the bed, staring out into the darkness. There was nothing to see but at least I could lose myself in my thoughts without distraction.

What a night it had turned out to be. Aiden Deverill was all I could think about initially. His voice was in my head, I remembered all of his words. His hand on mine, how safe it felt when he held it and his last sweet kiss on my fingers.

And his eyes, most of all, his eyes. The truth was that I had never felt like this, this conflicted before, my feelings and emotions were all on a rocky plateau, ready to fall either way.

This morning I had felt such an instant draw to Morgan and now this. I felt something for Aiden, I was drawn to him but it wasn't a school girl crush or even a fancying him type of feeling. It was so much more, like we belonged together.

Barry's story about the monks had chilled me more than I let on. Something there wasn't right and I wondered whether I should mention his story tomorrow when I saw Hannah and Jez again.

Then Old Mad Cole and his pathetic form. I felt such sorrow for him now, the poor wretch. What must he have endured in those missing months?

I sat for a while under the duvet watching the night continue out of the window, with my arms around my knees. My curtains were wide open but my room was still pitch black. It was the same outside. Not a light or star in the sky, except for the lights on in the cottage.

Morgan was down there in the darkness. Within my reach.

Morgan.

For the first time ever, I closed my curtains and shut out the world that was watching me. Sleep finally pulled me down into the dark abyss.

Halika Dacome I was surrounded by a hundred cloaked men. I couldn't see their faces as they circled me, getting closer.

The circle was decreasing with me at its centre.

My back was against the wall of the tower. I couldn't get back any further, the wet bricks jarred against my shoulder.

But still they drew nearer and I had no escape. I screamed as the fire erupted around the brick turreted building, I was trapped. A fire in a perfect circle between me and the men. The only thing separating us. They halted at the fires edge. Roars and shouts filled my ears.

"Kill her."

"Kill her."

I cried out again as a solitary shrouded figure drew closer through the mass. They moved aside for him to pass.

The figure brandished a lighted torch, burning brightly, etching the smoky sky. The flames licked the air and grew higher as the swell of the roars increased.

They roared in anticipation, their maddened chants filling the vastness. Their anger erupting into a frenzy.

"KILL HER!"

The shrouded man walked through the fire towards me without fear, unburned and untouched by the scorching heat of the flames. His torch pointing towards my frightened body.

He stopped as he neared, only a few steps away.

"Halika Dacome, you must die."

I screamed as he lifted his head and I could see his face clearly in the fiery doom.

It was Aiden.

I jumped up in terror. Tears trickled down my face as I screamed in horror, again and again. My body was burning hot against the cold air. I breathed as I cried, shrieking into the empty room.

It had only been a dream, a terrible dream. But I could still hear. I could still feel everything. The terror as my body pressed against the cold hard brick trapping my escape, the evil shouts of the cloaked man calling for my death.

And I could still see his face, angry and twisted; full of hatred towards me.

Goosebumps prickled my skin and the hairs on my neck rose up in dread. I pulled at my head trying to rid the pictures from my memory.

Aiden. What are you? What will you do to me?

My body wracked as I sobbed. I tried to lessen them but I was so afraid.

"Rose! Are you all right?"

Morgan's distressed but gentle voice entered the room.

I didn't answer. I couldn't speak.

His arms encircled my body as he pulled me against his chest, holding down my frantic arms.

"It's okay. It's over now." He whispered soothingly, stroking and kissing my hair.

I wrapped my arms around him, drawing him closer as I cried into his chest. He lay me down next to him and drew me in, cradling my body like a magnet, protecting me from the world.

His arms held firm as I calmed my tears. He wiped them gently away with his feathery touch.

"No more tears, Rose. I'm here. I'll protect you." His golden voice was all I needed, I hid my head in his shoulder, and he laid his head against mine.

"I thought you were mad at me," I choked on my lessening sobs.

"Don't be silly. How could I be mad at you?" and he rocked me gently.

His body was bare except for the tracksuit bottoms. He smelt faintly, a musky woody scent. I liked it and breathed in deep.

"You're cold," I said through the tears.

"It's cold outside. The lawn was wet," he whispered.

I looked up into his shadowy face. The outline was all I could see. I reached up and touched his cheek, cold against my palm. He kissed my fingertips.

"I'll warm you," I said and reached inside for my gift.

The warmth trickled through my veins in milliseconds and spurted out of my finger onto his lips. I cupped his cheek against my palm. He didn't flinch, but softly pushed his face closer to my warm hand.

"That's nice," he whispered.

I ran my hand down to his neck to his cool shoulder and gently stroked the length of his arm, warming his blood, heating his skin and as he sucked in a sudden breath I felt him shudder in response to my touch. I left my hand resting on his chest, and his cheek lay down against mine as I fell asleep.

I was no longer scared of the darkness.

- Chapter Nine -.

The bed was empty when I woke. Morgan had slipped away during the early hours of the morning to avoid Daisy finding us. I couldn't imagine her reaction if she had found Morgan in my room.

But he had been. The dream had been real and so had Morgan. I had opened up to him last night as I had never done to any boy before, and self-consciousness plus a small amount of embarrassment filled me. Last night hadn't been me. In my distraught state he had comforted me, nothing else. I hope he realised that was all it had been, as I did now.

I reached for my dream diary and wrote everything I remembered. The skin on my neck prickled as the raw fear remained fresh. They were getting worse, more terrible and horrid. I wasn't looking forward to tonight. What would happen in the next nightmare?

I showered quickly and towel dried my hair. In the mirror I could see the aftermath of my eventful evening and disturbed sleep. The dark circles had returned under my eyes; I looked pale and tired. No wonder, that dream would have disturbed the dead.

I dressed in jeans and threw on a comfy white tunic top, ready for the day. Outside the sun shone but a cool wind brushed through the trees.

After I cleaned my teeth I leaned on the wash basin and looked at my reflection closer, remembering how frightened I had been of Aiden. The circle of fire I had seen so often before had led to this point. Visions flickered of Henry Cole and his wretched form in front of my eyes. And I cursed softly about my encounter with Morgan. Oh crap. How would I explain that one?

I sighed. Maybe I should stay away from Morgan for a while; maybe I should keep my distance and let the moment pass.

On the landing a solitary soldier stood outside a bedroom door, Henry Cole must still be in the house. I closed my door and walked quietly over.

"Is Daisy with him?" I asked Collins. He still wore his army green and khaki uniform but I was relieved that he no longer had the rifle on his person.

"No, Ma'am. Daisy left the house a little while ago."

"Do you know where she went?"

"I believe she was meeting with the Police, Ma'am," he offered courteously.

"Thank you, Collins," I said and headed down the staircase.

In the kitchen, Pritchard was making a cup of tea.

"Want one?" he quipped as I sat on one of the stools and nodded.

He put my cup down and sat next to me.