1

The blood flowed past his warm lips. He felt the heat rush through his veins. The young girl’s life was filling him, giving him a high. He released his mouth from her pale neck and let her fall back into the bed. He exhaled deeply feeling warmth cover his entire body. His flesh tingled with it, his body convulsed from it. His eyes rolled back in his head with all the sensations flowing though his blood. The girl stirred. He opened his eyes and leaned closer to the girl. "I need to go now honey. Dinner was really good." His voice was soothing and rang in her ears. He smiled at his pun and patted the girl on the head. "Remember you have no clue how you got here. You don't even know why you went out tonight."

The girl nodded in a daze. "I don't know how I got here. I don't know why I came here tonight." The girl reached out to touch him again, he knew she yearned for it.

Aidan smiled and put on his coat. He stepped through the hotel door, closing it gently behind him.

2

Sarah walked down the isle looking for anything to sweep up. She heard footsteps behind her and moved to the side as she swept some cereal off the floor. She looked up and saw 3 men staring at her as they walked by. She tried to look back down but one of the men caught her attention. She could not look away; she had no choice it seemed. He had brown hair and was medium height, nothing too special. He had nice eyes though...but something in them; something about them made her shiver. One of their fingers brushed her shoulder.

Hey sugar...

She dropped the broom and was knocked out of the trance. The man laughed, as well as the others. They disappeared behind the corner, the voice still filling her ears.

Sarah felt her knees grow weak. She leaned up against the oatmeal display and closed her eyes breathing deeply.

That didn't just happen Sarah, so ignore it. Her mind pleaded, but she couldn't get the voice or the man out of her head. She felt an urge to see him again; the yearning almost drove her mad. She felt her skin tingle for his touch. It dizzied her.

"SNAP OUT OF IT!" A voice in the back of her mind screamed. Sarah shook her head and stood up straight. For a moment she forgot where she was, then she remembered. She was at work, but what had just happened? She remembered sweeping the floor then...

3

She saw the man from the isle again. He was looking right at her it seemed. She felt her body go limp. She felt as if she was in a daze. She couldn't take her eyes off him again. She felt herself want to feel his touch again.

Go to the parking lot after your shift.

She heard a voice say. Sarah nodded as she blindly slid food over the scanner.

Go into the blue truck, I'll be waiting.

Sarah nodded again, his eyes piercing into her. In the back of her mind somewhere a girl was calling...Pleading with her...She didn't know who this person was...She had never seen him before.

Come Sarah on...I know you want to...

Sarah turned madly breaking herself from his gaze. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to leave, leave now.

Her body felt weak. She couldn't leave.

She wanted to see him again.

No you don't!

Oh, yes you do...Sarah nodded.

Yes. I do.

4

Blayne saw Sarah standing by the entrance of the store. She ran to her. She looked dizzy, almost sick.

"Sarah." Blayne called as she stopped next to her friend.

"Hmm?" She answered blissfully.

"You look sick. Are you OK?"

"No, I'm going to see...him after work." She laughed at herself for not knowing his name.

"What? Who's him?" Blayne asked excited, but her voice mocked her.

"A guy."

"A guy? Do you know his name? Who is this guy?"

"No...But I'm going meet him after my shift."

"What? You don't even know his name...No you aren't."

"Yes I am."

"You can't just meet some strange man and go home with him."

"Yes I can."

"I'm coming with you."

"Fine." Her eyes weren't there. "You can come too."

5

They walked down into the parking lot. Sarah was being pulled as if by some magnetic force towards a truck ahead of them. Standing in front of it she saw a man...It was him, this was the place...

Blayne walked beside Sarah, staring at the truck ahead of them. He looked harmless enough, but Sarah was acting so weird. Who was he?

"Hello Sarah." The man said with a hypnotizing smile.

How does he know your name? The voice in her head asked...She shook the voice away. "Hello."

"Who's this?" He asked, his eyes looking directly into Blayne's trapping her.

"My friend." Sarah said up at the man.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you Blayne." A shiver crept up her spine as he spoke her name.

Blayne shifted from foot to foot. Her anticipation winning out on all other emotions. Little did she know, her friend was struggling with a mental disaster.

Turn! Run! Get out of here, God how stupid can you be bitch?

"Sarah?" A man's voice called to her. Her heart jumped.

"Yes." Her first reaction was to jump up and hold him, but she couldn't move.

"We have to wait for my friend. He is running late, is that OK?"

She nodded. "Yes, anything."

The three of them stood, two girls staring at the man looking past their shoulders.

He smiled. "Come with me." He grabbed Sarah's shoulder.

"Wait! What about me?" Blayne asked practically jumping. Sarah slowly turned to her, her expression clearly showing her confusion.

"Stay here, we'll be right back." The man said pushing his hands into her chest. She nodded and leaned against the truck.

"Uhh...” They heard man's voice as the man began to lead Sarah away. The man turned around.

"Oh hey Dorian...we were waiting for you."

"Who is this?" He asked with a devilish grin as he put his arm around Blayne. "Did you get this for me?"

"No, she brought her." The man said with a smile.

"I love her all ready. She's perfect." He ran his finger along her chin. Blayne was frozen in her tracks, no matter how hard she tried she found herself unable to peel away from his face, it was so beautiful.

"Should we get going then?" The man asked, his arm around Sarah's waist.

"Yeah, the sooner the better I am starving."

Starving? Sarah thought with confusion.

"We going to Blue Mountain again?"

"Yeah, at this time of night no one is going to be out there."

Blue mountain? Blayne thought nervously. There aren't any restaurants up there.

The door opened behind Sarah as the man pushed her in.

Blayne felt Dorian lift her off of her feet and drop her into the back of the truck. A few seconds later he hoped over the edge and was next to her, lifting her up into a sitting position.

The door to the truck closed as the man slipped into the driver's seat. The engine started and left the well-lit parking lot headed for the darkness of the woods.

Chapter 2: Cops and Robbers

1

The engine stopped. Sarah wanted to look around to see where she was but her neck wouldn't turn. The man smiled and reached over, picking her hand up sending tingles down her spine. She inhaled deeply and fast, letting no air out.

You shouldn't be here.

2

Blayne couldn't contain herself; she was about to speak when Dorian turned her head towards him. He stared deeply into her eyes and she forgot everything she was going to say. It was like his eyes vacuumed all thoughts and emotions right out of her head. One thing came in and one thing only in the vast space that was left inside her skull.

Blayne...If I asked you to do something, will you do it for me? She nodded. Good will you lay back? Blayne smiled and did as he asked. She would do anything for him.

She felt woozy as well as free. Dorian reached down as he hovered above her and lightly touched her neck, his fingers found a pressure point and he began to rub it. Blayne's breath caught in her throat, she tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't move; her lips were stuck together.

3

It was dark in the cab; all she could make out was his ghostly white skin. His outline neared her and his body began pushing against hers. His mouth was just a breath away from her lips. He lifted one of his hands to caress her cheek, the other feeling her wrist. Sarah tried to talk but her lips wouldn't let her. "Shh...Don't speak." He murmured. "I hate it when you talk."

Why aren't you moving! Move your legs and...walk...away...Damn he looks good. But this is too good to be true.

4

Dorian pulled Blayne closer to him. He felt her blood pounding through her veins and grew hungrier. He wanted it in him, bad. He kissed her cheek softly, then her chin. His lips were soft and fleshy against her skin. He bent her head to the side and kissed her neck. He felt her shiver against his lips. He grinned. "Don't be scared baby. It'll be over before you know it."

"Wha-What do you mean?" She finally spoke, her cheek resting against the cool metal of the truck.

"Shh." He put his finger to her mouth and rubbed, he could feel the blood flowing there too. His fangs grew longer, touching his bottom lips. He bent her head down again and saw her neck, pink and fleshy. He bent his head down and stabbed his teeth in.

Blayne gasped. It felt like needles had just been forced into her neck. She felt dizzy. Dorian's body crashed into her, pinning her down. The force of his body against hers was so strong she felt a heat rise in her, his heart beat against hers. Her eyes opened with the pain. The stars swirled above her, calling her to join them and she let them carry her up.

But at the same time she felt as though the life was being sucked right from her. In that moment her lungs lost all the air they had; it went rushing between her lips in no more than a few seconds.

5

Aidan kissed Sarah's lips. His teeth almost full-grown now. He could hear her heart thumping in her chest. Her breathing had become heavy. He reached behind her head and undid her ponytail letting her smooth black hair fall onto her shoulders. He moved his hands through it, then grabbed her head. He tilted it to the side painfully. She moaned. He closed his eyes and moved his mouth down, down to ecstasy.

Sarah's mind had been right when it told her to get out, but it was too late. The daze she had been put under was gone now...that too, had arrived too late. The pain was almost too much to bear. She tried to scream, but all that came out was a squeak. Her body was limp against his powerful grasp. The pain became sweat as her eyelids began to flutter. It was almost enjoyable. She felt her arms wrap around him and pull him closer to her body. She accepted him and closed her eyes again. Suddenly she felt as if she were flying, then it stopped. She felt his weight leave her body, her arms wouldn't let go of him. He laughed.

"Now, now. You're weak. If I take any more blood you'll die and I wouldn't like that." He pushed her away and back into the seat cushions.

Her eyes were still on him. She wanted him. She wanted him bad. All the sudden she grew incredibly weak. She tried to lift her arms but couldn't. She looked down at them and they were pale. Her entire body was pale. She groaned and looked up to Aidan, wide eyed. He was grinning. Suddenly she realized what had just occurred. Why had it taken so long to realize? But he looked so good. She could feel the tingle on her neck from where his lips had been. She wanted him again.

6

Blayne felt the dizzying pleasure take control of her body and mind. She pulled Dorian as close to her body as she could. He bit down harder. She moaned with the sweet pain. She had never felt such a pleasure in her life, it was almost indescribable. She dug her nails into his back; he seemed not to notice. And then just as quickly as it had started it stopped. She saw Dorian's face lift before hers. He licked his lips. "Mmm. Tastey."

Blayne tried to scream, but once again found herself unable to. Blood covered his lips and mouth, he had...fangs! She heard movement from behind her and using all her strength turned to see Sarah in the cab with Aidan. She looked...pale. So pale. "Sarah." She choked out. She heard Dorian laugh. She turned her frightened eyes to him and watched in horror as he laughed at her. His fangs still long and pointy in his mouth. She heard Aidan begin to laugh to. Blayne attempted to get up, using all her energy. Dorian cut off his laughter and pushed her down again.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked his teeth shrinking.

"I-I want to leave." Her voice came out in a low whisper.

"Leave? What makes you think you can leave now?" He asked leaning down into her face. "What if I want you to stay?" His finger traced her chin down to her chest; it stopped once reaching the center of her breasts. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I don't want to stay." She said sinking back into the metal again; her head hit it hard.

7

Sarah looked back at her friend confused. She wasn't sure she was hearing her correctly. What had just happened to her was good in her eyes. Sure she was a little weak, but what she had experienced had felt so good. It was almost like she had given Aidan a new life. In taking some of hers she was helping another. She felt close to him. She lifted her shaky frail hand to touch him.

"I want to stay." She offered, the smile stuck to his face.

"See, one of you has some sense. Sarah wants to stay." Dorian said leaning even closer to Blayne, the lump in his pants started digging into her leg.

"Sarah! What are you saying no you don't!" Blayne cried, or at least tried to, her arms wouldn't lift Dorian off of her.

"I do." Sarah said dreamily into Aidan's laughing eyes. "I really do."

Blayne tried to get up but Dorian pushed her down again. "Don't you think you should stay with Sarah?" He asked a slight hint of mockery in his voice as his hands roamed down to her thighs.

Blayne looked at Sarah who appeared to be in a trance. Snap out of it Sarah.

"Wouldn't you like it if she did?" Dorian laughed, his face still inches from hers.

Blayne turned to him again, scared. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

Dorian leaned in close and whispered, with sarcasm, in her ear. "I can read your thoughts. I know what you are thinking all the time" He grinned madly.

Blayne shrank back trying hard to not think what she wanted to do.

"It's not working." He laughed.

She frowned looking away to escape his hands and his body...

8

Aidan looked down at the girl in front of him. She was just supposed to be a meal, then he would ditch her. No biggy, nothing new. But she was connected. Actually connected to him. She wanted to stay, not just because she was under a trance, because he had taken that off her 5 minutes ago. He began to get ideas in his head, ingenious ideas...

He opened the door and motioned for Dorian to follow him. Dorian stood up but frowned. Aidan always ruined his fun.

Sarah whimpered, not willing to let go of Aidan's hand. "Now, now. I'll be right back." He said as if speaking to a child. She hesitantly let go then dropped her hand to her lap. Watching his every move as he slowly moved away from her. Her heart ached with every step he took, every inch further from her his feet took him.

They walked out to a nearby tree and kept a steady watch on the truck and the girls. "Dorian...I have an idea..." He said a smirk on his face.

This is just too good.

9

Blayne got up slowly and knocked on the window of the cab. "Sarah. Sarah get up. We have to get out of here. Now, before they come back." The bite on her neck began to sting. She flinched as a ping of pain hit her with the force of a hundred knives.

"No." Sarah said looking anxiously at the bodies standing by the trees. "I want to stay."

Blayne pulled her friend's arm, forcing her to look at her. "Come on, we have to go now." She too was weak to move out of the bed. Sarah was weak also, but she didn't want to leave, so why would she try?

"NO!" Sarah shouted with all her strength. The shock of the jerk made her Blayne fall back again. "I'm staying."

Blayne fought to get her friend to listen; they were running out of time. Finally crawling onto her knees she grabbed her friend by the shirt and shook her.

She put both hands on Sarah's shoulders trying to push her to the door.

"Damn!" Blayne shouted, her voice muffled by her weakness. The door opened, Aidan appeared a smile on his face.

"Uh uh uh!" Dorian said shaking his finger in her face. "You aren't supposed to do that." He put his hand on her shoulder. "I have good news for you though..." He grinned, then looked to Aidan who was standing next to the puppy eyed Sarah. "I'm going to let you leave now."

Blayne looked suspicious. "I-I can just leave."

Dorian nodded and boosted her to her feet. Aidan did the same for Sarah as he helped her from the cab.

"Just walk out of the truck, no catches..."

"That's right." Aidan said with a straight face.

"What about Sarah?" She asked worried.

"Oh, I think she's made up her mind." Aidan said putting his arm around her.

"I'll call you Blayne." She said smiling as she put her arm around his waist; more for support than anything else.

She looked at Sarah for a minute, the turned to the door. Dorian moved his hand as if urging her to go. She walked slowly to the back of the truck, gulping. Her legs were like lead. She wouldn't be able to make it down the hill and she knew it. She put her shaky hands on the edge and let herself fall with a grunt. She tried to land on her feet but she lost her footing and had to grab a hold of the truck for support. She heard Dorian laughing from behind her. She took a step out waiting for something bad to happen, it didn't. She started down the hill, her breathing still heavy. Her feet crushed twigs and leaves as she slowly moved farther away from the vehicle. The door to the truck closed behind her, she jumped and began to run, slowly...Run for her life.

10

As the door closed Sarah's smile grew to a grin. "Are you going to let me stay?" She chirped happily.

"That's right Sarah!" Dorian said scooting closer to her. "We're going to let you stay. Blayne didn't want to, so it's just us."

"Oh and what shall we do?" Aidan asked as if he were clueless to his plans.

"I don't know...We'll be leaving tomorrow, so..."

"You're leaving! But I want you to stay! What can I do to make you stay!" She pleaded, her eyes begging. She felt terror rip through her, pulling the muscle walls of her heart in two.

-Fish caught the bait.

"Anything?" Aidan asked leaning down so they were eye level.

She nodded eagerly, her eyes wide.

"Um, do you understand what happened tonight?" He asked as gently as he could.

She bit her lip and nodded again. A smile still on her lips, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"So you understand that we are vampires?" Dorian asked from beside her. He was stretched out, one arm around her.

She nodded again, not making eye contact with either of them.

"Will you be willing to let...what happened tonight happen...again?" He asked trying to hide his eagerness, his voice was calming almost hypnotic at the same time.

She bit her lip harder now, drawing blood. Aidan felt his teeth tingle for it. He could smell it, taste it...

"Would...Would you both do it?"

"Well we are traveling with 2 other men, cross country...They don't like drinking from humans. So to us, you would sort of be...well..."

"A blood donor." Dorian laughed.

Aidan shot him a warning glance, Dorian stifled his laughter. He knew the temper of the older man and wasn't ready to deal with it.

"Well, sort of a blood donor." He said through clenched teeth. His lips grew a smile again. He waited; she said nothing, just looked down at the floor. "What do you say? Will you come with us? You would have a good time. You could stay with me." He added lifting her chin so he could see her eyes, his finger caressing her peach colored flesh.

"Do I really have a choice now?" The smile was half gone from the rose buds at the bottom of her face.

At this point Dorian and Aidan were leaning towards her, both of them looking into her eyes. Their expressions soft, yet dark at the same time. "No." They whispered together.

11

Blayne reached another road, she recognized this one, it lead to a campground. She had not seen any cars or people yet for help so all she could do was keep walking. The regret of leaving her friend was sinking into her chest, the weight like bricks. She was about to call for help when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

She screamed.

She whirled around.

"Oh god! I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you!" The man said his hand to his head...Her eyes widened.

The man looked at himself. "What? Do I have a leach on my face or something?"

She shook her head. She could get away if she wanted to. She moved her hand over her neck for a moment then realized what she was doing. The man's face became expressionless.

"Oh no." He whispered backing up into the wall behind him. He closed his eyes. "Did they do it again?"

Her brow furrowed. "Yes." She said in a small voice. She wasn't understanding, how did he know?

He let out a sigh. "Damn it!" He hit the wall behind him, scaring her. She jumped. "Oh sorry...I didn't mean to scare you." He thought for a moment. "Are you alone?"

This question got to her. "NO!" She shouted, feeling the interest rising. "I was with a friend, they still have her." The fear was still there.

"Where?" He asked starting to feel a little helpless. His face looked eager.

"Back here, some where." She said, starting to walk, her legs noticeably shaking with the effort. He came beside her.

"So they..."

"Yes." She said nodding as best she could.

"You too?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely.

"Not as sorry as me." She looked over to him. "Are you like them?" She asked straight out.

"What do you mean? Am I a vampire? Yes. Am I heartless? No. I am not like them in that way. I-"

"How do you get blood then?" She asked sincerely interested in her question.

"Bottled animal blood." He said looking to the floor. "I don't get it Grady does, he comes with us when we travel." He explained.

She nodded then looked back ahead of her. "It's up here." She pointed. Her head grew dizzy and she felt her knees giving out. She reached out to grab for something; her hand attached to his shoulder. In instinct her reached his hands around her waist and lifted her up.

"Can you walk?"

She nodded again. "Yeah, I just got dizzy." They continued to walk up the hill waiting to see the truck, her heart racing. "What's your name?"

"Galen."

"Thank you Galen."

12

"So I will be able to stay with you guys in the Winnie and in your hotel rooms and would we be able to see the ocean-"

"Whoa! Hey, don't get too excited. You're just going to be on the motor home and stuff...It's not like we have a budget to go everywhere." He started to laugh. "I can take you a lot of places though." Dorian said sticking his face into hers, kissing her cheek.

She smiled feeling a little scared.

"Good. Then every things settles let's go to-" Aidan started but stopped as the door opened revealing Galen and...Blayne. "Well, we were just coming to see you J!"

"Hey Blayne." Dorian said waving to her as he put on his biggest grin.

She winced and hid behind Galen.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked as if tired by all this.

"Just adding a new member to the Tempestvan." Aidan said smiling as he gently touched Sarah's hand, catching her again. She tingled as he let go of her hand, but not her body.

"What are you talking about?" Galen asked opening the door wider, his face concerned.

"Sarah is going to come with us while we tour the country." Dorian said happily, turning to her. "Isn't that right Sarah?"

She nodded a spacey smile on her face.

"No, she isn't. She's coming home...with me." Blayne said forgetting her fear, and her weakness. She leaned into the truck, her hand out.

Dorian hit her hand away. "She wants to come with us." He warned.

She stood her ground. "No! Sarah come on." She held out her hand again.

Dorian put both hands on her shoulders and pushed her hard into the ground. "She's coming with us!" He growled. Galen stepped forwards.

"Don't say anything else Dorian. Let's go see the other guys they get you guys straight."

"We're straight, Jo."

"Yeah I am, but are you really Dorian?" Galen said glaring.

Dorian looked as if he would attack.

Aidan put his hand on his shoulder. "Let's go Dorian. I am sure Grady will be glad we have a new person. They’re getting just as sick of Galen's face as we are." He pushed Galen out of the way and shut the door.

Galen rolled his eyes and helped Blayne off the floor. "Come on." She winced as she leaned against his shoulder, but walked non-the less. He lifted her up into the back of the truck and hopped on just before Aidan pushed down on the gas and started down the hill.

Chapter 3: Tension

1

"What?" Grady shouted. He looked at the girl on the sofa. She didn't look like she was in a trance. He squatted on the floor next to her. He looked her hard in the eyes. "Do you really want to come with us?"

She leaned forwards and said flat out, "Yes." A smile of mockery on her face.

He tried to read her mind. She wants to come. It's not a trance. He sighed. "Fine." He sighed. He stood up and turned to Galen. "It's not a trance. She really wants to come."

Galen rolled his eyes.

Blayne stepped forwards. "Why? After what they did, why do you want to go?"

"I liked it Blayne. It was awesome!" Her eyes lit up. "And to be able to feel that every night!" She blushed when she noticed everyone's eyes on her.

"I-I don't understand Sarah. Why?" She kneeled down and looked into her eyes as Grady had done.

"I don't get it either. I just know I want to do it." She sounded sincere enough, but Blayne didn't care.

She sighed loudly. "Whatever." She moved towards the other end of the Winnie and put her hand through her hair. Galen and Grady were staring at the teeth marks on her neck. Grady's mouth was wide open. She hastily walked back over to the group. "I'm coming too."

"What?" Galen asked shocked. "Why?"

"To look after Sarah." She said her voice rising. "What else?"

"You going to be a blood donor too?" Dorian asked, still laughing at his joke.

She turned to him and almost punched him. "No. I am not."

"God! Everyone calm down!" Galen shouted. "Let's just take a vote. We know Sarah is coming...God knows why! And is Blayne coming?"

"I'm all for it." Dorian said smiling.

"Let her come what's the harm?" Aidan said with a shrug.

"Fine. Let her come." Grady said kicking the side of the wall.

"Then it's settled. They are both coming." Dorian said sitting on the nearest couch, putting his feet up.

2

The Winnie started, Blayne gripped the couch, her eyes closed. Sarah was humming. They guys clearing bunks for them. They had been on the bus for hours.

"Here you go guys." Galen said from the curtain separating the "bedroom" and the "lounge".

The girls got up and walked towards him. Sarah happily bouncing along. All of the girls strength had found its way back to them...Now all they needed was sleep.

"Here is yours." He said looking at Sarah funny. She grinned and laid her self down in her bunk. "And Blayne. Here is yours." He said lifting the curtain on the bunk directly opposite Sarah.

She looked at it and saw his face. It had pity written all over it. "Don't pity me, Galen. I don't need it. I'm only here for Sarah."

"I can't help myself, but...He reached up and moved the hair from her neck. She flinched. "No let me. I think your...bite might be...infected." She rolled her eyes. "Just let me." He moved her hair again and leaned in close to look. "Yeah, it looks a little red. You should put some..." He walked over to the bathroom and opened it, reaching in and grabbing a small bottle. "Here, let me put this on. It might sting, well it will sting, but-"

He sprayed some of it on and saw that there was some dried blood around the wound. His teeth tingled. He felt his hunger rise. His breath came out in shallow gasps. The wanting rose from his toes to the ends of the hairs on his head. He shoved the bottle in her hand and looked away. He felt his teeth growing. "Get some sleep." He choked out. "You've lost a lot of...blood. So you need rest." With that he let the curtain fall, his hand to his mouth. He went into the "Lounge". Dorian was smiling.

"Getting harder to resist the blood of a woman, aye Galen?"

"Shut up Dorian!" He roared as he walked to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle full of the dark red liquid. He opened it quickly and chugged it.

"Not the same buddy." Dorian said still on the couch. His legs crossed casually.

"Dorian, I swear I am going to rip out your tongue if you don't shut up." He said walking to him. Grady walked up behind him and grabbed his arm.

"It's not worth it."

"Oh, it would be." He scowled as Grady let go of his arm.

Suddenly they heard a woman's voice and all turned their eyes to the doorway. It was Sarah.

She smiled. "Hello." She waved, then began to blush. "Why is everyone staring at me?"

"Because your too beautiful my dear." Dorian said standing up and rushing to be next to her. He took her hand and gently kissed it. She laughed, trying to ignore the tingles crawling up her back.

Grady rolled his eyes and Galen looked away.

"Where is Aidan...and Blayne." She added trying not to sound to excited to see the man who had stolen her heart...and apparently her blood as well.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Galen asked, almost sounding like an angered parent.

"I couldn't." She shrugged.

"He's up front, let me take you to them." Dorian said putting his arm around her waist as he led her to the front.

"It is getting harder not to rip off his head." Galen growled.

"Well if you did it wouldn't do much. It would just grow back and the carpet would be all bloody." Grady said sticking out his tongue in disgust.

"So does that mean I can?"

3

When Blayne woke up the Winnie was just shutting off. A hand appeared at her curtain and it pulled back. "Time to get up. We are at the hotel." Sarah said with a hint of excitement in her voice.

Blayne got up and put her hand to her neck, it still hurt. She saw Galen and Grady waiting for them at the front.

"The others went ahead to pay." Grady said trying to be polite; he reached out to take her hand. She put it in her pocket.

"I don't think so."

"He was just being nice Blayne." Sarah said stepping off the bus.

"That's what I thought Dorian was doing..." She said shutting her friend up. The group went into the hotel room straight from the street.

"Well here we are. Your home for the next two days...and nights." Galen said trying to be cheerful.

"What, this is it? Where are you guys staying?" Blayne asked from the doorway.

"There are only two beds." Sarah noted.

The door to the bathroom opened and Dorian stepped out. "Hey there pretty lady." He said sauntering over to Sarah.

"Hello." She said blushing. She looked like a child. She was acting like an 8 year old, not herself. She had always been very smooth with guys, something apparently had changed.

He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her neck softly. Galen left the room, obviously mad at the scene beginning to unfold before his eyes. He slammed the door to the bathroom, Blayne ran after him.

"What about me!" She shouted pounding on the oak.

He opened the door and, his face red with rage. He opened the door wider. "What do you mean?"

"What I am supposed to do while they...do this?" She looked over her shoulder

He nodded. "Sorry. It can't be helped."

"Can I stay in the Winnie."

"Sure...I think that's a pretty good idea, I'll do that too."

This isn't right. I'll make you see that Sarah, just wait. I'll help you. She heard Sarah laugh loudly and opened the door leading outside.

"Hey!" Dorian yelled from his bed. "Could you keep it down?"

Blayne glared from behind the door and walked into the Winnie."

She went straight to her bed and put the pillow over her head. She didn't even hear Galen come in.

Chapter 4: Love, Lust, and Compassion

1

Aidan stepped up to Dorian. Sarah was asleep on the bed next to them. She was pale, hardly any blood left in her. "We should have thought of this earlier." He said grinning, the fresh blood still tingling in his stomach.

"Who knew she'd be so gullible."

"And Blayne." Dorian added with a smile.

Aidan hit him. "Get over it buddy you aren't getting her again."

"Why not?"

"One word Galen."

Dorian laughed and sat down on the bed next to Sarah. "He can't be her protector forever...Can he baby?" He asked patting Sarah's thigh.

Aidan rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Aidan said, his finger to his blood stained lips.

"Dorian I just wanted-” The boy looked at the bed. "My shirt back."

"Are you talking about this one?" Dorian asked lifting up Sarah's limp body, her head dangling from her neck.

"For-Forget, I'll get it later."

"Oh, I don't think she'd mind." Aidan said walking over to the bed. He sat himself down on the other side of her and started to pull off the shirt.

"Really, it's OK guys. I'll get it later." He pleaded as Aidan finished pulling the shirt over her head. Her body flopped back down onto the bed as he threw the shirt at Grady. Her skin looked golden against her white underwear.

"There you go." Dorian said with a smile. Grady eyed her body again. "What?" Dorian asked looking around the bed. "Are you seeing anything of interest?"

Grady ignored the comment and left the room. He didn't slam the door; it shut with a small click.

Aidan turned to Dorian and shrugged.

2

"Wake up. We're going to get you breakfast." Galen said through the curtain.

"Oh." She said realizing who it was. "What am I going to wear."

"What you wore yesterday."

"So are you guys going to get me clothes today?"

Galen turned his head slightly, his arms across his chest. "No."

"What?"

"You didn't let me finish." He said rolling his eyes. "You and Sarah are going to get your own clothes while me and the guys go do some things we need to do."

"How much money are you-"

"Plenty." He interrupted. A smile couldn't help but spread across his lips.

She smiled with him. "How much is plenty?"

"Five hundred."

"For both of us?" She asked, her eyes wide.

"Each." He said with a chuckle.

"Each! Wow! That's more money than I have ever had in my pocket! Five hundred!" She walked in front of Galen. "You are kidding aren't you?"

"No. Why would I be kidding you?"

"For clothes?"

"For everything."

"How did you get all that money? What do you guys do for a living?"

"Trust me that's plenty." He said ignoring her question. You are going to be with us for quite some time and we want you to be comfortable. Well actually Aidan and Dorian made up that figure."

"I don't think we are going to be here that long...” She said climbing out of her bunk.

Galen put his hand on her shoulder. "Think realistically. You aren't going to leave unless Sarah does. Sarah isn't leaving, at least not for a few months. Maybe they'll get tired of her sooner than that, but they usually don't give up free food."

"Food?"

"Sorry." He said moving his hand away from her shoulder; he moved it to the curtain and opened it.

"It's about time!" Dorian said standing up from the couch. He had a bottle in his hand, it was half-empty. "We were about to go in there, make sure you were all right."

Grady was standing by the door, waiting. Sarah was leaning against Aidan, her eyes were closed. He noticed Blayne staring at her.

"Oh don't worry baby, she's just asleep." He winked as Blayne scowled in his direction.

"Can we go now?" Grady asked, growing impatient.

"Yeah, you go ahead, we'll be right there." Dorian said waving his hand for him to go.

"Dorian I need to ask you a question." Galen said fingering his chin.

"What?" He asked walking from the couch to Galen; he was right in front of him.

"Why are you drinking animal blood?"

"Oh this...” He smiled. "Blayne didn't fill me up."

"Fuck you."

"My pleasure." He said stepping towards her. She slid behind Galen.

"I think we should go. Blayne looks really hungry." He said pushing past Dorian, his hand holding Blayne's. They both ignored the looks Dorian gave them as they walked past.

3

"I still can't believe they gave us so much money!" Sarah said happily. "They are being so nice!"

"Yeah nice." Blayne said looking over her shoulder at the store clerk staring at them.

"Wow, look at this shirt!" She said lifting up a sky blue tank top.

"Yeah, it's nice." She stepped closer to Sarah, piles of clothes already in her arms. "Don't you think this is a little strange? I mean where did they get all this money to give us?"

"Not really." Sarah said shrugging. "Maybe they are heirs to a fortune or something." She said with a smile. "They're cute anyway."

"Have you become an idiot? Is it all the blood you have lost?"

"I'm not an idiot. I'm just...in love I guess."

"In love?" Blayne said shocked.

"Don't...” Sarah warned. "Hey this dress is going to be hot on you!" She threw the piece of clothing into Blayne's arms.

"Can we try this stuff on?" She asked trying to hold on to the clothes.

"Yeah." Sarah started for the dressing rooms. "This is going to be fun."

Blayne looked over her shoulder again as she opened the door to one of the rooms. "You aren't going to follow me in are you?"

The clerk scowled and stepped back a few feet.

"Thank you." She closed the door behind her and started taking off her shoes. "Sarah can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot." She said pulling her shirt off over her head.

"Why do you like it so much?"

"Like what? Them...doing it?"

"Yeah."

"You felt it, you were there." Sarah said smiling. "You can't tell me it didn't feel good. You cannot sit there and tell me you didn't enjoy it for at least a few minutes."

"Sarah, I'm standing."

"Blayne! I'm serious."

"So am I...I mean sure I thought it felt good but-"

"It didn't just feel good. God girl! It was better than sex!"

"Wow, didn't think you'd go that far."

"Well, that's how it felt...” She said smiling, remembering, feeling.

"OK...” Blayne said looking at the dress she was wearing in the mirror. She had regained her strength and her color. She lifted her hair up from her shoulder and felt the marks from were Dorian's teeth had sunk in. They weren't as red as before...it didn't sting either.

"Blayne? Are you still alive?" Sarah asked popping her head up above the door.

"Oh yeah. I was just thinking, sorry."

"OK. I'm going to get a different size for these pants. Guess what size! Guess!" Sarah said excitedly.

"What."

"Four! Size four!"

"Wow." Blayne said. "That's great."

"Sheesh Blayne, lighten up already."

She rolled her eyes and lifted the dress over her shoulders to try on something else.

I'm not getting anywhere with her...I'm just going to enjoy today while I can...Tonight I deal with...them.

*

"Welcome back! Oh man, you look hot!" Dorian said walking over to meet Sarah and pick up her bags. "I can't believe it...and you got a haircut...Oh and look at that Aidan it goes right over her neck." Sarah smiled.

"I thought you'd like it."

"It's perfect." He looked at Blayne. "And look at you." The thought of Sarah completely slipped his mind. "You look amazing...Good enough to eat." He grinned, taking her hand to kiss it. He turned her wrist over and kissed it. Blayne pulled it away.

"You don't have to be that way Blayne...I wasn't going to bite." She picked up her bags and headed for her bunk. She threw her bags in Galen's direction.

"Hey! Watch what you are doing." Galen shouted as he shot up out of the bed. Blayne jumped.

"Damn it! Don't do that to me!" She shouted jumping back a few feet.

"Sorry, I'm sorry if I can't help but be jumpy. I just don't like that fact that you two are here...No offense to you two...I just don't like Aidan and Dorian doing this. They are going to-I don't like what they are doing." He ended standing up. He started looking through the bags.

"What are you doing?" Blayne asked walking to the bed.

"I am helping you unpack."

"Unpack? Shouldn't you say pack?"

"Don't do that. I'm just trying to help. None of us told you to stay."

"I had no choice." She said, "I couldn't leave her behind. I have to be here for her."

"What's the story with you two anyway?"

"Me and Sarah? She's been my best friend since we were in 3rd grade."

"How old are you now?"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you never to ask that to a woman?" She said slyly as she took a folded shirt from his hands.

"I was just asking. I'm 22 if you are wondering yourself...” He looked at her waiting.

"You aren't older than that?"

"No."

"When did you become a vampire then?"

"Oh." He laughed. "That was how old I was when I got bit. I'm actually 136."

"Oh...wow."

He laughed again. "I was in the war."

Blayne began counting on her fingers. "The Civil War?" She asked shocked.

"Yeah."

"How?"

"I was out on the field, I got shot and my best friend bit me. I didn't know he was...” He put his head down and laughed a laugh that told her he didn't want to remember."

"What happened to him?"

"He died."

"How?"

"Are you going to tell me how old you are yet?" He asked handing her some shorts.

"Oh, I'm 21."

"I think you should take care of the rest of this stuff, unless you care if I see your underwear."

Blayne took the bag from his hand and brought it over to her bunk. "I don't think so." She started putting her new clothes and things in her new bag. "I really like this stuff...It's nicer than anything I've ever owned. We even got to go to Victoria's Secret."

Galen looked up at her surprised. "I thought you didn't want me to see your underwear."

"I didn't hold it up for you did I?"

He smiled as she looked back down at her stuff and started humming.

4

"Are you still awake?" She heard him whisper from across the room.

"Yes, how can I sleep with her next door?" Blayne said rolling over towards his bed. "Why are you still up?"

"Blayne...” He said forcing her to remember whom she was with.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." She said looking down into the darkness below her bunk.

"I'm sorry you are having to hear this." He said, trying to be a little more caring.

"This is nothing, I mean nothing compared to Prom night." She said with a laugh. Her attempt at comedy didn't humor him. She stopped laughing. "Sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry about." He paused to take a deep breath. "Do you want to go out somewhere until this is over?"

"I guess so, it's not like I'll be sleeping anytime soon." She got up and moved her hand to turn on the light.

"Could we not do that?" He asked, standing up himself. "I don't think I could handle the light changes.

"Sure, I'll take my bag into the bathroom." She said moving away from the lamp.

His eyes could see clearly in the dark. He saw her outline perfectly as she walked towards the bathroom. She wore a t-shirt, nothing more and her legs were so long...

"Where are we going?" She asked pulling him out of his trance.

"Oh, um. I don't know. Do you have any ideas?"

"I could use some coffee."

"OK, I'll watch you drink it."

"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot. Do you have any place you wanted to go that didn't involve food...or drink?"

"No, coffee is OK. I like the smell anyway. I used to drink it."

"Are you sure?" She asked from the doorway.

"Yeah, go on get dressed to we can get out of here before they drive us crazy."

She smiled and disappeared into the blackness of the bathroom.

5

Dorian was sitting on the couch staring at the television when Galen and Blayne entered the room. He looked up when he smelled her scent. A smile grew slowly in the dark.

"Heelloo Blayne!" He shouted getting off the couch.

She didn't answer his call.

"Where are you going?"

"To get coffee." Galen answered his back turned away from the boy.

"But, what about people seeing you?" His voice was edgy and nervous.

"It's 2 o'clock in the morning...who's gonna see us?" He opened the door for Blayne and let her by. "And it's not like I am going to be sucking her neck." He added sarcastically.

"Bye Blayne!" Dorian called. He shrugged his shoulders and say back down with a grin as Galen turned back to give him a glare.

Galen shut the door and followed Blayne through the parking lot. He tried to not do it, but his eyes wouldn't tear away from her. His stomach growled.

"Are you feeling OK?"

"Yeah, I just haven't eaten yet...” He kicked a rock, trying to play it off; casually.

"Oh." Her fear rose...and he sensed it. Her heart was pounding in her chest, his hunger made him hear it, feel it in his own veins. The wanting for blood, her blood, became stronger.

"Maybe you should go back and drink some...from the refrigerator."

"That might be a good idea...” He wanted to tell her not to be scared of him, but he held his tongue. It wouldn't do him any good to make matters worse...

"You're back! That didn't take long!" Dorian said directly as the door opened. Blayne stopped in her tracks. "Do I have to remind you that I know what you are thinking...I heard you coming." He said walking to where she was standing.

Galen appeared behind her and gave Dorian a warning. Dorian put his hands up and away from Blayne. She turned back to Galen; he was taking a bottle from the cooler. She knew what was going on. She felt Dorian's eyes on her and looked his way.

Both men knew she was scared. One didn't care; he liked it.

"I'm ready to go." Galen said surprising her to the point where she jumped.

"You're finished?"

"I drink fast." He said putting his hand on her back so she would leave the room.

Dorian didn't say anything.

"What's with you?" She asked when they were at the end of the parking lot.

"I don't trust him. He was blocking his thoughts from me, I don't like it when he does that."

"Why can you block each other but I can't?"

"You can, you just don't know how to."

"That doesn't help."

"We can cross the street." She followed his finger to the empty road. Her question went unanswered.

The minutes seemed to go by slowly. The darkness only seemed to envelop them as they walked down the deserted sidewalk.

She knew that he knew she was scared of him but she couldn't help it. Her breathing didn't steady; she couldn't fight what she was thinking.

"I understand Blayne, it's OK."

His bluntness shocked her. "I-I-I."

"You sound like Ricky Ricardo." He said laughingly as he let it slide.

She scared herself when she found the nerve to speak. "Is it OK if we just go to 7-Eleven and pick up the coffee there? I'm getting a little tired."

"Oh OK." He paused to suck in a breath. "We can just go back upstairs if you want."

"It's OK. Let's just get the coffee. I want it bad now."

He chose to ignore what was about to roll off his tongue and coughed instead. The night air was so frigid his breath came out in white puffy clouds.

The silence almost hurt. It pounded into her ears breaking into her brain.

"Are you going to school?" He finally asked as they stepped into the brightly-lit convenient store.

"No." Her mouth wouldn't let her say anything more. Part of her was terrified.

"Why not?"

"I don't have the money." She said plainly once she reached the coffee machine.

"Don't your parents?"

They're dead.

"Oh."

She pulled the lever and watched the steaming brown liquid poor into her mug; it helped break the silence. The smell lifted into her nose. She took a deep breath seeping the fragrance into her senses.

Once she had paid for the coffee and was heading for the door Galen decided his chance to speak had arrived. "Uh, do you think we can go for a walk? I don't feel like going back to the hotel; Aidan tends to take time with...It's a really nice night."

Her eyes were searching his for a lie; or for trust she herself didn't know which. "OK, I guess so." She exited the store with one swift step.

"Blayne, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm not like them. I've told you that before." He said running to catch up to her; with her.

"I don't know what you are talking about Galen. I'm just edgy." She said with a nervous laugh.

"Why do you seem to forget what I am? I can re-"

"Read my thoughts." She finished with him.

"Yeah...” A breeze picked up sweeping the leaves through the trees. Her hair flew behind her neck; his bite marks laughing at her. "Uh...I..."

"So I see that even after the change you still have the, um, shall I say urges." She said with a sly smile.

"Well we are men." He said shifting his head to the side.

"Yeah and you are all the same."

"I wouldn't say that." He was struggling to help her understand so many things that no human could ever comprehend, but his brain wasn't putting the pieces together.

"Why not?"

"You know." He said, his head still turned from her to hide the deep red in his cheeks.

"You're really shy aren't you?"

He slid past the question with another one fit just for her. "Why are you so afraid of me? I can understand them, but not me." His eyes had finally found hers as he spoke. She couldn't tear away from them.

"If you are what they are how can I help myself? After what they did to Sarah and I, I can't help but be a little scared."

"But you aren't just a little scared, you are terrified."

They had stopped walking. Now they were standing in the depths of the park; their eyes unable to peel off of each other.

"Can you blame me really?" She asked shakily. She swallowed hard. "I see you staring at my bite." She picked up her hand and put it on her neck. "I saw the look in your eyes when you were hungry for blood. I saw the way you looked at me."

His eyes broke from her quivering stare in a sudden movement; causing her to jump. "I know what you are talking about and I am sorry, I can't help it. When we get hungry we get desperate but I would never-"

"But if you can't help it and your hungry how do I know you wont?"

"I'm not like them."

"Well I can't help but keep my guard up, OK? It's easy for me not to trust you, it's hard for me to be able to."

"I get the point." He started walking again.

She turned the other direction and looked back in the direction of the hotel. "You're walking out a little far, can we go back."

"Be my guest."

"I...I don't know the way."

"Then I guess you have no choice but to follow me and trust me."

"That's not funny Galen. I want to go back."

"Why? It's a nice night, you're safe with me..."

Blayne huffed and sped up to be next to him.

"Whatever happened to the smiling girl I knew yesterday and earlier this evening?"

"She cleared her head of the goo that was clogging it."

"Goo?"

"Don't...You asked; I explained." Their walk had slowed. "Can I ask you a few questions?"

"What?"

"Can you really die if you're staked?"

He started chuckling to himself. "No. That's just a myth. Why, you want to stake me?"

"No...Can you walk out in sunlight?"

He laughed again.

"Why are you finding this amusing?"

"Because, I haven't been able to be asked these questions by anyone before."

"Oh...well? Can you?"

"Yes if we have fed-Excuse me, if we have had enough blood the night before we can."

"Oh."

"Aren't you going to ask what happens if we don't?"

Blayne smiled a little. "I was hoping you'd just tell me."

"We burn; quickly. In a matter of seconds we are ash."

"Like in Interview with the Vampire!" She said glad she was understanding.

"Yeah, sort of like that. We just don't look like Brad Pitt."

"I wouldn't say that."

"You change you're mind quickly don't you?"

"No." She said blushing. "I was just interested. I've never met one of you before."

"Oh, I'm sure you have. I think you would be surprised of how many of us there really are."

"Have you met any of them?"

"Not out front, but we know when we see one, or when one is near."

"You are a lot like Anne Rice's description."

"Not completely."

"I guess you're right."

"And I'm nothing like Angel either." He in a serious tone then broke out in laughter.

"Thank God for that."

"Aren't you scared of eternity?"

"No."

"Don't you want to fall in love?"

"Who says I can't?"

"Well what's the chance you are going to find another vampire...Don't you guys stay away from each other?"

"Well, who said she had to be a vampire when I meet her?"

"You mean you would change her?"

"If she wanted me to."

"I guess she would wouldn't she."

"Probably." He smiled. "You aren't scared any more." It was more a statement than a question.

"Not really."

"Good." They stopped for a second; not looking at each other, just stopped. "Let's go back. It's been a long time. I'm sure we would be safe."

Blayne laughed as they started to turn around towards the hotel. "What do you do all night?"

"Stare, think...Not really anything."

"Don't you ever sleep?"

"I sleep when I'm in Winnie...sometimes. I don't need to much of it, only when I haven't eaten enough."

"Why?"

"The blood gives me all I need."

She nodded, saying nothing more while they walked back to the hotel.

Chapter 5: Freedom and a Pile of Maps

1

Sarah looked tired when she stepped into the room. She was as pale as ever and could barely move her legs. Aidan was nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning Sarah." Blayne said from the couch. She had a bagel in her hand and a worried look on her face.

"Hello Blayne." The woman sat down next to her and picked up a bagel for herself taking a big bite out of it. "I'm starving."

"I'm not surprised." She mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing Sarah, just eat your bagel before you pass out."

"Are you jealous or something?"

"Why would I be jealous?"

"Because I am getting all the action and you aren't."

"That was pretty juvenile wouldn't you say?"

"No I wouldn't. I've always been able to get all the guys, you couldn't even get Bird Boy to go out with you."

"I never wanted to go out with him."

"Sure."

"If you're so great where is lover boy?"

"He's asleep."

"What about Dorian?"

"I don't know, he doesn't sleep in the room anymore."

"Why is that?"

"He couldn't stand it anymore."

"What? You?"

"What is wrong with you?

"Nothing's wrong with me. I should be the one asking you that question."

"Should I video tape this cat fight? Maybe it would make a good clip for Jerry Springer." Blayne turned around with a start. "Some one's jumpy around here." Dorian said as he leaned up against the wall.

"Yeah, and bitchy." Sarah said as she stood up to go back inside the hotel room. "I'll be with Aidan, my boyfriend."

"No one said he was your boyfriend."

"Whatever." She opened the door leading out into the parking lot and slammed the door. The entire room shook.

Blayne rolled her eyes and threw the bagel back into her plate. Dorian saw his chance. He moved into the seat Sarah had been in so he was right next to her; so he could touch her, feel her, taste her.

"What are you doing Dorian?"

"Nothing."

"That doesn't look like nothing." Blayne said glancing down at his hand on her thigh.

"Oh come on, I'm harmless."

"Yeah, harmless enough to bite my neck and suck me dry."

"I don't know about sucking your neck." He said shifting his hand higher up her leg.

Blayne picked up his hand and put it on his own leg. Dorian smiled. "Did you know that me and Aidan are brothers?"

"Yes I knew that."

"Yeah, he's 3 years older than me."

"He doesn't seem like he cares to be your brother."

"Oh we're all brothers, since the change I mean. Me and Aidan have the same mommy though."

Blayne chose to ignore his wandering eye. "What happened to her?"

"Who? Mommy? She's in Italy. Been there for, let me think...100 years or something like that."

"Hmm. Get your hand off my leg."

"Why?"

"I don't want it there."

"Why not?" His grip tightened.

"Dorian...Why aren't you getting it? I don't like you."

"I know." She put her hand on his again and tried to lift it, it wouldn't budge. "I've always wanted to go to Italy. Never been able to though."

"Get your hand off my leg."

"Do you want to go to Italy? I could probably take you to there." His head leaned in closer to her head, smelling her hair. "Maybe I could take you to meet Mommy."

"Don't touch me."

He lifted his hand to her cheek and started brushing it with his fingers.

"Stop." She half whispered, putting her hand to his and pulling. Her voice was quivering as well as her lips. His grip tightened, he let go of her thigh and grabbed the other side of her face turning her head painfully towards his. His teeth were small, hardly showing as he breathed.

"I haven't eaten today." He licked his lips looking at her neck as he brushed the hair away from it. "I'm getting thirsty; more hungry than thirsty." He started tracing the wound he had made 3 days ago. "I know you liked it. I know how it feels. It's sort of like flying isn't it? I could make it happen...I could make you feel so good." He started leaning his head down towards the flesh that was tempting him. His teeth were growing faster now, the lump in his pants too.

Blayne's breath was coming out faster, her entire body shaking again. This is what she didn't want to happen again. This is what she knew was going to but...His teeth hit her skin again, just as sharp as before, but her head was clearer now. She gripped her hands onto his arms trying to peel him off. His weight felt like tons of bricks pushing her down as he laid her out on the couch. His voice was calling her again, telling her what to do...Hypnotizing her senses.

Just as soon as she gave in the weight lifted off of her. Her head cleared and she backed up to the corner of the couch. It was Galen. He grabbed her arm and lifted her from the couch; his strength tens times that of Dorian's. He had bags in his hands.

"What are you doing Galen?" She asked, her head spinning.

"I'm getting you out of here."

2

"Just rest your head on the cushion and go to sleep." He said pulling a blanket over her. It's not that cold or anything, but we are in a convertible. I'll wake you up when I see a restaurant."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Go to sleep. You've lost blood you need to get rest." She heard him walk around the car and close the door. The motor started up and the car jerked.

She blacked out.

3

Her eyes fluttered open before she realized where she was. She lifted herself from the sticky leather and felt the breeze hit her before she remembered what had happened.

"Where are we?"

"Oh, you're up." He turned around to look at her and smiled. "I'm not sure really."

"What time is it?" She asked. The sky was darkening with ever passing minute.

"8:00. I'm sorry I didn't wake you up I just couldn't bring myself to do it. There is a town a few miles up, we can stop there."

"Why-"

"I don't feel like explaining it to you right now, I'm in too much of a good mood. Here, come up front." He said pushing maps down to the floor. She lifted herself over and into the front seat. "I didn't really know where to go so I started heading south. Is that OK?" He asked turning to face her.

"Yeah, sure." She looked in the back of the car at where she had been sleeping for the last 9 hours; it was pretty big for a back seat. "Where did you get this car?"

"I bought it." "When? How did you know-"

"I didn't know. I was going to leave by myself. I came back to get my stuff."

"Oh." She looked down at her lap; at her hands tightly holding each other. "Thank you Galen."

"There's the place." He said pointing. "I hope McDonalds is OK for you."

"It's fine, but what about you?" Why is it that all the guys I have talked to recently are avoiding subjects...?

"Don't worry I took a few of the bottles before I left to buy the car. I didn't' want to forget."

"OK. Can we get it to go then?"

"Sure."

As they pulled away from the drive-thru Blayne opened her bag. "Can you eat food?"

Galen shook his head. "No, my body rejects it. Do you mind if I stop to get some gas real quick."

"Why would I?" She asked.

"Cool." He drove the car towards a pump and got out, so did she. "You want to go inside and go to the bathroom or get something, go right ahead." She watched him pumping the gas for a few seconds wondering what he was thinking. Why he was doing all this. He had to tell her sometime.

"I'll meet you inside." She said turning towards the station.

"OK...And I told you I'll tell you later."

She smiled and stopped for a second. Will you stop doing that?

No. She turned around as she started to walk again; he was smiling.

4

It was midnight; they had been driving for 13 hours and had just exited Denver. The radio played softly over the wind.

"Do you want me to drive? I wouldn't mind."

"It's OK it's relaxes me."

"Are you going to talk to me yet? Say anything?" She had a mocking tone in her voice.

"I do miss it."

"What?"

"Food."

"Oh." She grinned and turned her leg up onto the seat so she was facing him.

"I used to love stew, that's one of the things I really miss."

"Yeah? Really? What kind?"

"Beef...There really wasn’t anything else."

"Me too."

"What's your favorite thing to eat?"

"Mac and Cheese." She said simply with a smile. "I love it."

"Really? Huh." He started to chuckle himself.

"What? What is it?"

"I've never had it."

"What?!"

"Nope, never had it."

"I can't believe you...You don't know what you are missing."

"Yeah actually I think I do." The tone in his voice had changed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Oh no it had nothing to do with that...I was just remembering things."

"What?"

His face seemed to harden, his jaw locked. "You didn't know what you were getting yourself into back there."

"Yes I did...Sort of. I couldn't just leave her alone like that, not with them."

"Why are you here now?"

"She wouldn't have listened if I tried to get her to leave. She doesn't know a bad thing when she sees it...And she doesn't see that either." She tried to smile; thinking about it only made it harder to deal with. She had left her...

"It's OK you know. What you did. I just wish you hadn't gone into the parking lot with them, that's all."

Blayne looked out at the fields rolling by. "I couldn't let her meet some one she didn't know by herself."

"It's OK. I understand. I just I'm mad that you did it."

"What's that supposed to mean? It's not like I really had a choice."

"Calm down, really. I said it was OK." He smiled. "Don't worry I didn't mean anything by it."

"I wish you wouldn't read my mind...It's not fair I can't read yours."

"OK, OK...I won’t do it any more I promise. I can block you out, so that's what I will do." He said sincerely.

"Thank you. Mind if I turn the station?"

"No go ahead."

"Do you like classic rock?"

"Yeah, sure. I listen to it all."

"All?"

"Well most."

"You don't like it do you?"

"No." He let out a strong laugh that caused her to start laughing herself.

"You are nothing like I thought you would be."

"What did you think I was like?"

"Well not a vampire..."

"No really, come on."

"I don't know. Just not this."

"Great explanation. I wish you didn't make me stop reading your mind...I could really use a better explanation."

"It wouldn't have mattered if you did. I'm drawing a blank."

"Sure."

"So where are we heading? Have you decided yet?"

"No...It never crossed my mind. Do you have any place you want to see?"

"Not really..."

"What? Tell me, we'll go there. It's not like we have a time limit."

She smiled. "You are right, but really I don't have a place to go...It's not like I've ever left Montana or ever thought about it." She put her head down. "You don't know where to go?"

"Been everywhere."

"Oh, yeah."

"Hey, hand me that map down there, will ya?" He pointed past her feet.

"Which one?" She laughed again reaching down into the sea of maps.

He looked into her eyes when she looked up..."Pick one."

Chapter 6: Thirsts Within

1

"I think you should just pull over and drink it, look at you. You're shaking."

"But Blayne, you don't understand, it's my last bottle. I only had 2. I drank the other one so I could drive all day yesterday. I can make it."

"And didn't I tell you I would drive? You need to pull over, the sun is going to come up soon and you need to eat." She rolled her eyes when he didn't answer her. "Look there is a hotel a few miles down the road. I think it said 2, can we stop there...I'm tired anyway."

He looked at her. Her eyes did look a little red and he could use the rest. "Fine, but we aren't staying long I just need some rest that's all."

Once inside she rang the bell. A woman in a white tank top and cut offs came out. She was chewing gum. "This isn't an hourly."

"We didn't come for that." Blayne said a little mad. "We just need a room. For the night."

The woman looked at her and rolled her eyes. "What's wrong with your fella." She asked as she pulled out the registry.

"He's not my fella, and he's just a little tired."

"Looks like a zombie." She smacked her gum a few times and continued. "That's gonna be $39. And you have to sign in."

"Galen, where is your wallet?"

"My pocket." He said softly. She reached into his back pocket carefully and slipped it out.

"Cash?" She asked him, trying to look at his face. He nodded. Blayne pulled out a 50 and handed it to the dumb blond across the counter.

"Sign it." She pointed to the book and turned around to get her change. She signed it using their combined names and put the pen down on the counter. "Thanks a bunch." The woman said sarcastically. "You're in 3, and check out is 11:00." She handed Blayne the key, and she accepted.

Blayne smiled at the girl and put her arm around Galen. "Lean on me and I'll get you into bed."

"I can walk."

"No you can't." She pushed open the door with her foot and pulled him outside. She propped Galen up against the wall and put the key in the lock. She felt for the switch on the wall and turned on the light. Their room was small, barely enough room to walk. There was only one bed...at least it wasn't a twin.

Once she had Galen on the bed she went to the car to get their things.

She reached into his bag and sifted past clothes before finding the bottle, it was at the bottom of the bag.

"Galen...Can you lift your head?" He did, but slowly. He drank the entire bottle in less than 4 gulps. "Galen?"

"Yeah?" He asked, his eyes closed.

"What are you going to do for food later? I don't think 2 bottles in almost 3 days is enough."

"It isn't." He let out a shaky sigh and closed his eyes. This isn't happening.

"Well then what are you going to do?"

"Please just go to sleep." His voice was louder; growing more frustrated by the second.

"But-"

"Please Blayne, let me get some sleep so I can think clearly when I wake up." He was almost at a shout now.

"Fine...” She rolled over on the bed as close to the edge as she could get and turned off the light.

What am I going to do?

2

No light filtered through the curtains; he had pulled them shut hours ago. He sat shivering in the corner, scared of what was about to happen and why it had to happen. She didn't know what to do. She was on the bed, her mind aching. She fell of the bed and crawled towards him.

"I don't know what to do. What do you want me to do? What can I do?" She was shaking with fear beside him, pleading for something she knew he information she knew he couldn't give.

"Nothing, it's my fault." His eyes were blank; his voice, flat. "There is nothing we can do." Let me rephrase...nothing I am going to do.

"But this means you're going to die."

"Again...Then what?" He laughed. "I'm not accepted anywhere; heaven or hell." His stomach turned over. "We can't be here for long. Check out is at 11:00."

"It's nine, we'll think of something." She stood up and began pacing, wringing her hands together as she did so.

He began to dribble nonsense from his lips. Sometimes only moving them as if some invisible man had his finger to the bottom of his lip.

I could call Grady...Maybe he would know what to do. No. No, that's stupid. Maybe there's a blood bank I can go to...Then what? Rob the blood bank? God...Think, don't be a fool! I don't want him to die...

She turned to him now, the reality of what she had to do hitting her... Her face etched with confusion and relief. She knelt down beside him, her hand on his cheek. "Galen. Are you listening to me? Can you hear me?"

He stopped mumbling. "Stop, what's the use? There is nothing you can do."

She moved the hair from around her pink, fleshy neck. "Me. Take me."

"You're insane." He said pushing her away as he turned his head to the side. "Just take my car and let me die here alone. I don't want to be with you when it happens. Stop yourself before I listen to you. Stop thinking like an idiot. I don't want your blood.

"You don't have to die Galen." She looked around the hotel room for something that could be of help to her.

He felt her leave his side and let out a shuddered sigh. She's going to leave. I didn't think she was going to do it. Just as he thought he was going to hear the door open she was by his side again. The scent of blood filled his nose. He looked up. She was breathing heavily. She closed her eyes and started sliding the knife across the flesh in her neck. The cut was small but enough to make his mouth grow dry. The blood started to spill out right away.

"Please...I don't want you to die." He hadn't meant to say it, it had just fallen out.

"I'm not going to, please." She begged.

"It's not going to do any good." He said, yet his eyes couldn't leave the blood flowing down onto her tank top.

"Do it." Her voice was commanding. She leaned in closer as a tear slid down her cheek.

"You don't want to." He said lifting his hands uncontrollably onto her shoulders as she sat down in his lap.

"Yes I do."

"I can read your mind." He licked his lips, trying to tame his growing teeth.

"You blocked me." She moved her hair farther back over her shoulder tempting him further.

"So I stopped."

"I don't believe you." She said as he leaned forward; he couldn't stop. Her voice was calm yet had a hint of fear in it.

"So don't." He was inches from the blood now, the wound still gushing red.

"OK." She let out a shuddered sigh as his tongue hit the base of her neck. It wandered up getting all the blood in its path but at the same time sending tingles up her spine. Once at the wound he roamed the perimeter.

"Tell me to stop and I will, I know you don't want this." The taste of the blood lingering on his tongue as he spoke. His lips were still on her skin, his teeth poking out far enough for her to feel it on her flesh.

"Yes I do." She finally pulled him towards her, not wanting to wait for him any more. It was now or never and she couldn't wait that long.

He began slowly, scared of what he was doing (again). Once he tasted the blood and let it fill him he started to suck it faster, harder, wanting it more. He bit down with more force, more blood seeping into his mouth, trickling down his throat.

It was the first time in a century he had tasted the blood of a human (woman); it felt right. The high it gave him...The blood started pumping into him, making him strong again.

She didn't need to pull him closer to her, even though she wanted to, he was so close there couldn't have been air between them. She cradled him in her arms, feeling higher than she had ever been before. The sensations blocked out the pain and made her feel free. A wave of heat hit her; she bit her lip, hard.

Her heart was beating slower he had to pull away although neither of them wanted it. When his lips left her skin she fell into him. He put his arms around her, like she had done minutes before. They were both crying. Her breathing was slow and only got slower as the seconds ticked by. He leaned his head on hers when their tears were gone. She was quiet, her breathing steady. But he knew all too well...something was wrong.

3

He kicked the doors open with his foot. People were bustling around him. He couldn't see the front desk. "Help me." He ordered some one running by in a white lab coat.

"I don't have time, go over there." He said halfway down the hall. Galen fought to find where the man had pointed, seeing a small desk he ran to it. His heart was pounding against his rib cage. Last time this had happened he had lost Tempest.

"I need help. Please just help." His body was shaking as he held her limp body in his arms.

The woman behind the counter snapped her fingers at some one and ran from behind the counter. A doctor ran towards them; a gurney behind him. He grabbed Blayne and set her down. As they started to run Galen followed; his feet slipped on the floor from the blood on his shoes.

"I need to know what happened."

"She lost blood, I left for 30 minutes to get the paper and I found her on the floor like this. I didn't know what to do. She had blood coming from her neck...I don't know what happened." They had stopped running and were in a white room.

It had no windows.

The doctor went to feel her pulse and saw the bites on her neck. He looked up at Galen. "Does she use drugs?"

"No, never."

"Get him out of here." A woman started pushing him back until he was in the hallway. His eyes didn't leave her her face. Some one blocked his view, then the curtain closed leaving him alone.

4

The hours had ticked bye. He sat staring at the closed curtain. They wouldn't let him see her. As much as he pleaded. They told him the police had to talk to her first. He didn't know why. What did they have to do with anything? When they finally came he was still staring at the closed curtain.

5

"Ma'am do you recall what happened to you?"

"No."

"Were you using drugs?"

"No!" She was appalled at the questions they were throwing.

"If you are lying we will find out."

"There is nothing to find out."

"Did you see anyone before you blacked out?"

"Listen, what happened is my business. You have no right to come in here and ask me all these dumb questions. I can pay the doctor’s bill so you have no other reason to be here. Will you leave now? If I wanted you here I would have called."

"Well, it's good to see your strength has returned.

"I told you to go." She shouted. The officers rolled their eyes.

"Lady we were called down here because there was something suspicious about you OK."

"I know and I appreciate it, now GO."

This time they listened to her and pulled the curtain open. Galen stood up. "I suppose she is yours." One of them pointed back to her.

"Well, yeah." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Good luck." His partner started to laugh as they walked away.

"Are you OK?" Galen asked stepping forward.

"Yes I'm fine."

"I'm sorry." He broke down again and put his head down on the side of her bed.

"You don't need to be. I'm glad you are OK. That's why I let you...do it."

"No, I almost killed you." He lifted his head, but didn't dare look in her eyes.

"I liked it."

"That I almost killed you?"

"No." She blushed. "You know what I mean."

"No” He stood up and wiped his eyes. "Are you ready to go? I think they said you could go once the police questioned you."

Blayne nodded her head and looked away from him. "Yeah. Just let me get dressed."

Chapter 7: Curiosity Kills the Mortal

1

"I checked out before I took you to the hospital so your stuff is in the back of the car if you want to change." He looked back at her. She didn't move. "OK, I'll unlock the trunk for you." He took his keys from his pocket and put them in the lock. "There you go." He gave her a weak smile then walked to the front of the vehicle. She pulled out a blue t-shirt and walked to the passenger side. Once inside she looked at him, but didn't speak.

"Are you going to change?"

"Why is the top up?"

"It's going to rain." He said pointing up to the storm clouds above their heads.

"Turn around." She turned slightly so she was facing the opposite direction. She started pulling the blood stained shirt over her head feeling a sudden rush of deva ju. She hurriedly pulled the shirt over her head and leaned back into the seat.

"Are you done?" He asked looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah."

They sat there quiet for about five minutes, neither of them knowing what to say. Galen started tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Making his own beat as he went. Blayne stared out the window at one spot in the ground, fighting back the tears that threatened to show themselves.

"So...Could you hand me that map then?" She turned her head and looked down at the floor. She didn't know which one to hand him. She looked up. "The blue one." She moved her fingers over the papers until they found the right one. She handed it to him, still not making eye contact. "Thank you." He said with the best smile he could make. When he saw she wasn't going to answer he looked at the map and cleared his throat. After a minute or so he put the map down and started the car. Pulling out of the parking lot he asked, "Aren't you going to ask where we are going?"

"Where are we going?" Her voice was soft, but flat.

"Florida."

"Why would we go there?"

"Why not?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "OK."

"Do you not want to go to Florida, we can go somewhere else if-"

"Florida is OK."

"All right."

Once again the car was quiet.

Five minutes later the rain started.

2

Two hours down the road the silence had became unbearable. Galen turned his head to Blayne for a minute. She hadn't been sleeping. "Are ever going to talk to me again. I said I was sorry."

"And I said it was OK...It's not that." She said slowly, still facing the window.

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing."

He looked over at the back of her head. "It has to be something. If it has anything to do with what happened tell me."

She was quiet.

"Does that mean that it does?"

No reaction.

"We can't just sit in silence until we get to Florida. It would be nice to know what you are thinking." He watched the road as he spoke.

"It has nothing to do with what happened."

"I don't want to have to read your mind Blayne, but I don't know what else to do. I need to know what is going on." He turned to her finally.

"Fine Galen. Do whatever you want." She still wouldn't look at her, but he noticed her hand. How it was holding onto her neck where he had bitten her.

His brow furrowed, he turned back to the road. Her thoughts cam flying into his ears.

Is he doing it?

Biting

I was flying

Why is he being so nice?

She turned her head in his direction. He's only driving.

I want to fly again

He cut off her voice and turned on the radio. He didn't understand what she meant. Why she kept thinking about flying...What could she have meant by that? He looked back her way.

"And if you're trying to cut me down, you know that I might bleed. Cause if you're trying to cut me down, I know that you'll succeed. And if you want to hurt me, there's nothing left to fear. Cause if you want to hurt me, you're doing really well my dear.

He turned it off. First blood...

"That's a pretty cheerful song." He laughed. She still made no response. He held is breath. "What do you mean by you want to fly again?" The words poured out of his mouth. She turned sharply towards him as the words left his mouth a scared look on her face. He was still looking at the road.

"Galen I-"

"Just tell me Blayne, it's not going to get you anywhere keeping it in."

"I tried to tell you at the hospital, you wouldn't listen to me. You just turned me off. I-” She cut herself off, confused of what to say next.

Galen pulled the car over. He turned the car off and faced her. "What are you trying to say?"

She fought to find words to tell him without having to say it, but it was no use. "I want you to make me a vampire."

His eyes widened with the shock of the words that had just left her mouth. "You don't mean that."

"Yes I do."

"What about the blood? How are we going to get it? What about the eternity thing that you-"

"Galen...I know we can work that out. I've even thought about the immortality thing. I don't care. I-"

"But why then? Why would you want this? I didn't want this. I didn't ask for this, I didn't want it...Why would you?"

She turned her head away in frustration.

"You don't even know do you?" He laughed, but stopped. "Or do you?" Galen closed his eyes and let her thoughts penetrate his mind. He opened his eyes again once he heard what she wanted; why she wanted.

"What about kids? You've always wanted kids."

"Ho-How did you know that."

"I-I listened to your dreams when you slept on the Winnie." He said softly. "I know most everything about you and I know for a fact that you wanted to have a big family. You wanted at least 4 kids. Why would you change that?"

"You just read my mind, you know."

"No, I don't. I don't understand, I can't understand." He moved so that he was completely facing her. "You can't know what you are saying. You don't know what you are talking about." He was pleading with himself more than her. Trying to make what she wanted disappear.

"I do know what I am talking about Galen. Why are you so afraid of that? Why are you so afraid of me?"

"I'm not afraid of you." He said matter of factly. He turned his body away from her again.

"Then why are you not looking at me?" She put her hand down to her stomach. "OK, so I want kids...But that can't happen can it, not if you are a vampire."

"I wouldn't know."

"I wasn't talking about you...not really...I meant in general."

"I still wouldn't know." He put his hand to his chin and rested his head on it.

"Are you lying to me?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Well I have obviously made you uncomfortable haven't I?" She waited for an answer but got none. "What does that mean exactly Galen? What are you so afraid of?"

"YOU!" He shouted, finally turning to her.

"Wh-"

"100 and 35 years ago I had a wife." He paused to let her seep it all in. His voice was loud and full of hate. "When I got back from the war I told her what happened to me. What a horrible thing I had become. She loved me so much." He started to cry. "She wanted to be with me forever. She didn't want me to see her die so she told me to make her into what I had become. I knew how but in the end she was so scared of what she had to do she fainted...She never woke up." He stopped and stared at steering wheel, taking in a deep breath. "I don't need another Tempest."

"Was that her name?" He nodded. "I-I don't know what to say."

"That was what I wanted. Can we go to Florida now?"

"Galen. I can't go with you if I..."

"You don't love me Blayne, you just think you do." He started the car and pulled off of the side of the road.

"Galen-"

"That's the end of that subject Blayne, drop it."

Blayne gulped and turned her eyes up to the dashboard. I don't want this to be the end.

3

The sign ahead said Sante Fa was 30 miles ahead. They had been driving in silence for the last 5 hours. They were going to stop at the next hotel for the night. Dorian was getting weak again. He wasn't going to tell her what he was going to do. If he did it would make it too easy for her to want him to do it again...He didn't need her thinking things like that all the time. Plus it was too risky taking her to the drop off.

He saw the sign for Motel 8 and pulled into the next lane. "Why are we stopping so early?"

"We're not, it's late." He said as he pulled onto the off ramp.

"For me maybe, it's 10:00."

"You can walk across the street to get some food. I think there is a restaurant over there." He turned off the car. "I'll check in, then I have to go check on something."

"Check on what?"

He opened the car door and headed for the office. "Fine, two can play at that game." She got out behind him and caught up to him as he opened the door and walked in. Once he was at the desk Blayne threw her arm around his shoulder and started leaning on him. Galen tried to shake her off, but she clung to him.

"Well, we need a room." He said trying to ignore her, but she started teasing his ear with her tongue.

"This isn't an hourly joint." The man behind the counter said looking down at them.

"We know that." Galen pushed her off and dug in his pocket for his wallet. "We want a room for the night. The whole night. That's 40 right?"

"Yes."

"Great. Here, OK, the keys...We are in a hurry." He stuck his hand out and waited for them.

"It certainly looks like that." The man said, throwing the keys into his palm. He glanced at Blayne who was winking at him. The man rolled his eyes and walked into the back room.

Galen grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the door. "What the hell were you doing in there."

"Nothing." She shook him off her arm and grabbed the key.

"That didn't seem like nothing. What are you trying to do?"

She shoved the key into the lock and kicked the door open. "I don't know!" She screamed. He shut the door hoping no one was hearing them. "Why don't you just fucking read my mind! Maybe you'll find out what I don't know!" She turned her back to him. "Why can't you just be easy to deal with."

"Well that would make life a little boring wouldn't it?" He snapped as he fell back onto the bed.

"Why don't you just tell me where you are going?"

"Out."

"Yeah, that's mature. Why can't I go with you?"

"Because you can't."

"What about you eating?"

"I'll eat." He stood up and threw some money at her. "Here, now you can eat too." He was at the door opening it.

"This isn't over, none of this is over."

"Shut up."

As he shut the door she sat down on the bed with a huff and crossed her arms. The room was dark but she was too angry to get up to turn the light on. She reached for the remote control and pushed power. The blaring music of Orgy filled her ears. She laid back and kicked off her shoes. It took her a few minutes to realize she was still glaring and that her lips were pursed together. She loosened up and closed her eyes. If she couldn't get what she wanted why not dream about it? A smile rose to her lips as she imagined him...

4

When he opened the door a rush of hot air hit his face. The room was just as he left it, except for the woman, of course, sleeping on the bed. She hadn't eaten, he was sure of that because there were no wrappers of any sort on the floor or in the garbage can. He stopped at the foot of the bed and turned of the TV. She didn't wake up; he could still see her well in the dark.

He took of his shoes and sat down, still far from where she was. His eyes were still on her. In 100 years no one had made him feel like this. It scared him.

He got off of the bed again and took off his jacket. Galen stopped at the curtain and opened it. They were following him. He closed it and slowly made his way towards the bathroom, his thoughts slowing him down. He turned on the light and started the shower. He looked back at her body before closing the door.

Blayne sat up. He was back. The water was running in the bathroom. She pulled off her pants and got under the blankets. It was hot but...She got out from under the blankets and tucked them in so it looked normal again. The water in the bathroom shut off. She jumped back into her normal position and closed her eyes.

The door opened.

He looked over to the bed, she was asleep. His brow furrowed. Was she like that when I got here? He couldn't remember, but he could have sworn she was wearing her jeans when he came in. He shook his head and sat at the edge of the bed. It was late; nothing would be on TV. Galen sighed and leaned back against the headboard. Glancing over at the clock he saw that it was 1:19. He would have to be here for at least another 5 hours before he could wake Blayne up. He looked down at her body stretched out on over the blankets. She looked so small, so fragile. If he didn't want her around why didn't he leave her? Why did he let her stay with him? And if she was so angry with him why did she stay with him?

She rolled over, her arm landing on his stomach, her leg landing on top of his. "Oh God." He mumbled. He lifted her arm but as he did she cuddled closer to him, her head now resting on his chest. He rolled his eyes. "Oh fuck you Blayne. I know you're awake." He pushed her off of him and onto the floor.

"Oh that was nice." She shouted crawling off of the shag carpet. "Real nice."

"Like what you were just doing? Could you stop fucking around for a few minutes!"

"Fucking? That makes sense. I see a lot of that going on over here."

"Yeah, that was a good one."

"Well yeah it was. Because if you don't even like me what is the point of keeping me on this trip? What is the point of you watching out for me? Huh? What do you want from me if it's not what I want?" She stopped shouting and sucked in a few breaths of air. Her heart stopped beating. She sat down on the bed and whispered the last sentence she wasn't able to get out before. "I just don't understand you."

His temper began to fade into the wind as he sat down on the side of the bed opposite her. "Well that makes two of us." He looked up at her. Her back was facing him. She was slumped over. She didn't say anything. "I don't understand you I mean."

She glanced over her shoulder after this was said. "Oh?"

"Well yeah." She turned half way towards him.

"Why?"

"Why don't you understand me?"

"I asked you first."

He sighed and put his head down. "I don't understand why you think you like me so much...And I don't understand why you want me to...” He couldn't say it, so he stopped.

"They both seem to tie into each other don't they?" She asked, her face flushing.

"Do they...?" He asked looking up at her.

"Yes, they do. But I guess they couldn't matter to you."

"Why do you say that?" He asked, the tone in his voice matching his confused feelings.

"You obviously don't feel the same way about me...unless you are scared of me..."

He couldn't answer her, not flat out. The truth was, he was scared of her. Scared of the way he was growing to love her.

She bit her lip and looked at him from the corner of her eyes. He was staring at his foot, which was resting on the bed.

"Is that it? Are you afraid of me?" She turned to him fully and placed both palms on the bed as she leaned towards him. Her heart was pumping with the idea that he would reveal his thoughts to her.

He said something but she couldn't hear him.

"What did you say?"

"I am."

Blayne licked her lips and looked from his twitching foot to his head. "Is it because of Tempest?"

"Why did you have to mention her?" His lip started shaking warning her that he would cry.

She had never actually seen him cry. She lifted her body up so she was almost next to him. "I want to understand you is all. I can't do that if you are scared of me."

"What does Tempest have to do with that?" His voice was trembling; his eyes only looked up at her for a moment.

"She has everything to do with it."

The realization of what was going through his mind hit him for the first time. He had thought the things before but never accepted them. He looked up at her again, this time a tear fell down his cheek. Blayne Galen back a little; the tear was blood red.

More tears started to fall, all of them red with blood. Although her first reaction had been to back away Blayne found herself reaching up to wipe them away. When her fingers hit his skin he flinched, but he didn't back away. The blood slid between her fingers as she moved her hand across his cheek. His eyes gave up and looked directly into hers. His lips quivered again. "You have such a hold on me and you don't even know it." His voice was hoarse. It clashed with her gentleness. She moved her finger down to his bottom lip and brushed it lightly with the blood from his cheeks. He shuddered at the touch. Once her fingers were gone he licked the blood from his lips and followed her shape as she lay back on the bed.

Their eyes hadn't unlocked since she began to wipe his tears away. The blood was now smeared against his pale flesh.

He stared at her. He wanted to fall down next to her, but he was being pulled in two directions.

They still stared at one another, not letting go, not wanting to. -I don't know if I can do this.

They were simple words. They echoed through his mind over and over again until he knew what to do.

Chapter 8: Transformation

1

His tongue penetrated her mouth in one swift movement. It was almost unreal how fast it had happened, how fast it was happening. She struggled with his belt buckle as he lifted her shirt up. They had to part for this second and she saw her chance.

"What about...” Her brain finished off the sentence.

"We don't need it." He placed his eyes away from hers when he saw her reaction.

"You said-"

"I said I didn't know Blayne."

"Then you lied."

"I didn't want you to-"

She him away and sat up crossing her arms, her shirt still have off her body. "You knew how much I wanted kids and when I asked you, you lied."

"No I didn't. I didn't want you to-to think that-"

"What?"

"I don't know." He stopped struggling and leaned back with a sigh. "You know how things were that night. You took me by surprise when you told me everything."

She sighed along with him. "So if we do this I can't ever get pregnant?"

"No." He shook his head as he spoke.

Blayne bit her lip to stop the tears wanting to well up. She wanted children...But she wanted Galen too...She wanted a family, but that also went along with what she wanted before. Now, she wanted something completely different. "There is no way on earth that you could get me pregnant, well I could get pregnant if we did this.

"Not to my knowledge."

"So are you telling me you don't know or that you know for a fact I can't."

"Well, actually no one ever told me." She lifted her head to look at him again, hope filling her eyes. "It's just that once you are a-what I am your body stopped developing, stops aging, so I would guess that-” He looked up and saw her staring. "That no you couldn't." She put her head down again. "I'm sure there are other things we could do if you really wanted to have kids that bad."

"What things? I want to have kids." She looked into his eyes once more, this time not peeling away as before.

"That can't happen with me Blayne. If you really want this, all of this, it's not going to happen."

She didn't speak for a while, just stared. He didn't dare read her thoughts...This was all her.

"I'll understand if you don't want to-"

"I do." She said suddenly. "We can figure something out right? Later?"

He nodded. "I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard." His eyes and voice were full of hope again.

She smiled satisfied with her decision. She finished lifting the shirt over her head and opened her arms again with a smile. "I'm sorry I just freaked out on you." She said softly as he wrapped himself in them.

He kissed her cheek softly, once, twice..."It's OK. I understand." He whispered in her ear. She started to laugh but was forced to stop when his mouth hit hers. Her arms drifted up and around his shoulders. "You sure this is all OK with you?"

"Yeah." She nodded her head, pulling him down for more. Each time he lifted his head up to talk she felt a spark shock her lips and tingled all over. It was nothing compared to when he was actually kissing her.

He started kissing down to her neck. "Are you ready?" He asked hovering above the vein he could feel beneath his lips. She nodded a little nervous, but still ready. The thought of the blood made his teeth grow and before long he had them in her.

2

The falling sensation sent her spiraling down into a blackness that scared her yet at the same time welcomed her with light. Her eyes were closed but she could see. The heat from his blood was like fire burning into her veins. She felt herself melting and forming what felt like new skin...for a new body. She sucked more rapidly wanting the feelings to last and last, but they didn't. A force was pushing her, pushing her away from the preciousness of his body. She opened her eyes, it was him. He pushed her hard so she was laying back on the bed.

"That's enough Blayne." He was panting and a little pale, but smiling. He was smiling.

Blayne looked down at her hands; she was shaking. He moved again so he was next to her. She rolled onto her side. “When can I have more?” He laughed at her; it sent shivers up her spine. The chuckles seemed to be bolting into her. He scooped her into his arms and rolled her onto her back. She repeated her question when she felt the laughter cease within his body; she only cared about one thing. “When can I have some more?”

“You’re beautiful.” His voice was soft and spilling over with a different kind of shock. His gaze shifted from lips to cheeks to eyes and in moments his lips found hers. Hunger lost itself in her system. She sank once again and followed his lead.

Touch was all new to her now. His touch was different to her now, but it was better. They were all better.

All the sensations she had known before she had grown oblivious to. She was learning a whole new ball game and Galen was teaching her everything she needed to know. And this, this was unlike anything she had ever heard of in books, movies, from her friends even. This was a whole lot different and better than she had expected. It wasn’t rockets going off. It wasn’t like sitting on a geyser…Oh it was so much better than that. It was just a lake of new feelings and sensations exploding into thousands of bright colors before her eyes…It was bliss.

But it was over and the hunger had returned. He repeated the phrase he had spoken before this time there was no shock. It was just him. He smiled again when he saw the confusion resting on her face.

He lifted himself from the sheets and picked up the mirror from the table. He was grinning now, excited to show her. As he lifted it up she saw herself out side of his eyes. It seemed as if she had never seen herself before, it shocked her. She had changed.

Her hair seemed redder than before, perfect in volume. She shook her head watching the strands flow through the air. When she stopped her hair did, going back in the places it had been before. She looked up at Galen and smiled. Her doe eyes had brightened in color to be a deep, crystal clear emerald green. She blinked making sure she was seeing herself. Her skin and lips were the perfect color. Her cheeks rosy, her lips full and grinning back at the face she was staring at. Her body hadn’t really become something different, not it height or weight...It was just perfected in every way it could have been. Searching for imperfections she could not find any. Galen started to laugh.

"What happened to me?" She was still staring into her eyes, mystified at how they looked. She knew automatically that she could capture anyone with them at anytime she wanted to. She knew she would have that power, that she had that power. She had sensed it when Galen had melted into them.

"Congratulations." He said leaning up against the dresser holding up a bottle of thick red liquid. "You're a vampire."

Chapter 9: Lies

1

"Put these on OK?" He said still smiling at her while he picked up her bag. "It's going to take you some time to be use to the sunlight. You're senses are going wild."

"You're telling me." She took them and put them on. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful." He opened the door, the light immediately hitting her eyes. She covered her eyes with her hand with a little shout. She felt his hand on hers lifting it off.

"I know it's hard, but you need to get used to it." When she turned to look at him all she saw was a bright blur of light. She blinked a few times and began to see his features.

"See, all you need is some time. I'll help you to the car." She stumbled forward a few steps still blinded. She felt the handle to the car under her hand and pulled stepping in.

"I made it to the car."

"Yeah, now you can take on the world." He laughed. She would have hit him but realized she still couldn't see him that well.

Galen started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Galen?"

"Yeah."

"So are you going to tell me where you were last night?" She asked casually.

"God, why did you have to bring that up again?" He asked hitting the steering wheel in frustration.

"Well now that we have this, is guess bond, I think I have a right to know." She waited and thought for a few minutes, he didn't speak. "And what about those bottles of blood? You didn't have any before. Is that what you were doing? Getting blood?"

"Sort of."

"Why is it sort of? How can it be sort of if you come home with bottles of blood?"

"I did go and get blood."

"Then what else is there to it? Why don't you tell me where you went?"

"Because I don't want you to get mixed up in what I have gotten mixed up in."

"That just makes me more interested Galen. Tell me now! Where were you?" She shouted in his direction the light still blinding.

"I was with Tempest."

2

She was fumbling with the handle of the door but it wouldn't open. She gave up and started hitting him instead. The car began to swerve, he pulled over.

"What the hell is your fucking problem?" Her strength was growing with each passing second, but her eye site was still fuzzy.

"You didn't let me explain, or finish!" Galen pushed her away hard. Her body crashed against the window. She sat panting and glaring in his direction, the wounds in her back and head healing in minutes.

"Look, I'm sorry I had to do that, but you wouldn't listen to me if you weren't calm."

"Do I look like I'm calm?" She growled.

"Shut up for a second!" He yelled. "Just let me explain."

"Explain why you were with your dead wife last night..."

"She's not dead." He closed his eyes for a minute.

"I guessed that one."

"I didn't know."

"You didn't know what?" She shouted almost immediately after he was finished speaking.

"I didn't know she wasn't dead. I only found her 2 years ago."

"Oh really? Why is that?"

"She was all ready a vampire when I came home from the war, I didn't know about it." He looked directly in her eyes, she couldn't see it, but she felt it. "Galen changed her before I got home and she faked the faint. When I left she got up and Galen sent her to Europe."

"Italy?" Blayne closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Yea-yeah. How did you know that?" He stumbled on his words wondering if she was reading his mind.

"Dorian told me his "mommy" was there." She put her head down remembering the feeling of his hands on her body. She blocked it out quickly with the thought of Galen's.

"That's what he calls her..." Galen put his head down.

"Why?"

"She was 7 months pregnant when he bit her. She never had time to have it."

Blayne moved away from the glass and towards Galen. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Is it still alive?"

"The baby?" Galen looked up at her.

"Yes."

"Yeah, it's still alive, but it can't grow anymore. Her body and the baby's stopped growing the minute she became a vampire." His voice was aching with regret and loss.

"Then tell me why you still go to see her if she did that to you."

"I have no choice."

"Why?"

"She's my only connection to knowing what Galen does when I can't watch him."

"But I thought she was in Italy."

"She was, she can see him anywhere she or he is."

"Oh...Vampire stuff."

"Yeah." He looked over to her. Her eyes were getting used to the light. "You haven't even tested what you can do yet."

"Why didn't you just tell me."

"I didn't want you to be jealous."

"Do I have a reason?"

"She's a bitch."

"Do I have a reason?" She wasn't smiling.

"No." He shook his head.

She put her head on his shoulder. "You have to be honest with me. If I am going to be with you that is."

"I will. Things have sort of changed Blayne. We depend on each other now. I promise."

"Yeah. I guess so."

Galen was quiet for a few minutes. "You're blocking me...How did you know how to do that?"

She smiled. "Instinct I guess."

Chapter 10: Followers

1

Blayne walked down the isles of the bookstore. She passes titles she had read before and ones she hadn't. Her fingers ran along the bindings of the books that she passed until she reached her favorite author.

Stephen King.

She picked up one of his novels and put it under her arm. "Where do you get all your money?"

"My family was very rich when I was a mortal. My father left me all his land and possessions when he died." He picked up a book himself and glanced at the cover before putting it back. "He owned over 70 acres of property in Oregon and 50 in Texas. After he died I built houses and rented them out. That is how some of my money comes in."

"How many houses?" She asked looked through books in the bargain bin across from him.

"Over a hundred." Galen laughed, as Blayne looked up at him surprised.

"That's only some of your money?"

"I bought a few oil fields in the 30's. Made a whole lot of dough from that." His voice raised as he said whole. "I have shares in Hershey's, Microsoft, Nestles, Coke, Pepsi...I think that's it."

"How much money are we talking about here..."

"I'm not sure, but I know the way things are going that it's more than enough." He picked another book off of the shelf. Blayne's mouth was still open as she sat and pondered the money lying at her feet. "Here it is!" He had a huge smile on his face. He walked towards her so that he was standing next to her. His finger was on a familiar face.

"Oh my God! Galen! That's you! And Grady!" She took the book from his hands and read the cover. "Civil War Heroes and Legends." She looked up at him, his face was beaming with pride. She looked back down at the picture. Galen was holding a rifle, Grady at his side. Both were grinning at the photographer holding their heads high. She looked down and read the caption. "Two young men age 22 and 25 preparing for war in 1862." She looked up at him. "And I see you were on the good side."

"Yeah." He grinned.

"Let's buy this."

"OK I guess. Are you done in here?" She nodded, he took both books from her hands and started for the check out. He laughed when he saw the second book she had picked out. "Interview With the Vampire." She shrugged and started to chuckle along with him. After they paid for the 3 books they left the mall and put the bags in the truck along with their other things.

Galen opened the car door for her and looked up over the parking lot as he closed the door. He saw a few faces standing by a van that caught his attention. His eyes widened. He ran to the other side of the car and opened it quickly. Before he got in he looked back up and saw them again, the same pregnant belly sticking out towards him. He got in and slammed the door closed behind him.

"Where's Tempest?" Blayne asked twisting around to see the woman whose name Galen had just uttered in his mind. As they were driving faster and farther away from the mall she saw her. Her hand was shielding her eyes from the sun. Her clothes were fine and well tailored. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun. She was looking directly into Blayne's eyes.

2

After she had stopped shaking she turned to Galen. "That was Tempest?"

"Yes, that was her."

"Why was she following us?"

"I'm not sure." He looked behind the car for the van; it was not there.

"So you are feeling what I am feeling then?" She tried to smile.

"Yes."

She put her hand on his. "Calm down Galen. She's not following us now."

"I know, but I can't stop the feeling that she is somewhere near me."

"Well, she is just 5 minutes away." Blayne tickled his ear and smiled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He laughed and patted her hand.

She turned on the radio and leaned back in her seat, her head still facing him. "You know I see you in an entirely new light."

"That's part of your senses."

"No, not your appearance or anything like that. You seem like a different person since we started this trip."

"I just might be." He glanced over at her and smiled. "You've made me feel different."

They both smiled and felt serenity flow through their veins. Blayne looked out the window and closed her eyes. Suddenly a voice screamed in her head. "Stay away from Galen!"

She opened her eyes. "Galen." He looked over at her with worry on his face. "What does Tempest want with you?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"I think she just shouted at me in my head."

Galen closed his eyes for a second. "What did she say?"

"She told me to stay away from you."

"God...She's like a leech that doesn't detach."

"I thought she didn't love you, because what else would her reason for leaving be?"

"She left because Galen told her to...Galen has a sort of hold on people. She loves me as much as she did 136 years ago, the thing is I don't love her."

"Why is she bothering me?"

"She knows how I feel about you; she's jealous."

"Sounds familiar." Blayne looked straight ahead at the road. Galen could only chuckle for a second, his mind was on something else.

Tempest.

Blayne read his thoughts and listened carefully. He said he didn't love her, and he doesn't. Yet, he still chose to think about her. He wasn't saying all...He was carefully picking out pieces so he, or she, didn't have to hear them, she was unaware of which one.

In the back of her mind she briefly thought of the baby who didn't get a chance to grow and live...She wondered what had happened to it and why Tempest still appeared pregnant.

3

They had just crossed over the Texas border headed towards Amarillo. Night had fallen once more. Blayne lay back on the bed, her legs up in the air, resting on some pillows. She had a bottle of blood in one hand and a book in the other. Galen was on the edge of the bed, a towel around his waste. He was yelling at the screen. Blayne looked up from her book and rolled her eyes. "I never got sports." She looked at the screen and watched as a big man in tights tackled another man in tights..."Looks kind of odd to me."

Galen turned around, smiling. "It's for entertainment."

"For who?" She looked back at the book, but knew he was still watching her. She couldn't hide her smile. She looked back at him and giggled. Galen lunged at her and tickled her neck. Her legs were pinned down with his.

"This looks like a compromising position Galen...What would Tempest think?"

"Fuck Tempest." He went in to kiss her but she spoke before he could do anything.

"Can I really?" Her eyes were glowing. "Do you want to watch?" Galen punched her lightly in the arm. A smile glued to his face.

"Shut up. I was trying to say something to you."

"I know you were, that's why I had to ruin it."

"You're lucky I'm not going to hurt you."

"What? You hurt me? Ooooh! I'm shaking." She said sarcastically, putting her hands in the air.

"You are such a bitch."

"Yeah, isn't it great?" They both grinned and sat up.

"Do you want a bottle?"

"Yeah, I could use one."

Galen stood up and walked over to a blue cooler sitting in the corner of the room. He picked out two closest to the top and threw one at her. She caught it at the last minute.

"I like the new reflexes." Galen laughed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. Blayne looked from the television to him. "Um, Galen."

"What?"

"You're still wearing you towel." He looked down at himself and shrugged his shoulders. He stood up and let it drop to the floor.

"Better?" He asked, his back to her as he sat down.

She just laughed and took a drink of the think liquid. "You..."

"Me...?" He asked with a smile. She threw a pillow at his head.

He stood up again when he heard the knock at the door. His eyes were wide. "I know who it is." Blayne got off the bed and walked next to him.

"It's her isn't it?" He nodded. "Galen, before you answer the door, maybe you should put some pants on." He looked down and picked up the towel, wrapping it around his waist.

"I don't have time." They started walking to the door. He reached out to grab the handle. She knocked again; his hand froze. His heart beat wildly in his chest; the fear was rising. He turned towards her; she was just as nervous as he was. When he finally put his hand on the door he started shaking as if he was being electrocuted. Blayne screamed and watched as he fell to the floor. She dropped to the ground next to him and touched his face, her hand immediately backed away. He was radiating heat. Her head turned towards the door. The handle turned with a squeak. Blayne started backing up. Light flooded into the room as the door opened. 3 shadows were standing in the doorway, she knew for a fact that one of them was Tempest.

Her back hit the wall behind her. The shadows were entering the room; they stepped over Galen's body. Blayne closed her eyes and let a drop of a tear fall onto her shirt as she sank down the wall and to the bottom of the floor.

Chapter 11: Decapitation

1

Galen woke up in a tight space; his hands hit hot metal. He began to panic. He lifted his feet and started pounding, each time his foot hit the top of his container it formed a dent raising up. He heard shouting and stopped kicking. Keys rattled into a lock somewhere outside. The top opened. A fist flew down at his face. "Shut up!" Arms pulled him out of the trunk and onto his feet. Galen took a good look at the face.

"Braden?"

"In the flesh." The large Italian man said with a grin.

"But-"

"I'm not." He pushed Galen towards the opposite end of the car. "I got him." Braden said to Tempest.

"Hello Galen. How are you?" Tempest was leaning against the hood of the car, her arms folded across her large protruding belly. She had a cigarette sticking out from in between her cherry red lips.

"Where's Blayne?"

"You know I was going to leave you naked, but I thought that wouldn't be too nice." She smiled sweetly at him then blew smoke in his direction. She almost looked elegant...almost.

"Where is Blayne, Tempest?" Galen's strong voice forced her heart to skip a beat. She laughed a little at herself for being scared of him.

"Earth."

"Where on earth?"

"The ground."

"Stop fucking around Tempest! Where is Blayne? Her exact location!" Braden punched Galen in the back. "You can stop that Jules, it's not going to do anything."

Tempest sighed. "She's in your car."

"And my car...Where is my car?"

"In the parking lot of your motel."

"Why am here?"

"I just wanted to see you again."

"You saw me last night." He patience was growing short.

"So I wanted to see you again." She put a hand on her stomach and took a drag from her cigarette. "I think Kevin knows you're here!" She said excitedly. She looked up at Galen. "Come feel it, he's kicking."

Galen swallowed hard and looked away. "No thank you Tempest. I'd rather not." He saw the horizon out of the corner of his eye, there was a faint glow coming from over the hills. "Can we go now Tempest?"

"No."

"Tempest...You can't keep me here."

"Yes I can." She pointed at Braden.

Galen laughed. "Sorry Jules, but you couldn't hurt a fly if you tried!" He turned back to Tempest. "Make this easy and drive me back to the motel."

"No." Galen took a step forward. "I'm not scared of you." Galen took another step forward, she took a step back.

"Just take me to my car." His voice had lowered to a growl. Tempest let out an unsteady laugh and backed up a few more steps.

"O-OK." She went to the other side of the car and opened the door. Galen opened the door to the passenger seat.

"Get in Jules."

2

The car pulled up next to Galen's. Galen scanned for Blayne's body but couldn't find it.

"Where is she."

Braden started to laugh. Tempest shot him the evil eye and he shut up. "She's in the trunk."

"The trunk?!" Galen shouted. "God! You are such a bitch Tempest!" He opened the door and jumped out, running to the closed trunk. There were welts on the top of it, obvious shoe marks. He reached in his pants for his keys and jabbed them in the lock. The trunk opened revealing Blayne; she was tied up. Galen glanced at Tempest stepping out of her car and reached in to untie her. Once she was untied he pulled her to her feet. Blayne scowled at Tempest and took a step forward.

Tempest laughed and threw her cigarette away. Galen took a hold of Blayne's hand. "Let's go into the motel." They stepped ahead as Galen fished out the hotel key and put it in the lock. The room was still dark. Galen flipped on the light, extra protection. Tempest and Braden walked in and closed the door after a minute of waiting.

"Seen it." Tempest said folding her arms across her chest.

"Where is the third person who was with you before?" Blayne asked still standing, while Galen sat down.

"What third person?" She asked looking like she was shocked, her hand to her heart. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"DORIAN!" Galen shot off the bed and grabbed Tempest by the shirt. "You fucking bitch! Dorian was here!"

Tempest slapped his hand away and straightened her hair. "Yeah, he was here." She stepped back a few steps and put on a smirk.

Galen hit the wall. "God Tempest!"

"What was he doing here?" Blayne asked shivering. The thought of Dorian near her made her weak. "Where is he?"

"He wanted to see you again." She said sarcastically. "God knows why...He's around. He didn't tell me where, but he's near." She smiled. "You like that don't ya?"

"Fuck off Tempest!" Galen yelled, his back away from her.

"Yeah whatever."

"OK we know enough. I don't want you here anymore. Get out." He motioned for the door.

"No."

"No? Why is it that you always have to say that?"

She grinned as the door opened. "Hey Galen!"

Galen put his head down and took a deep breath. He sputtered out a few laughs and looked up again. "What are you doing here?"

Dorian picked up his hand and revealed and ax. "I came to talk." He smiled and winked at Blayne.

3

"What's the ax for Dorian?" Galen asked eye balling it.

Tempest smiled as he walked farther into the room. "I think Blayne should be asking that." She said smugly.

"No, the right person asked the right question." He said staring at Galen.

"What?" Tempest turned to Dorian. He grinned and pushed her out of the way.

"You are always screwing with my life Galen."

"You don't have one." Dorian went on, un-noticing the comment.

"Well I'm sick of it and I'm not going to take it any more." He lifted the ax above his head, fire dancing in his eyes.

"Um, Dorian." Blayne raised her hand, catching his attention. "What are you doing?" She crossed her arms. "Do you think that by killing Galen I will just automatically run away with you?" She squinted. "This is no way to get the girl."

Dorian's eyes were still blazing but the ax lowered. "What?"

"You really are retarded aren't you?" She rolled her eyes speaking to Galen threw her mind.

Dorian dropped the ax and took a few steps forward. Galen saw his chance he grabbed the ax and flung it at Dorian’s waving arm; it dropped to the floor and began dissolving on impact. Dorian yelled and tried to reach for his arm, but failed. Tempest forgot all about Galen and ran to Dorian's side. Braden was too busy laughing to do anything about Blayne and Galen running out of the room.

Chapter 12: Hitchhiker

1

Tempest sat down on the bed and watched Dorian's arm grow back. She folded her arms. The baby kicked. "God damn it!" She slapped her stomach. "I hate this thing!"

Braden sat down next to her and touched it. "Maybe it hates you." His voice was casual Tempest glared at him and slapped his head.

"Maybe I hate you!"

"Will you two shut up!" Dorian yelled wincing in pain as the bone jutted out farther with growth.

"You try being pregnant for 130 years."

"I couldn't if I tried baby." His fingers began to form; he wiggled them.

"Yeah exactly so don't tell me to shut up." She pulled a cigarette out of her pocket and lit it.

"Why do you smoke those things?"

Tempest smiled and took a long drag then blew it in his face. "What is it going to kill me?" She chuckled.

“It’s not like it’s a habit…” He stood up and shook his arm to bring in the blood.

“It’s not, I just like the feeling.” She took another drag. “I think it makes me look sophisticated anyway.

Dorian laughed. “It makes you look like an idiot.”

Tempest flinched. “I’m hurt Dorian.”

Dorian rolled his eyes and turned to the door. He opened it and took a step out. “Where do you think they went?”

“Who do you think I am? A genius?” She blew more smoke out of her mouth. “I don’t know what he is thinking all the time.”

“Maybe you should.” He stated looking up at the thunderheads forming above his head.

Tempest rolled her eyes. “I love the way we get along.”

Dorian turned towards her, a smirk on his face. “I love the way you suck m-“

Tempest stood up and grabbed Dorian by the collar. “That was one time and one time only!” She glared into his laughing eyes as Braden’s giggles floating in her direction. She turned to him. “What is wrong with you two?” She hit Dorian over the head and started for Braden. Dorian grabbed her shirt with a chuckle and stopped her.

“All right, enough of that.” He laughed again and pushed her into a sitting position on the bed. Tempest frowned. “I don’t like giving up.”

“Neither do I.” She said with a glare.

“I didn’t say we would, but I think that’s what we just did.”

“For now.” She said with an added huff.

Dorian rolled his eyes. “For now.” He mocked her and then sat himself down next to her.

“Well then what do you want to do?” Grady asked, his breath returning to him.

“Wait.” He replied lying back onto the bed.

“Again?” She asked with a shrill voice.

“Yes again.” His voice was calm. “What else do you suppose we do?” He opened one eye to watch her frown harden. “Exactly.”

Note I am lost at what to do know, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or comments…I need help! J --Super