She wandered off to her room, greatly feeling the need for sleep. These new hours weren’t going to sit well with her, Sarah could already tell. She wasn’t really a very good night person. Never had been even while patrolling. She removed a tee shirt and sweat pants from the bag and shoved the rest of the items into a drawer of the dresser. She definitely would need to go shopping again soon if she planned on staying here which it looked like she did, but this stuff was okay for now. As Kevin had said, they were vampires. This wasn’t a fashion show and she didn’t feel the need to look her best. Perhaps exactly the opposite where these guys were concerned. She checked the entire room twice over and made sure she locked the door securely before finally settling in to catch a short nap before sundown. The moment her head hit the pillow, she was out.

Strangely it seemed only a few minutes later when she felt a presence in the room with her. No, not in the room...right beside her. She saw the outline of the features, the lightness of the hair, the blue of the eyes and almost believed it was Nick at first. The man was sitting on the edge of the bed simply staring at her calmly and she wasn’t alarmed. At least not until she realized it wasn’t Nick. This person was shorter, his eyes not quite the same shade of blue and his facial features much sharper. She felt a scream catch in her throat and she choked on it. The man’s hand raised towards her throwing a shadow across her eyes and it was the last thing she remembered.

Suddenly Sarah was waking once again with a start. This time to an empty room. She checked the clock. It was more than an hour and a half since she’d first bedded down. What was that? A dream? She ran to the door trying the lock. It was secure. Vampires weren’t able to go through locked doors were they? She’d been frightened, but seemingly not of the person himself. She actually sensed a gentleness about him. The same feeling she got when Nick used that hypnotic look on her. Only with this man, it emanated from him strongly. She’d never seen him before. Or at least didn’t think she had.

The vision, dream or whatever left her unsettled with the need not to be in that room any longer than was necessary. Instinctively she headed across the hall. It was almost six o’clock. Nick should nearly be ready to wake and she had to return him the money she didn’t use anyways, Sarah told herself. It was an excuse. A poor one at that but right now, she really didn’t care.

Nick’s bedroom was much darker at this hour without the light filtering in and she turned on a small Tiffany style lamp sitting on the dresser. The bulb was opaque and gave the room a soft, warm glow, similar to candlelight. She liked it. She went over and sat on the edge of the bed watching him. With his boyish features and short, recklessly tousled blond locks, he seemed so imperfect, so dear. No one would have ever guessed looking at him that behind such an innocent face lurked such evil. Sarah herself found it hard to believe Nick was capable of it sometimes, but she only had to recall that first night when she’d come face to face with it to know it was all too real in him.

Her hand swept across his cheek lightly, feathering over his pale, milky white skin and he responded to her touch in his sleep, pressing closer to it. His mouth opened slightly and she saw what she most feared in him. She couldn’t seem to help herself as she allowed her fingers to delicately trail over the soft curve of his lips then venture just within to trace the edges of his fangs carefully. The tips were like needles, so much so she could imagine one pricking her finger. One drop of blood upon his tongue…would that be bite number two? Would that count?

"It takes more than that," Nick answered her thought sleepily. Sarah’s hand pulled back in surprise as his eyes opened lazily and his gaze captured hers. "But I do bite, you know. You shouldn’t be playing with fire," he warned taking her hand and holding it warmly in his. His comment brought another image to mind.

"Someone else is playing with it more closely than I am, Nick. I went back to my apartment today and..."

He took a great deal of interest suddenly and sat up quickly, a fiercely protective gleam in his eyes she hadn’t noticed before. "You shouldn’t have. Not without one of us with you."

"I found that out. The place was torched. Completely destroyed. Everything I own is ashes now and I know it’s a vampire who did it."

"One of Alex’s people?" he concluded, the regret in his voice not lost on her. "Wait, are you sure? I mean, vampires don’t usually make a habit out of setting fires, even for the sake of revenge. It's one of the few things that can do us in. Is it possible it was another slayer who might know you’re here?"

It had never even occurred to her. Sarah couldn’t even fathom that idea. Of one of her own turning against her for any reason and she looked at Nick fervently rejecting the suggestion. "Who else besides Alex knew so much about Angela? Knew I was one of her best friends? Who else would want to get back at me so badly?"

"You have no idea," he sighed resignedly, his tone drawing in her full attention. "Sarah, you’re about as close to being a wanted man...or woman in the vampire world as anyone can be. A lot of vamps out there don’t know you’ve come to our side. The only thing they may know is that you are still alive--somewhere. That’s why it’s so important for you to be here. It’s not safe for you out there. Vampires may be hunting you down for what you were. And the slayers that survived may be hunting you down for what they think you’ve become. Until word is put out, you’re in a lot of danger from each side. Alex is the only one who can protect you now."

Her eyes showed her surprise and disappointment if her voice didn’t give her away. "You said that you could. That the mark you gave me would."

"Within these walls it may, but on the outside, it won’t mean much. I can’t protect you out there. I’m not strong enough or experienced enough. Some of these guys are centuries upon centuries old. They’ve watched and they’ve learned. They know how to sense weakness, they know how to fight. They have abilities I can’t begin to get a handle on. If I were to go up against someone like that, I’d lose."

"But Nick, you did challenge a vampire like that. The one with the child. I saw you beat him."

"Sarah, that was luck. Sheer luck. You said so yourself."

"I did?" she tried to recall.

"Your thoughts did. You wondered why it wasn’t me lying dead in that alley. And for some reason, you cared that it wasn’t."

"I cared it wasn’t because you saved that boy. I’d never seen anyone do that before. Either human or vampire and I guess it just surprised me a little. Well, actually a lot."

"It made you drop your guard."

"It did," she admitted bitterly. "If it hadn’t, I’d have staked you that night."

"If it hadn’t, you probably would have." She was a little taken aback by his admittance to it.

"If it means anything Nick, I’m glad things didn’t turn out that way." He smiled ever so gently letting her know he echoed that sentiment. Sarah pushed onward. She’d been waiting for the right moment and this seemed as good a time as any for him to answer the question that had been burning in her thoughts. "Can I ask you something, Nick? Why didn’t you seize the opportunity to take my life that night? As you said, I was a slayer. That right there was enough reason to kill me."

"It’s not important now."

"It is to me."

Nick seemed to think about it a moment looking away from her then relented and his gaze wandered back. The softness in his eyes made her know he was telling her the truth, even if it might hurt. "In those final moments, I knew your fear and it was pretty intense. I saw all the things running through your mind of what you knew I could do to you and yet you still didn’t ask me for your life. Not even once. You never gave in. Your courage impressed me, but as it went on, I began to understand it wasn’t exactly courage motivating it." Sarah looked to Nick questioning. Her eyes locking with his encouraging him to go on regardless of whether she wanted to hear it or not. "Usually just before someone dies, they think of the people they are leaving behind, maybe their pets, things they care about. Maybe even their car. Believe me, I’ve seen it all," he smiled. "But with you, there was nothing. Well, aside from your all-out hatred of me which was to be expected. It was as if you weren’t sure if death would be all that much different than the life you were leaving behind. That confused me a little. I’d never seen that before in anyone. I wasn’t sure if I was punishing you more by letting you live or by taking life from you."

Sarah couldn’t believe how accurate Nick’s description was. He did know everything. Everything she’d never wanted to accept about herself even. There was no one. Never had been. Never could be. Her parents had passed when she was much younger. With being a slayer and all the responsibilities that position wrought, there was no time for friends or boyfriends. At least not any that were outside the circle of the slayers. She’d tried a few times but it just never worked out. Every time it didn’t, she simply threw herself into the training and the slaying. Nothing like dusting a few vamps to take a girl’s mind off boyfriend woes after all. It frightened her to realize it had been a total stranger, and a vampire at that who was making her face the truth.

"Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything..." Nick began, seeing it had obviously upset her.

"No, no, its fine," she struggled still trying to take it in. "Just a little odd hearing yourself summed up by a stranger," she smiled.

"I didn’t ‘sum you up’. It was just an impression I got. There’s more to you than that."

"Is there? I’m not sure anymore. I’ve never let anyone in long enough to find out. Slaying is...was my life," she corrected. "I don’t really know who I am without it."

"Maybe now you’ll be able to find out," Nick comforted. The moment was silent and awkward. She felt so fragile right then, so exposed, she couldn’t even attempt to hide it. Nick couldn’t seem to resist and he urged her face to his shoulder. Sarah drew back slightly instead and moved to press her soft, trembling mouth against his. It was the first time she’d initiated anything with him and she was nervous. Their lips met sweetly at first then the affection took on greater intensity as his mouth began molding itself to hers. It was the kind of deep, slow kiss a woman could drown in and it lingered almost until neither of them could find their breaths. Caught up in the moment, Sarah prolonged it, dragging her lips over his chin and along his throat to press a trail of heated kisses down the center of his bare chest. Nick tipped his head back and closed his eyes, allowing himself to surrender to it for a few moments before grasping her arms tightly in his hands and drawing her up to him so they were face to face once more. Her heart stopped.

"This can’t go any further," he stated flatly, his stare pinning her in place. His voice contained a new huskiness, but also a new intimidation. He abruptly appeared to notice how forcefully he was holding her and instantly eased up. Sarah was stunned by his reaction, not knowing what to say or what she’d done wrong.

"Why not?" she mouthed the question, not hiding the hurt very well.

"It just can’t. Don’t fight me on this," he warned, his look was impenetrable, completely uncompromising. It reminded her of Alex far too much and caused her to recoil a little in fear. Nick caught onto it instantly.

"Oh no, Sarah, I didn’t mean it to sound like that," he attempted to explain himself hurriedly, his hands taking her shoulders into them gently. "The last thing I want is for you to be afraid of me..."

"Nick! We’re going out. You coming with?" They quickly pulled apart like two teenagers getting caught making out by one of their parents. Sarah was just able to pick out the silhouette at the door of one of the other male vampires. Something about him seemed familiar but she quickly shook it off to let her mind return to what had just happened between Nick and herself.

"Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right there," her partner shouted back. "Give me a few, okay?"

"Would that be minutes or years?" the person at the door quipped, his smile in his voice. Obviously Nick was known for being late most of the time.

"Centuries if you don’t get out of here!" he responded impatiently to which they heard hysterical laughter rise in answer.

Once the door closed back again, Sarah turned to him. "Do you think he saw us?" she blurted out in her worry.

Nick smiled calmly, his hands trailing down her arms soothingly. "It was just Brian. He and I have been friends for years. He won’t tell anyone."

"Really Nick, level with me about how bad this is? I mean, on a scale of one to ten, a vampire and a mortal being close. What kind of odds are we looking at?"

"Well, on the one hand your being a slayer and my being a vampire, that’s pretty bad. But on the other hand, every vampire in this house now believes that you are on your way to becoming one of us so that’s a good thing. In the end, I guess it all evens out so on a scale of one to ten, looks like we’re a five."

"That’s not exactly encouraging."

"How about another half point for the way you make me feel when you kiss me?" he teased.

"Only a half?" she pouted.

"Okay, a whole point," he relented. "Or maybe a couple," he laughed, a rich, good-natured sound almost intimate in its softness. It brought out the boyishness in him and she couldn’t help but join in. Sarah couldn’t believe she had actually just flirted with him. It was the first time she’d done that in awhile. It felt really good and it made her wish to let Nick know that regardless of their circumstances, she enjoyed being with him.

"I know I haven’t said it and I certainly haven’t shown it but I appreciate all you’ve done for me, Nick. I don’t know if what we’re doing is right or not. Or if things will even work out, but after what I saw today, I know now I really have no other choice. Thanks," she added squeezing his hand and Nick hugged her to him briefly, kissing the top of her head as he let go. It was the first time Sarah felt thoroughly comfortable and safe around the vampire and she almost hated to have it end. A bond was growing between them no matter if they wanted it to or not.