*****************

"Rhiannon, what the hell am I going to do? We're going on tour in a week. I didn't even think about that part of my life. How the hell am I gonna sleep on a bus? And what if I have to go outside? Sound checks are usually done during the day." Kevin was frantic.

"Calm down," Rhiannon said, smiling. "I've already come up with an idea."

"Oh thank God," Kevin said, sighing. "What is it?"

"First of all, I'm going with you. If that's ok with you," she said, propping her feet up in his lap. Kevin nodded. "I'll take care of preparing your bus. Don't worry about that. And... if you need to go outside during the day, I have a solution."

She got up and went to the closet. She pulled out a pair of black leather pants and a leather jacket, then leather gloves, and a pair of riding boots.

"All you need is a bike and a helmet. You can just ride right into the venue. You'll never be exposed to the sun," she said, smiling. Kevin's lips curled into a wide grin.

"You think of everything," he said, laughing. "You really do take such good care of me, Rhiannon."

"That's my job," Rhiannon said, sitting down beside him. She ran her hand over his cheek. "I love you, Kevin," she said, staring into his green eyes.

"I know you do," he said, placing his hand on hers. "And I love you."

Rhiannon stared at her Kevin. Her creation. She did love him. Not in a sexual way. They had only engaged in sex the one time, and the only reason she did it was to get him to calm down. And to initiate him. She had wanted to see the look on his gorgeous face when he experienced his first "real" orgasm. It had been amazing, but it just wasn't going to be repeated. She was his vampiric "mother", and he was her "child".

*************************************** The first few months on the road were difficult. AJ was beginning to get suspicious, and he followed Kevin around every chance he got. Kevin began to get annoyed after a few weeks of this, and he started avoiding AJ. One evening, just after sunset, Rhiannon awoke before Kevin . She rose from her bunk on the parked bus and hopped down. She walked down the aisle to the front, where Kevin's driver sat, his feet propped on the wheel. He was napping.

"Carlos," she said quietly. He opened his eyes.

"Hey chica," he said, smiling.

"Where are we?" she asked, glancing at the hordes of people gathered outside the hotel.

"Richmond, Virginia," he replied, "and these kids are nuts. Did you guys not hear them? They were banging on the sides of the bus and shit when we pulled in. Scared me to death. I just knew I was gonna run over somebody's foot."

"No. I guess we were sleeping pretty heavily. Where's Kevin's cell phone? I need to make a call."

"It's in his bag under the bus. I'll get it for ya. Hey, when you go back there, you might want to wake Prince Charming from his endless slumber, ok? AJ radioed a while ago, and they're all having dinner together tonight at some fancy schmancy restaraunt."

"Ok. I'll tell him. Thanks Carlos," she replied, sitting in a seat by the window and watching the girls prowling around the outside of the hotel, just hoping for a glimpse of Backstreet flesh. She shook her head, wondering which one would be Kevin's dinner that night. Hell, she was thinking about which one would be her own dinner. Every city, it was a different girl. However, Kevin refused to have sex with them. He didn't want to share sex with a mortal woman. He was afraid. Afraid he would hurt them? Rhiannon didn't know exactly what he was afraid of. She could just feel fear. Rhiannon saw Nick walking into the hotel, surrounded by girls. He stopped and smiled for a few pictures, then signed a few autographs. Nick was such a sweetheart. He was so sexy, in a little boy kind of way. Rhiannon would love to sink her teeth into him, but she knew Nick was off limits. She would never do that to one of Kevin's friends. It just wouldn't be... polite. Carlos returned with Kevin's bag, and Rhiannon rummaged through it. She and Kevin shared everything, and there were no secrets between them, so she didn't feel strange about going through his things. She came across a picture of Kevin and Brian as children. They were on the beach and each had an arm around the other's shoulder, and they were both smiling from ear to ear. Rhiannon smiled sadly. She knew Kevin missed Brian terribly. She noticed that Kevin had started avoiding Brian pretty much altogether now. He told her he felt that Brian would know something was different about him if they were alone. Rhiannon believed it went deeper than that. Her own theory was that Kevin couldn't stand being around Brian's goodness. Brian exuded such purity, sometimes Rhiannon couldn't even stand to be in the same room with him either. It wasn't that she and Kevin were evil, because they weren't. It was just that they were... not pure.

Rhiannon walked to the back of the bus and opened the curtain to Kevin's bunk.

"Wake up sleepyhead," she said, shaking him gently. Kevin opened his eyes groggily and smiled.

"I'm starving," he said. "What's on the menu?"

"Oh, you'll love this," she said, laughing. "This place is COVERED with girls. Heck, I think I might just let you get one for each of us."

Kevin laughed. "Ahhh, so I am good for something, huh?"

"Yeah. Picking up women," she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Come on, I've picked up many a man for you."

"Yes you have. And I thank you. I will be happy to return the favor," Kevin said, stretching and yawning. He rolled out of the bunk and ran his fingers through his long hair. His skin was pale. He hadn't fed the night before, and he was getting weak. Rhiannon was old enough to skip a day or two between feedings, but Kevin was still too

new. He needed blood. Very soon.

Kevin pulled on his clothes and some shoes and they made their way off the bus. As they walked between the barricades, the girls all screamed. It was too loud. She and Kevin cringed. Kevin motioned for the girls to keep it down, but it really didn't help too much. He glanced at Rhiannon and she pulled him toward the door.

"Good God," Rhiannon said, once they reached the sanctity of the hotel lobby. "How do you stand it?"

"I don't know," Kevin groaned. "It's so loud. Do you know how much I hate screaming?"

"Yes. I think I do," she said, laughing. She turned her attention to a beautiful man sitting in the hotel bar near the piano. He was in his mid-twenties, dark hair and eyes. He smiled when he saw her watching him.

"I believe you've found your dinner," Kevin said, in his slow Kentucky drawl.

"I believe you're right," Rhiannon responded, mocking his accent. She grabbed Kevin's hand and pulled him toward the bar with her.

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