Unraveling Sarah Cresley

He saw the darkness in her beauty. She saw the beauty in his darkness.-

I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things which I dare not confess to my own soul.- Bram Stoker

Eventually soulmates meet, for they have the same hiding place.- Robert Brown

She sits in the corner singing herself to sleep, wrapped around the promises no one seems to keep.- Unknown

Love is like playing from the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart.- Unknown

She looked at me as if I were the only star in her darkest night. And then she kissed me as if I were the air that filled her lungs. - Unknown

Love is giving someone the power to destroy you, but trusting them not to.

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind. And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. - William Shakespeare- A Midsummer Night's Dream

Romeo, doth thy name! - Juliet- Romeo and Juliet - William Shakespeare

Though she be but little, she is fierce! - William Shakespeare- A Midsummer Night's Dream

What we call evil is simply ignorance bumping its head in the dark. - Henry Ford

I have a darkness inside of me, but I still bring it flowers. - JM Wonderland

Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody. - Mark Twain

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. - Confucius

Prologue

People deal with me, but they love Sarah Harper Cresley. She has something about her that draws people to her. Even me. My name is Reese Mordecai Nicolai. And I am unconditionally in love with Sarah Harper Cresley. My crush started two years and three months ago, on the first day of freshman year. All I saw of her at first was her light brown hair with blonde highlights tied into a bun. It was in an intricate braid that she had wrapped around. Those curls were enough to make my unbeating heart squeeze. And then she turned around, and I was a goner.

She has stunning light green eyes that remind me of mint, rosy cheeks, a cute button nose, full lips, and beautiful medium brown skin tone. Her lips were painted dark red. I think my mouth opened and my eyes widened. She gave me a strange look and went on her way.

Most people give me a strange look. With my yellow eyes, black hair in a goth cut, pale skin, and large beak-like nose, I make for an odd-looking guy. What chance do I have compared with Caden Cartwright, gorgeous captain of the football team, or Michael Nales, blond-haired and blue-eyed? Even if I gave myself a makeover, that would not be enough.

I've tried many times to get over her. When I learned that I'm bisexual, I tried dating a guy. I only broke Evan Byrd's heart after we got into a nasty fight and our relationship ended. I considered him my boyfriend until then. And besides all that, he found out about my crush. I felt horrible, but there was nothing I could do.

Chapter One- Party All Night

It was a Friday night when I was laying on my bed, hands laced over my stomach, thinking about Sarah. I started fingering the zipper on my black jacket, when my cell phone rang, blaring "Through It All" by From Ashes To New. It was my ringtone for my best and only human friend in school, Ariella Spears, who, with her long brown hair and beautiful stormy gray eyes, is Miss Popular. I rolled over and answered it.

"What would you rather do on a Friday night, watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the zillionth time or go to a party where Sarah Cresley will be present?" No contest.

"Party. If I go to this, do I have to talk to Sarah?" Ariella was one of the few people who knew about my crush.

"Um, yeah! It's been way too long." The last time I actually spoke to Sarah was when I said "pardon me" when I accidentally bumped into her. If I went to this, Ariella would for sure "make" me talk to Sarah. She thought my crush was the best thing ever, besides her own relationship. She was also one of the few people who actually knew about it.

~~~~~~~~~

The party was in full swing when I arrived. I recognized Death Cab for Cutie blaring from the speakers. Michael Nales was playing beer pong with Shelbi Vega and the rest of the cheerleading squad, some of them Sarah's friends, including Jordan and Scarlett Hart, the two most popular girls, and fraternal twins at that.

Jordan has dark blond hair and green eyes, and Scarlett has black hair and black eyes. Rumored to be witches, they think they're queens, especially Scarlett. Scarlett was also Sarah's best friend. There was also Mia Rayport, who has blond hair and blue eyes, Rachel Griffin, a redheaded, brown-eyed beauty, Angela Montgomery, black-haired and brown-eyed, and Sara "Honey" Blynn, blond-haired and amber-eyed. They may call themselves queens (except for my Sarah), but everyone else simply calls them the Beautifuls.

I thought it was stupid. Not to label them a clique, but to give them a name. Sarah thought it was stupid too, or so I'd heard. She considered them good friends, and that was that.

Anyway, Ariella went to look for her boyfriend, Damon Sage. He was mostly into cars, leather jackets, cigarettes, and Ariella. And getting drunk and/or high on occasion. I thought he was pretty plain and not very dynamic, but Ariella was head over heels for him.

I headed to the kitchen, where Sarah sometimes stayed at these. She wasn't there. I searched all around for her. I moved past people who were chatting, eating, drinking, smoking. Sarah was not among them. My mind was completely focused on Sarah now. I started to lose hope, when I heard crying coming from the bathroom. I opened the door, only to see my Sarah bundled in a ball and sobbing.

I closed the door behind me. "Sarah, what's wrong?"

I noticed that she had curled her hair even tighter and wore tight leather pants and a crop top, her feet adorned with black leather boots.

"Sarah?" I sat beside her, ignoring the butterfly battlefield in my stomach. She only cried harder, smearing her makeup even more. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to-"

"I was raped!" she cried. I sat there frozen in shock. She looked up at me for the first time. She had black makeup trails down her face.

"S-Sarah..." My mind raced, trying to pinpoint faces among her male friends. Then anger bloomed in my chest. "Who?"

"This group of girls, they...they started beating me. And he...I thought he liked me."

"Who?"

"Michael Nales."

"Sarah...I'm so sorry." I wrapped an arm around her, inhaling her warm Spanish amber and rose and gardenia scent. She buried her head in my chest and sobbed. For a moment, I pretended she was my girlfriend.

Reese, you are a heartless imbecile. She's hurt, and you're only thinking of yourself. Still...do you love me like I love you?

"I can get my friend to take you to the hospital," I said.

"Fine," she said softly. I helped her up. I texted Ariella quickly.

Reese: 'Sarah's in trouble. She needs to get to the hospital. Can you drive us?'

Ariella: 'Yes, of course. Lemme say bye 2 Damon.'

I held Sarah while she picked herself up.

Ariella was waiting for us by the front door. She took in the sight of Sarah, and her eyes widened. She led Sarah out the door. I looked back at Michael Nales and frowned. He frowned back at me.

"What's the emo's problem?" he asked. He walked right up to me. "What's your deal?" I punched him in the stomach. He doubled over and struggled for breath. He cursed me as I went outside to find Sarah and Ariella waiting for me in her Civic. I sat in the backseat, Sarah in the front passenger seat.

I wanted to take her in my arms and protect her from the world, but I didn't want to scare her. The ride to the hospital was silent. I wasn't sure if I wanted to kill Michael Nales or the girls who hurt Sarah more. I called my father to tell him what was happening.

"One of my friends is in trouble," I said. "Ariella and I are taking her to the hospital."

"All right, son. I'll be there soon. I trust that you can handle this?" With that, the conversation ended. When we reached the hospital, I half-carried Sarah to the front desk, where the male nurse took in the sight of her, and then me. He did a double take when he saw me, making me feel weird and a bit ugly.

Ariella spoke with the nurse, who never took his eyes off me and Sarah.

Sarah was taken into a private room, where I could not see her. Father called again.

"What's going on, Reese? Tell me the truth." My father has a... condition... a gift...an extra talent...in which he gets mental images of the present, usually pertaining to me. This kind of gift is extremely rare, even in vampires. Did I mention that my father is a vampire prince? Forgive me, I usually try to forget that myself.

"Sarah's in the hospital, Father. She was...seriously hurt tonight."

"Describe Sarah to me again." I sighed and told him everything. I'm quite close to my father, and it's easy to tell him anything. When I came out, he told me that he had been wondering about that for a while and that he still loved me no matter what. I am at the center of his universe. I look like him, except his hair is blond instead of black. (According to him, I got my black hair color, large nose, and pointed chin from my mother. I didn't remember her-Father said she'd left shortly after I was born without giving him a reason as to why.)

"Is Ariella okay?" he asked when I finished.

"Yes, she's fine." My father was particularly fond of Ariella. She was nice to me and was really the only one who tolerated me at North Hampton High. "She's a little shaken up."

"I'll be there soon, anyway."

~~~~~~~~~~

He was there in less than fifteen minutes. My father is thin, like me, with a slightly broader chest. He has the same yellow eyes that most of our family has, and long blond hair with that he ties back into a bun or ponytail. Despite being over two thousand years old, he looks quite young, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties.

He kissed my hair quickly and started checking me for injuries.

"Father, please," I said.

"Mordecai," Ariella began, "Reese found Sarah and she told him that she'd been beaten and raped. Then he texted me, and now here we are."

"I don't understand," I said. "Sarah is so caring and loving. How could this have happened?"

"It can happen to anyone, son," Father said.

"Jerks like Michael think they're untouchable," Ariella added. We sat in silence. I couldn't help thinking, was this my fault? Did I not claim her quickly enough? I chided myself for such thoughts. If I had protected her better, maybe this would not have happened. I hated myself for that. More than that, I hated Michael. I hated his guts. The vampire in me wanted to do something violent and drastic, and I squashed him down.

I would still exact vengeance on Sarah's behalf. I would figure out how to do that on another day. I considered all the revenge tactics I could think of. As I thought about this, two women approached me, a brunette, and a redhead.

"Hello, are you the one that found Sarah Cresley?" the brunette said to my father.

"My son did," he replied, gesturing to me.

"Hello, Reese, I'm Detective Emma Greene. This is my partner, Detective Suzanne Moon. We'd like to ask you some questions," Detective Greene said.

"Of course," I said.

"Tell us how you found Sarah."

"I was walking around, looking for my friend, when I heard crying coming from the bathroom. I thought someone might be hurt, so I opened the door. That's how I found Sarah."

"Which friend were you looking for?" I bit my bottom lip. This is what I'd been hoping to avoid.

"I was looking for Sarah." The detectives looked at each other.

"Why were you looking for her?" Detective Moon asked.

"I... like her." This was the topic I had been hoping would not come up.

"So, you went looking for her, and then you found her in the bathroom?" Detective Greene said, almost accusatory.

"My son did nothing wrong," Father said.

"We're not disputing that. So, you have a crush on her. Have you ever spoken with Sarah before?"

"Briefly." The detectives looked at each other again. I had intended to omit my feelings about her, and I failed miserably. I wondered if I was a suspect now, even though Sarah most likely told them who did it. I finished the tale about how I discovered her in the bathroom and helped her and was told I could go. They asked Ariella how she was involved, and she told them about her part.

I told Ariella I would text her later, and we said goodbye to each other.

My love for Sarah had not diminished. It never would. I was not even sure if she knew I was alive before tonight. My own fault. As I climbed into bed, she continued to invade my thoughts. I'm so sorry, Sarah. I'm sorry I could not protect you.

CHAPTER 2- ROSES AND THORNS

I awoke Saturday in a haze. Memories of the night before had plagued my dreams. I thought, if I couldn't protect Sarah, what use was I to her? I chided myself for such thoughts. We barely even knew each other, yet I claimed I loved her. I was fucked up.

I laid back down and fought the self-hate bubbling in my mind. My father came in and offered me a warm glass of blood. A positive. I managed to choke down a few drops. I showered quickly and redressed in my usual outfit: black jeans, black shirt that referenced several bands, and heavy black boots. My father made me drink a mixture of blood and water. It did little to calm the battle in my stomach. I decided to call Ariella.

"How's Sarah?"

"She's still shaken up. Those whores really did a number on her."

"Who?"

"Scarlett and Jordan and their gang." That surprised me. Scarlett was Sarah's best friend, and everyone believed them to be as tight-knit as sisters. Ariella continued. "Someone even took a cell phone video of the whole thing. It was brutal. She didn't even have a chance. Then, according to my sources, Michael Nales found her unconscious and went down on her."

"Why Sarah?"

"You know that Scarlett and Michael had a relationship before, right?" I was suddenly angry. Scarlett and Michael would pay for what they did to Sarah. And one way or the other, Sarah would be mine.

~~~~~~~~~

I found her house without problems. I held a single red rose. I rang the doorbell and heard two dogs barking. A woman who looked like she had stayed up all night crying answered. She was tall and thin, with dark blond hair and brown eyes. Sarah's mother, Alicia.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"My name is Reese Nicolai. I helped Sarah last night. May I see her, Ms. Cresley?" She gave me a suspicious look.

"I'm sorry, but she isn't taking any visitors right now."

"I promise I won't hurt her."

"I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Well, can you give this to her?" I handed her the rose. "Tell her it's from Reese." She nodded and slowly shut the door after taking the flower. I sighed, depleted of energy. I went back to my van. "I love you, Sarah," I said aloud. I glanced back to see Sarah looking out of an upstairs window. She looked surprised to see me. I waved at her.

I collapsed on my bed when I got home. Maybe I had moved a little too fast, but it would be worth it in the end. I knew I was being a little foolish, but I didn't know what else to think. I'd never been in love with anyone else, even Evan, whom I should have loved. Any normal person would, but I've never quite fit in, even with vampires.

My cell phone rang, blaring a tune that I used for numbers I did not know. I pressed the green button, put it against my ear, and answered.

"Hello, is this Reese?" Sarah!

"I am. Is this Sarah?" Stupid question.

"Yes. I wanted to thank you for helping me last night and checking on me today." Sarah, I would literally do anything for you.

"Of course." Silence. "So, what happened after I left?" I finally asked.

"I was questioned some more by the two lady cops. They did some more stuff, then I left."

"What exactly did they do to you?"

"Took some DNA, took some more pictures, stuff like that. Why do you care?" Because I just do.

"Because I simply care."

"You'll probably tell everybody..."

"Who have I got to tell? Ariella is my only friend. I won't tell her unless you want me to. Besides, she already knows everything, and she won't tell. Truth be told...I like you." Shit. I hadn't meant to confess yet. She was silent for a long time. Crap. It was too soon. "Sarah, I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"But you brought me a rose."

"I was acting on instinct. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I really do like you." More silence. Then:

"Maybe you'll be my only friend after this."

"That's all I can ask for, Sarah."

"I have to go now. Bye." She hung up after that. I could not believe it. Me. Sarah Harper Cresley would quite possibly be my girlfriend. She was so beautiful, sweet, intelligent, funny...and out of my league. I stretched out, taking in a deep breath.

I popped in The Lost Boys, and started reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, required reading. I didn't much care for it at first, but as the novel went on, I slowly started to like it more. As soon as I finished reading the first three chapters, I began my science homework. We were studying animal cells. I'd had to study a real animal cell, identify all the parts, and try to determine what animal it came from. It was a blood cell of a cat.

As soon as I finished the final questions, I called Ariella. She of course asked about Sarah. I told her what I'd said and what Sarah had said in response but would tell her nothing more. I needed Sarah to trust me. I would protect her, no matter the cost. Ariella didn't understand any of it. I tried to explain things as best as I could to no avail. She still didn't understand, so I stopped trying.

I ended the conversation with her and hopped into the shower. I couldn't stop thinking about Sarah. She had invaded my heart and my mind. She seemed to invade every part of me.

~~~~~~~~

On Monday, things started out semi-normal. I noticed that the girls who had attacked Sarah were gone, and so was Nales. I hoped I wouldn't see them again. I didn't see Sarah either. I resisted the urge to call or text her. If I did that, I might scare her. I needed to be smart about this. No, I needed to be myself. Screw the niceties.

I waited anxiously for her call. Part of me wondered why she'd choose me; the other half was simply ecstatic at the possibility. If I played my cards right, she would soon be mine. The instant the last bell rang, ending European History, my cell phone rang. I had programmed it to play "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" by The Ramones whenever she called.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Reese? I've thought about what you said. And I think I want to get to know you better." Her words sent chills through my chest, causing my stomach to twist into knots.

"Sarah, you have no idea how happy that makes me feel! I just can't believe you chose me. I-I promise I'll protect you! I swear you'll be happy and safe. I will never hurt you." Yes, I was rambling. I told myself to calm down. She said she wanted to get to know me, not that she wanted to be my girlfriend. I was excited and nervous.

"Can we talk in person?" she asked after a pause.

"Of course. Where do you want to meet?"

"Moore Park in... ten minutes?"

"All right, I'll see you then." With that, we said our goodbyes and hung up. I could reach Moore Park in three minutes if I hurried.

"Hey, Reese." Odin have mercy on me. It was my ex-boyfriend, Evan Byrd. I turned around slowly. Evan was studying me anxiously. He never really got over me and was still a thorn in my side from time to time.

"What is it?" I asked cautiously.

"I... where's Ariella?" They were still friends.

"Band practice." Ariella plays in a punk band called Everlasting Strife. She's the lead guitarist and a vocalist. "Was there something else you wanted?"

"There is. I... I wanted you to know that...I'll always be there for you." For Thor's sake. I just looked at him. He's about average, with brown hair and green eyes. He usually wears an olive green jacket and dark wash jeans every day. He gave me a sincere look and shifted his bookbag slightly. I knew he still liked me, a lot, but I simply did not reciprocate his feelings. After our fight, and after the apologies, I had been willing to remain friends with him, but that proved to be impossible.

I turned my back to him and walked to my van. It's an older Chevrolet Astro in turquoise, and I love it. It could be a little faster, but it gets me places.

~~~~~~~

I saw her when I arrived, approximately three minutes later. She was wrapped in a dark gray trench coat, a dark pink blouse, and black jeans. She looked beautiful. I gave her a weak smile as I hopped out of my van. Her green eyes focused on me.

"Sarah," I said.

"Reese," she replied. "I don't know where to start."

"Start from the beginning," I pressed. A tear fell out of her perfect eye. More tears followed, sliding down her still-bruised cheeks. And then she started sobbing. I wrapped my arm around her and held her. "Sarah, I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I swear to you that I will do anything I can to help you. Anything to make you feel better."

She sniffed and rubbed her bruised nose. "That bitch Scarlett has always been jealous of me." Remember, Scarlett was her so-called best friend. "She always said I was the one with prettier hair and eyes." Sarah's hair is light brown with blond highlights and majorly curly, while Scarlett's hair and eyes are jet-black. Soulless woman.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I know how close you two were."

"'Like sisters, '" she quoted. "Scarlett preyed on all our weaknesses. She knew all our secrets, and we didn't know any of hers. We knew some of her sister Jordan's, but not hers. Scarlett uses our secrets against us." I knew there was more to this, but I didn't push her. Simply to have her talking to me was enough. Things still didn't make sense, though. Why me? I was so strange looking, with one good friend. I was not special or beautiful or particularly...well, my father's a rich vampire prince, but money doesn't matter to me.

I'd been too chicken to talk to her other than a handful of times. And as far as I knew, she didn't reciprocate my feelings. I hoped I was wrong about that.

"Do you want to take this to my house?" I inquired. She nodded.

"I'll follow you." She got into her Honda Accord.

CHAPTER THREE- TALES AND HERBS

My father was chopping herbs when I came inside, Sarah following me. This was not unusual; he used to study alchemy and herbology. He sighed and turned around. To my embarrassment, his shirt was open.

"Oh, hello, Sarah," he said, fumbling with the buttons.

"Hello, Mr. Nicolai," Sarah said, studying the floor.

"Please, call me Mordecai. It's good to see you again."

"You too, Mordecai." He finished with the buttons, and they finally made eye contact. It was awkward for a moment.

"Um, Sarah," I began. "Do you want to hear that band I told you about?"

"Sure. It was nice seeing you again, Mordecai."

"You too, Sarah." His eyes trailed her up and down when she turned around. I growled at him below human hearing in warning. He quickly averted his eyes. I led Sarah up to my bedroom, where I shut the door and put on a Kings of Leon CD in my stereo system. Sarah bit her lip and sat on the bed. The scent of blood filled my nose. Her scent was absolutely intoxicating. A mixture of female musk, gardenias, and roses. Maybe with a hint of Spanish amber and jasmine. I felt my incisors grow. I held my breath, causing my teeth to detract, and sat beside her. Her perfume was gardenias and rose. She always smelled like gardenias and roses, no matter what perfume she wore. The scent of her soul.

"That was awkward," she said.

"It was," I agReid. "I'm sorry you had to endure that." She cracked a small smile. She looked around, studying my room. I followed her gaze. Goth and band posters decorated the walls. I had a new stereo system and a CD player, DVDs in a DVD rack, a television with a built-in VCR and DVD player, my closet overflowing with black clothes, bookshelves with hundreds of books covering one wall, and a large desk in one corner. I thanked the gods that I kept my room fairly clean.

"So now what?" Sarah asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. I've never brought anyone up here except Ariella," I admitted.

"Forgive me for asking, but did you and Ariella ever...." She trailed off.

"Oh, no," I said. "We're strictly friends. Nothing like that has ever crossed my mind when it comes to her."

"What about other girls?" she asked.

"No one really comes to mind," I said, stomach twisting as I fibbed. Nobody except Sarah. She was the only one I would ever think about that way. If I even had a chance. I'm not going to let you go that easily. My hand instinctively reached for hers. She pulled back.

"I'm sorry," I said. "Would you tell me more about Scarlett?" Her teeth crushed her lip between them.

"Okay, I feel like you have a right to know."

"You don't have to feel obligated," I cut in.

"I don't feel obligated, I want to," she said sharply. Then her cheeks turned crimson. My nose flared at the scent of the blood rising to her beautiful face. "Sorry." She paused for a moment. "How long have you known?"

"Known what?" I asked, confused.

"That you liked me." I looked at her in surprise, amazed at how observant she is.

"I've known since freshman year. When I first saw you."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Honestly, I was too nervous. Look at me, and look at you. What chance do I have with you?" My honesty came out suddenly, and I was shocked at myself. She was silent for a moment.

"I liked you, too." Her cheeks turned even redder at her confession. Hope and love bloomed in my chest. "So, you had a pretty good chance." She paused for effect. "I was too nervous to approach you."

"Because of the way I look?" I asked, intrigued.

"Partly. You do look strange. Why are your eyes the color of daffodils? Do you wear contacts?"

"I...I can't tell you," I said as a fresh stab went through my heart. Because I'm related to royalty...no, I am royalty, and because I'm a vampire. My familial bloodline. All the males have yellow or blue eyes. A look of hurt crossed Sarah's face.

"Why not?"

"In all honesty, I should probably wear blue contacts. My own fault, I guess." My father had actually suggested that I try wearing contacts, but I turned them down. They blurred my normally excellent vision and made my eyes itch and burn. The real reason why I look the way I do is because I have Nicolai blood. It all goes back to my lineage. I gazed at Sarah.

"I truly wish I could tell you, Sarah," I said. "But if I did, it could have dangerous repercussions." Not a total lie. She was confused, I could plainly see that. I wished I could explain it better to her.

"What kind of repercussions?" she pressed. I sighed.

"Like if I... if I told you I was supernatural, would you believe me?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

"I'm probably making a mistake by telling you this," I said.

"Then why...?"

"Because I feel that you have a right to know," I said, unintentionally throwing her words back at her. "And because...I love you." My confession surprised her. "Sarah, I've always loved you. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you, but it's the truth." Tears started to prick her eyes.

"My mom wants to sweep it under the rug," she said. I knew what she was talking about.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now." She leaned into me and started crying softly. I held her tightly, daring to press my lips against her silky hair. She needed me. All her friends turned on her, and her parents were not supporting her. And I did find her. Who better to support her than me? Besides, I was desperate for her attention. I needed to do something for her.

"How can I help?" I asked. She stopped crying after a few minutes.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes with her jacket sleeve.

"It's not a problem," I said awkwardly.

"I'm so torn," she continued. "I'm so scared, I almost don't want to press charges."

"But if you did that, you would regret it forever, and he might do it again."

"And the school doesn't want to get involved," she said. "Something about crime and lives being changed. And Michael's parents even said that if I didn't want it, I shouldn't have been there." I was suddenly livid.

"Those bastards! How dare they?" I tried to think of ways I could get revenge. "Sarah, they should not have said that. It's not true. It is never the victim's fault. No matter what she did or how she looks. Even some women don't understand that." Luckily, my father and I had this discussion when I was younger and starting to understand serious crimes.

Sarah leaned slightly to the left. We looked into each other's eyes. I leaned in, and she pulled away. I leaned back like she was on fire.

"Sorry," I said.

"It's not that I don't like you, it's just that I have a lot on my mind," she said.

"I understand." We sat in silence for another minute.

"Well, I have to go," she said. "Maybe we can catch a movie or something next time."

"Sure," I said, my hope renewed. She said goodbye then. I watched her out the window as she walked to her car. She had a nice ass. There were a few things I knew for certain. Sarah was in danger. Michael Nales was the biggest asshole to walk this planet, and his parents were no better. I could not trust Scarlett's clique. And I was becoming more and more interested in Sarah Harper Cresley, which I didn't think was possible.

~~~~~~~~

She was at school the next day. People gossiped about her. Some avoided her completely. I hated them. She didn't deserve that. Not my Sarah. I overheard some girls talking about it.

"She's not a slut or anything," one of them said. "She's very smart and knows what she wants. She didn't want what Michael Nales gave her."

"That's not what Scarlett said," said a fish-faced brunette. Then they saw me. I walked by them, and they started gossiping about me.

"He likes Sarah," the first girl said.

"Does he?" asked Brunette. While they discussed that, I headed into the gym and quickly changed. Mrs. Kleeworth ordered us to partner up. I wound up with Clarissa Brawn, another loner. Clarissa is tall, with midnight black hair and gray eyes. She's ordinary in most ways, except for the fact that she wore all black, like me.

Unfortunately, there was an odd number of people in Gym today. So, Evan Byrd joined us. I could see the questions and confusion behind his eyes. I tried to ignore that as Kleeworth told us to each grab a racket and a tennis ball. We were to hit the balls back and forth, and it was me and Evan against Clarissa.

"So, how's Sarah?" Evan said.

"Why do you ask?" I replied.

"I..." He fiddled with his racket. "I don't really have a reason." He was lying.

"Tell me," I ordered.

"I... I was worried about you." And the truth comes out!

"It's Sarah you should be worried about," I snapped at him. He ducked his head.

"I'm sorry." The rest of class was done in silence. Occasionally, it would be me and Clarissa against Evan, and both of them against me. I daresay I fared very well for someone with little experience with tennis. I actually had to hold back my real strength.

I noticed in the locker room that Evan could not keep his eyes off of me. I caught him staring at my ass on more than one occasion. It made me uncomfortable and a bit more irritated than I already was. He mumbled a quick "sorry" and averted his eyes. I knew he wasn't sorry.

During my free period, I went to the library as usual. I was a bit surprised to see Sarah there, although I knew that she liked books as well. I returned the three mysteries I'd finished and searched the science fiction section. I glanced over at Sarah and realized she was reading a novel that had been turned into a movie by Hayao Miyazaki. I had not realized she liked those. I picked out a random book and sat across from her.

"Hello, Reese," she said without looking up.

"Hello, Sarah," I said. "How are you?"

"I've been better," she said, looking at me, then the book. "Oh, you're reading I Am Number Four! How far along are you?"

"I just picked it up," I said. "What are you reading?"

"Howl's Moving Castle. It's really good." Now I was curious.

"Have you always liked books like that?"

"Not until recently. I started reading books like these, and even manga, a few weeks ago. The first one I read was One Piece." And then we fell into a discussion about our favorite manga and anime. Hers was Bleach and One Piece, mine is HunterxHunter and One Punch Man. She asked me if I thought aliens were real, and I said yes. If vampires were real, and I replied with who knows? What else is out there?

She was undecided on the subject but said she would take my word for it. When the subject of vampires came up, I quickly changed the topic. We discussed our mutual dislike of the terms "bae" and "yolo", but we acknowledged that there was nothing we could do about them. I was surprised to discover how deep she could get when she talked about all of this with me.

"What about your parents?" I asked.

"My dad died earlier this year. Stomach cancer. And, well, you've met my mom. Plus, there's my sister Sabine, who I don't think I've mentioned before."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, kicking myself for not noticing either her father's death or her sister's existence.

"I was really close to him," she continued. "I was kind of a daddy's girl." I nodded, understanding. I wished I could relate to her more. Of course, I'm close with my father as well, considering that he's the only parent I've ever known. I wished I knew the reasons for my mother's leaving, and decided to bother my father about it later. Sarah sipped the thermos of coffee she'd snuck in front of her.

"Would you like to go on a real date with me?" I inquired. She blinked, surprised, and I started beating myself up. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Sure," she said, breaking my self-deprecating thoughts. I smiled at her. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest with happiness. Sarah...with me. Me of all people.

"Would you like to go with me to a pep rally?" she asked.

"I would," I replied. I'd been to pep rallies before, with Ariella. I never much cared for them, as they never interested me, but I knew Sarah was into them. She'd been a cheerleader in the past, but quit shortly before her junior year. So I would put up with it for her sake. The bell rang, signaling it was time to go to our next classes.

"What do you have next?" I asked.

"Mythology and Folklore," she replied. Huh. That was one of my classes as well, one that Father insisted I take. I walked her to her class, gently touching her hand, which was soft and cold.

"I'll see you later," I said nervously.

"Later," she said, blinking slowly. I head to Biology with the feeling that she had left me hanging. I wondered if she knew what she was doing to me. I didn't know which way I preferred it. I wondered if she even cared. I hoped she did. I did not know what I would do if she didn't. I was unsure about a lot of things.

I could not let her find out that I'm a vampire. The consequences could be disastrous, especially given my rank and title.

I hated everyone who ever hurt her. And I did not do as well on the Biology test as I'd hoped. Oh, well. Mr. Herman allowed us to go over and correct our tests for a better grade. My test was already perfect, as usual. Mr. Herman secretly told me that I got the best grade on the test.

The day moved rather quickly, and it was soon time to meet with Sarah before the pep rally. She looked rather beautiful- she had changed into a rouched blue shirt, a black jacket, and black skinny jeans. I pondered the outfit change while she took my hand.

"Are they dating?" I heard someone ask. I wished- this was only our first official date. I understood the question, though. We are not in each other's league. If I was careful, Sarah may even be mine officially. The gym was packed with students. Sarah chose a seat farther away, although it was still a good spot. The principal stepped up front and center.

"Hello, everybody," he droned in his dull voice. People up front groaned dramatically. Principal Turner continued by saying that he was proud to have all of us here and he hoped we would actually participate. Yeah, right. Not me.

The band began by playing the alma mater. Then the cheerleaders did a quick and unintelligible chant. They danced a quick dance that left me unimpressed. They finished their routine, and then the boos started. It surprised me to hear boos at a pep rally.

"It isn't usually like this," Sarah said to me.

"It isn't this unruly?"

"Usually not." The boos suddenly cut off as Principal Turner began threatening detention.

"I have never seen such rude behavior at a pep rally!" he cried. "I am so disappointed right now."

"Who cares?!" Caden Cartwright yelled from the back. "They stink!" I looked at Sarah.

"I swear, it's not usually like this," she said. "I don't know what's going on." I absentmindedly reached for her hand as Principal Turner once again threatened detention, but she shrunk away from me. I tried not to look as hurt as I felt. The dance team did an impressive number using intricate kicks and jumps next.

The rest of the pep rally went on without a hitch.

"That was interesting," I said. My girl said nothing. We reached her car in record time.

"I-I want to see you again," I said nervously.

"Reese-" she began, and I cut her off with a kiss. I felt like my stomach was pounding like a heart as I tasted Sarah's lips. She tasted like the way I assume cinnamon would taste. I'd smelled cinnamon gum on her breath earlier. Wait, what am I doing? I broke away from her quickly and she looked a little hurt.

"Oh, my gods," I blabbered. "Sarah, I'm so sorry, I didn't know what I was doing. Please forgive me!"

"I forgive you," she said with tears in her eyes. My heart broke for her.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It's okay," she said, but I could tell she didn't mean it. I still like you, I thought. I realized I had said that out loud and hung my head in humiliation. Why me? I profusely apologized again. "I'll see you later."

I silently thanked the gods that Sarah had broken the awkwardness.

"I-I guess I-I'll see you later," I stammered like an idiot. I placed a careful kiss on her forehead before I went to my Astro. I thought about that kiss. What would happen next? Would she truly forgive me? I cursed as my van refused to start.

My ball of sunshine was no longer safe, I knew that if started following her around, she'd resent me. I tried to relieve my stress by taking deep breaths. I jumped at a sudden noise. Scarlett was pounding on Sarah's window. I saw my girl lock her doors and give Scarlett the finger. I could do nothing because I was trapped between several cars. Scarlett started yelling and making hand gestures. Sarah ignored her and started driving.

My undead heart fell into my stomach.

When I got home, finally, after asking a complete stranger if he had jumper cables, my father immediately wanted to know how my day was.

"Unusual," I told him.

"What do you mean?" I told him about the pep rally and Scarlett, though I did not say the pep rally was a date. (I think he figured it out on his own, though.) I was not going to tell him how quickly I was falling for Sarah, or how much I already did. As soon as I managed to get away, I went to my room and laid on my bed. My thoughts were consumed by Sarah. I had to have her.

I dug my phone out of my pocket and texted Sarah.

Reese: Favorite music?

Sarah: Alternative and indie. Silversun Pickups, Melanie Martinez. You?

Reese: I like rock and metal. From Ashes To New, Alice In Chains, Breaking Benjamin.

Sarah: I like Breaking Benjamin. What's your favorite song by them?

I told her my favorite song was "Lights Out". Hers was "Diary of Jane" of course. We discussed bands we both liked. CReid, Alabama Shakes, Tenement. I enjoyed horror and fantasy and science fiction novels, she preferred romance and mysteries. Her favorite author was Jamie Williams, who wrote romance and poetry. As for sports, I did not care one way or the other; she liked everything. Her favorite movie was Twilight (blech). Still, I wondered if that was significant. I told her my favorite movie was Pet Sematary. The truth is that my favorite movie changes on a daily basis. She asked me why I liked her.

"I have so many reasons why," I said honestly. "You're beautiful, you're smart, you're nice. But the thing is, it's unexplainable why and how much I like you. I'm sorry if I'm going too fast, but it's the truth. I think I'm in love with you." Silence on the other end. "Sarah? I'm sorry."

"I should go," she said quickly.

"Please forgive me-" I said as she hung up. What have I done? I've frightened her away. I needed to call Ariella.

"Hola! What's up?" my best human friend answered. One of the things I love about Ariella is that she doesn't take offense if I don't talk to her every single minute of every single day. She has a ton of other friends, and she understands when I go through periods of wanting alone time.

"I think I messed up," I said.

"Does it have to do with Sarah?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"It does," I said, and I relayed our conversation.

"Yeah, you went too fast," she said.

"It's my own fault," I said.

"Yeah, it is. But you learned. You could always try again."

"I don't know if she'll want to talk to me. There's a lot I don't know. But if I must, I must."

"You'll have to give her some time to cool down first. You don't want to scare her more." No, I didn't. If I had my way, Sarah would already be mine.

"Thanks, Ari."

"No problem, Reese." She sounded slightly hurt, though. I wondered why, since she encouraged me to talk to Sarah. I wondered if she was jealous. Having no experience with jealous friends, I didn't know. I've been jealous myself a handful of times, mostly because someone was dating or flirting with Sarah. I wondered if I would have any rivals when this was over. A part of me hoped so. I can handle rivals and enemies. No rape victim deserves any backlash.

~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 4- Assault

I ignored the curdling in my stomach when I saw Sarah next. She had a bandage on her nose, her mouth was tense, her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. She nodded at me and went on her way. I briefly wondered where the Beautifuls were. Then I decided I didn't care, as long as they were away from her. I mentally blew Sarah a kiss. As I walked to my Astro, I felt eyes on me. I glanced around until my eyes landed on Ariella. I gave her a quizzical look, and she made a "come hither" motion. I walked up to her.

"So, tell me what actually happened," she said. I sighed and gave her a run-down of what happened and what Sarah said the other day when Scarlett attacked her and caused her nose to bleed. My best friend looked intrigued.

"Weird."

I agReid.

"I can't help but wonder if I'll ever understand Sarah," I confessed.

"Well, she probably didn't want to get her in trouble, or she's afraid of what Scarlett will do to her." That made sense. I said goodbye and silently prayed to Odin for strength and wisdom.

My Astro was in disarray. Someone had painted a pink X on the windshield. I took a picture and touched the paint. It was still wet. When nobody was looking, I smelled it. It smelled like fabric paint. I remembered that there was a Fashion Club in my school that had been formed a year prior by a group of girls and a guy. One of the members must have done this as a prank.

When I got home, Detective Emma Greene was speaking with my father in the driveway. I parked behind an old Corvette that my father refused to get rid of. My father and Emma Greene looked up as I approached.

"Well, it was nice talking with you, Detective. I will contact you if anything else comes up."

"Thank you," Detective Greene said, getting in her car. That's when my father looked over and saw the X on my windshield.

"What the hell?" he said, inspecting it. "Reese, did you do this?"

"No, I found it like that." He took out his cell phone and started taking pictures.

"I'm driving you to school tomorrow," he declared.

"Father," I complained.

"No whining about it. If this happens again, I'm pulling you out of that school."

"Yes, Father," I replied. Wait, what? "Actually, no," I said.

"Insolent child. It's for your own protection."

"Oh." I hung my head in submission. "My apologies, Father."

"Oh, hush. You are forgiven." He kissed the top of my head.

~~~~~~~~~~~

It would be another day before I tried to talk to Sarah again. It was during our free period, and I knew I would find her in the computer lab. I don't know how I knew. Ariella called it my Sarah Intuition. She was indeed in the computer lab, working on a report. I sat beside her.

"The trial is next week," she said. "And I'm scared. What if I can't do this? What if he gets away scot-free?"

"You are the bravest person I know," I told her. "You'll be fine." I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. My large hand dwarfed hers. I could feel an electric current running through my arm. My love looked at our entwined arms. She was nervous, I could tell. "What are you writing about?" I asked.

"School shootings. What about you?"

"Cell anatomy worksheet. Cat blood. If there is anything, I can do to help you, I'll do it." She nodded, accepting my offer. I thought about apologizing again, but decided I'd done enough damage. I tried to stay focused on my work, but I couldn't with Sarah here. There was still a butterfly battlefield in my belly, although it wasn't as harsh as last time. It was tense. I blamed myself.

"Look," I said, "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay," she said.

"No, it's not," I replied. "It's not okay for me to make you feel uncomfortable. Her hand grazed mine, and the electrical current shot through my entire body. My heart seemed to flutter. I tried to do my work, and she kept distracting me. When the bell rang, I was sad to see her go. The rest of the day passed by slowly. I could barely focus on anything except Sarah. How could I fix this?

I was desperate, but I wasn't dumb. I knew that if I pushed her too hard, it would scare her away and possibly into another guy's arms.

"How was your day, son?" Father asked as soon as I got it.

"Horrible."

"Horrible how?"

"I don't know what to do about Sarah. I...I told her I loved her. And now she's going to avoid me forever." I looked at Father. He was coming out of a vision.

"It's best if you leave her alone for a while," he said. "Right now, she's wanting some private time." It killed me now that I'd finally said more than two words to her, confessed my love, and helped her after an incident and she barely talked to me. Her rape, no less. I was tempted to track down that boy and drink him dry. But it would cause too many problems, so I had to control myself.

"Reese?" I blinked, realized that I'd been staring into space too long.

"I don't know if I can do that," I admitted.

"You're going to have to if you want this to go somewhere." Yes, I wanted Sarah. Very much. I went into my room, plopping onto my bed. Ariella called, and I gave her a run-down of my day. Her day involved talking to Evan, with him asking about me. I couldn't help but feel guilty; I really hurt him. I wished I could fix it. I also couldn't help but notice physical similarities between him and Sarah. Green eyes, light brown hair, similar skin color. Both of them had caught my attention. Even had liked me first, but I made the first move.

After he dropped his books one day in the hallway, I helped him with it then took the opportunity to ask him out. He happily accepted, then we went out that Saturday. Later on, he confessed to me that he was trying to figure out a way to ask me out. When he found out I liked Sarah, it broke him. According to rumor, he nearly lost the will to go on.

What resulted was a nasty fight, bad words, terrible insults, and me saying that I wished I had never asked him out. Yes, I should not have done that, and I regretted it. I eventually apologized to him, but he threw off my apology. He said it was better off if we spent some time apart, and I agReid. Now he wanted me back. He got the courage to approach me.

"I miss you," he had said. "And I want to make it up to you. Let me take you out."

"I don't think that's a good idea," I responded. He was silent for a moment.

"Is it Sarah?" I said nothing at that, although I wanted to say that it was all me and had nothing to do with anyone else. (It was partially him as well. He was crazy, which I was starting to realize.)

He scoffed. "Typical. You choose the sexier one, the prettier one, the curvier one. Well, I can make you happier." I still said nothing. "Fine." With that, he walked away.

I didn't know what to think of what had just happened. I shook my head to clear it.

At lunch the next day, I sat beside Ariella.

"Nice of you to join us," Damon said sarcastically. I ignored him. He's as fond of me as I am of him.

"Leave him alone," Ariella said. While they argued, I spotted Sarah. She sat by herself, much to my chagrin. She needed friends. She needed me. I went over to her.

"Hey, Reese," she said when she saw me.

"Hey," I said. "You can come sit with me and my friend if you want to."

"I could use a friend," she said. She picked up her purse and her lunch bag and followed me. Damon looked surprised when we approached, and for a brief moment, so did Ariella. She quickly discarded the look when Sarah sat by her. The girls acknowledged each other while Damon gave me a dirty look, and I wondered if he was for Sarah or against her. He shook his head and turned back to his food.

The girls discussed music after Sarah commented on a pin Ariella had attached to her messenger bag. The pin said something about In This Moment, one of Ariella's favorite bands.

"What's your problem?" I asked Damon.

"You are my problem," he replied. "I don't like you."

"Feeling's mutual," I snapped back. He gave me the finger. "Do you have a problem with Sarah?" I challenged.

"No," he said. I could tell he was lying. I looked back at my girl. She smiled at me and I smiled back. Her smile was utterly, devastatingly gorgeous. The butterfly battlefield began. I picked at my uneaten human food until the bell rang.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The first thing I noticed was the government-issued car in the driveway. I parked my Astro by the curb. I unintentionally made a lot of noise going into the house.

"Detectives, this is my son, Reese," my father said.

"Hello," I said, studying them warily. A black woman in a gray suit and an afro got up to greet me. The Middle Eastern man followed her.

"Hello, Reese," the black woman said, shaking my hand. "I'm Detective Stephanie Wilkins, and this is Detective Arastoo Armada." Armada and I nodded at each other.

"What's going on?" I asked, wondering where the two women were I had met earlier.

"We may need your testimony on Sarah's behalf," Stephanie Wilkins said.

"Would you be willing to do that, son?" Father asked.

"I'd do anything for Sarah," I told them. "Of course."

"All right, then," Armada said, taking out a pen and paper. "What's your version of events?"

"I was looking for her that night," I admitted. The detectives looked at each other. "I'm in love with Sarah." My explanation was met with a knowing look from Wilkins and a confused look from Armada.

"So, you went looking for her," Armada said, still flabbergasted.

"Yes," I said, running through my version of events, leaving out my father's gift and our involvement in the vampire world. When I finished, Stephanie Wilkins looked satisfied, but Armada didn't. My belly tightened as he continued to stare at me.

"Well, then," Father said, "If there is nothing else-"

"One other thing," Armada interrupted. "I'd like a DNA sample from Reese."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Father roared. "He has done nothing wrong."

"It's just protocol," Arastoo Armada said, defending himself. I didn't argue with either of them. If the cops found out I was a vampire...we'd be in deep shit, even though the Law of Secrecy was abolished in 1950. Wilkins and Armada shook our hands, then went on their way.

"That was close," I said as my father let out a sigh of relief. He went back to reading a book about historical vampires while I went upstairs to study and do homework.

That night, I dreamed about Sarah. She was begging me not to hurt her, but I didn't listen to her pleas. The dream ended when I bit her neck. I awoke in tears, begging my love for forgiveness.

I debated whether to wear cologne later on that day. I eventually decided to go without. I wanted her to get used to my natural scent.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"So how are things going with Sarah?" Ariella asked.

"The cops want me to testify on Sarah's behalf," I said. I noticed a school gossip, Tiffany Schulton, was trying to act nonchalant, listening to us. I led Ariella away from public view.

"So, you're going to have to tell them what happened?" she asked.

"Yes. And you know I'll do what I can to help Sarah."

"I know that."

"And they wanted a DNA sample from me."

"What for?"

"I honestly don't know." Not even Ariella knows my true identity. I try to forget about it.

"They want me as a witness," Ariella said. I rubbed my chin.

"Interesting." I saw Sarah out of the corner of my eye. She was walking to the entrance to the school when suddenly she was surrounded by the Beautifuls.

"Reese, don't get involved," Ariella warned. Scarlett walked right up to Sarah.

"Bitch, I know you talked!" she cried. Talked about what?

"I told you, I didn't!" Sarah responded.

"I don't believe you!" Scarlett shouted, her fist flying toward my Sarah. Sarah went down, clutching at her nose. I was at her side within seconds. I cradled her.

"Look, the emo likes the skank," Jordan crooned, smirking. The Beautifuls all left one by one. They reminded me of ants. Scarlett was their queen, and the rest of them were the colony.

"Sarah, are you okay?" I spoke. And then the smell hit me. Blood. Sarah's nose was bleeding. My stomach felt tight, my incisors started growing. I covered my mouth and nose with one hand, helping Sarah up with the other. I half-carried her to the nurse, who immediately looked concerned.

"What happened?" she asked, handing Sarah some tissues.

"I got a nosebleed," Sarah told her. Wait, what? I didn't say anything, and the nurse told me I could go. I reluctantly left my future mate. I waited until my incisors shrunk completely before uncovering my mouth and nose. I headed to my first class. I pondered what I'd just seen and smelled. I was attracted to the scent of her blood. It reminded me of Greece, where I'd spent most of my summers. Being a vampire prince has both rewards and setbacks.

I made it through my first few periods without problems. During my free period, I went to the library as usual. Evan was using one of the computers. He glanced at me, then turned back to his work. I tried to ignore him as I worked on my European History report. The goal was to create both a written and oral report pertaining to European legends. Speaking is not my strong suit, but I'm fairly good at writing.

Songs. Not reports. And I still had no idea what to write about. I couldn't write about vampires. Or could I? I shook my head and put that thought out of my head. Maybe the Cock of Barcelos? Uh, no. I came across a website dedicated to Broceliande Forest, and considered that instead. Then a thought hit me. Thought and Memory, Odin's ravens. Perfect.

How did I not think of this? I asked myself. My father owns several books about them, and I've read all of them. I printed out several pages for research, stapled them together, and put it in its own folder. I noticed Evan eyeing me out of the corner of his eye, and I tried to ignore it. The truth was, he was starting to irritate me. Yes, we had something, and now it's over. It's been over for five months. I know that we didn't end on the best terms, but still. I'm in love with somebody else.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I really tried to concentrate on my research. I really did. Sarah was in my thoughts instead. I finally decided to give up and swim for a bit. We have a massive indoor temperature-controlled pool and a hot tub. I undressed, pulled on my swim trunks, and grabbed a towel. My father was doing his usual laps around the pool when I got there. He smiled at me as I jumped in. I stayed underwater for a few minutes until I felt myself being pulled to the surface.

"Don't scare me like that!" Father cried.

"I'm a vampire," I reminded him.

"You're my child. My instinct is to protect you," he explained. He wrapped his arms around me.

"I'm not going to be your little boy forever," I told him.

"Yes you will be. You may almost be an adult, but you will always be my little boy." He began to purr. "I will love you no matter what."

"I love you too," I said.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Evan called me. I had been in the indoor pool when he called, so of course I couldn't answer. He called me a few minutes later.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Reese."

"What's up, Evan?"

"I...I'm still in love with you. I miss you, I need you, I crave you."

"Are you drunk?"

"Maybe. The point is that I'm desperate. I love you. I crave your body next to mine." I hung up after that last part. I took my time in the shower, washing myself slowly. Evan called me a few times, crying, and apologizing. I eventually blocked him, not knowing if I felt smug, disturbed, or irritated more. I thought about calling Ariella, but it was close to bedtime. Hers, not mine. So I settled for reading I Am Number Four by James Frey.

~~~~~~~~

Sarah was gone the next day. I tried not to concern myself with it. Still, I worried. I was so focused on my future mate, I ran straight into Evan.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I said uncomfortably.

"I'm really sorry about last night," he continued. "And I'm sorry our relationship ended the way it did. I miss you."

When I was three years old, a strange woman approached me on a playground. She asked my name, my favorite colors, about any pets I had. Next, she asked me where my mother was. I said "I only have Daddy" at which point my father intervened.

"If you want my son, you'll have to kill me first," he said. Then he bared his teeth at her, and his incisors grew. The woman's jaw dropped open, and she took off. Luckily, I never saw her again. Father gathered me up and took me home. I felt the same way I had felt when that woman approached me now. Uncomfortable. Unsure. My father has never let me forget that day, and now Evan would not let me forget our breakup.

"What we had was...great," I said. "But it's over now. I'm sorry." Way to rub salt in the wound, Reese.

"You don't mean that!" Evan said. He looked like he was about to cry. He went into the bathroom. I mentally scolded myself for being too blunt. But at the same time, he was getting on my last nerve. I didn't see Evan for the rest of the day.

When I got home, Father was sitting on the porch and smoking a cigarette.

"How was your day?" he asked.

"Terrible. I feel awful."

"Why is that?" I sighed and told him what had transpired between myself and Evan. "You did the right thing, son. He's clearly obsessed with you." Father's words soothed me a little bit. "By the way, you'll be starting the weekend early. They want your testimony."

"Oh." I had not forgotten about that, though I tried. My sweet, beautiful Sarah had nearly been destroyed. I couldn't let that happen. She was my world now. I called her absentmindedly. To my surprise, she did not answer. I wondered if I'd done anything wrong. I quietly did my work, finishing in under an hour. Two hours after that, Sarah called.

"I'm glad you called,"

"Sorry, I was busy all afternoon. What's up?"

"I've been missing you. What have you been up to?"

"I've been working mostly. My lawyer and I have been talking. The trial will be next week." Interesting development.

"Intriguing. My father hinted that it would be this week."

"I never said that!" Father shouted from the garage.

"He must have gotten the dates wrong. It's next week."

"Well, I'll be there. I promise." I heard her let out a breath.

As we continued to talk, I found out her favorite movie was actually Beauty and The Beast, not Twilight. She told me she liked to sing and draw, and she hoped for a career in either the beauty industry or in a bookstore cafe. I told her I also liked to sing, write songs, and listen to music. She asked me to sing for her, so I chose "Californication" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

"Wow," she said when I was finished. "Your voice literally blows me away. I didn't know you could sing."

"I'm in the choir," I told her. "In the bass section."

"I bet all the girls flock to you," she teased.

"I wish," I said with a chuckle. "Um, Sarah, would you sing to me?"

"If you want me to." Yes, I did. She chose "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright. And I must say, her voice is incredible.

"Sarah, I... I've never heard anything more beautiful." STUPID!

"Oh, well, thank you."

I asked her what she was doing at the moment, she said she was drawing. I asked her to send me a picture, and she did. The picture she send was of a cat looking over its shoulder. It was beautifully sketched, and she even included small details such as fur and whiskers. I asked her what the significance was, and she said it was personal.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I cried. "I didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay. Do you like it though?"

"I love it. I love cats."

"I prefer dogs. If you die in your house, cats will eat your corpse right away. Most dogs would wait. What are your favorite animals?"

"It's a tie between the raven and the wolf."

"That's also interesting. Look, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later."

"Goodbye." As we hung up, I was certain about one thing. I was falling hard for Sarah Harper Cresley.

~~~~~~~~

My stomach groaned as I entered the cafeteria. I'd begged my father to let me come to school, which he finally did. Many of my schoolmates gawked at the Rolls-Royce he had driven. I heard someone say, "I didn't know he was rich."

It bothered me. Everything bothered me, especially that my father didn't want me in school. He would not tell me why, which made me more suspicious. Sarah was back in school, which made me happy. I saw her in the cafeteria, eating a turkey sandwich. I smelled the lettuce, turkey, cheese, tomato, and mayonnaise. I picked a book out of my bag and sat on a bench.

"He always sits by himself," someone said.

"Reese Nicolai?" a girl said.

"Yeah. You notice how he never eats? Like, ever. And he always sits by himself."

"Well, invite him over here." I heard boots on the linoleum, beckoning me to look up. It was Mason Godfrey, a goth kid with whom I'd once tried to be friends with in elementary school. He also knew Scarlett, as I'd seen them together more than once out in town.

"Hey, Reese, we want to invite you to sit with us," he said. I wasn't sure what to make of this. I would probably make a complete fool of myself.

"Okay, sure," I said. What am I thinking? Why don't I just kill myself now? Ahem. I followed him to the center table, where Amara Ruick, Jody Bills, Duke Taylor, and Noah Johnson sat, waiting for us.

"Dude," Noah said, "Where's Sarah?" Sarah? My future wife?

"She's sitting by herself again," Amara noted. Yes, she was. Mason went to get her, and the butterflies attacked again. My belly twisted as she sat beside me.

"Hey, Reese," she said.

"Hey, Sarah," I said. She sipped a Pepsi.

"So, how do you two know each other?" Jody asked. Amara gave her a pointed look.

"Reese and I have the same free period," Sarah said. "We got to know each other in the library."

"Isn't he also the one who helped you last weekend?" Jody pressed. Now Amara downright glared at her.

"Yeah, he did," my love confessed. "I don't know what I would do without him." I noticed Duke and Noah looking at each other. Amara chewed on a piece of her dark purple hair. Her gray-green eyes looked between me and Sarah. Jody didn't seem to know what to say. She twisted her bottled blond hair into a braid.

"So, Reese," Mason said, "What kind of music do you like?" I mentioned that I like rock and heavy metal, and we discussed music for the rest of the hour. Amara liked rock, Jody liked pop and dance, and the guys preferred industrial and black metal. I already knew what Sarah liked, and she and Amara talked about pop and alternative music.

Mason eventually asked for my phone number, so I gave it to him. The others also wanted my number, which I found odd. If I dwelled on it, maybe I would figure it out. But right now, my head hurt too much.

~~~~~~~~~

Our free period was spent reading. She was reading Romeo and Juliet, which was required. I was reading a mystery from the point of view of a cat, which was interesting, although I was still distracted by Sarah. My new realization seemed to have cause a change in me. She was all I could think about.

"Um, Sarah?" I said shyly after the bell rang.

"Yeah?" She paused at the door.

"Um...I'll text you tonight." What am I, an idiot?

"Okay..." she replied. She went outside the front entrance, only to get a foot in the stomach and a punch to the nose. And then she was jumped by two masked figures, both females. She tried to fight back, but she could only dodge their repeated blows.

Two security guards pulled the assailants off of her. One of the masked clones kicked a guard in the crotch, and she and her comrade took off. I went over to Sarah and helped her up. Already bruises were forming on her chest and face.

"Are you okay?" I asked. She gave me a dark look. Of course, stupid question. I was such a moron when it came to Sarah. Of course, I had no one to blame except myself. She refused to see the school nurse, citing that she didn't want to be a "snitch". I carefully led her to her car. If my heart could beat, it would have been pounding.

The pit of my stomach dropped to the asphalt. There was a boy walking toward us. He was as tall as me, with broad shoulders, blue eyes, and blond hair. I recognized him as Caden Cartwright, golden boy and one of Sarah's friends. He was definitely better-looking and more popular than me. He was a potential rival.

"Hey Sarah, are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine," she snapped. He looked unsure.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" I asked her.

"I'll be fine, Reese!" she said. I knew enough to end it there. I patted her shoulder and told her I'd call her later. I couldn't help but wonder if I could keep that promise when I saw a familiar motorcycle. My Uncle Soren was here at least. I wondered if Grandfather would be at the house. I sighed. My father and my uncle would shout at each other within ten minutes.

I hugged Uncle Soren and my grandfather Eilief when I got home.

"Hello, Grandfather, Uncle."

"Reese. It's good to see you, my boy," Grandfather said.

"It's good to see you as well. How is Louis?" My cousin was three hundred and forty-two years older than me, and it was rare to see my burgundy-haired uncle without him.

"He is well, thank you for asking."

"Where is your father?" Grandfather asked. His yellow eyes were suspicious.

"I'm not sure. He's usually home by now." Grandfather ran a hand through his red hair and sighed.

"That boy. I told him we were coming." Then we saw my father's car pulling into the driveway.

"What's going on-" My father had barely spoken when my uncle had his hand over Father's throat.

"You," he sneered. "You are vile, repulsive, unmitigated, worthless piece of shit!"

"That's enough, Soren," Grandfather said. "Release him." Uncle Soren's grip loosened, but he did not let him go.

"Reese," Uncle Soren said, "Did you know your father is a blood traitor?"

"I said enough!" Grandfather snapped. "Now relinquish your brother, or I will tell Louis about his mother." Uncle Soren released my father. I was so confused. I looked from my father to my uncle, finally locking eyes with my grandfather.

"Let us not do this in front of Reese," he said. "He is innocent in all this." I noticed that my father looked anguished.

"I'm sorry, Reese," Father said. "I made a mistake many years ago, but I want you to know that I would not take it back for anything or anyone, even your mother."

"Father...what do you mean?" He looked at the floor.

"What he means," Grandfather began, "Is that he-"

"Father, please, I'll tell him." Whatever they wanted me to know, my father wanted to tell me himself.

"Father," I said, "What is going on?"

"I'll tell you later, son, I promise." My father's promises meant something. It was important, whatever it was, and it had to do with my mother. Uncle Soren called my father a "blood traitor". What did that mean?

I noticed Evan's car driving by. That was odd. He lived in another part of town, the lower middle-class part, plus he worked part-time at a store that sold oddities and antiques. He paused, studying us, then went on his way.

"Who was that?" Grandfather asked.

"My...friend," I admitted.

"Strange," Uncle Soren said.

"Let us go into the house," Grandfather said. When we did, my uncle grabbed my father by the throat and pushed him against the wall.

"The kingdom is under threat, and it's all your fault!" he snapped.

"For Odin's sake, Soren," Grandfather said. He sounded aggravated. "For the last time, release him!" Uncle Soren's grip loosened.

"From whom?" Father asked. "From Alexander? From Bram?" I knew who Bram was, but not Alexander. Bram was the Head of the Vampire Council, which ruled the vampire race when we couldn't and kept us in check and we kept them in check while making and enforcing laws.

"From Alexander Nicolai!"

Father looked stunned. His mouth opened, then closed, and then he looked at the floor again.

"Even if I could go back in time," he said, "I would not trade Reese for anything, even peace."

"We're not saying that," Grandfather said. "Reese himself is a blessing. We love him very much. But you must find his mother and set things right."

"My mother left us," I interjected. Uncle Soren punched my father in the gut.

"Please forgive me, Reese. I lied to protect you." Father's words only made me angrier.

"Mordecai, the boy has a right to know," Grandfather said. I noticed that this entire time, he seemed emotionless. I wondered why that was. Then I remembered: he's usually like that. He is not a person that shows emotion, even if he's amused or upset.

"Know what?" I demanded.

"I think you already know." It hit me like a ton of bricks.

"My mother is alive, I gathered that much. What does that have to do with this Alexander Nicolai?"

"Your mother and Alexander Nicolai were mates," Father said. "I... I-I created a love potion and broke them up. Your mother became infatuated with me. She called off her engagement to Alexander. We were married, and then she became pregnant with you. She found out about the potion shortly before giving birth to you, and then you came into our lives, and the rest is history. I told her you were dead. That's why she left."

I gave him a disgusted look and went upstairs.

"Reese, wait-"

"Let him go, Mordecai."

My father lied to me. He never lied, or at least, I never caught him in one. I never lied to him. Well, except one time, when I was fifteen and stole some cigarettes from him. I was past that, though. I went into the library and searched for a specific book.

"Reese, please," Father said, coming into the room.

"Was my entire life a lie?" I demanded.

"No, Reese, it wasn't. I truly am sorry. I know I messed up."

"I wish I'd never been born."

"Don't say that!" He hugged me from behind, looking horrified. "I'm sorry. I love you, son." Right now, he wanted forgiveness. I wasn't sure if I wanted to give it to him. He started shaking, and I realized he was trying not to cry. As soon as he was done, I went to bed early. Tomorrow was Saturday, and I wanted to get as much sleep as possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as I woke up, I started kicking myself for not calling my love. I rolled onto my stomach and grabbed my cell phone. As I dialed her number, I heard "Through It All" by From Ashes to New.

"Hello, Ari," I said.

"How do you know it's me?"

"Two reasons. One, because I have a specific ringtone for everybody in my Contacts, and two, I have caller ID."

"Oh. My own joke bit me in the ass. Anywho, I called because I am one hundred percent sure that Evan Byrd's gone crazy. He keeps saying that you two are meant to be and you'll come to your senses soon."

"He drove by my house yesterday."

"No! Really?" Ariella said.

"Really. My grandfather and uncle came by yesterday. I think he was trying to figure out who they are."

"You know, I've met your father, but no one else in your family."

"Well, come by later," I said. "They'll be staying for a while." As soon as I said it, I wanted to take it back.

"Oh, well then. I'll stop by later. What are you going to do about Evan?"

"I don't know. Leave it alone for now. I don't want to cause more problems." I was sure I'd screw it up somehow though. "Look, I have to go. I need to call Sarah." Silence on Ariella's end.

"Okay, then we'll talk later," she said as we hung up. I called Sarah next.

"Hello?" she drawled, sounding sleepy.

"Hello, Sarah. It's Reese."

"Oh. What's up?"

"I promised I'd call, but I never did. For that, I am sorry. How are you?"

"It's no big deal. I'm fine. What about you?"

"I am well, thank you for asking. Who were the girls that attacked you yesterday?"

"I don't know," she said after a pause. She was lying.

"They will not get away with it," I promised.

"Don't be too sure."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, people like that get away with everything. And I mean everything." I wondered who she was talking about.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"Who are you talking about?"

"Everyone," she sighed. "My life is a mess right now. I'm having to work two jobs right now. I'm waitress and stock clothes at Zu's." Zu's was an independent store that sold clothes, accessories, and beauty products. "I do a million things to make up for what I did, plus I'm still grounded." What she did? What is it that she's done?

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I'm sorry- I shouldn't be talking to you about this."

"It's okay. Really." How could I convince her to trust me? I had more questions than answers at the moment. I needed her to answer them herself, and I was getting desperate. I needed to pry them out of her while making her think she was telling me willingly.

"Sarah, what have you done?" I wondered if my power of hypnosis would work over the phone. (Most vampires have this power.)

"I...I have to go," she said. And then she hung up. Great. Odd. And I still had no answers. My throat burned. I headed to the kitchen, where we kept donated blood. I don't know how many blood banks my father owns. We rarely ever go hunting anymore, and we never kill humans unless Father feels they deserve it.

Father was sitting with Uncle Soren and Grandfather, going over plans. The mention of my mother stopped me in my tracks.

"The boy heard us," Uncle Soren said. "He stopped moving."

"Reese?" Father said. I stepped into the dining room.

"We were discussing your mother," Grandfather said. Father gave him a dark look. "Mordecai, the boy needs to know. Alexander will discover him, and then where would we be?"

"No, he does not," Father argued. Grandfather glared at him.

"He will not be your little boy forever," Uncle Soren said. I joined them at the table.

"If I'm going to be facing Alexander, I need to know." My statement seemed to surprise my father.

"Good boy," Grandfather said.

"I don't like this," Father said.

"You don't have to," my uncle said. "You just have to deal with it." He and my father glared at each other.

"Boys," Grandfather said, "Not now. Not in front of Reese, and certainly not in front of me. By the way, Reese, who is Sarah?" His question caught me off-guard.

"She's...a girl I know." He nodded.

"A love interest?"

"Father! Leave the child alone!" Uncle Soren chided. I was embarrassed now.

"Yeah, about that...I really, really like her," I admitted.

"When do you plan on changing her?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. She's still fairly new."

"Ah, well, I first want to meet her anyway."

"Father," my father said, "For Loki's sake. Yes, she may be changed in the future, but she may also not be...wait, how do you know she's human?" Grandfather didn't reply to that. My father sighed and ran a hand through his thick blond hair.

My stomach rolled, and I realized I still had not eaten.

"Go eat, Reese," Father said. I gave him a look and heated up a glass of blood.

"Mordecai," Grandfather said, "Reese deserves the truth. I don't know why you've been lying to him."

"I wanted to protect him. I know that it was inevitable, but I was trying to keep him safe from Alexander's wrath."

"You need to be truthful with your son. Makes things right with Reese, and for God's sake, warn him about Alexander! He may try to kill him if given the chance."

"I know! And I am sorry. But if I told him about his mother and Alexander-"

"You would not be in this mess," Uncle Soren snapped. "This is completely your fault!"

"Soren," Grandfather warned. I headed back into the dining room.

"Reese," Father said, "Go see Ariella or Sarah. This meeting is now private." I shot him an annoyed look and started to head upstairs.

"Who is Ariella?" my uncle asked.

"Reese's friend."

"He's not torn between two women, is he?" Uncle Soren teased. "I hate men like that."

"Soren, you're one to talk! Boys and girls can be friends without wanting to have intercourse. You don't seem to understand that, given that you fall in love with everything with a vagina." Father retorted. I stopped listening after that. I went into the library and picked up a book about the history of vampires.

It said that Alexander Nicolai was definitely the progenitor of vampires, but he's never told anyone how vampires came to be. Eventually, he fell in love with a human teenager named Celine. According to the book, he impregnated her, and she died in childbirth. He raised the son alone. That son was born a half-vampire. A dhampir named Kieran. He was apparently still alive.

Many, many, many years later, he met Marina Santorino. My mother. She had been turned into a vampire by an older vampire. I immediately knew my mission. Find Alexander. I quickly showered and dressed. I took my time combing my long hair and brushing my teeth. I even cleaned my incisors.

I grabbed my wallet, attaching the chain to my jeans, grabbed my keys, and headed to the front door.

"Father, I'm leaving," I said, pausing by the dining room.

"Have fun, son." I rolled my eyes. I was suddenly angry with him, and I probably would be for a while.

I drove blindly, unsure of what I was doing. I silently prayed to Freya and Odin and Despoina, the goddess of mystery. I asked for wisdom, strength, and courage. First, I went to the North Hampton City library. I sifted through the stock, picked a few books (mostly by Stephen King), checked out and left. I headed to convenience store next. I've always wanted to try coffee. I enjoy the smell, and I've never tasted it. I chose a vanilla cappuccino, paid, and left.

I took a sip, nearly burning my tongue in the process. I did not enjoy it; it was too sweet. I gave it to a homeless man with a dog and handed him two hundred bucks in twenties. I topped off my Astro while I was there. I thought I saw Evan's car, and shook my head. I'm seeing things.

If I'm forced to stay on my toes, my mind needed to be clear and clean. Especially where it concerned Sarah and Alexander. I drove around for a while, thinking, listening to Halestorm and CReid. I eventually noticed a car following me. My heart became cold. I kept driving, looking for a way to elude him. Freaking psycho.

I eventually went home. Evan parked his car behind mine. I got out, and so did he.

"Why are you following me?" I demanded.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Look," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose, "I'm under a lot of stress, so make it quick."

"I love you, Reese," he said. "I've been obsessed with you since forever."

"I'm only going to tell you this once, Evan. Leave. Me. Alone!" I snapped, punctuating the last three words. He looked like he was going to start crying any second.

"Sorry," he said weakly. "I don't know what's come over me. I can't stop thinking about you. I feel like I might die if I can't have you." Huh. That's kind of how I felt about Sarah. Whoa! Slow down there, boy! "I think we're meant for each other, Reese."

I turned around and walked into the house, leaving Evan there.

"What happened?" Father asked.

"Nothing," I retaliated.

"Reese, be honest with me-"

"Like you were honest with me?" I interrupted. He didn't say anything to that, and I knew I'd hit the mark.

Uncle Soren was looking outside. "Who is that young man?" he asked.

"Evan," I sighed. "My ex." Whoops. I hadn't meant to reveal that tidbit of information. I bit my bottom lip as Uncle Soren's head snapped toward me.

"Your what?" Shoot fire. I was dead now.

"Reese is bisexual," Father explained. I shot him a dirty look. He responded with a confused one. Grandfather decided to enter the room then.

"Mordecai, a word." Crap. My uncle and grandfather are a bit old-fashioned. He was the last person I wanted to know. Vikings normally thought sex with other men would help them on the battlefield, but my grandfather and uncle were against it. I mentally cursed as my father and grandfather met in the library. As I grabbed a snack, I fine-tuned my sensitive hearing.

"I love him no matter what," Father said.

"As do I. But he's starting to rebel. I should have gotten full custody of him all those years ago."

"Father, you don't mean that."

"Yes, I do," Grandfather said.

"Why don't you bury me in the process? He's all I've got."

"Watch your tone to your father and king. You risked him leaving you when you lied to him."

"Will you ever let that go?"

"No, I cannot. It's one thing to keep things from me, another to keep things from my grandson and your child. Alexander Nicolai has been searching for Marina Santorino for many years."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you! It is because of you that Reese's life is in jeopardy. It is because of you that Marina Santorino does not know who her true mate is. Reese himself is a blessing, but he was supposed to be Alexander's son." I stopped listening at that point. I finished drinking the blood and sat in my father's favorite recliner. My uncle sat on the couch. I was about to send a text to my best friend when I heard a knock on the door.

"I was literally about to text you," I told Ariella as I opened the front door.

"Well, then, I came at the right time," she said, stepping into the house. "Oh, hello." She and my uncle had seen each other.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Uncle Soren said, almost purring and kissing her knuckles.

"It's nice to meet you too. You're Reese's uncle, right?"

"Soren. Call me Soren." Was it me, or did he seem lighter? Oh, crap. He was already smitten. This could not end well for either side.

"Well, I'll get my notebook," I said. I took the stairs two at a time. When I came back with my songbook, Ariella was sitting on the couch talking to my uncle, who was seated uncomfortably close to her. (Uncomfortable for me, I wasn't sure what was going through my human friend's mind.) I handed the notebook to Ariella. Sometimes I write songs for her band. She flipped through it while I told my uncle about the band.

"You're in a band?" he asked her.

"Yeah. We're called Everlasting Strife."

"That's an interesting name."

"Yeah, it's actually the name of our first song, which Reese actually wrote."

"Reese, you write music?" Uncle Soren said, sounding impressed. Faker. He knew I wrote music.

"I do," I said. "Mostly for fun."

"And what is it that you do in the band, Ariella?" Uncle Soren asked.

"I sing, play guitar. I'm a vocalist and the lead guitarist. I also play keyboard sometimes."

"Fascinating. I would be interested in hearing Everlasting Strife play." I frowned. My uncle, a thousands-of-years-old vampire prince interested in hearing a rock band made up of high schoolers? Odd.

"Cool. Our next gig is at Club X." Ariella rattled off an address.

"I will be there, then." I gave him an annoyed look. I heard my father and grandfather coming down the stairs.

"Hello, Ariella," Father said.

"Hello," she replied.

"Hello," Grandfather said. "I am Reese's grandfather. You are Ariella?"

"That would be me." My grandfather also kissed her knuckles.

"It is nice to meet you at last. Reese has told me all about you." I actually hadn't, and I wondered if he had been listening in. He sat in my father's chair, while my father sat beside me.

"It's nice to meet you too," Ariella said.

"I hear that you are in a band?"

"Yeah...Everlasting Strife."

"Intriguing. I may be at your 'gig' as well."

"The more the merrier. I'll text Reese the address." My grandfather and friend seemed to like each other. My uncle also really liked Ariella. He liked her a little too much for my liking. Uncle Soren always falls in love too hard and too fast and it never ends well. I knew my uncle, and I knew Ariella. She couldn't see what was really happening, mostly because she was too into Damon Sage.

"Oh, my boyfriend is calling me. 'Scuse me." She took it into the foyer. Uncle Soren looked surprised, then hurt, then angry.

"She has a boyfriend?" he said so quietly, that if I were human, I would not have heard him at all.

"Get over it," Father snapped.

"Soren, Mordecai," Grandfather said. "This is serious."

"Because my son is bisexual? Because I'm a horrible father?"

"I'm not talking about that, you insolent boy. And that is not what I said. But yes, you are a horrible father for lying." My father took his father in a sudden chokehold, which scared me half to death. I stared, shocked and unsure. Uncle Soren looked surprised, and my grandfather looked the most startled. Father was baring his teeth.

"Do not bring that up again," he said in a dangerously soft voice.

"You're right," Grandfather said. "My apologies." Father's look softened, and he slowly released him. I heard Ariella coming back.

Uncle Soren, however, seemed almost pleased.

"So, Ariella," Grandfather said. "Tell us more about yourself." Uncle Soren gave him a dirty look.

"Well...." She was stumped. "I like to sing, but you already knew that. Um...my favorite color is teal. I have a fish named Chips." She blushed. "Um, my mother's calling me. It was nice meeting you." And then she rushed out the door.

"What the hell is wrong with you two? I thought you wanted Reese to have friends," Father said.

"Sorry," Uncle Soren said, not sounding sorry at all. "I don't know what came over me."

"You are such a liar," Father continued. "And you!" At this he turned toward his father. "You scared her off!"

"She will make an excellent addition to the vampire community," Grandfather said. "She is quite beautiful. Reese, have you ever considered her as a mate?"

"It's not like that," I said. "I think of her as a sister."

"The boy denies it," Uncle Soren said. "Not only does he deny it, but what if his friend is meant for another?" I wanted to vomit.

"Soren, you are sick," Father said. "You are at least four thousand years older than me, and I am two thousand years older than her."

"You are two thousand years older than Marina," Uncle Soren said. My father grabbed his throat and pushed him against the wall.

"Boys," Grandfather said. "Control your tempers. Mordecai, relinquish your brother." Then he turned to me. "Reese, I have not met Sarah. I have met Ariella."

"Ariella is MINE!" Uncle Soren roared.

"Ignore him, Reese. I am asking for forgiveness." That caught me off-guard.

"You are forgiven," I told my grandfather.

"Thank you, my beloved grandson. Mordecai," he turned to my father, "you two will find Marina Santorino. Find her and bring her to Denmark. We must discuss Alexander Nicolai." Denmark is where the vampire headquarters are. It's also where most vampire leaders live, including my grandfather. Our castle is located somewhere near Copenhagen.

I sent Sarah a text, asking how she was. She responded by saying that she was fine, she was on a break. I told her to enjoy her break, and she said she would text me later. I wanted to believe her, but part of me wondered if I was being a fool. I wondered if I was truly in love, or if I was fooling myself. No, I loved Sarah. She was mine. Who cared if I was destined for somebody else? I certainly didn't.

According to my uncle, my mother lived in Athens, Greece, where she was born and raised. I knew that I was half-Greek, although I had no idea where my mother currently lived.

CHAPTER THREE - NICOTINE

I read all I could about Greece. Of course, I already knew quite a bit, and of course I believed in the Olympic gods and goddesses, and there was still so much I didn't know. Still, I researched Greece until my eyes hurt. My stomach and throat protested until I drank a glass of blood. I felt my incisors grow and retract in frustration.

Why did my father feel the need to lie to me?

I did something I hadn't done in a while. I stole a cigarette from my father. I went to a secluded spot in the backyard and smoked.

"You know, smoking's illegal for seventeen-year-olds," Father said. I cursed and crushed the cigarette under my boot. "Relax, you're not in trouble. Actually, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"Do you love Sarah?"

"I... I think I do. More than I thought it was possible for me to love anybody."

"Yet you only recently met her officially."

"I can't explain it. It's like we belong together. I know I'm meant to be a part of her life somehow. Before, I was too nervous, afraid she would reject me. I don't belong on her level."

"Nervous? Son, you have nothing to be nervous about if you're really meant to be. I understand where you're coming from, though. That's how I felt about your mother. I waited three hundred years to tell her I loved her. I still love your mother to this day."

"Father, there's a difference between loving someone and being in love with someone."

"I'm well aware of that, Reese. The point is you have to make a move now."

"I did make my move. She didn't reject me, but she didn't use the L word either."

"I didn't mean in your relationship with Sarah. I mean in your relationship with your mother. Look, I know I screwed up. I really was trying to protect you."

"Father, you were trying to protect yourself. Thank you for your thoughtfulness." I gave him a mocking bow, then stalked off in the most disrespectful manner possible.

"Reese, wait," Father said, grabbing my wrist. I shook out of his grasp and continued on.

My uncle was in my room, going through my notebooks.

"Can I help you find something?" I asked.

"Reese!" He seemed genuinely surprised to see me. "I didn't hear you coming!"

"Funny, I didn't hear you snooping." I went to my desk and readjusted my notebooks.

"I'm sorry, I was looking for...it's not important. Are you really just Ariella's friend?"

"For the last time, we're just friends. Now...get out of my room." He looked slightly hurt as he left. I didn't care. I called Sarah, hoping to hear her voice.

"Hello?" She sounded exhausted.

"Hello, Sarah."

"Oh, Reese. What's up?"

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. How are you?"

"I am well. How was your day?"

"It was long. First, I had to work, then I got interviewed for the trial. You'll be interviewed tomorrow."

"I know that they want my testimony."

"Yeah, they want you to testify. You basically have to tell them how you found me. That's all they want."

"Sarah, if I ever...never mind. No, I'll say it. If there's anything I can ever do for you...I'll do it. Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable."

"It's fine. What else have you been up to?"

"My uncle and grandfather are here. Would you like to meet them?"

"I would. When's a good time?" she responded.

"Anytime tomorrow is good. I'll be here all day. Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No, I think I remember the address." She remembered my address!

"Oh, well, I'll be here."

"Cool. Bye." She clicked off. I put my phone on its charger and fell onto my bed. She remembered my address...I felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

She arrived at one in the afternoon. I was talking to Detectives Suzanne Moon and Arastoo Armada, repeating my story. She rang the doorbell, and my father answered.

"Hello, Sarah. Please, come in," he said. Moon and Armada looked at each other, then at me.

"How well do you know each other?" Detective Moon asked.

"I've been getting to know her. We're friends." Arastoo Armada looked suspicious.

"Do you know each other intimately?" he pried.

"No, we don't. It's not like that." At least, not yet.

"Well, we're finished anyway," Detective Moon said. I was relieved. Sarah came into the room with my father as the detectives left. My future girlfriend sat beside me. She looked around, seemingly interested in the decor. I reached for her hand. She shied away from me. I gave her a hurt look and suppressed a whimper.

"Sorry," she said.

"No, forgive me, I was merely trying to..." I trailed off as my uncle entered the room. He saw Sarah, took her hand, and kissed her knuckles.

"Hello, I am Soren, Reese's uncle," he greeted her.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah. Excuse me for a minute." She went out to the front door, and I heard her open her car door.

"Reese, she's stunning!" My uncle's enthusiasm broke through. "And she will be even more beautiful once you change her."

"I know," I said. "And I think I'm falling in love with her."

"Son, you are already on the ground," Father reminded me. I saw Grandfather enter the room.

"What's this about love?" he asked.

"I have just met Sarah," Uncle Soren said.

"Well then, where is the girl?"

"She is getting something out of her car. Father, you will not believe your eyes once you see her. She is incredibly beautiful; it's no wonder Reese fell for her so quickly." I almost spoke up on Sarah's behalf before a knock sounded at the door. I went to let Sarah back in.

"It wouldn't feel right if I just let myself back in," she explained. I smiled at her. "You should smile more often, Reese." She thought I should smile more often? I found it incredible that she even thought about me.

"Hello, my name is Eilief," Grandfather said.

"I'm Sarah," she said as he pecked her hand.

"It is a pleasure and an honor to finally meet you, Sarah. My grandson is quite taken with you." I stiffened in embarrassment.

"He's a good friend," Sarah said.

A good friend. That's all I was at the moment to her. Though I wanted it to be more, and she would soon realize that she did, too. Okay, that was arrogant.

My grandfather and future wife stood there; for her it was awkward, for him, it was a chance to study her.

"Sarah, would you like to see the library?" Father asked.

"Sure," she said.

"How exactly did your family end up with a first edition of Dracula?" Sarah asked.

"My father has connections in the publishing industry," I said. "He used to be a publisher and a head editor at a large company. He was also an assistant to a head editor before that." She was currently thumbing through our fiction collection. She gazed in wonder for a bit at our first editions until I pulled out Dracula for her.

She gave the book back to me, and I put it away.

"The True History of Vampires?" she read. Damn. I knew that would come up sooner or later. You just pulled out Dracula for her, you idiot. She took it off the shelf and read the first few passages. "Who is Alexander Nicolai?" she asked.

"The progenitor, creator, and the first leader of vampire kind."

"Hmm. You know, I've always wondered if vampires could be real. That probably sounds ridiculous to you."

"Not at all," I assuaged. She looked at me.

"You don't think it's silly?"

"Not at all. Sometimes so-called 'mythical' beings actually turn out to be real." I moved closer to her. She looked down and started flipping through the book. I wondered if I'd made the right impression on her that I wanted. I'd certainly made some impression on her.

I needed it to work out in both our favors. I wanted to be her knight in shining armor. She would be the princess. My princess.

She sat in a chair and started reading the book for real. I chose a random book on the shelf and joined her, sitting in the chair opposite of her.

"My sister would love this," she said. I looked at her.

"Your sister?"

"Yeah. I thought I mentioned her?"

"You might have," I said.

"Yeah, her name's Sabine, and she's fourteen."

"Tell me about her."

"Well, she's a sister. She's annoying most of the time, but I love her." Did she not think it was important for me to know every aspect of her life? Even if I wasn't to be a part of it.

Why would she want to be with me, For me, I could be happy if she wanted to stay my friend. At the same time, I would lose it if she rejected me. She stayed focused on the book. I set my book down, walked over to her, and got down on my knees. She looked at me.

"Reese?"

"Sarah," I said. My stomach twisted as I cupped her face and touched our noses together. "Sarah, I know that I've said this before, but I'm in love with you." She froze.

"Reese," she said. "I'm sorry, I can't be with you right now." I felt my heart crack. "I just don't have the time or energy for a relationship right now." My heart shattered like glass. She handed me the book.

"Forgive my eagerness," I said. I was trying not to let her know how much I was hurting inside. She got up, heading downstairs.

"Are you leaving already Sarah?" Uncle Soren asked.

"Yeah, I have to help my mom with something. It was nice meeting you all." Then she turned to me. "I'm sorry, Reese." As soon as she was out of hearing range, my father spoke up.

"She is your mate, son. Your soulmate."

"I know." I went up to my bedroom and started crying, something I rarely did. Oh, gods. I've really screwed up now.

I put on a Marilyn Manson CD and started writing a new song. I poured my love, my passion into it.

Green eyes, red lips, and rosy cheeks

I don't know how long I spent working on Sarah's Song. I crossed out and rewrote lines countless times. I started to call Ariella, then remembered she'd be in band practice. I would have to endure my pain by myself for a while. I popped in Pet Sematary and watched that.

From now on, everything I did, I'd do it for her.

CHAPTER 5 - TRIALS AND CONFESSIONS

My gut twisted as the judge took the podium. Prosecutor Bill Chang stood up.

"Case number four forty-four, Michael Nales stands accused of rape in the first degree."

"How does the defendant plead?" Judge Sawchuk asked.

"Guilty, your honor," Nales said.

"Not guilty," defender Jo Lawrence corrected.

"Guilty," Michael corrected again. Judge Sawchuk looked at him warily. John Sawchuk was a dark-skinned man with gray hair. He was well-known for being just and giving offenders something to think about.

"Call your first witness, Mr. Chang."

"Reese Nicolai." My father squeezed my hand before I went up to the witness stand. I could see some of my classmates gaping.

"State your name for the court, please."

"Reese Nicolai."

"Tell the court how you found the victim," Mr. Chang commanded.

"I heard crying, so I opened the door, and there she was. Sarah was the one crying. I asked her what happened, and that's when she told me she had been raped."

"What did you do after that?"

"I texted my friend and asked if she would take myself and Sarah to the hospital."

"Did Sarah implicate her rapist to you?"

"She did."

"Would you please tell the court whom she implicated?"

"Michael Nales," I replied.

"Thank you. Your witness, Jo." Jo Lawrence was an intimidating woman. She had platinum blond hair, gray eyes, and very thick makeup. She was dressed in a black business suit. The only jewelry she wore was a gold ring on her left ring finger.

"Reese, right? How do you know Sarah?"

"We go to the same school, and are in the same grade."

"Do you have classes together?"

"We have the same free period, and that's it."

"Oh, that's interesting. Have you spoken before that night?"

"We have spoken briefly before." She faced the jury.

"The supposed "victim's" alcohol content was over the legal limit by five points. And what was she wearing that night, young man?"

"I don't see how that's relevant."

"Answer the question!" I paused before replying.

"Tight leather pants, and a see-through shirt."

"Was she at all fit to be out in public?" I was suddenly angry.

"Rape is rape, Jo Lawrence! No matter how the victim looks or behaves, whether she or he is drunk or not, or whether or not she's unconscious."

Lawrence looked angry at me. My father looked proud. Bill was nodding at me, and Michael was staring at the table in front of him. Sarah had let a few tears fall.

"You said "she or he", Mr. Nicolai. Have you been raped before?"

"No, I haven't been. But there are male victims out there as well."

"You're a very smart young man. Who taught you all this?"

"My father," I replied.

"What about your mother?"

"She left after I was born."

"To where, exactly?" This woman's done her homework.

"She moved back to Greece."

"Greece? Is that where she's originally from? That's awfully far away."

"Your Honor, is there a point to this?" William asked.

"Is there, Mrs. Lawrence?" Judge Sawchuk asked.

"There is. Reese, is it possible that you know all this because your father did the same thing to your mother?" HOW THE HELL DID SHE FIND OUT ABOUT THAT?!

"Objection!" Bill piped up.

"Sustained."

"No further questions," Jo said. "I call Mordecai Nicolai to the stand." I took my place quickly while my father went up to the witness stand.

"Mordecai," Jo said, "Did you rape your son's mother?" Father looked from Sarah, to me, then back at Jo.

"I created a love potion that caused her to break up with her fiancé. Then we married and conceived. Shortly before our son was born, she found out and divorced me. Then I told her that he had died and I didn't want her at his funeral. That's why Reese's mother is not in his life." Jo was looking at him like he had lost his mind, as was everybody else. Bill looked like he had a stomachache.

"Your witness, Bill."

I tried to see Sarah's face. From her posture, I could tell she was surprised. Aphrodite help me.

"Um...no questions," Bill said.

"You may take a seat, Mr. Nicolai," Judge Sawchuk said. My father resumed his position. I sank into my seat. I felt like this was somehow my fault. My father squeezed my hand. Bill spoke up again.

"I would like to call Sarah Cresley to the stand!" My love went up to the witness stand. I got a good look at the dress she wore. It was well-fitting, but not tight. It showed off lots of leg, although it wasn't too short. It was as black as a cloudy night sky. Her hair had been brushed thoroughly and tied into a tight bun, her makeup lighter than usual. My princess looked like a queen.

"Please state your name for the jury."

"Sarah Cresley."

"And why are you here, Sarah?" William Chang asked.

"Because I was raped."

"Objection!" Jo Lawrence piped up.

"Sustained."

"How do you know the defendant, Ms. Cresley?"

"We go to the same school."

Have you ever spoken with the defendant before?"

"We were friends," Sarah said "And we went on a few dates."

"What were those dates like?"

"They were fun. He seemed really sweet, and I thought he liked me."

"I do like you, Sarah!" Michael quipped.

"Young man, please control yourself," Sawchuk said. Bill turned back to Sarah.

"Did he give you any sign that he was dangerous then?"

"No."

"No, he didn't. But did he give you a sign that he was at all normal?"

"No."

"Give the court an example."

"He kept saying how pretty I was. He paid close attention to when and what was on my cell phone and laptop throughout our friendship. Not even my best friend did that." That was fucked up, and I'm glad she realized that.

"And what did your best friend think about it?"

"She thought it was weird, too." William took a drink from his glass of water.

"Thank you, Sarah. Before this, what was your favorite novel?"

"Objection! Relevance," Lawrence responded.

"I'm curious to see how this is relevant as well," Judge Sawchuk said. He looked at Sarah.

"To Kill a Mockingbird," Sarah said. Interesting. This time, she was the mockingbird, and she understood the ramifications if she was caught lying.

"Now, can you please describe how that night, the night when everything changed for you." She paused before answering.

"I was invited to a party by some girls I know," she began.

"Was the host one of them?"

"No, but the host was one of their boyfriends. He was also a friend of mine." She was starting to tear up now. I saw and smelled her tears. Instinct told me to go comfort her, to let her know how I felt, even though I confessed.

"I was trying to find them," she said. "When these girls surrounded me and started beating the shit out of me." She winced. "Sorry."

"I think we're all full of emotion right now," Bill said. I could feel Jo Lawrence rolling her eyes. Something wasn't right. Something nudged at my subconscious.

"When those girls were done with me, I went into the bathroom to wash up. That's when Michael showed up and told me he'd take care of me. He..." She closed her eyes, allowing a few tears to fall. "He led me into a bedroom. It smelled strange, like cigarettes and weed. I mean, marijuana." She started full-blown crying now. It broke my heart to see her so upset, and there was nothing I could do.

The judge offered her some tissues. She wiped her eyes, smearing her makeup.

"I think it's time for a fifteen-minute recess," Judge Sawchuk said.

I went into a stall in the men's room and drank a vial of blood. My father made sure we were prepared. I put the stopper on the vial put it in my pocket and washed my hands. I noticed an older man staring at me.

"You have the weirdest eyes I've ever seen," he said. "Are those real?"

"I get that a lot," I said. "And yes, they're real."

"Dad, are you ready?" a man asked, coming into the bathroom. He saw me, and he quickly hurried his elderly father away. I quickly dried myself off and left. Father was waiting for me in the courtroom.

"Do you know that girl?" he asked, gesturing to a black-haired girl sitting with a blond girl.

"That's Scarlett Hart and Mia Rayport. Scarlett used to be her best friend."

"Was? Used to be? What happened?"

"I don't know."

"I barely know her, but I know that you care for her. Therefore, she means a lot to me. I've seen the way you look at each other. You love her, and whether she admits it or not, she likes you, too."

"Does she really?" My heart soared.

"She does, even if she does not realize it." Sarah Harper Cresley liked me? Me, the Lone Goth? (My classmates had graciously bequeathed me with that nickname.) Me, whose father has embarrassed me in front of her on numerous occasions? Sure, I was a prince, and a vampire, but I was still a vampire. It didn't matter how badass being a vampire prince made me seem, I was still a danger.

That was one of my biggest insecurities. If I didn't keep my secret until she was turned, our relationship could be ruined. Yet if I kept it from her, I could lose her.

The judge came in, and she took the witness stand again.

"You were saying before the recess?" William asked.

"He took me into the bedroom," she began again, "and he started taking my clothes off. I told him to stop, but he kept doing it. He said that since I was dressed like slut, I should act like one and that I obviously wanted it. I kept begging him to stop, but he wouldn't. And then he...raped me. Repeatedly." She took a deep breath.

"Your witness," Chang said. Jo stood up as Bill Chang sat down.

"Sarah," she said, her voice laced with venom. "Do you know the penalties for making false accusations?"

"Yes, I do," my princess stated firmly.

"Oh, really? Because I don't think you do. I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into." I heard Michael chuckle.

"Give it up, Jo," he said.

"Young man, remain silent until you are spoken to," Judge Sawchuk said. "The jury will ignore that." Lawrence began again.

"Is it money you want?"

"No," Sarah said.

"Is it a boyfriend? I hear you have gotten close to Reese Nicolai."

"No, I don't want a boyfriend, and certainly not Reese." Ouch. "How did you hear about that, anyway?"

"I'll ask the questions!" Sarah had a point, though.

"Actually, I'm curious to know that as well," the judge said.

"I have my sources," Jo said after a pause. "If you were raped a few days earlier, why did you accept a date with another boy?"

"It wasn't a date!" Sarah cried.

"Not according to my source. You are under oath, Miss Cresley. Did he promise to protect you?"

"NO!"

"Michael was just scaring you so much that you needed protection? Why didn't you go to the police?"

"Half of the people who are helping me don't believe me!"

"Hmm. Isn't it more likely that what happened between you and Michael was consensual?"

"No. Not at all. What happened was NOT something I wanted."

"Did Reese know about your intentions to use him?"

"No." Jo had a smug look on her face.

"The defense rests." I looked down at my lap. Sarah was using me? It didn't matter - I still love her. I would forgive her.

"You may step down." Sarah stepped down, fighting tears.

"Prosecution calls Michael Nales to the stand!" My rival took the stand. He looked right at me and smirked. I growled under my breath.

"Reese. Calm," my father said. My stomach took a dive when Michael smirked at Sarah. Violent thoughts went through my head. I bared my teeth at him in warning and nearly hissed. I closed my mouth when my canines started growing. My father squeezed my hand.

"Michael," William Chang said, "Why did you rape Sarah?"

"Because I wanted to. She was dressed for it." That was an answer no one expected.

"Stay calm," Father whispered in my ear. "Reese, are you still listening to me?"

"What makes you think she dressed for it?" William asked.

"I love what she could do for me," Michael said. "She said she liked me, too."

"And that gives you the right to rape her?"

"I didn't rape her. It was consensual."

"What were her words to you as you were taking her clothes off?"

Michael's smile disappeared. "She said no. She asked me to stop. I figured that's just what girls do during their first time."

"Mr. Nales, were you a virgin before this?"

"Heck no. I had plenty of weekend lovers."

"I see. Did any of these other girls ask you to stop?"

"Well...a couple did. But like I said, I just thought that's what some girls do."

"Ladies and gentlemen, all of us were taught to stop whatever we were doing whenever we heard the word "stop" or "no". We stop when we see a stop sign or a red light or a dark orange hand on a sidewalk. Clearly, Mr. Nales has never been told "no" before by his parents or other adults, so he took Sarah's words of asking him to stop with a grain of salt. He has no respect for women, or he would have heeded her words. He didn't care about the consequences or her future or her choices. He only cared about taking control of a physically weaker source. He would have raped any girl that night, but he chose the girl he happened to be dating at the time, the one least likely to fight back. And notice how small she is compared to him? Michael Nales is five foot eleven; Sarah is five foot two. She is much shorter than him, and weighs much less as well. Even though she is physically fit, she would not have been able to fight back, even in her current state. Yes, she drank a little, but most teenagers do, and that's no excuse for rape, like Reese Nicolai told Mrs. Lawrence a few minutes ago. You're all smart people, and I assume you're all good people who want to do the right thing. Do what you know is right. Give Sarah Cresley the justice she deserves."

Jo Lawrence stood up as Bill Chang took his seat. "A stirring performance, Mr. Chang. But you were right about a couple of things. Michael Nales was never taught how to respect women. His parents are a poor, simple couple, who had to give his twin sister up for adoption as babies because they could not afford to keep both."

That was news to me. Jo continued. "I'm sorry to have to reveal their family secret, but it's necessary for you to see what kind of people they are. They worked their entire lives to be where they are now, and they miss their daughter dearly. But she is a teen now, and who knows if her adopted family has told her about them, if she's been adopted at all? Michael Nales doesn't know how to treat women, because he is a victim of poverty and overworking parents who had to leave him alone at the age of eight so they could work. Michael learned to cook macaroni and cheese at the age of seven and made his first Thanksgiving dinner when he was nine. By the age of ten, he was responsible for keeping track of household chores and necessities. By the age of twelve, he kept track of not only his own money, but Brian and Claire's money as well.

"When he was fourteen, his mother, Claire Nales, got sick with cancer. She recovered, thankfully, but it took a toll on their family finances and family dynamic. And Michael did not even know about his sister until very recently." From the look on the little jerk's face, I'd have guessed he hadn't known about her at all until this woman brought her up.

Jo kept talking. "Brian and Claire want Sarah to get the help she needs, and they are willing to pay for her therapy dealing with her guilt. Because that is what this is: post-sex guilt. We've all dealt with it, unless you're a virgin. She was tipsy, and made a bad decision. That's all. She regrets it now, as she had made a promise to her dead father, Beckett Cresley, that she would wait until she graduated high school. But he passed away earlier this year, and Sarah made a few bad decisions and is feeling guilty for going against her father's wishes. Her mother, who is still alive, is disappointed, but she knows the truth as well as me, Sarah, and Michael do. Sarah Cresley and Michael Nales both wanted to have sex that night, and who better than each other? Neither is the other's first partner, but they are the best bet. We all know she'd be called slut and whore if her classmates found out it was consensual. North Hampton High School is a hotbed of gossip, bad decisions, rivalries, and popularity games. Miss Cresley and Mr. Nales are both considered popular in their school, and Miss Cresley didn't want to disappoint her friends, who are known across campus as "The Beautifuls". Catchy name, isn't it? Her friends, for some odd reason, abandoned her because they knew what happened. Sarah and Michael had consensual sex, and she cried rape. That goes against their clique rules. So that's what happened, ladies and gentlemen."

"No further questions." Jo sat as William stood up.

"Please describe what you did, Mr. Nales."

"I did exactly what Sarah said I did. I took her into the room, and I screwed her over and over again. I swear, I thought she wanted it."

It took all my strength not to run over there and bite him.

"So, you admit that it was not consensual?" William asked.

"Like I said, she told me to stop, but I knew what she really wanted, and what she really wanted was a man who could do what women are made for."

"She wanted you to stop."

"That's what she said." I looked at the jury. Most of them looked astonished. I got a good look at the jury for the first time. Seven men, five women. All different races and nationalities and religions and heritage.

Bill continued. "Ladies and gentlemen, you heard both their testimonies. Mrs. Lawrence is trying to paint Sarah Cresley as a bad girl, but really, she's the victim in all of this. She told Mr. Nales to stop, and he didn't because he thought that's "what all girls said." Would he get away with that excuse if they were preteens or children? What about full-grown adults? Even preteens know they should stop when someone asks them to. These teens only learned about sex four years ago. Their bodies are still developing, and they're not ready for anything like this. They can't even vote or legally smoke yet. And Sarah's a year younger than more than half her classmates. Ladies and gentlemen, you're smart people. Do the right thing. Give Sarah the justice she deserves."

The jury went into a room to deliberate. Two cold, silent hours later, they came back.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" Judge Sawchuk asked.

"Yes, your Honor. We find the defendant guilty of rape."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the state of New Jersey thanks you for your service. We will reconvene next week at one thirty for sentencing." And then it was over.

Cameras flashed when I stepped outside. My father shielded me. Or, he tried to as we hurried to the car. We had decided to take the Rolls Royce that my father was so proud of.

I drank a bottle of blood when I got home. I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt. I went into my bedroom and put on a Cannibal Corpse CD. I shook my head to clear it and grabbed a random book off the shelf. Three lines in I realized it was Romeo & Juliet. I said every curse word there is first in English, then in Gaelic, then in Greek. My father made me go to classes when I was younger, to "stay in touch" with my Greek heritage.

I angrily threw the book against the wall. I buried my face in a pillow and let out a scream. My father came rushing in.

"What happened?!" he cried, looking scared.

"Nothing, I just had a moment of weakness. Sorry." He sat beside me and rubbed my back.

"Reese, you know you can tell me anything," he said. I picked up my battered book.

"This is what's wrong," I said.

"Son, it's a story. I do not despise her or her family. In fact, I like her very much. If you're concerned about their fate, that won't happen. When you were a baby, I promised you that I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I've never forgiven myself for what I did to your mother. I will never forgive myself if anything were to happen to you."

"Where is Grandfather and Uncle Soren?" I asked.

"Don't change the subject. They're on a mission in Virginia. I'm not sure when they'll be back. The point is that I love you, Reese. I love you more than anything. Your Juliet will realize her feelings, and she'll come for you. You belong together." He kissed my hair. He left my room, shutting the door. I took off my clothes and crawled into bed after turning out the light.

School resumed as normal. I still pined for Sarah. I read as much as I could, burned some CDs, saw a new horror movie with my father. Evan avoided me, and so did Sarah. I continued to sit with Mason and his group at lunch. Jody commented on my lack of eating and Amara chided her. While I was working on a new song, Duke leaned over and read it.

"'I feel her silky locks, I can see the dam."'

"I know it's lame," I said.

"No, it's not," he disagReid. "It's really good. Who are you writing it for?"

"My friend's in a band, so sometimes I write music for them." They all looked at me with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Avoiding their gazes, I looked over and saw Sarah. What surprised me most is that she was talking with Mia Rayport, her supposed ex-best friend. They hugged each other for a long moment, then separated. That's when Scarlett made her move.

Her clique distracted Mia while she punched Sarah. My instincts screamed at me to help her, so I got up and pulled Sarah away from her.

"What, now you've got the vampire helping you?" Scarlett teased unmercifully. Wait...vampire? Did she know or was she just making fun of me?

"You just stay away," I warned.

"Make me, gay freak," Scarlett replied haughtily. Mason came up, surprisingly, and put his hands on Scarlett's shoulders.

"Enough," he said firmly. Scarlett brandished her middle finger before stalking off. I turned toward Sarah.

"Are you all right?" I asked worriedly.

"No," she said. "Meet me in the library during free period."

"Right now, I'm taking you to the nurse," I said firmly. I grabbed my bag, jacket, and notebook, and led her away, gripping her shoulder. I was fully aware of the stares and whispers.

"Are they, like, dating?"

"She's too good for him."

"Did you see the way he saved her? He totally likes her."

"Ew!"

I growled under my breath. I put my lips on Sarah's hair, then caught myself.

"He just kissed her!" Why do they care? They know nothing of my love for Sarah. They didn't know our story. Our story? We barely had a story pertaining to our love life. I helped her get help and win her case, that's it. But in that time, I'd gotten to know her a little better. I had confessed my feelings. I smelled salt, and realized Sarah was crying. She stopped suddenly.

"Don't make me go to the nurse," she said.

"Sarah, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I need some time alone." Something was definitely wrong.

"Tell me," I commanded, using a voice used by the dominant half of a mated pair.

"No one can know," she said softly.

"Know what?" She looked around nervously.

"Not here. I'll call you tonight."

"I will come see you," I said.

"Fine. Come to my house at...oh, four thirty. Tell no one, not even your father. I have to go now." And then she scurried away, reminding me of a mouse that has just seen a cat.

"Was that Sarah Cresley?" Ariella asked, coming up to me.

"Yeah. She wants me to come see her later tonight."

"Reese, that's huge!" She hugged me.

"She wants to talk about something private. I don't know what it is, only that it has affected her in a big way."

"That's incredible! Well, I have to get back to class. Text you later!" She bounced away.

There were times when I wondered if my friendship with Ariella was legitimate. It's Ariella, I scolded myself. Don't be paranoid. Although I did just screw up by telling her about Sarah. Ahhhh!

I spent the rest of school with my head in the clouds. I got called on once in European History. I managed not to make a fool of myself and answered the question correctly. I went home feeling like I'd accomplished nothing.

Father wasn't home yet, so I went to take a short nap. I had a lot of homework, but I decided to do it later.

The day of the sentencing approached, and I prepped myself for a good long punishment for Nales. When everyone appeared in the courtroom, Judge Sawchuk announced his decision.

"I sentence you to five years in a minimum security prison. You will take your school courses online for the rest of your high school career. You've changed several lives forever, so your life will change. In addition, you will take sensitivity classes."

That was it? It wasn't nearly enough. I frowned in confusion. Michael gave me a dirty look and my stomach tightened. Why was I afraid? We both knew that I could beat him in a fight. Was I afraid for Sarah? Stupid question. Of course I was. I was scared to death for her.

"Sarah," I said when we got outside, "I'm sorry I didn't stop by the other day. I fell asleep."

"Okay," she replied. "I forgive you. Can you come by around five tonight?"

"It's a date," I said.

"Is that your boyfriend?" asked a skinny blond fourteen-year-old girl.

"Shut up, Sabine," Sarah said. That's her sister. Sabine took a long look at me, then joined her sister and mother. I joined my father in the Rolls Royce.

"Son, you might like this song," Father said, turning up the volume. I recognized the tones of Incubus.

"It's all right," I said.

CHAPTER FOUR - MOMENT OF TRUTH

I read books until it was time for me to meet Sarah. I put extra care into my appearance. I even sprayed on a little bit of light vanilla cologne. I knocked on Sarah's front door lightly. Sabine answered, along with a golden retriever and a brown Chihuahua.

"Spunk, Coffee, leave him alone," said Sarah's mother, Alicia. She set down the knife she'd been using to chop vegetables. "Reese, right?" She shook my hand. "Thank you for speaking on my daughter's behalf. She talks about you often."

"It's nice to see you again. Of course, I'd do anything for her." I heard her coming down the stairs. When I saw her, my unbeating heart started squeezing. She was gorgeous. Of course, she was always beautiful to me, and she was breathtaking right now.

She was wearing a pale blue formal dress that went past her ankles and hugged her curves perfectly. It showed enough of her chest, hugging it exactly right. This dress was in no way tasteless or gawdy.

"What are you all dressed up for?" Alicia asked.

"I'm thinking about wearing this to the winter formal. I wanted to run it by all of you."

"It's pretty," Sabine said.

"It's nice," Alicia said. Excuse me? It was more than nice, it was enchanting.

"Reese likes it, too," Sabine continued. I closed my dropped jaw and shook my head.

"H-hello, Sarah," I said.

Sarah's room was painted dark purple and gray, with royal blue and gold accents here and there. She had several bookcases which housed books, movies, CDs, and art books. It one corner was a TV with a VCR and DVD player. Next to that was a radio which played CDs and cassette tapes. Her desk was in another corner, a couple of feet away from her twin-sized bed. She sat on the bed. I sat beside her. Butterflies invaded my stomach. And then her lips were on mine.

She tasted like spearmint, although she smelled like gardenias and Spanish amber and roses. I pulled her closer. She wrapped her legs around my waist.

"I love everything about you," she said, breaking apart. "I love your hair. I hope you never cut it. I love your eyes; they're beautiful and unique. I love your high cheekbones. I love your ears. Most importantly, I love your ass." I was smiling now. Sarah continued. "I love your smile. You should do it more often. I love your nose. I love your skin. It's fair and smooth."

"I love everything about you, too," I said. "I love your eyes. I love the color and the shape. I love the way you do your makeup. It's perfect, and it accentuates your beauty. I love your hair. It's soft and pretty and curly. I love your cheeks, they're rosy and full. I love your dimples. You dazzle me when you smile. I love your lips. They're naturally soft and full. I love your curves. You are so beautiful, Sarah. I don't think you know how beautiful you are. I love you, Sarah. I've been in love with you for a long time now."

She smiled, showing her straight white teeth.

"I'm falling in love with you, Reese," she said, blushing. I kissed her briefly.

"Want to make it official?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes," she said. I couldn't believe it. She wanted to be my girlfriend. I had a girlfriend. Me, the Lone Goth. And her name is Sarah Harper Cresley.

"I'm going to change," she said.

"That dress looks beautiful on you," I said admiringly.

"Thanks. I found it at a thrift store," she said. "I can't help but imagine how much happiness this dress must have given someone else." I stole another kiss from her. She went into her large walk-in closet and closed the door. A minute later, she emerged wearing a purple tank top and black athletic shorts. My eyes trailed down to her curvy legs. They were smooth and muscular.

"I see you like my legs," she teased. I blushed and showed her my abdomen.

"Nice six-pack," she said. She put her hand on my stomach. She playfully flicked my belly button, causing me to giggle. Her hand moved up to my chest. "You also have a nice chest. In fact, it's the best I've ever seen." She blushed as her words came out.

"That's a huge freaking compliment," I said. She went over to her bookshelf and pretended to look through it, wiggling her butt as she bent over.

"You also have a cute butt," I said. She flashed me a flirtatious grin.

"Do you prefer classics or chick lit?" she teased.

"I prefer classics," I said.

"So do I," she replied. She looked through her selection, settling on a book. She laid on her bed, gesturing for me to sit next to her. I laid beside her. She started reading out loud, and I realized it was Carmilla, a short book about a lesbian vampire who turns into a cat and the human girl who becomes obsessed with her.

Sarah was close to falling asleep when I stated that it was time for me to go. We kissed quickly and gave each other an affectionate hug. I thanked her mother and bid her goodbye. Sabine was already in bed, so I didn't bother with her.

When I got home, I started looking through my book collection. I gave up eventually and went to bed.

School was dull. All I could think about was Sarah. She was in my mind all the time. During lunch, I sat with Mason and his group again. I joined in when they talked about bands.

"I'm saying that every band has their flaws," Mason said.

"Horse crap," Jody said. "Bands like Evanescence have zero flaws. Right, Rachel?" She meant Rachel Zimmeron, a dark-haired, brown-eyed girl with a delicate nose and sharp chin.

"You are so full of shit, Jody," Heather Davis said. Rachel and Amara shared a look.

"Name three other bands who are flawless," Noah said. Jody listed three bands none of us had ever heard of. Duke and I looked at each other. Rachel chewed on her hair.

"Hey, Reese, your girlfriend's here," Mason said. Girlfriend. That word was not enough to describe what Sarah is to me. I watched her as she walked by. But there was something else. Underneath layers of makeup was a fresh black eye.

"Excuse me a moment." I got up, intending to confront her.

"He is obsessed with her," Amara noted.

"Sarah," I said, stepping in front of her.

"Hello, Reese," she said nervously.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"I can see that it's more than nothing. Please tell me."

"It was an accident, okay? A stupid accident. I face-planted into the wall." I still didn't believe her.

"Will you text me later?" I asked.

"I have to work until seven thirty. I'll text you after that."

"All right," I said. We hugged briefly, and I kissed her hair before she continued.

"I think he's in love," Jody said.

"No shit, Jody," Noah replied. I rejoined them. The conversation quickly turned to vehicles. I told them about my Astro. Mason mentioned that his father had a Jaguar. Jody told everyone that she had a Mercedes, and only Heather believed her. I knew she liked to exaggerate stories, and only a few were believable. Only Rachel and Amara discredited everything Jody said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My father came in and laid next to me. He wrapped himself around me in a protective manner. Whenever I moved, he would growl and tighten his hold.

"What's going on?" I asked my uncle when he came in.

"He's in protective mode right now. Since you and the territory were threatened, he's doing what he can to "protect" you, his offspring. That was his very first instinct when you called him, and it will stay that way for a while."

"Father?" I tried.

"Hmm?"

"Can you let me go?"

"Not a chance."

"Why not? What if I need to eat?"

"Do you need to eat? As for why not, I feel like an incompetent father. I allowed you to be in possible danger. What if you were human, or even half-human, or any other weaker being, and that woman decided to kill you? I couldn't live with myself." That's what he was afraid of. If I died. I rolled onto my back and looked at him. He looked at me then smelled my hair.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"That was him trying to calm himself," Uncle Soren said, leaning against the doorframe. "He riled himself up by thinking about your death." My father smelled my hair again.

"Father, why did that woman target us?"

"I don't know, baby. I wish I did." He was lying. He kissed my temple. I got up slowly, planning to eat and bathe. "Stay home from school until next Monday," Father said. Uncle Soren and I frowned.

"He'll be missing a lot of school, Mordecai," Uncle Soren said.

"He can make it up. All I care about is protecting my son." My father took his hair out of its ponytail and retied it. He suddenly looked like something had hit him.

"Alexander Nicolai," he said. "He's behind this." Uncle Soren looked like he'd been punched in the stomach.

"He will rue his mistake," Uncle Soren said.

I went down to the kitchen. I needed blood. I warmed it up and sipped slowly. Suddenly, my throat tightened. The burning began in my mouth, moving down quickly. I held my stomach and started coughing.

"Reese!" Father was by my side in a second. I collapsed onto the floor. I could feel my body start jumping, and I threw up blood. My own blood along with the blood I'd been drinking. I heard Father and my uncle panicking.

I could feel myself foam at the mouth as my back arched. Father lifted me up and carried me to the car.

"His eyes are white!" Uncle Soren said. Then I fainted. I drifted in and out of consciousness. Father continued to hold me as we got into a car.

"Reese! Stay with me, baby. Stay with me!"

When we got to the hospital, Father flitted through the doors.

"Somebody help me, please!" he cried. I saw the same damn nurse who helped me with Sarah.

"What happened?" he asked, looking worried.

"He collapsed. He started seizing, and he threw up and fainted!" My father's voice was frantic. I was put on a stretcher. I grabbed my father's arm.

"Daddy, stay with me," I begged. They all looked at me in amazement.

"I'll be here, son," Father said. I foamed at the mouth and my body started jumping again.

"Some kid's having a seizure," I heard someone say. And then everything went black. I still heard people shouting and talking. And then the sound cut off. I drifted in and out of consciousness again. I knew they hooked me up to an IV and placed an oxygen mask over my face. Totally unnecessary. I started to become delirious.

I was convinced I was being tortured and possibly dying. I thrashed, fighting the people who were trying to help me. I felt my teeth grow. I was being poked, prodded, shouted at, and spoken to. I was losing my mind. In desperation, I pulled out the needles and wires. I leapt toward the nearest person and tried to bite him. And then I was being restrained by three sets of hands. I smelled other vampires, not recognizing their scents.

I heard a voice telling me to settle down, telling me that he loved me, and everything was going to be okay. Part of me wanted to literally tear into him. And then I heard a soothing voice. It sounded like Sarah. Sarah. Mate. Soulmate. These vampires holding me down, were they competition?

CHAPTER 6 - POISON CONTROL

"He's starting to relax, " a familiar male voice said. Uncle. I slowly opened my eyes, and my vision cleared. I saw my uncle first, then my father, then an unfamiliar male vampire. I hissed at him.

"Reese, hush," Father said. I could not stop the sudden flow of tears. My father embraced me and started humming.

"Daddy," I said, "I'm frightened."

"Hush now, sweet one. I'm here. I promise-" He cut off when my body started jumping again. I was restrained with nylon straps now. I looked at my father, panicked, when I fainted again.

"Does he have any illnesses?"

"No."

"Any allergies?"

"No allergies."

"Does he take any medication? Aspirin?"

"No. He does not take anything."

"Is he possibly suicidal?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Mr. Nicolai, I need you to remain calm. Sometimes people, especially teenagers, may be thinking those kinds of thoughts and no one else knows."

"My son is not suicidal. He does not wish to harm himself."

"I understand that you're upset. However, he may be bottling it inside. Teenagers like him-"

"Let me stop you right there. I know my Reese, and he does not have a death wish. I know who poisoned him."

"Anyone else would have died with the amount of poison inside him." I knew what the doctor was thinking. How is he not dead? I also knew that my father would blame himself for this.

"There's a lot of blood in his stomach. What does he and eat and drink?"

"He makes himself a turkey sandwich every day and drinks water." That was a half-lie.

"Does he do drugs or drink alcohol?"

"No. I caught him smoking a rolled bundle of nicotine once and that's it. He's a good boy." I didn't know whether to be insulted or proud. I finally opened my eyes. Father was speaking with Reception Guy. I made a mental note to learn his name.

"We're going to have to run some tests on him. How does he react to radiation?"

"He can withstand a lot."

"That's good." Reception Guy looked over at me. "He's starting to wake up." Father looked at me in astonishment. He rushed to my side.

"Reese," he said, sounding relieved.

"Father. What happened?"

"I think you drank some kind of poison. I'm so sorry, Reese. I should have taken more care. This is all my fault." He stroked my hair lovingly.

"Father, it's not your fault," I said. He gave me a weak smile.

"Reese, how are you feeling?" Reception Guy asked.

"I feel...better."

"That's good. My name is Uriah Dreschler, by the way. I'll be your nurse while you're here."

"Nice to meet you, Uriah." He walked forward and felt my forehead.

"You still feel a bit cold. I want you to stay for a couple of days." My father raised an eyebrow. The cost was no problem. Keeping our secret would be hard.

~~~~~~~~~

Uriah brought me a lunch tray. He stayed while I ate. The food was not good, but I forced myself to swallow each bite. Uriah was always in my room. Even when I watched TV or slept. I wanted to tell Father, but I was afraid of his reaction.

Uriah asked me if I needed help bathing, and when I said I could do it myself, he actually looked crestfallen. I was deeply confused and disturbed. I took my time with the washing, paying extra attention to my hair.

He was waiting for me in the room. He handed me a tray of food, which I accepted.

"Reese," he said, "That girl you brought here a couple weeks ago, is she okay?"

"She's fine," I said. He smiled at me uncertainly.

"That's good." I changed into a hospital gown.

The girls came by, Ariella first.

"Where's Sarah?" I asked as we hugged.

"She'll probably be here soon. She went to get some coffee." My father and uncle appeared moments later.

"Thank you, Uriah. We'll take it from here," Uncle Soren said. Uriah looked unsure, but he left. He bumped Sarah, mumbled an apology, and turned the corner. Sarah came in carrying two drink trays, all of which had coffee cups and cream and sugar. I noticed immediately that she had lost weight and her skin was pale.

"Hello, Sarah," Father said.

"Hello, Mordecai, Soren." She handed a coffee cup to each of us. We thanked her and added lots of cream and sugar. I hugged her and pecked her cheek.

"How have you been?" I asked.

"Fine," she said, although I could tell she was lying. Always be suspicious when a woman says she's "fine". "When will you be out of here, and what happened?" she continued.

"I had a really bad seizure. I'll be out in a day or two."

"That's good news. Why did the seizure happen?" I looked at my father.

"Somebody tried to poison him," he said. Sarah's eyes widened and Ariella dropped her coffee.

"Why would someone do that?" Ariella squeaked.

"To get to me," Father confessed. "It's my fault he's in here." Uncle Soren crushed his coffee cup.

"Mordecai!" he hissed. Father ignored him.

I first heard, then smelled, my cousin Louis. He appeared in the doorway, panting, his long brown hair coming loose from his ponytail. His eyes are actually blue, he doesn't have the yellow eyes that most of my family has.

"Reese! I just got the news! Are you okay?" He spoke too quickly for humans to hear.

"I'll be out in a day or two," I informed him.

"That's good." He entered the room slowly. "Oh, hello," he said when he saw Sarah. He nodded at his father, Uncle Soren, and hugged my father. When he saw Ariella, he froze. "Hello."

"Hello," Ariella said.

"I am Reese's cousin Louis," he informed the girls.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sarah," my love said. He kissed her knuckles.

"I'm Ariella," my human friend said. Louis kissed her knuckles as well. He gazed at Ariella's gray eyes for a long time. Uncle Soren growled at him. Louis squeezed my friend's hand before releasing her. Ariella looked uncomfortable.

Louis sat in a chair beside me. "Are you sure you feel okay, Reese? You look pale."

"I always look pale. I feel much better than I did yesterday," I replied.

"Where's Grandfather?" he asked.

"In Virginia, still," Father told him. "He had business in Virginia." I could see that both of the girls had questions but did not want to ask.

"Our father is a CEO," Uncle Soren told them. "He's quite prominent."

"CEO of what?" Ariella inquired.

"Well, not really CEO..." Father said softly. Uncle Soren nudged him. "But he is quite prominent. Let's just say he works for the government." The girls looked at each other, suspicious.

"So, Ariella, what are your hobbies? Are you in school?" Louis asked. Ariella told him about Everlasting Strife. Louis seemed genuinely interested in her life. Uncle Soren's facial features jumped from interest to resentment. Louis even went to far as to pretend there was something in Ariella's loosely curled brown hair and stroked her bangs. Weirdo. His eyes trailed down to her small chest.

Oh, hell no.

"Louis!" I snapped below human hearing. He averted his eyes and I swatted him upside the head. Ariella folded her arms across her chest. Uncle Soren's frown deepened.

I smelled another vampire coming. Father stiffened and stood up straight. Uncle Soren moved closer to the girls, getting ready to shield them if necessary. It was the vampire who had held me down when I was delirious.

"He needs more fluids," he said, checking my stats. That meant I needed more blood. Sarah and Ariella left the room. I heard them talking down the hall. The new vampire gave me a glass of warm blood that he somehow produced without me knowing.

As soon as I swallowed it, my stomach protested. I struggled to keep it down, putting one hand over my mouth and the other on my stomach.

"Why can't he keep it down?" Father asked.

"There's still a bit of poison in his belly," the new vampire said. "It's a reaction."

"Well, get it out of him!"

"It'll be hard to do that at this point. He could lose a lot of blood, both his own and the donated liquid." My father embraced me, burying his nose in my hair.

"My poor baby," he cooed.

"Father, please!" I hissed. He mumbled an insincere apology.

"Mordecai, leave the boy alone," Uncle Soren commanded. Father growled at him.

"What you do if it was Louis in Reese's position?"

"I'd protect him anyway I can." A few minutes passed, and Father tried coaxing me into drinking more blood. I nearly threw up again and was given a cup of water. I also found out that the vampire nurse's name was Ethan Potter, and he had been a nurse for ninety years, going from place to place.

Uriah came to check on me, and I saw Ethan give him an irritated look.

"Uriah and Ethan appear to dislike each other," Father noted. "Uriah is part Elf, if I'm not mistaken. He seems rather taken with Reese."

"Why me?" I groaned.

"You have more power than you think, son. You are quite interesting, and you have both your mother's and my beauty." I didn't believe him. He affectionately kissed my hair.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Is Louis with the girls?" I asked.

"Yes. The girls are about to leave."

I heard Sarah coming. I saw her not a moment later. She hugged me, saying that she had to go and that she would see me later. I kissed her on the lips. She was surprised by this.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you, too." My chest seemed to fly away. I didn't want to let her go. My stomach hurt, and I no longer knew why.

~~~~~~~~~~

"You get to leave the day after tomorrow," Father said.

"My belly hurts," I complained.

"I know, dear one. You need to talk to some officers as well since you were poisoned deliberately."

"What kind of poison was it?"

"I don't know. They won't tell me." He sniffed my hair. "It's my fault this happened. When you were a baby, I vowed to you that I would protect you. So far, I've failed. I'm so sorry, Reese."

"Father, have you eaten?" I asked.

"I will eat later. You are far more important." I could literally feel and hear my father's stomach growl, which was why I asked.

"I'll be fine," I told him. "Go eat." He kissed my forehead before telling me that he would be back soon and leaving. I tried to sleep, but I could not. When I fall asleep, I'm most comfortable on my side or stomach. I had to sleep on my back because of all the wires and equipment surrounding me.

Uriah came to check on me. He gave me another pillow, which I accepted. Then he did something unexpected. He shut my door.

"I have to be honest," he said. "I think I'm in love with you." Crap

"I have a girlfriend," I told him. I could feel his heart breaking. Already, there were tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said, leaving.

When my father came back, I told him what happened. His eyes darkened and he growled.

"Daddy, I don't know what to do," I said, feeling tears in my eyes.

"I should have stayed," he said. "My poor baby."

"I'm not a fucking baby!" I snapped. He looked hurt and confused.

"You're acting like one," he said. "I must leave now. Goodbye, Reese." He left without giving me a hug or kiss. Of course, he came back five minutes later. I was still crying.

"I'm sorry!" he said, embracing me. "I'm so sorry."

"Get away from me!" I cried, pushing him away.

"You're not serious?" he asked, looking even more hurt and confused.

"If you're going to yell at me for no reason-"

"Let me stop you right there. You yelled at me first, remember?"

"Either way, leave me alone. I want to be alone."

"No way. You are hurting because of me, and I need to make it right." He wrapped his arms around me. He started apologizing profusely.

"I'm sorry, too," I said after his fiftieth apology. "I'm not in a good mood, and I took it out on you."

"That's it, I'm taking you out of here."

~~~~~~~~~

It took some pleading, and a few death threats, but soon I was able to leave. I needed blood. I needed a cigarette.

As soon as I got home, I got one out of my emergency stash and hid outside.

"Reese, you know that's illegal," Father said, finding me. I stomped on it angrily. "Please tell me what's wrong. What exactly did Uriah say?"

"No," I said stubbornly.

"Reese, please. I'm sorry I snapped at you. Please tell me. I wouldn't be able to stand it if he did something to you-"

"He told me he loved me, okay?!"

"He what?"

"He kept me in that freaking place because he likes me. I don't even think it's real love, I think it's him being stupid." Father frowned.

"Is that why you're in a snit? For something that trivial? I have to say I'm a bit disappointed in you. You caused a fight between us for something so dumb?"

"I caused a fight?"

"I didn't mean to word it like that-"

"Save it. I'm done with it."

"You know what? Go to your room and do not come out."

I flipped him the middle finger and stalked away.

I didn't plan on crying, but I did anyway. My father has only gotten mad at me a handful of times, and usually it was for a better reason than this. Of course, he realized this, and knocked on my door a few hours later.

"Leave me alone," I said.

"Reese, I'm sorry," he said, sounding emotional. "You were right. I thought about it, and you were right. I'm sorry. Please come out so we can talk." I slowly did come out. Slowly. I was cautious and a bit nervous. He enfolded me as soon as he saw me, asking for forgiveness, squeezing me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father insisted on feeding me. My stomach felt weak, though, so I ate slowly, which frustrated him. My favorite blood type is B negative, so I drank that. Father's favorite blood type is AB, which is the rarest kind there is. He fed me different types until I said I couldn't eat anymore.

"I can't; I'm so full," I said as he offered me a glass of B positive.

"As long as you're satisfied, little one," he said, drinking the rich red liquid himself. He made a face. Refrigerated blood is never as tasteful or satisfying as fresh warm blood from a live source.

Why not drink animal blood? It's disgusting, for one thing, it doesn't give us the right nutrition, and it's not as filling. I drink donated blood at the insistence of my father, who doesn't want me to start hunting until my eighteenth birthday next October. (I was born on the first of October.)

I thought about how I would explain my diet to Sarah. And if I'm hungry, could I resist the temptation to drink from her? I would definitely try for her and my sake. I haven't been dating her long, and I've known her and liked her longer. I did not want to scare her, especially not now.

Michael Nales was still in the back of my mind. I thought of different ways of ending his life. I smiled at the prospect.

"What's with that shit-eating grin?" Father asked, smirking.

"Nothing."

"Don't say nothing. You're happy about something. Tell your father."

"I'm picturing the death of Michael Nales."

"Oh, Reese, what am I going to do with you? Although I wouldn't mind ending the little shit myself. Did you see the way he looked at you when Sarah was testifying? He enjoyed your pain and hers. The little fucker needed a longer sentence."

"Father, do you advocate for rape victims?"

"That's one of our plans; an organization to help the victims of rape, both female and male. This experience has taught me much, and I hate that you had to be involved, although I'm proud of you for sticking up for her."

"I think this experience changed me in more ways than one."

"Indeed. You seem more involved in life, you show more emotion. You were not happy, yet you were not depressed either, which concerned me. I'd rather you be happy than depressed, but any emotion is better than no emotion."

"Anger is better than misery."

"That's debatable. Although I'd prefer it if you were not miserable either."

"Father," I said, "I'm not sure how I'm feeling. I feel like I can no longer go a day without her. Even thinking about her now..."

"You're in love, my boy. It will continue to ignite all sorts of emotions in you. Excitement, angst. Half the time you'll wonder what she could possibly see in you."

"I wonder about that often."

"Indeed. Your love will only grow for her."

"When will my love stop growing?"

"Never. Love is infinite and unconditional," Father told me. I knew he was right. How I loved her...I wondered if that had any bearing.

There are different kinds of love. Love between two lovers, love between two friends, love between a parent and child, and love between siblings. I had no idea what love for a sibling felt like, since as far as I knew, I had none. My only real friend besides my father is Ariella.

Father held me tightly.

"Stay here, baby boy," he said.

"Father, I'm not in any danger. I'm safe, especially with you around."

"Exactly. I must protect my spawn. My sweet little boy. Do you remember when you used to let me hold you?"

"I wasn't seventeen and I didn't weigh over two hundred pounds."

"Your weight and age mean nothing to me. I will continue to hold you until the day I die."

"I object-"

"Remember when I used to be your hero?"

"You're still my hero."

"That feels good to hear, Reese."

For a long two hours, we just cuddled until I fell asleep.

CHAPTER SEVEN- DINNER AND FAMILY

Sarah's mother Alicia asked myself and my father to dinner. Father insisted I dress up, so I chose a black button-up shirt and black jeans.

"At least wear a tie," Father said.

"Father, it's not a formal occasion."

"I suppose you're right. However, I'll not have my son be underdressed. It's better to be overdressed than underdressed."

I quietly agReid with him and tied a tie crookedly. I untied it and tried again and again, until my father finally tied it himself. He was wearing a suit, and his hair was combed and tied up into a ponytail.

When we arrived, Sarah was waiting on the porch, wearing jeans and a casual flannel shirt. I gave my father a dirty look, and he flicked me on the nose.

"It's not my fault," I told him.

"Be silent. I had no idea. You can take the stupid tie off." I happily took it off while he took his off.

I tried to kiss Sarah on the lips as I approached her, but she moved her head and I got a mouthful of hair. Father chuckled.

"My mother's just finishing up," Sarah said, leading us into her house. She led us to the dining room, where her sister was sitting, messing around on her phone. Her mother Alicia had set out five plates. There was a rich ham in the center of the table, along with mashed potatoes, green beans, bread rolls and butter, cooked carrots, beef and vegetable skewers, and glasses of water and a bottle of wine.

"This is too much," Father said.

"We can't thank you enough for what you did for Sarah," Alicia said, coming into the dining room, setting a molten chocolate lava cake on the counter.

"Where are the dogs?" I inquired.

"They're outside. Coffee is not used to strangers, especially men," Sarah said. "And Spunk gets overexcited and will try to knock food over. He'll make a mess." We all sat down, and the girls started serving themselves. Father and Alicia made conversation, discussing the new healthcare laws and whether or not open or concealed carry should be enforced.

The dogs barked, and Sarah and I talked about some new guy in our class from Kansas.

"He's kind of average," I said.

"I think he's nice-looking," my girl argued. I immediately wanted to end the conversation. I can't possibly be jealous of a guy we barely know. "His name's Travis Kinney and he's supposedly a big basketball star."

"I've never really cared about sports," I said.

"I kind of do. I was a cheerleader once. I always enjoyed the power of chanting and moving around."

"Why do you not cheer anymore?"

"I was having problems with some of the girls and that stupid clique kind of drove me away until none of the squad were my friends anymore." Her confession seemed to relax her, as if a weight were literally off her shoulders. I noticed that my father and her mother had ceased talking and were looking at her with interest. She blushed at being the sudden center of attention and ducked her head.

"I got an A in Science," Sabine informed her mother.

"That's good. Sarah, what are your grades like?"

"They're good," she said. Little conversation was made after that.

I ate the human food until my belly was as tight as a drum. I noticed Father looking a little green. Neither of our stomachs is used to human food, much less roasted chicken and chocolate. I'm naturally a hematophage. Even Sarah looked a little sick, and she was definitely more used to this kind of nutritional fare. I sipped some water, and nearly threw up.

"Are you all right, Reese?" Alicia asked me.

"I'm fine," I lied.

"He's probably full," Sabine piped up. "You kept the fat in when you cooked the chicken, Mom."

"The fat is the best part," Alicia argued. "Do you agree, Mordecai?" Father started to look uncomfortable.

"It was very good, Alicia," Father said. "Thank you for inviting us. I'm afraid I must be going, though. Reese, do you want to ride with me?"

"I'll call a cab," I said, for Alicia and Sarah's sake. Actually, I would run, or at least try to.

"Very well. Alicia, may I speak with you privately?" Father asked. I gave him a horrified look. He chuckled. Kill me now.

"We can talk in the family room." With that, she led him away.

"So, is Reese your real name?" Sabine asked.

"Sabine!" Sarah snapped.

"Yes, Reese is my real name," I said.

"I always thought Reese was a girl's name." Sarah put her head in her hand.

"Reese is a unisex name," I corrected Sabine. She formed a shit-eating grin on her face.

"Have you and Sarah kissed yet?"

"Sabine!"

"Uh," I crooned. I was a little uncomfortable now.

"It's okay if you haven't," Sabine continued. "Lots of couples I know haven't kissed yet. My best friend has a boyfriend, and he hasn't kissed her yet, but she says he will soon."

"When Sarah and I kiss, I'll let you know," I bluffed. No way I was going to tell her that we had in fact kissed. Sarah's cheeks were even more red now, making her look even more beautiful, which I did not think was possible. She buried her face in her hands.

"It's okay, Sarah, he likes you," Sabine informed her. "He said "when" he kisses you, not "if"."

"Sabine, leave the poor guy alone," Alicia said, coming into the room. "Reese, your dad said that he'll wait for you at home. He also told me to tell you to call him when you're leaving."

"Reese, want to go see the dress I made for this year's spring dance?" Sarah asked, breaking the awkwardness.

"Yes," I hissed. She took my hand and led me upstairs. I heard Alicia ordering Sabine to help her put the leftovers away and clean the dishes.

"What do you think of the dress?" she asked nervously. It was a dark green shimmery tea-length number. (Yes, I know the correct terms for women's clothing. One must do so to keep up with Ariella.)

"It's very pretty," I said, which was the truth. She sat on her bed, looking thoughtful.

"Yeah, but sometimes I feel like it's too short. I'm not especially fond of the way my thighs look." She blushed. "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear about all my insecurities."

"I didn't even know you had insecurities," I said, sitting beside her. "I think you look utterly amazing. Your legs are muscular and curvy. Your ankles are thin and sexy." I buried my head in my chest. "I have no filter around you."

"I don't around you either," she said. "But yeah, I'm not really fond of my legs. Actually, the only part of my body that I genuinely like are my eyes. Did you know green is one of the rarest eye colors in the world? And so is your eye color."

"I knew that," I said. "Actually, the rarest eye color in the world is violet. What's also rare is the chimaera look; where two eyes are different colors."

"I like violet eyes. I once knew a girl named Rouge, and she had red hair and violet eyes."

"That's interesting. What's she like?"

"Eh, she's kind of a beeotch. Not nice or smart, but whatever. She's got two older sisters and three younger sisters, and they're all okay. They all have either red or blond hair and she's the only one with eyes like that."

Frankly, I didn't care about this Rouge person, but she was someone that clearly caused emotion in Sarah.

"What has she done to you?" I asked.

"She's just not nice. She moved to our elementary school when I still lived in Atlantic City, and then changed schools and towns at the same time as me. She was the kind to break up friendships and single people out and torture them. When she met Scarlett, though, she had met her match. Rouge was making fun of Rachel Griffin's hair, which makes no sense, since they're both redheads, and Scarlett totally tore her down. She called her a bully and a bitch and told Rachel she was beautiful. The thing is, though, Scarlett was being fake. She doesn't think Rachel is pretty at all.

"When we got to high school, Scarlett insisted we give each other makeovers, and she used each one of us to show something that was not right or whatever. The mole on Honey's face, Angela's nose, Rachel's freckles, all sorts of crap. Of course, she used herself as the model of perfection. Even Jordan is not that mean, and she made it with Michael behind Scarlett's back."

"Say that again?"

"She and Michael did it behind Scarlett's back while they were dating."

"That's what I thought you said. That's interesting." I rubbed my chin. "Jordan's not all she seems, is she?"

"No, she's not," Sarah replied. "I think she's a lot more sneaky than she lets on. I think she's the one who blabbed our secret."

"What secret?" I asked. Her cheeks pinked.

"I've said too much already." She doubled over.

"Sarah, tell me what's wrong," I said.

"No, I can't tell you. It will ruin everything!" Tears started flowing down her cheeks.

"Okay, I'm sorry I upset you," I said. I hugged her and held her. "Sarah, please stop crying."

"I can't...can't tell you...it's too dangerous...I shouldn't have gone along with it...now I'm paying for it..." Not knowing what else to do, I went to get her mother.

"Ms. Cresley?" I spoke. She smiled at me.

"I told you, call me Alicia. What's the matter?"

"Something's wrong with Sarah. She's babbling, and she's not making any sense." Faster than I've ever seen her move, Alicia zipped up to Sarah's room. She held her and whispered things to her.

"It's not your fault, sweetheart," she said.

"I...I think I'll go," I said. "Tell her to call me later."

"Will do. Thank you for telling me, Reese."

"You're welcome. Sarah," I tipped her head up. "Promise me you'll be okay?" She nodded vigorously.

~~~~~~~~~

I left, confused, and frightened for her. I wondered if I'd done anything. I ran as fast as I could back home, where Father was looking through a cookbook.

"Learning to cook?" I said teasingly.

"I'm trying to figure out how to make those skewers Alicia made. They were interesting, and I would have liked them had I been human. I did not expect you to be back so soon."

"Something happened with Sarah. She started talking, not making any sense. She mentioned that she had a secret, something she couldn't tell me. Then she held herself and started rocking back and forth. I had to get her mother to keep her calm."

"That's odd. Well, you did the right thing." He closed the book in frustration. "Have you seen your uncle? He owes me two hundred dollars."

"For what? And no, I haven't seen him."

"We had a bet, and he lost. Damn him. He always backs out when he knows he lost. By the way, your grandfather called me ten minutes ago. He said he's back in New Jersey and will be here soon."

I took off my clothes and crawled into bed. I needed a nap. Pretty soon, Father joined me. I growled at him, and he growled right back. I hate it when he decides to join me when I want privacy. I rolled out of his arms and he protested by whimpering.

"I need privacy, Father," I said.

"Privacy is what you shall get after I have been satisfied that you are all right."

"Father, I'm fine-"

"No you're not. Child is unhappy. Must make him better."

"Father, you're doing it again."

"My apologies. Stay in my arms, Reese. You're safe there."

"Father, I was never unsafe."

"Bullshit. Do you remember what happened to your van?" Oh...I had forgotten. I snuggled up to him, keeping close to him. He purred in satisfaction and happiness. After a few minutes, I tried to get out again. He growled and tightened his grip.

"Father, I'm okay," I said. He made a noise in his throat and buried his nose in my neck. My scent calms him.

"All right, I shall leave you now. Promise me that you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"Good enough." He left me to mope.

~~~~~~~~~~

And mope I did. I constantly thought about Sarah. She had penetrated the interior of my cranium. Of course, she was always on my mind now. I scoffed at my own weakness. Then I scoffed again at myself.

Only hatred makes one weak. Love makes one stronger.

As much as I tried to tell myself this, I still felt weak. I was always weak around her. I had been somewhat weak around Evan in the beginnings of our relationship. I held my stomach in worry. I sat up and grabbed a pencil and songbook. I started writing lyrics.

"I know...that...you're...not...damn." I couldn't think of any other words. "Sarah...what would Sarah say?" I asked myself. "She would ask me if I was all right, then she would do all she could to make me feel better. She wouldn't try too hard, she'd give me space if I needed it."

I have to figure out what her secret is. I thought, this can only end badly. I was her boyfriend now, though. Boyfriend? Yes, I liked that word. I needed a break from thinking and worrying. I needed warm blood. Or a coffee, isn't that what humans say? I needed a shower.

Since I'm so tall, showers are the best option for me. I have a large bath, but it's still too small. I'm cramped whenever I try to use it. As I gave myself a good scrub, I thought about her and her secret.

What was it? Was it truly terrible?

"I know you're keeping something from me...please tell me...I promise I won't tell anybody...." That was as far as I got before I got a knock at my door. It was my grandfather.

"Your father told me what happened. Are you all right, Reese?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine," I told him.

"I'm sorry I could not be here for you; I was out of state, or I would have been here sooner. Where is your uncle?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him in a few days." My gut twisted as I realized this. Where was he? I sniffed the air; his scent still lingered. Grandfather realized what I was doing and realized the same thing.

"He has not been here," he said. "Not in the past few days. I wonder if your father knows his whereabouts?"

"Soren?" Father said, hearing us and coming up. "He's looking at houses in the area. He wants a permanent residence here. So he can stay close to Reese," he added bitterly.

"Mordecai, your brother loves you," Grandfather told him. "I know it may not seem like it, but he does."

"And he sees Reese as his own at times. I keep wondering if he's satisfied with only one son."

"You are afraid he will take Reese from you. That was one of my fears too, when you were young. I was afraid other adult vampires would steal you from me. I saw them as rivals. I promise you, Mordecai, no one would dare take Reese from you."

"I'm seventeen," I argued.

"Hush, you're not helping," Grandfather said. Father growled and sat beside me, pulling me next to him.

"I see enemies everywhere these days," he said. "Just the other day, I was forced to kill a vampire for coming too close."

"Did you burn him?" Grandfather asked.

"No, but I scattered his pieces. Dimitri needs to have the guard round them up." Dimitri was the head of the royal guard, and he protected each of us on occasion.

"How do you know he was a danger?"

"Father, I could hear his grumblings and feel his thirst a mile away. Then I smelled him, and he smelled like an enemy. He caught Reese's scent, and that's when he started preparing to attack."

"My scent? How did he not catch yours first?" I asked.

"I was...hiding. You know that I am somewhat psychic, right? I saw him coming." Oh. I had momentarily forgotten my father's power to see flashes of the present. Father wrapped his arms around me and made a noise that came from within his throat. "My little one is safe," he mumbled into my hair.

"Mordecai, where is Soren again?" My father froze as he got a vision.

"He's coming home," he said. "He's also helping me with inventory."

"Inventory? For what?" I asked.

"I've yet to tell you. I am opening several stores in town, including one that sells movies and music and another one that sells books. I hope to open up more stores selling different things next year."

"Why?" I asked.

"To keep up the facade that we are human. Can you imagine the pandemonium if your classmates knew what you consumed?"

"Some of them would be impressed," I said, thinking of Jody.

"Maybe, but most of them would be disgusted. Will you tell Sarah your true nature?"

"In time, if she'll stay with me."

"I think you are smart to hold off on that. We still do not know her very well."

"You don't know her very well," I retorted. "I know her."

"Son, you are fooling yourself. No woman is perfect. Neither are men, but that's another story. You are blinded by your affection for her."

"Father, I love her!"

"Hush. You do not know what love is."

"I've admired her from afar for two years."

"Two years?" He and Grandfather shared a look. Grandfather spoke up next.

"Why have you not told us about her?"

"I was afraid she would reject me. Look at her, and look at me! She has so many other admirers as well, I don't know why she'd choose me."

"Do not debase yourself, grandson. If she does indeed have many admirers, there will be competition."

"Yes, but after what happened to her, her reputation could take a hit," Father said. "Of course, I'm on her side, and I believe that Michael Nales hurt her, but few other people may believe her."

"They have to! He could have got her with child!" I cried.

"Unfortunately, rape is very much a stigma, even today," Father informed me. "Few people are willing to discuss it."

"I will kill Nales," I vowed.

"We will discuss his punishment another time. You've gotten yourself worked up. Have you eaten today?"

I gave my father a look.

"I mean your natural food source, son."

"Father, the human food stuffed me to my limit," I told him.

"Human food?" Grandfather asked quizzically.

"Sarah's mother Alicia invited us over to thank us for speaking on behalf of her daughter. There was chicken, and chocolate, and vegetables, and meat on skewers."

"That does sound filling. Are you restless, Reese?"

"I am a bit tired." As I said this, Father tipped my head up and I was forced to look into his eyes.

"Go to sleep," he commanded, and I was out like a light.

CHAPTER EIGHT- MISTAKE

It was after school one day when I was walking to my van alone. No one was around; everyone had already gone home for the day. I had decided to stay a couple hours longer to work on a project with my lab partner in my science class. Unfortunately, his name was Evan Byrd. He kept trying to flirt with me, and I kept rejecting his advances.

"Reese, come back to me," he said, cornering me inbetween our vehicles. "I miss you like crazy."

"Well, I don't miss you," I told him roughly. "Get the hell out of my way."

"Not until you admit it!"

"Admit what? That you're a fucking psycho? Get over it, Evan, I'll never be fully attracted to you."

"You said 'fully'. Which means you are attracted to me on some level. I heard you're dating Sarah. Why would you go with that bitch? You know she faked her rape. She's a stupid heifer, and you deserve better than that!"

I saw red, and lunged at him. He let out a blood-curdling scream. I buried my teeth deep in his neck and savored his blood for a few minutes. By then, I realized what I had done.

"Fuck!" I didn't know what else to do, so I called Father.

"Hello? Reese, what happened?"

"Father, I...I did something...I majorly screwed up..."

"Where are you?"

"At the school."

"Stay there, I will be there as soon as I can." Meaning he would flit, not drive a car.

~~~~~~~~~~

He was there sooner than I had anticipated.

"Reese, what have you done!" he cried when he saw Evan's still form on the ground, oozing blood. "Quickly, get him in the van." He grabbed his shoulders and threw him into my backseat.

"Father, what should I do?"

"Get in the passenger seat. I'll drive you home." I did as he asked, and he drove us back to the house as quickly as possible without breaking the law.

"How did you know what happened?" I asked him.

"I didn't. You sounded frantic, though, and that worried me. How did this occur?"

I told him Evan's words and actions and why I reacted the way I did.

"In that case, I don't blame you. This little shit's gone too far. Unfortunately, one of us will have to change him."

"He's not going to die?"

"No. I know he irritates you, but letting him die would be wrong. I was also seventeen when I changed my first human."

When we got to the house, Grandfather and Uncle Soren were waiting outside. Grandfather's face was contorted into one of fury. If he had the ability to change color, his face would have been as red as his hair.

"I'll handle Eilief," Father told me. I glanced at him. It was unlike him to use his father's first name.

"How could you do this?!" Grandfather screamed at me when I got out.

"Father, it was an accident," Uncle Soren said.

"This is between me and him!"

"He's not going to die. Leave Reese alone!" Father cried, pulling Evan's body out of the van. He bit into his own wrist and squeezed it, the blood flowing into Evan's mouth, down his throat, and into his stomach. There are several ways of changing into a vampire.

One is the old-fashioned way of simply biting the carotid artery or any other major artery or vein, exposing your own artery or vein, and pressing them together. The most popular way to do it is the way Father just did it; which is biting the victim to stun him or her, biting or scratching yourself, and letting the blood flow into his or her mouth. Once it reaches the stomach it will spread like a nutrient. It's even more unsanitary than any other way simply because of disease and infection can be spread. (Although vampires do not get human diseases, there are several diseases unknown to humans which can affect vampires.)

Any way you choose to do it, the vampire blood must be inside a human in order for him to change.

I was starting to lose control of my emotions.

"He's not going to cry, is he?" Grandfather said in disgust.

"You mustn't be tough on him," Uncle Soren said. "You were only a new vampire when you changed your first human."

"But he's not a new vampire. And he's seventeen!" Grandfather then started yelling inaudibly at me. Eventually, I ran past him and hid in my closet. There, I kept bottling up my emotions until my heart nearly started beating.

I slowly let it all out. I smelled Grandfather coming before long.

"Reese, please open up," he said, standing in front of my closet. "I'm sorry I overreacted. These kinds of things happen, and I should not be angry with you. Please forgive me." I huffed at him furiously.

My father came in as Grandfather left.

"Evan's changing," he said. "I put him in one of the spare bedrooms. Reese, it's all right. We've all made mistakes. Every single one of us has unintentionally bitten a human. Personally, I think the little cur had it coming." I opened the door a crack. Father took that as an invitation to open it completely and hug me.

I tried to push him away, and he only tightened his arms like a vise.

"I need a cigarette," I said.

"You need no such thing. Go swimming in the pool or read in the library."

I ignored him and got out my emergency stash. I went out to the backyard and chain smoked until I was out of cigarettes. In twenty-four hours, Evan would awaken, and I would have another problem on my hands. I had to keep his vampirism a secret. His parents could not know. His mother is extremely religious. She was okay with him being gay, but if she knew about his new diet, she would disown him. His father is a little eccentric, and very much a conspiracy theorist.

Crap. I had nearly forgotten about them. They would be worried about him. He's their only child. And double crap, I had heard through the grapevine that his mom was pregnant again. I was suddenly angry with myself.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!

I crushed the empty pack. I'm such an idiot. I should have controlled my anger.

"You're not an idiot," Father said.

"I didn't realize I was speaking out loud."

"Well, you were. Like I said, these things happen."

"What about his parents?"

"We'll keep him away for a while. They may report him missing, and if they do, we'll simply act like we don't know where he is. This is not the biggest problem in the world. In fact, I think it eliminated a problem. He still harasses you, correct? Once he's turned, he'll realize that you're not his true mate and move on."

"I hope so. I'm so done with him."

"As am I. I'm done hearing about all that he's doing to you. I admit I was surprised at first when you came out to me."

It was only a year ago. Father was in the kitchen chopping herbs and mixing them with dried petals to make a sleep potion when I approached him nervously. I was sixteen at the time, and it was just after October first, which is my birthday. I had decided that now was the time to tell him. I had known I was bisexual since middle school, when I realized that what it was that attracted me and that there was a name for it. (Before puberty, I cared for neither girls nor guys.)

My father had told me about the gay community, and explained that he saw nothing wrong with it, but Grandfather and Uncle Soren were not so accepting. My gut was twisted into the tightest knot I'd ever felt. He noticed me, and asked me if I was okay.

I said "Father...I'm bisexual." He stopped working, and hugged me tightly. He told me he loved me and he was proud of me. He told me that some parents would not accept such a confession and that I was lucky. I knew I was lucky to have such a loving and supportive parent. I knew a guy who had just come out, and his parents disowned him.

Right now, I was sitting in a chair outside. Uncle Soren had readily accepted my sexual orientation, while my father got a lecture from Grandfather. I felt guilty for that. Really, though, Father was the one that outed me to them. Most people at school knew it, too, though most of them thought I was gay at first because my first relationship was with Evan.

Even now, some of them still think I'm confused or simply want to play around, which is simply not true. I don't believe in playing the field; it causes much confusion and anguish. Only five months ago, Evan and I had broken up after a nasty fight. I ended it for good when I realized that my feelings were Sarah were not going to go away. I was thoroughly disgusted with myself.

I had played with his heart without realizing what I was doing. I hadn't known how deep his feelings were for me. I admit it: I was a terrible person. But there was nothing I could do about it now.

Either way, Evan's death would be completely my fault. Even if he lived through the change. It's not painful, I've heard it's more like an electrical current going through your blood vessels, reaching every part of your body like a strike of lightning.

"It's not your fault," Father told me. I looked at him.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"It's...it's not important. What's important is, you must not beat yourself up over this mistake. He will live as one of us."

"He had no choice. The only other option was to let him die completely."

"He will still die, he will simply be undead like us."

It's important to note how complicated vampire biology is. Our infertility rates are high, if a vampire is born of two vampires, he or she is one of the lucky ones. My father and I are anomalies. So is Uncle Soren and Louis. My grandfather's wife and my grandmother Amalia had been human when she was bitten, and so was my grandfather.

Amalia has been missing now for nearly fourteen hundred years. She has been presumed dead. Father says that my grandfather changed when she went missing. He became even colder than usual and slowly began to lose his temper more often. When he nearly attacked Uncle Soren in a fit of rage, he stopped himself and secluded himself away for a while. When he came back, he apologized to his sons and became virtually lifeless until Louis was born.

The reason why I bring this up is because Amalia was considered somewhat infertile as a human. That is odd; because if a female human is infertile, she will be infertile as a vampire. And then came along my uncle's wife Alga. He fell in love with her almost immediately. They were stalking the same human at the same time, and came across each other.

According to my father, Alga was a royal pain in the ass. She hated my grandfather and wanted to be queen more she wanted to be married to my uncle. When she realized she wasn't getting that anytime soon, she up and left, but not before giving birth to Louis.

Six months later, my uncle received word that she had died. He was heartbroken. My father said that he wailed for days, which is the usual custom when a mate dies.

~~~~~~~~~~

Grandfather did something unexpected. He put his cheek against mine and hummed, which was something he had not done in ten years. I pulled him closer and buried my head in his chest.

"I'm sorry, little one," he purred. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault for not talking to you about this. You did the right thing by calling your father, although I wish you had called me instead." I tried to pull away, and failed. His arms are even more like a vise than my father's.

Speaking of which, when Father saw us, he roared. He ran toward us and knocked us over, causing Grandfather to go through the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Grandfather asked my father. Father responded by growling, picking me up, and carrying me away.

"Father-" I began.

"Hush, my young one. He will hear you. He tried to take you from me."

"Father, we were just hugging-"

"I saw you try to pull away from him, and he refused to relinquish you. That means he planned on keeping you."

"He's your father!"

"His sons are grown up, and so is one of his grandsons. He wants the youngest one to take care of."

Since so few vampire children are made, I could kind of understand what his thought process was.

"Father, you're frightening me," I said. I tried to get out of his arms. He whined and held me more tightly. I noticed Grandfather behind him. He wrapped his arms around Father's waist and purred, trying to calm him. Father hissed and spun around, crouching. Grandfather laid on his stomach and started crawling away in a show of submission.

"Stay away from him," Father growled. I thought for a moment. I fought to get out of his grip and fell onto the floor. It got the reaction I wanted. Father's attention turned back to me. He picked me up again and ran to his bedroom, where he pushed most of the furniture in front of the door. He pushed his bed to the farthest wall.

He put me on the bed and covered me up.

"Cuddle with me," he said. We hadn't cuddled in quite some time. Father wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close. "It's not your fault, baby boy."

"It is my fault," I argued.

"Don't be a martyr. I despise martyrs. As for it being your fault, these things happen, as I've told you before."

I buried my head in his chest and started crying softly.

"Don't cry, baby. Daddy's here. I promised you when you were a baby that I would keep you safe, even from yourself. I'm starting to realize that there are some things I can't protect you from, and that scares me." He rolled over so he was on top of me, creating a barrier with his arms and legs.

"Why are you...why do you guard me so much?" I asked.

"Because you are a rarity. A child born between two vampires. And because you are young and fragile, and I love you more than the universe. Mostly because I love you more than the universe."

"Father, I...I don't know what to do. First Sarah, now this. Am I cursed?"

"No, sweet, you are not cursed. Such is life that it creates difficulties for you even before you reach adulthood."

"Those difficulties stress me."

"I know." He began playing with a lock of my hair. Letting out a contented sigh, Father laid back down completely, putting his head on my chest, as if to hear my nonexistent heartbeat.

"Father, I have to talk to Sarah. She's hurting, and I don't fully know why. She mentioned a big secret, then she had a panic attack."

"She had a panic attack?"

"Are you even paying attention?"

"Not really. Where do you think you're going?"

"I need to take a shower," I told him. He reluctantly fReid me from his embrace.

As I stepped into the shower, I contemplated how I was going to help Sarah. I was starting to realize that she's more complicated than I imagined. I always knew there were many pieces and puzzles about her. In a way, I was grateful for that party at Caden Cartwright's house. When I thought about what Michael did though...I wanted to rip his heart out.

I realized that Sarah was more involved with that clique than I originally thought. They nearly destroyed her, and would not stop until she hit an all-time low. As soon as I stepped out of the shower and dried myself thoroughly, I called Sarah.

"Sarah, it's Reese. I...please call me back. Let me know that you're all right. I...I'm worried about you. I'm sorry if I did something. Anything. Please call me back. I need to hear your voice." With that message left, I hung up.

There was an ache in my chest. A call to help. Help Sarah. Mate. Help mate. Eventually the ache grew so strong that I simply could not take it anymore.

It was already dark, and I could still see everything. Everything from the herd of deer on the edge of Father's property, to a fox about two hundred yards east. I gazed at the fox for a long time. The fox looked at me, noticed me watching him, and scampered away.

"Father, I'm going out," I said.

"Be back before midnight- wait, what?" He flitted into my bedroom. "You're going out? Why?"

"I got a text from Ariella," I lied. He looked at me for a long time. Then he tweaked my nose.

"You're going to see Sarah," he realized out loud. "Silly boy. Don't you know your father knows how to catch a lie? Yes, you may go see her. Be back before midnight."

~~~~~~~~~

I quickly ran to her house. I climbed the ivy up to her window. She was laying on her bed, curled into the fetal position. She had been crying. Tear tracks marked her cheeks, and her eyes were red, and she was flushed.

"It's not my fault," she said. "Can't they see?" Sarah....

My foot slipped, nearly causing me to fall. Sarah looked up. She came over to the window. Shit! I pressed my back against the wall and watched as she opened the window and took in a deep breath.

"Is someone there?" she asked. When I didn't respond, she sighed and turned away.

"Sarah, wait," I said, then mentally smacked myself.

"Reese?" I climbed up and through her window. Her eyes went wide, and she took a step back.

"I'm sorry that I've frightened you," I told her. I took a step back.

"Why were you climbing on my wall?"

"I had to see you again. See if you were okay. Did you get my call?"

She blinked and studied me for a long time. "Yeah," she finally said, "I got your call. That was nice of you."

"I didn't do it to be nice. I did it because...well, you know why." She paused, then wrapped her arms around me. It hit me then how much I dwarfed her. I'm six foot tall and weigh well over two hundred pounds. She's only five three and weighs one hundred and thirty pounds.

"I have to work when I'm not in school," she said. "I work a crappy waitressing job and I work at a clothing store that doesn't make much. It's what I have to do to make up for what I did."

"Sarah, what did you do?" I bent down to her level and cupped her face in my large hands. She pulled away.

"Nothing," she said.

"Sarah Harper Cresley, I can see that it's more than nothing. Please, I'm begging you. Tell me."

"I can't!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "You'll hate me, and I don't want you to hate me."

"I could never hate you. I love you. I love you more than any guy has ever loved his girlfriend. I would give up my heart for you."

"Girlfriend?" She cocked her head. I froze.

"Isn't that what you are?"

"Well," she bit her lip. "We are together, but girlfriend doesn't sound quite right."

"Sarah, don't say that. Please don't say that."

"And you'd really give up your heart for me?"

"In a split second. I'll reach into my chest, pull out my heart, and offer it to you." She looked truly scared now. "Oh, Sarah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Why are you like this?" she asked. "It's not healthy."

"I don't care. You're my soulmate." My ears perked up. Her mother was coming. I jumped out the window and hid behind a tree.

"Sarah, who are you talking to?"

"I was watching a movie, Mom," she said. Sarah....

"Ooh, which one?"

"Uh...Hamlet." She watches Hamlet? I heard her mother coming closer, and my stomach tightened. Alicia paused for a moment, then walked away.

"All right, then. Good night, sweetheart." I heard her kiss her daughter, then walk out. I crawled back up the climbing ivy. Sarah was sitting on the carpet, her head in her lap. I sat beside her.

"I lied to my mother," she said. "I never lie to her."

"I lied to my father tonight, only, he knew that I was lying," I said. She burst into tears. "Oh, don't cry, Sarah. I'm sorry."

"Reese, I think you should go," she finally said after a full minute.

"I...I'm sorry," I said. I kissed her on the forehead and hugged her as best I could.

~~~~~~~~~

Running home, I had a lot to think about. Why was she being so secretive? What was her secret? What could be so awful that she thinks I'll hate her if she tells me?

It was just after midnight, and Father was not pleased. There was a lot of "Do you realize what time it is?" and a lot of "If something had happened to you, I would never forgive myself." I knew that he was only saying these things out of love and fear of losing me.

"Am I grounded?" I finally asked him.

"No, you're not," he said, noticeably relaxing. "I just want you to be more aware of the time." He hugged me and kissed my forehead. He picked me up and carried me to bed. He took off my boots and jeans.

"Father, I can undress myself," I said.

"Sorry," he said, even though he wasn't. "Something has upset you. I can see that. Don't lie to me again, Reese."

"You're right, Father. Sarah keeps mentioning a huge secret, and she thinks I'll hate her if she tells me. The suspense is killing me."

"Let her come to you on her own with her secret. She'll tell you eventually. True mates are always more open and trusting of each other automatically."

"What are you saying, that she's not my true mate?"

"That's not what I said at all. You're not listening." I gave him a dirty look. "Okay, maybe I could have worded that differently. Go to sleep now." He looked straight into my eyes. "Go to sleep, my son. You are exhausted and stressed. Sleep now."

~~~~~~~~~~

I waited patiently in the room with Father as Evan's heart finally slowed down.

"What if I'm wrong?" I said out loud. "What if he turns out to be evil?"

"If that happens, I am here, and so is Soren and your grandfather. We will protect you."

"I don't care about me," I said. I started pacing. "What have I done? What if he kills somebody? What if he kills one of you? What if he kills Sarah?"

"That will not happen. Hold on a second. Is your girlfriend more important than me?" I stopped and looked at him.

"Father, don't be silly. Of course you're more important than she is."

"Don't lie to me, Reese."

"What makes you think I'm lying?"

"Hush now. Evan is waking up."

He was right. Evan's green eyes opened, with a brightness I'd never seen before in his eyes. He started smelling the air. His eyes roamed around until they locked on me. A rumble sounded from within him. He got up slowly and walked over toward me. I thought I heard him say the word "mate". His arms wrapped around me and he began exploring my torso. His nose wrinkled as he smelled me.

"What's he doing?" I asked Father.

"Getting to know you. In a way, he's introducing himself to you. He thinks you're his mate." I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Evan's eyes locked onto my father, and he let out a ferocious hiss.

"Stay away, blondie," Evan snarled. "He's mine."

"I know. I'm his father." I looked at Father quizzically. "He sees me as a threat since I'm unfamiliar to him," he explained.

"How is that possible? He's met you before!"

"Reese, I...I think he lost his memory." I looked at Evan.

"What's your name?" I asked. Evan blinked.

"I...I don't know. I'm so confused. Are you my mate?"

"Your name is Evan Byrd," I said, ignoring his last question. "I bit you." Instead of anger as I expected, he grinned and hugged me.

"Thank you so much," he said. Geez, he's twice as annoying as a vampire. He rubbed his nose into my shoulder in gratitude.

"Why are you so happy about this?" I asked.

"Because I found you. You are the one I've been waiting for," he said. I looked over at Father, who had an amused smile on his face.

"It's not funny," I said.

"You're right, it isn't," Father replied. "Still...Evan can use this room until we figure out the next step."

I led Evan on a tour of the house. He kept reaching for my hand, and I kept it away from him. Father gave him free rein of most of the house except for everyone's bedrooms excluding his own.

When I went into my bedroom to take a nap, he followed me. I laid down on the bed and kicked off my boots. I slipped under the covers, Evan soon following me. He wrapped his arms around my waist. I gently pried him off. He gave me a confused look. I rolled over and tried to sleep. He crawled over me and put his head on my chest. A strange purr emanated from him.

My cell phone ringing woke me up. I rolled over and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey! Haven't spoken to you in a while."

"Ariella? What's going on?"

"Okay, your uncle really did go to my gig. I didn't even know guys his age liked my kind of music." Interesting. "Secondly, Damon told me he wants to go out with me again. What should I say?"

"You do what you think is right." At this point, Evan was awake and was crawling all over me like a cat. When he got a little too low, I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back up.

"So what are you up to?" Ariella asked me.

"I talked to Sarah again." I told Ariella about the dinner and about my nightly visit to Sarah's bedroom.

"You're bad, Reese! I never knew you had it in you."

"This isn't funny, Ari. Something's really bothering her."

"Give it more time. She'll come around. She knows what a catch you are."

"Stop doing that. Don't tell me that I'm a catch, because I'm not. I'm just a stupid guy who is in love with someone he shouldn't be loving." At this, Evan's green eyes went wide, and he started kissing my navel.

"You're too serious. Lighten up, buttercup. Anyways, I've got to go. Shelly is having a temper tantrum." Shelly was one of the bandmates who played the bass.

"All right, I'll talk to you later. Bye, Ari." When we clicked off, Evan was staring at me intently.

"Who is Ariella?" he asked.

"You know her," I snapped. "She's one of our mutual friends. She's in a band." He gave me a blank look. "She's super popular, super nice, overly joyful?"

"Sorry, love, I simply do not remember my previous life."

"What have I done?" I said rhetorically.

"I don't know; what have you done?"

"I fucking bit you!" I snapped at him. He looked taken aback. "I'm sorry, Evan," I said, feeling terrible.

"Why is mate so unhappy?"

"I'm not your fucking mate!" I cried in exasperation. He froze. "Evan?" He unfroze himself.

"Why do you say that? I feel a connection with you that no one else can fill. Why do you continue to reject me?"

"I'm sorry, Evan. I...I'm in love with someone else." He froze again, then ran out. "Evan, wait!" I shot up and went after him. I cursed when I could no longer hear or smell him. I'm screwed. I am so screwed.

Before I could berate myself properly, my father and uncle came back, carrying a struggling Evan.

"Don't worry, Reese, we've got him," Uncle Soren said. Evan tried to bite him unsuccessfully. Uncle Soren tossed Evan over his shoulder like a deer.

"What's the point?" Evan whined. "He doesn't love me. I'm such a loser. I'm ugly, and I'm of average intelligence, while he's clearly so much smarter than I am. How could I ever think that he-" Father had clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Be silent, Evan," Father said. Evan kicked my uncle in the gut, and Uncle Soren dropped him, doubling over. "Fucking idiot!" Father cried, chasing after Evan again. He caught him again, and this time, he ordered me to grab rope and duct tape. I flitted around, gathering the items, and going back to Father.

Father taped Evan's mouth shut and tied his hands and feet together with special rope made to hold vampires. He slung him over his shoulder and went back inside. Once there, he dumped Evan onto his bed and ordered me to get a bag of warm blood.

Evan drank the blood gReidily, not even noticing when his fangs appeared. I kept refilling the glass until Evan told me that he was full.

"I'm sorry, Evan," I said. "I'm sorry. I made a huge mess of everything."

He ignored me, holding his knees up to his chest and sulking.

"I think you should go," he said. I went back into my bedroom and laid on my bed.

I wanted to call Sarah. I rolled over onto my stomach and started dialing her number. I froze. I had her number memorized already. I angrily threw my phone against the wall. It bounced off the bookcase and landed in the middle of the carpet. I laid there on my bed, my arms and legs splayed.

I imagined that she was beside me. Her soft brown curls, her beautiful green eyes, her muscular curves. Her small feet and hands. Her gorgeous brown skin tone and complexion. She had a healthy tan, and she took excellent care of her skin. Her body, face and hair had no flaws. Why she hated her body was beyond me. She had a flat stomach, wide hips, and medium-sized breasts, possibly C cups. Her legs were beautifully curved, smooth, and muscular, as were her arms.

What could possibly go wrong with her life? Apparently a lot. I scolded myself for thinking that way. Only the year before, she had lost her father due to stomach cancer. She lived with her mother and sister now.

My brain started hurting, so I shook my head to clear it. I started thinking about her past boyfriends, and my chest tightened. I wanted to tear them all to pieces. She's mine. She didn't have very many, just Nales and a couple other guys. Nales. I growled at the name. I would tear him to pieces if I ever saw him again. He hurt her. Not only that, but I had started to see him as a rival.

My stomach felt queasy. I went into the bathroom, only to see Evan vomiting. I backed away slowly and threw up in my father's bathroom.

"What the hell?" Father said when he saw me. "Two boys getting themselves sick? What have I done?"

"It's not you," I told him, then expelled the contents of my stomach. Father held my hair back. When I finished, he pulled me into his arms and right into bed.

"I'm such a stupid loser," I said.

"No, you're not. You made a mistake. We all do that sometimes." He started to braid my hair.

"I also hate how the white tips in my hair contrast with the black."

"Oh, hush. You have beautiful hair. It's the shade of ebony. You're such a handsome boy. Why you don't see it is beyond me."

"I just don't see the appeal."

"You are a silly boy. Why do you think Sarah's dating you? For your taste in music? You and she are vastly different, yet you still hold an attraction for each other. You are soulmates."

"Attraction does not mean soulmates."

"No, it doesn't. Something I should have learned a long time ago. I do wonder if I have found my true soulmate yet, but I know my son has. He does not know the depth of his luck. Most vampires have to wait at least two hundred years. I've been waiting two thousand years. I have my heir, though, and he's enough. I am happy with him. He does not know how deeply he is loved."

"Father, you're doing it again."

"Huh?"

"Talking about me in third person as if I'm not here."

"Oh. My apologies. Lately I have become so wrapped up in my own thoughts, I even talk about myself in third person."

"Father, that's not a good sign."

"You worry too much. I am fine. Older vampires are nearly indestructible; you know that." That was partially why he was so protective of me - I'm younger, and he sees me as more fragile. Coupled with a father's already-ingrained instincts, quadrupled twentyfold by vampire instincts, and you can see why he was behaving the way he was. My life had already been at stake, and he felt weak if he could not even protect our home and territory.

CHAPTER NINE- HOW SHE IS AND STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES

I finally called Sarah after my father fell asleep.

"Hello?" she replied weakly.

"Sarah, it's me. Look, I'm so sorry about last night. I don't know what I was thinking. Please take me back."

"Huh? We never broke up. I was just having a bad night."

"I know. I feel responsible, and it's all the time. Please let me come over."

"It's not safe. Is your house free?"

"Is there any other option?"

"No. I don't want our conversation to be public."

"Is it me?" I asked.

"No, silly, it's not you. It's just super private."

"I think I can get out. Meet me at the house, and I'll take you into the woods."

~~~~~~~~

She arrived about an hour later, looking cute in a white button shirt, jeans, and ankle boots.

"Why is Sarah here?" Grandfather asked, looking out at her car.

"I'm meeting up with her," I said. "Tell Father I'll be back soon."

I ran out to meet her. She looked up and stepped out of her car. I heard Grandfather say, "That boy is in over his head." I mentally gave him the bird. Sarah hugged me, surprising me. I hugged her back after two seconds.

"Would you like me to carry you?" I asked her. She blinked.

"Sure," she said. I picked her up bridal style and started running toward the forest. At first I went at vampire speed, then I slowed down a bit, so I was running closer to a human pace. I carried her over to a small waterfall that I knew of.

"Oh, Reese, it's gorgeous here," she said.

"It is. That's why I brought you here." The water was clear, and we could see tadpoles and minnows and turtles swimming around. A fox sounded in the distance, and Sarah clung to me.

"What was that?" she asked.

"It was just a fox," I said. "Living on the outskirts of town, I hear them all the time. Their calls can sound creepy, especially if you don't know what they sound like. Like a woman screaming." I laid back on the wet ground, Sarah placing her head on my chest.

"You left mud tracks in my room," she said.

"I did?"

"Yeah, I had to cover them up then clean them before Mom saw them."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's all right.

"No, it's not." I rolled over so I was on top of her. "This is all my fault, Sarah." She blinked, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"I'm so exhausted," she said. "I'm tired of the fights and lies. I know that you're also keeping something from me, Reese." My heart froze over. "And I won't push you for it. I ask that you give me the same space."

"Sarah, I-I can't. I love you too much. I have to know what your secret is. I need to know it so I can protect you from it." She sighed.

"You can't protect me from them, Reese. They all hate me now. Especially Scarlett. She's a witch."

"With a capital B."

"No, she's literally a witch."

My heart froze again.

"Sarah, I...I had no idea. How are you still alive?"

"That's the thing. I think she knows she'll be in deep shit if she kills me." She leaned against a rock and sighed. "We were all in on it. She showed us how to make beauty and popularity potions. Jordan showed her how to make them. I know that they learned all their tricks from another classmate. I think his name's Mason." Mason?

"Son of a bitch," I cursed. "He invited me to sit with him at lunch."

"Yeah, he's like that. He loves Scarlett, always has. But she doesn't love him. She uses him, and he doesn't even realize it."

"I...I have to make a call. Stay here." Before I could pull out my phone, I saw Evan sitting in the tops of the trees, glaring down at us. He looked like he was trying not to cry. And before either of us could react, my father appeared, clamping his hand over Evan's mouth, and pulling him away silently.

"Sarah, I have to go home. Do you want to hang out in my room?" I asked.

"Sure," she said, hugging her knees. I lifted her up again and carried her away to the house. Father was behind us, carrying a struggling Evan. I kept Sarah's attention away from them as best as I could. Sarah took her boots off when we got inside, as did I. I held her hand and led her up the stairs.

I pushed her onto my bed after locking the door. I held her tightly, pulling her into me.

"I need to skip work and school one of these days," she said. "Skip both of them and just sleep. That's all I want. Is that too much to ask for?"

"Pick a Saturday or Friday," I said. "Now, what else has Scarlett taught you?"

"She taught us how to steal. That's why I work so much. We became a stealing ring." I pulled away and looked at her. "That's right. I'm a thief," she said. "It all started with a strawberry lip gloss. Then it escalated and got bigger. We stole clothes, movies, books, makeup. It was hard, but we got better. Scarlett was of course our ringleader. The only one better than her at stealing was her sister Jordan. I was the last one to steal something. I stole a lip gloss first, then a pair of jeans, then shampoo, and so on. I have a whole pile of stuff I stole. We all do, especially Angela. She was the third best at stealing, then Honey, then Rachel, then Mia, then me.

"Scarlett and I were literally partners in crime. Where one of us was weak, the other one was powerful. She stole a lot more than I did, although she gave some of it to me. She didn't even want half the things she took, so she gave it to the rest of us. I remember there was this awful smelling conditioner that she took, and no one else wanted it, so she donated it. Imagine that. Stealing then donating." She chuckled.

"As our stealing got better, we got bigger. Some twelve-year-old girls saw Honey pocketing an eyeshadow, and wanted to know how she did it. So Honey got Scarlett, and we included them. They wanted to know the ins and outs of thievery. Eventually, our ring grew, and we got cocky. No one would have found us out, except that someone told on us. Someone from our group told our parents. No one knows for sure, and someone started a rumor that I was the one that told.

"The thing is, I never did tell anybody. Honestly, I think Jordan told to get back at Scarlett. To ruin her. But since I'm the one who openly crushed on Michael Nales, Scarlett went after me, especially since I was the weakest thief."

I gazed at Sarah in shock. Her, a thief? She stole from business owners?

"Did you steal from large businesses at least?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, I always targeted large businesses. The other girls chided me because of all the new security systems, but I refused to steal from someone who would lose more money over a stolen blouse." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "You probably hate me now."

"Sarah, I could never hate you. I admit that I'm shocked and a bit disappointed, but I could never hate you." She buried her head in her knees and started crying.

"I know that what I did was wrong," she whimpered, "I felt pressured into doing something I'm against."

"Sarah it's not your fault," I said. She looked up at me.

"Why do you do that? Say my name all the time?"

"Partly because I like the name Sarah, and also to get your attention and to get my point across. Don't change the subject. What else did they make you do?"

"That's all. I made beauty and popularity potions. I quit cheerleading. I started doing what my mom used to do, and drank a bunch of alcohol." Clearly this was a joke to her, because she smiled.

"Why do I get this feeling that you're holding something back?" I asked. She looked uncomfortable. "It doesn't matter," I said. I gently pushed her onto the bed. I counted four different eyeshadow shades on her eyes, including dark blue. It made her eyes seem brighter. I smelled her hair. It smelled floral. Her gardenia scent seemed stronger now.

"Sarah...do you use gardenia shampoo?" I asked. She looked confused.

"No...my shampoo smells like sweet alyssum. My usual perfume smells more like Spanish amber." Huh. I had noticed those scents, but nothing smelled as strong as her gardenia scent. She sat up. "Well, I should go."

"Sarah, please stay," I begged. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? And my mother will be getting worried. I'm still in deep shit for breaking the law so many times."

"Who cares about the damn law?" I pulled her close to me and kissed her. "I love you. Can't you take the day off?"

"I really can't. I'm still paying back for all the stuff I took."

"How much do you need?" I asked.

"Honestly? It'll probably be hundreds of dollars."

I went out into the living room.

"Father, where's my checkbook?" I asked.

"In my desk drawer. What do you need it for?"

"I'll tell you later." I went into his office and pulled my checkbook out. I wrote a check for one thousand dollars.

"What are you doing?" Sarah asked.

"Take this. It'll help you relax."

"Oh, Reese..." Tears sprang into her eyes, especially when she saw the amount. "I can't take this."

"The money's not a problem. As for your pride, screw pride. Take it." She stared at it for a long moment, then wrapped her arms around me. I squeezed her tightly.

"My ribs are starting to hurt," she complained.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I quickly released her.

"I have to go cash this. Then I'm going to quit my crappy job and get some sleep," she declared.

"Call me when you wake up."

"Oh, I will! Thank you so much, Reese!" She hugged me again and then went downstairs. I followed her. She put her boots back on, grabbed her keys, and walked out.

~~~~~~~~~~

"And in other news, two teachers at North Hampton High School were found dead under strange circumstances. Darla Danielson and Matthew Herman were found in the parking lot, their bodies completely drained of blood and their hearts removed from their chests." I looked at my father. He was looking at my uncle, who was stretched out comfortably with his hands laced over his stomach.

"Soren, what have you done?" Father asked.

"I killed two birds with one bite. Those two tortured students. Danielson bullied students, even targeting specific ones, yelling at them, handing out punishments unjustly. The other one had a particular infatuation with several students, including Ariella and Sarah."

"Sarah never told me this," I said. "Neither did Ariella."

"I think Sarah's ashamed. He touched her on the behind several times and rubbed her shoulders a little too long for her comfort, even giving her a gift one usually gives to a girlfriend or wife."

"What did he give her?"

"A ring. A diamond ring, if I'm not mistaken."

"And you have no qualms with displaying their bodies?" Grandfather asked, frowning.

"I did that to send a message."

"What about evidence? DNA?"

"I wore latex gloves. I kept my hair tied up and out of the way. I made doubly sure that it couldn't be traced back to us."

"What is wrong with you?" I blurted out. My uncle frowned at me.

"I thought you of all people would be most pleased, Reese. Think about the things they've done." I thought for a moment. If I was in my uncle's place, would I do the same thing? I didn't know. Giving my girlfriend a diamond ring definitely constituted some sort of punishment, but taking their lives was quite violent and uncharacteristic for Uncle Soren.

I leaned against my father, who purred and kissed the top of my head. I had a headache.

"Father," I said, "Matthew Herman talked to me one day and said that if I ever needed to talk to him-"

"He WHAT?" Oops. I forgot how strong his instincts are. He cupped my face. "Tell me the truth, Reese, did he touch you? Make you feel uncomfortable?"

"He didn't touch me," I told him, trying to assuage his worries. "He did make me wonder what he wanted."

"Then I'm glad he's dead. He could have hurt my child!" He pulled me into a crushing hug. "I wish you'd left him to me, Soren."

"Be glad he's dead. When I think about what he could have done..." He shuddered. Father buried his nose in my hair. Burying his nose in my hair is both a way to distract and soothe himself and to make sure I was all right.

"Uncle Soren, how did their blood taste?" I asked. He wrinkled his nose.

"Foul. That bitch Danielson reeked of alcohol, and Herman's blood was downright terrible." He grinned. "But it felt good to kill them. Totally worth it."

"And yet you still have no qualms with displaying their bodies?" Grandfather said, sounding miffed.

"Get over it, Father. Yes, I may have screwed up, and I will take full responsibility if it is traced back to us. I will take care of it."

Grandfather still looked unsure. "I'm going to be honest. If anything were to happen to you...I don't know what I'd do."

"You'd break me out of prison."

"Of course I would. And I would send you out of the country as soon as possible."

My father made a gagging noise. Grandfather flicked his ear.

"Why did you need your checkbook, son? You rarely buy anything," Father said.

"Sarah needed some money. Earlier today, she told me that she...something private. She needed money, so I gave her some of mine as a gift."

"That was nice of you. How much did you give her?"

When I told him the number, he looked surprised.

"That much?" he said. "I mean, I'm not upset, it's nothing to us, but why so much?"

"She's...in debt. She-"

"She's a thief," Grandfather said. "We all heard her talk about what she did, Reese." I looked around. Father and Uncle Soren were looking at me.

"Okay, yes, I gave her the money to make up for her losses." I laid back and sulked.

"Don't get upset, Reese," Uncle Soren said. "We all understand where you're coming from." I didn't believe him. None of them could possibly understand the depth of my love. Okay, I was exaggerating. They had all felt love before.

I thought about Sarah and what she had told me. There was a lot more to her than I originally thought. Of course, I knew she was complicated. I was grateful that she shared her secrets with me. Father pulled me into his lap and rubbed my shoulders. I pulled away from him, and he gave me a hurt look.

"I have to talk to somebody," I said.

"Who?"

"Do you remember Mason Godfrey?"

"No."

"Okay, never mind. I'll see you all later." I started to stand up, then I was suddenly grabbed around the waist and pulled back down. Father turned me around.

"Reese, tell me who he is. What is going on?"

"Father, he's just a guy I know. Now let me go." Father reluctantly released me.

"What is wrong with him?" Father asked as I walked away.

"Welcome to Parenting Teenagers 101," Uncle Soren replied sarcastically.

~~~~~~~~~~

I called Mason quickly.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mason, it's Reese."

"Oh, hey. What's up?"

"We have to talk. When's a good time for us to meet up?"

"How about Monday after hell ends?" He meant school.

"That works. Say, Moore Park?"

"Whatever works for you. All right. See you then, buddy." He hung up. And called me buddy. After our talk, it unlikely that we would be "buddies" again.

~~~~~~~~

When I got to Moore Park, Mason was already there, leaning against a tree.

"What's up?" he said when he saw me.

"Scarlett and her clique. That's what's up. Start explaining."

"What?" He looked genuinely confused. "I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do," I said. He sighed.

"I'm a warlock," Mason said. "Scarlett's a witch. So is her sister. I...I've loved Scarlett for years. Our parents are friends. My parents are the most talented warlock and witch in the world. Scarlett's parents were taken under their wing. Scarlett and I go back to before babyhood. We were conceived a few months apart and were in our mothers' wombs together until I was born. I was born October thirty first, believe it or not, and Scarlett and Jordan were born three months after.

"We were all trained by my parents. My father, specifically. Over time, I slowly fell for Scarlett. Jordan always wants whatever Scarlett has, so she asked me out. I rejected her. That upset her, and she started teaching Scarlett about witchcraft. Scarlett was already quite beautiful, but the spells Jordan showed her made her even more so. Scarlett and Jordan's clique slowly grew, and so did their secrets. They showed many of the girls these spells.

"Every single one of them cast at least one spell. Soon after, Scarlett learned how to steal things, and she taught the other girls. Thus resulting in the current fight between clique members."

I looked at Mason in disbelief. I felt sorry for Sarah. Her group of friends went down a dark path, and became consumed with power. Power that did not belong to them.

Of course, I knew Sarah wasn't perfect. She herself had told me that. But she was perfect to me. My beloved. I looked over at Mason, and realized he was fighting tears.

"What kind of witch is Scarlett?" I asked.

"Her element is fire," Mason told me. "Jordan's is air. " He crossed his arms over his chest. "This is all my fault. I showed Jordan those spells. I'm slowly realizing that neither of them are worth pining over. Later on, I showed Scarlett simple tricks and cleansing rituals. I showed her how to absolve guilt and take control of people. I did not realize how much it would backfire. When my father found out, he was not happy with me. I disappointed him. I feel like a terrible son, a terrible friend, and I'm not worthy of being anyone's lover."

"Sarah got hurt," I said.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I know how much you like her."

"You have no idea how much she means to me."

"I think I do. You love her like I once loved Scarlett. I once thought, what would a vampire know about love?" I looked at him in astonishment.

"How long have you known?"

"Since freshman year. My mother told me about specific features of the royal vampire family. I know that your grandfather is Eilief, current king of the vampires. I know that you have an uncle named Soren, a cousin named Louis, and your father's name is Mordecai. I also know that you used to have an aunt named Alga, although I'm not sure exactly how she's related to you."

"Alga died many years ago," I told him. "She was my uncle's wife and my cousin's mother." I raised an eyebrow. "And what about inviting me over? Was that a ploy?"

"It was," Mason admitted. "Scarlett wanted me to get to know you, since you had helped Sarah. I'm sorry, Reese. I really do want to be your friend." I looked at him in disgust.

"You are the worst person ever," I said, turning around and walking away. I started up the Astro, looking over at Mason. He got into his own car, biting his lip. I thought, he's not bad looking. He's the type of guy I might date if he were into guys. You idiot, you're with Sarah now. Focus on her.

~~~~~~~~

Calm is not to be around a vampire prince for long. When I got home, I heard kissing. Slightly curious, I went over to the living room, where the kissing was coming from. When my eyes locked on Ariella and Uncle Soren wrapped around each other, shirtless, I nearly screamed. Instead of screaming, though, I let out a small squeak of shock. Uncle Soren looked up and growled. When he saw me, he got off of my best friend.

"Reese! It's not what it looks like!" He immediately put his shirt back on. Ariella sat up, looking embarrassed and ashamed.

"Wh-what the hell?!" I cried out.

"I should go," Ariella said. Uncle Soren grabbed her hand.

"Call me later," he said. I frowned and started going upstairs. "Reese, wait!" My uncle caught up with me, still fumbling with his shirt buttons.

"Uncle Soren, she's sixteen!" I retorted.

"The legal age for consent in this state. I asked her if she liked me, and she said yes."

"She has a boyfriend!"

"That is false. She did not get back with him."

"They're crazy about each other!"

"Reese, I love her. I've never felt this way about anyone, not even Alga."

I looked at him in disgust and walked away, furious. I slammed the bedroom door in his face. I started dialing my father's cell phone number.

"Reese," Uncle Soren said through the door. "You're not calling your father, are you?"

"What else am I supposed to do?" I snapped.

"How about we work out a deal? I give you ten million dollars for your silence." I paused. That was a lot of money. Plus the money could be used to help Sarah.

"Hello?" I realized I'd hit the green button, and my father had answered. "Hello? Reese?" I hung up.

I opened the door and faced Uncle Soren.

"I accept," I said. He surprisingly embraced me.

"Thank you, my boy."

As he wrote out a check, I pretended to be reading social media news stories. Actually, I was thinking about Ariella. Why would she do this to me? Did she plan on telling me? Did she know what we were? I doubted it. Uncle Soren may fall in love too easily, but he's not stupid. I took the check as he handed it to me and went back out to the car to put it in my savings account.

As soon as I finished depositing the check, I went back home. Father was sitting on the porch, smoking.

"Reese, did you try to call me?" he asked.

"It was accidental," I said. He raised an eyebrow.

"Reese, I thought we had discussed being honest with each other. Give me your hand." I reluctantly gave him my hand and he closed his eyes. Seconds after, he opened his eyes again and ran into the house.

"YOU BRIBED MY SON?!" Father was so infuriated that he had Uncle Soren by the neck.

"I...needed...his...silence," Uncle Soren struggled to speak.

"Shut up! Get the hell out!"

"Father, please," I said. He looked at me, and his eyes were red. I let out a squeak of surprise and fear. Not only were his eyes red, but his pupils were also slitted, kind of like a cat's. His eyes slowly softened when he saw how frightened I was. He walked toward me, and I instinctively backed away. He whimpered. Uncle Soren tried to move, and my father punched him in the stomach.

"Father, it wasn't his fault," I protested desperately. He looked at me, and his eyes were yellow again, although his pupils were still slits.

"Reese," he said, "This man had relations with an underage girl. Your best friend. He bribed you to stay silent."

"Please don't kill him," I begged. "I should not have introduced them yet."

"Don't be silly. You're not to blame. I won't kill him yet, only because you asked me not to." He slowly released Uncle Soren. My uncle fell to the ground, clutching his stomach.

"I think you rearranged my guts," my uncle said.

"Good. You deserve it."

"You're right; I should not have bribed Reese. I'll let him keep the money, I do not want it back."

"Damn straight."

Grandfather ran into the room.

"Which one of you tried to kill the other?" he asked, voice frantic. He looked at me.

"Father wants to kill Uncle Soren because...well..."

"He almost had sex with Ariella!" Father cried. Grandfather looked at my uncle.

"Is this true?"

"Father...Mordecai...I'm in love with her. Even Alga did not have the amount of love I feel for Ari."

"Only I can call her that," I growled.

"Get over it, Reese. Lots of people call her Ari, not just you."

I frowned and went up to my bedroom. I heard them arguing all night.

I was awakened when my father came in and wrapped himself around me.

"I'm glad you called, sweet," he said.

"Father, my life is messed up. I almost wish I'd never been born."

"Don't say that! Be glad you were born, and I'm glad you're mine. If Alexander thinks he can break us apart, he's got another thing coming."

"You're still concerned about him?"

"I'm more than concerned. I'm worried. I'm afraid he'll take you away from me, and I won't be able to save you."

"You want to be my hero?"

"I remember when I was your hero. You admired me. I was your helper, your father, your superhero."

"You're still my father."

"I'll always be your biological father. I won't always be your hero, and that irritates me."

~~~~~~~~~

I had decided that I must see a Seer. I needed to see one, because I needed to know if I was in a fruitless relationship. If my love for Sarah would lead nowhere.

I browsed the bookstore near a psychic's store, nervous. I eventually chose a few books and paid for them. Okay, I walked out with a lot of books. I went next door to a music store and bought a few CDs there. I eventually forced myself to go into the psychic's store.

Crystals and other gems were displayed in glass cases. Fairy dust was held in vials and set into necklaces. I thought, I'm a royal fool.

"Hello." I looked over and saw a tall woman who reminded me of a butterfly. She was smiling with big red lips and large blue eyes. She wore a thin cotton green skirt that covered everything down to the floor, an orange tank top, and a purple cardigan. Her blond hair was curled and pinned back with clips.

"How can Madame Indigo help you?" When she spoke, it was like bells chiming.

"I-I need to know something," I blathered.

"Of course. What is it you need to know?" Madame Indigo asked.

"I need to know if I'm fighting for nothing," I said. She took my hand and led me to a small table. She sat down and gestured for me to sit across from her. She took my hands in hers and closed her eyes.

"Your name is Reese Nicolai," she began. "You are...I don't believe it...you're royalty. You...my goddess...you're a vampire!" Her eyes opened and she flung me away, looking terrified.

"If I wanted to bite you, I would have already done so," I said, half-lying.

"That's true. My apologies. Please, give me your hand again." I gave her my hands again. "Your father's name is Mordecai Emery Nicolai. Your uncle's name is Soren Amaras Nicolai. You also have a cousin named Louis whose middle name is also your uncle's middle name. Your grandfather's name is Eilief. He took the name Nicolai because his father's name was Emery. You have a mother named Marina. She left your father because he tricked her with a love potion.

"Your father loves and adores you, Reese. You're incredibly lucky to have him as your father. But today you're not here about family, you're here about Sarah. Your love for her is as boundless as the universe. Or at least it will be, if you choose each other. Every person in the world has at least two possible soulmates. Yours happen to be Sarah Cresley and Evan Byrd."

I wanted to laugh.

"Is something the matter?" Madame Indigo asked me.

"Evan's a thorn in my side," I said. "He's a huge pain in the neck, even when he was human." She smiled.

"It seems you've already chosen your soulmate, then. Just so you know, his other potential soulmate is also a male vampire with a R name. Reid Lockhart. Your father will invite him to your family's annual Holiday Ball. They will meet there this winter and then he'll be off your back and out of your hair." I grinned at the thought.

"There is one problem, though," Madame Indigo continued. "You may have to fight for her. Sarah is unusual, because she has four possible soulmates. One of them happens to be you. Your rivals will also fight valiantly for her. One of them is a wizard named Crow."

"You're exaggerating," I said.

"No, I am not. I'm confused. Am I bisexual because I have both male and female soulmates?"

"No, you have male and female soulmates because you're bisexual. Sexuality is complicated, and asking questions like that will only confuse you more."

"Whatever. Does Sarah know about us?"

"I will have to see her before I know that."

"Hang on," I said. I had a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach. "You can tell how my father feels about me, yet you don't know how Sarah feels?"

"Your relationship with your father is less complicated and more knowledgeable. You love each other like a father and son should. You care for each other deeply. Your father once told you that he would never forgive himself if anything were to happen to you, and he meant it. My knowledge is subjective, Reese." I blinked.

"Okay, I think I'm done here," I said. "How much do I owe you?"

"Thirty-five dollars." I quickly paid and went outside. Running into her. "S-Sarah!" She looked equally shocked to see me.

"Is the psychic any good?" she asked.

"Don't bother. She said her knowledge was 'subjective'."

"Then I'd better see somebody else," she said. "Maybe a therapist." Then she looked terrified at her words, looking at me as if she had said something ghastly.

"Sarah, I...I need to talk to you. When's a good time?" I asked. She blinked.

"Now. Now's a good time. No more keeping things from each other. No more bullshit. Just you and me," she declared.

"I like that. Want to hang out in my van?"

Less than thirty seconds later, she was sitting in my passenger seat. I sat in the driver's seat. For a moment, we were silent. Then I broke it.

"I love you."

"I know," she replied.

"Do you love me too?"

"I'm not going to lie to you, Reese. I'm starting to fall in love with you. Last night, I dreamed that I was pregnant with your baby. I think...I think I really am pregnant with Michael's baby." For a moment, I was stunned. Then I growled. Nales. He will die for this!

"Sarah, I...I'm sorry. I don't know if anything I say can make you feel better, all I want is for you to feel better." I clutched her and kissed her roughly. "I love you," I said. "I love you. I've loved you for so long, Sarah, and now I..." She broke away from me, confusing me. My stomach flipped as I looked into her eyes.

She leaned her head against my chest. She scooted closer to me. I growled possessively and smelled her hair. It smelled like lavender.

"Nothing is more important to me than loving you," I said. She looked affronted and frowned at me. Crap. What did I say?

"What about your father?" she asked. "And about loving me...I'm not more important than love between a boy and a girl?" My brain pondered her reasoning, and it only befuddled me further.

"Of course I love my father," I said. "And love is the most important thing in the world."

"You're right," she said, her eyes softening. "I'm sorry; I'm being silly."

"There's nothing silly about asking universal questions," I replied. Did matters of reproduction and marrying a wealthy person matter more than love? I thought not, and I hoped she felt the same way. I would have to ask Ariella later what she thought about what Sarah had said.

"My ex and I used to explore this place," she said. Okay, now she making me jealous. "But you probably don't want to hear about him."

"Damn right I don't." She looked surprised and mildly scared at my callous tone and words. "Forgive me," I said. My instincts were on overdrive. "Would you like me to drive you someplace?"

"Yeah," she said. "My friend dropped me off here. My car's low on gas."

"What friend?" I asked, gripping the steering wheel.

"Ariella." I looked at her in shock.

"Ari-Ariella Spears?"

"Mhmm. She and I have gotten really close since she helped me that night. I'm surprised she hasn't told you. Don't you, like, tell each other everything?"

"Almost," I said, thinking of her relationship with my uncle. I nearly crushed the steering wheel in my anger. "Put your seat belt on." She did as I commanded. I started driving.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Sarah! SARAH!" I cried as I looked over at her. She was unconscious and bleeding heavily from her leg. I unbuckled myself, unbuckled her, and lifted her into my arms. I kicked the door of the van off, sending it flying back. I hopped out, still holding my mate in my arms. Mate? Yes, mate. She was my mate now. I set her gently on the asphalt.

"Dude, are you okay?" someone asked.

"Call for an ambulance!" I snapped at him. I cradled her head. "Sarah, don't leave me, baby, don't leave me...I'm so sorry...please forgive me, this is all my fault...." I barely noticed the EMTs, who pushed me aside and focused on her.

"Are you all right?" asked one of them.

"I'm fine," I said. My cell phone rang. I glanced at it. Father. He must have seen what happened. "Hello?"

"Reese! Thank God! I saw you get into a car crash! Are you hurt?"

"Daddy, I'm fine, Sarah's not." I felt pain in my chest and doubled over.

"Reese, baby, listen to me carefully. Whether you're unhurt or not, I want you to go to the hospital with Sarah."

"That's my intention, Father," I said as they pulled out a gurney and put her on there. I climbed into the ambulance after her.

"Sweetheart, I'll be there soon. Don't do anything stupid or rash. I'm calling Sarah's mother as soon as I'm done talking with you. I need you to be honest about any pain or shock. I'm hanging up now. Call me once you get to the hospital. I love you." He hung up.

The EMTs pushed me aside again and began to work on her.

"Is she allergic to penicillin?" a tall black one asked.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully.

Even though they had the lights and sirens on, it still wasn't fast enough to me. As we went along, the pain in my chest grew worse. Finally, one of the EMTs noticed.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"There's a pain in my chest," I answered.

When we got to the hospital, I was placed on a gurney as well and brought inside. Sarah was taken to the Critical Care Unit along with me. They did a scan of my chest and found out that several of my ribs were broken. Soon enough, I heard my father.

"That's my son! I have to see him!" I saw him scurry over to me. "Reese! You said you weren't hurt!"

"Father, I was in shock. Several of my ribs are broken and there's possible internal bleeding." He made a noise that sounded like a squeak.

"My poor baby," he cooed.

My chest and abdomen were wrapped in bandages. When Father saw them, he looked sad.

"What's with that face?" I asked him.

"You were hurt, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I wish I got flashes of the future instead of flashes of the present. It would make both our lives easier."

"Meddling in the future is risky," I reminded him.

"Of course it is, but if it hadn't been for my gift, I would have never known what happened, and that scares me. If I got flashes of the future instead, I could have prevented this. Not allowed you to go out or something. What were doing in that part of town anyway?"

"I went to see a Seer."

"You did not! What did she ask for?"

"Money. That's it." He looked relieved. "Trust me, Father, I'm okay."

"No, you're not okay. It takes a lot of force to break a vampire's bone. And you have several broken ribs! If I hadn't been elsewhere...I should have gone with you...I feel like this is somehow my fault."

"You're being silly," I told him. He was over at my other side in less than a second. He lifted my head up and kissed my forehead.

"Even if I am just being silly, I still should have been there for you."

"How's Sarah?" I asked him. He became silent.

"It's not looking good, Reese." I sat up quickly, causing pain to shoot through me. "Lay down, son. I promise I'll watch over her." With that, he walked away.

~~~~~~~~~

He advanced toward me. He looked like me, except he was more muscular and taller. Sarah stood in front of me.

"Get out of my way, pumpkin," he said. "After this, you and I can live forever in peace. Trust me." He pushed her aside, causing her to land on her ass. He jammed a dagger into my stomach, causing me to double over.

"No!" Sarah cried. I smiled at her.

"He's bluffing, sweetheart," I said.

"Why aren't you dying?!" my doppelganger cried, stabbing me over and over again. "Die, bastard, die!"

"No!" Sarah tried to shove him off of me. He pushed her away, slicing her arm open. She cried out in shock and tears streamed down her face.

"Son of a bitch!" I cried, throwing myself at him. He kicked me in the chest, sending me back. I heard Father's voice.

"Reese, baby, it's just a dream. Please wake up."

I did wake up. Father had his arms around me and was cradling me.

"I had a dream about my doppelganger," I said. His eyes widened.

"Doppel...Reese, that's not good."

"Father, don't be superstitious."

"Son, I...I've also had dreams about my doppelganger. In each dream, I wind up dead. I couldn't live with myself if I left you too early. Who would look after you?"

"Father, we're vampires. We can handle anything."

"You have nine broken ribs!"

"Almost anything. How is Sarah?"

"She's doing better. Her arm's broken, and so is one of her legs. She too has several broken ribs and her baby is doing well."

"Baby? She really is pregnant?" I asked.

"Yes, she's pregnant. I assume it is Nales' baby?"

"Yes, it belongs to Nales." I growled. He would regret the day he hurt Sarah. I would be handing out his punishment.

~~~~~~~~

"Sarah, I love you. Please wake up," I said to her form. Her eyes opened and she looked at me sleepily.

"Wha-what happened?" she asked.

"We were in a car crash. You were injured. I'm so sorry, Sarah."

"How is my baby?" she asked. Her eyes widened frightfully.

"He or she is doing fine," I answered.

"How is she, really?"

"How do know it's she? And it really is okay. No harm done to the fetus. You, however, have several broken bones."

"The only time I've ever broken anything is when I was at cheerleader camp one time and my ankle broke. I had to go home early."

"Well, you broke your left leg and arm, and seven ribs."

"What about you?" I pulled up my shirt.

"I have nine broken ribs. That's it. I'm so sorry, Sarah. This is all my fault."

"Accidents happen. The important thing is we're all alive." I kissed her lips softly. They were dry and thirsty. I filled a cup with water and offered it to her. She thanked me and sipped slowly.

"Sarah, can I ask you something?" I said. She looked at me with a mouth full of water. Her cheeks were slightly puffed, which gave her a chipmunkish look. "How do you know the baby's she?" She swallowed her water.

"I don't. I'm hoping it's she. Before all this, I wanted to wait until I was married for a baby. Now I have no choice but to go through with it."

"What about abortion?"

"I support abortion rights, I just can't do it myself. I once knew a girl, and she was the nicest person ever, and she had an abortion. She never regretted it. If my baby's a girl, I want to name her Selena."

"A beautiful name. What if it's a boy?"

"Probably a C name. I've always like C names. Maybe I'll name the baby Caitlin with a C if it's a she."

"How about Cirino?" I offered. "It means 'like the sun'."

"Oh Reese, that's perfect! Problem is, I can't take care of a baby. I have school and life."

"I'll figure out something, sweetheart, don't you worry," I crowed. Maybe Father or Uncle Soren can take it, I thought.

"Sarah!" Sarah's mother Alicia came barreling through. "What happened, babycakes?" She hugged her daughter gently.

"Mom, I'm fine. I just have some broken bones, that's all."

"That's all!" Her voice lowered. "Sarah, I've had to give up our health insurance. The money your father left us is drying up quickly. I can't afford any hospital."

"Since the crash was my fault, I'll take care of the costs," I said. Alicia's eyes widened.

"Reese, you don't have to...you're just a kid!"

"I have amassed a great sum of money from a relative. The cost is no problem." Alicia hugged me tightly.

"Reese," Father spoke up. "The person who hit you wants a word with you." My stomach twisted into a tight knot. I glanced back at Alicia and Sarah, then followed my father. I hadn't given a second thought to the person whom I'd hit. I was more concerned about Sarah and the baby.

"Jake, this is my son Reese," Father said, introducing me to an average-looking guy a few years older than me. We shook hands and discussed insurance. He was unhurt, as was his girlfriend and young daughter.

"What about the girl you were with?" the girlfriend, Carmen, asked.

"She has a few broken bones, but she and the baby will be okay," I said.

"She's pregnant?!" I turned around. Alicia had a horrified look on her face.

"Excuse me," I said to Jake and Carmen, and went over to Alicia. She headed toward Sarah's room.

"Are you really pregnant?" she asked Sarah. Sarah looked surprised, then sad.

"Yes, Mom, I'm pregnant." Alicia started screaming.

"It's all your fault!" she said, jabbing a finger into my chest.

"First she steals, then she gets raped, she gets into a crash, now she's pregnant! It all started when you started hanging out with her! I forbid her to see you again!"

"First of all," Father said, stepping in, "It was Michael Nales who raped Sarah, not Reese. The blame for the crash lays on both sides, and she's pregnant because of Nales. So do not blame my son."

Alicia was speechless.

"Furthermore, my son offered to pay her hospital bills. Even if he doesn't, I gladly will. I like Sarah, and I think she'll be a wonderful mate for Reese."

"Who said anything about mates?" Alicia skewered.

"Who said anything about being less than mates?" Father retorted. "None of this is Reese's fault. You just want to lay blame on somebody, and he's an easy target because they spend so much time together these days. As for the shoplifting, you can blame her old friends." Father put an arm around my shoulders. Sarah was trying not to cry.

"I need a moment with my daughter," Alicia said.

"As you wish. Come, Reese." I followed him, feeling like a dog. My stomach growled, and Father snuck me a bottle of viscous crimson blood, which I downed quickly in a restroom stall. Father sat in the waiting room. I sat beside him and leaned on him. My ribs protested when I slouched, though, so I was forced to sit up straight. Father made a noise in his throat, almost like a whine.

"Father, is she going to be okay?" I asked.

"She's fine. I can hear her speaking with Alicia now. She is not in any trouble. I...I think I know someone who might be able to take the baby if she cannot take care of it."

"Really? Who?"

"I can't tell you. He hates me, and he doesn't even know that you exist. He mustn't know that you exist, or he will try to kill you. I will have my father text or call him."

"Father," I said, "Is this man a relative?" He said nothing. "Do I know him?"

"Not personally."

"Father, I have to know."

"Hush, Reese. You'll find out in due time."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Father was sobbing and holding my lifeless body.

"Reese...my beloved Reese..." he repeated. "I'm so sorry...I should have been there for you. Now I will never see your eyes light up, or your smile, nor will I get to hold you while you cower because of self-hating thoughts. I love you. I love you." He repeated these three words over and over again.

He noticed a dagger laying right there in the middle of the forest. He lifted it up, examining it. Its hilt was encrusted with gold and rubies and emeralds and sapphires. The point was made of the finest metal in the world. Father drove it into his chest. While he died, he laid his head on my chest.

"I will be with you again," he said. "I can't live without you."

I woke up in a sweat. Father was lying beside me, breathing steadily. When I sat up, he pushed me back down again gently.

"Father, I had a strange dream," I said.

"What was it, love?" I calmly repeated everything that had happened in my dream. When I finished, he only chuckled.

"It's not funny!"

"Oh, Reese, I would never wait that long to kill myself if I lost you. I'd kill myself right away, or let Alexander kill me. It is true, however, that I can't imagine life without you. You are the jewel in my eye, the gem in my chest. You are my only weakness." He kissed my scalp.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Still in the hospital. They want you to stay overnight just in case. I'm amazed that they allowed you to walk around on your own earlier."

"And Sarah?"

"She's fine. She and your grandfather had a conversation. She agReid to give the child away to the person I know."

"Is it Alexander?" I asked. He growled.

"Do not say that name. Yes, Alexander has agReid to take the child. He wants another son. He only has Kieran, his half-human child, and Kieran doesn't even like his own father."

"Why not?"

"Alexander is a tyrant. He controlled every aspect of Kieran's life. Nothing he ever did was good enough. But Alexander loves Kieran, like I love you."

"When will I meet him?"

"Um, never. He will either kill or kidnap you. And I can't have that."

"Father, I have to know him."

"No, you don't."

"He was Mother's fiancé."

"Until I stole her away."

"But if you hadn't, he would have been my father!"

Father growled at that.

"I am your father. I am your parent. Not him. I don't want to hear any more about it. Now, go back to sleep." He looked into my eyes. "You will fall asleep, and forget about Alexander. You will not remember this conversation. You will not mention him again."

"Father, stop doing this...." I said as I drifted off.

CHAPTER TEN - RIVALS

I was able to leave the next day. I woke up naturally, forced down yucky human food, swallowed some blood, tried to keep it all down, and was joined shortly by Father. He insisted on helping me bathe and dress, until I threatened to give him the silent treatment. He sat back and sulked while I pulled my jeans on first, then my shirt, then my socks and boots.

I let him help me pack up and get ready to go, which pleased him. I visited Sarah quickly. She would also be leaving in another day or two. Father promised to help Alicia with the Bills. As we started to leave, Father paused. I looked over. Grandfather was talking with a tall, muscular vampire with shoulder-length black hair and bright blue eyes.

The vampire stopped talking and looked over at us. He glared at my father for a moment, then his eyes trailed to me. Father growled and pushed me behind him. The new vampire studied me, paying extra attention to my hair and eyes.

"How are you, Reese?" Grandfather asked.

"Better," I said.

"Your ribs still hurting?"

"A little bit."

"All right, then. I will see you later, my boy." I said goodbye to Grandfather as Father herded me out.

"That was Marina's son?" asked the new vampire.

"That was Alexander," Father said.

"Why do you hate him so much?" I asked.

"I...it's complicated. Stay away from him, Reese."

"Father, why would I go to someone who wants to kill me?" I asked. "Father?" His eyes were glazed over. He was having a vision. He growled and lifted me up bridal style.

"He wants to take you away from me," he said.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I just know!" he snapped. He put me in the back of his Rolls Royce and got into the driver's seat himself. "Buckle yourself in." And then he started driving. I sat up and buckled up.

When we got back to the house, he insisted on unbuckling me and carrying me up himself.

"How's my van?" I asked.

"It needs work. I managed to get everything out of your van, though." He kissed my hair and rubbed his nose in it. "It's my fault," he said. "I should have been more attuned to you. You needed me, and I completely ignored you. I knew something was going to happen, but I had no idea it would be you who would get hurt."

"It's not your fault," I said. He wrapped his legs around my waist, keeping me in his grip. We were sitting on the couch now. Father put his head on my shoulder.

"I promise you, I won't mess up again," he said.

"Father, you cannot stop making mistakes. Everyone does."

"Hush, Reese." He picked up a book out of the bag that had come from my van and held up it. "The Bell Jar. Interesting choice, Reese. What else...The Crimes of the Sarahs. Not as well known, but still looks okay. What drew you to this one?"

"The fact that all their names are Sarah may or may not have had something to do with it. And the fact that they are a true clique in that they have a leader, and her word is law."

"Interesting."

He kept me warm and safe all night.

~~~~~~~~~

When school started again, everyone was still buzzing about the deaths of the two teachers. My ribs were quickly healing, and Father insisted on driving me everywhere. As the day wore on, my stomach became queasy. It got so bad that I actually vomited. My European History teacher Mr. Baxter heard me throwing up. When I came out of the stall, he took me to the school nurse.

"Reese here was throwing up in the bathroom," he told the nurse, a middle-aged lady with bleached blond hair and loads of blue eyeshadow. The nurse, Ms. Swanson, told me to lay on the cot. Things got worse when a girl came in complaining of menstrual cramps.

As she went into the bathroom, my stomach protested. My nose detected A positive, and my fangs started growing. I kept my arm over my mouth. When the girl finished in the bathroom and laid on one of the cots, I went into the bathroom and threw up again. I don't know how long I stayed in there, and when I came out, Ms. Swanson was on the phone with my father.

"He's been throwing up constantly for almost an hour," she said. "He just came out again. Hold on." She put one hand over the receiver. "Reese? Your dad wants to talk to you."

"Hey, Dad," I said.

"Reese, did you feel sick this morning?"

"No."

"Is anyone bothering you?"

"Just you." He ignored that jab.

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

"Please no. I'm fine." As I spoke the last word, I nearly vomited again.

"I don't believe that. I will come get you in a few minutes. Give the phone back to the nurse." I gave the phone back to Ms. Swanson and laid on the cot again.

~~~~~~~~

I was starting to fall behind on homework. I cursed myself as I frantically scratched out the wrong answer on a math assignment. My sick stomach had kept me home for almost two days. I sent Sarah countless texts and e-mails and phone calls- to no avail. I was worried and sick, and it was all starting to affect my health. My father was constantly fearful. He checked on me every hour or so, even opening the door once when I was taking a bath.

After yelling at him for a minute, I nearly vomited again. I hated myself for forgetting my Mythology textbook. When I was younger, in addition to regular public schooling, my father hired a tutor during the summer, even when we vacationed in Greece for weeks at a time. He fired the tutor after I started middle school, though.

I put my head on my desk in exasperation. Father came barreling in.

"Reese!" He lifted my head up. "Baby, you look like you haven't eaten or slept. Have you been taking care of yourself?"

"Father, I'm so tired. Mostly from stress. I forgot my Mythology textbook, and I keep screwing up on this assignment, and my European History report got a lower grade than I expected, and Sarah's not answering me, and I miss Ariella."

"Oh, baby!" He hugged me tightly, being careful not to squish my ribs. "I'm going out for an hour. When I return, I want to see that you've eaten and rested. You need a break. Go to sleep and take a few days off if you must. I will tell the principal that you are ill and must stay home."

"Father-"

"No arguing. Go to sleep now." He carried me over to the bed and tucked me in.

~~~~~~~~~

I had been sleeping for about four hours when I heard a noise downstairs that jolted me awake. Thinking it was Father, I rolled over and covered my head with a pillow. Then I smelled a familiar smell. For a moment, I couldn't place it. It was musky and earthy, with floral undertones. I sat up and slowly got out of bed.

I headed downstairs slowly. Sensing possible danger, I grabbed a pocketknife from my nightstand drawer. My gut twisted as I grew closer to the smell. One more turn, and a tall vampire stood right in front of me.

The vampire in front of me was tall, muscular, and remarkably handsome. He had long black wavy hair that reached his shoulders, bright blue eyes, and a large nose. His skin was pale and smooth, yet hardened, as though he'd seen too many years. Simply put, he was Alexander Nicolai.

"Hello, Reese," he said to me. "You're coming with me." He grabbed my arm. He had a deep, aged voice.

"Hold on," I said. "I don't know who you are, and why should I come with you?"

"I think you know who I am," he said after a moment. "And the reason why you should come with me is because I'm your real father."

"My father is Mordecai Nicolai," I said.

"Obstinate boy." He pulled me along anyway.

"Stop this. I'm not your son!" I cried out. He lifted me up over his shoulder and started to carry me away.

"ALEXANDER! PUT HIM DOWN!" My father's frantic voice cut through the air. Alexander turned around. He set me back on my feet.

"You," Alexander growled when he saw my father. "You've interfered for the last time. If I had known there was a child, I would have done this years ago."

"He's mine!" Father cried. "Look at him; he has my eyes and hair!"

"His hair looks nothing like yours! He clearly gets his hair from me."

"You idiot, Marina has hair as black as night. He gets his hair color from her. He's clearly mine. Now release him, and I will not kill you today." Alexander set me down gently. He crouched and started circling my father. My father also crouched, and began circling his rival.

"What's going on?" I asked Grandfather.

"I will explain it to you later," he snipped. "Stop this, both of you!" Father glanced up at him. "There's only one for sure way to settle this. A paternity test."

"We all know what it will say," Father growled. "'Reese is Mordecai's son.'"

"False. It will say 'Reese is Alexander's son.'"

Father snarled at him. He wrapped his arms around me in a protective embrace. "MINE!"

"Alexander, you have a son," Grandfather said.

"If it hadn't been for that...thing, I would have another," Alexander replied. Father growled and started smelling me.

"He's bruised," Father said. He glared at Alexander. "You hurt him!"

"I did not mean to-"

"Even now, I would be a much better father than you, Alex."

"Don't call me Alex! How would you like it if I called you Mordy?"

"Gentlemen," Grandfather broke in, "Not in front of Reese. He's innocent in all this."

"He's a vampire," Alexander argued. "He's not innocent."

"He drinks bagged blood. But his diet is not important. Alexander, it was a long time ago. Can't you forgive Mordecai?"

"No! Absolutely not! He stole my son from me!"

"HE IS NOT YOUR SON!" Father cried. He nearly crushed me.

"Father...my ribs..." I spoke up. He immediately loosened his grip.

"My apologies, sweet one."

"See? You're the one hurting him now," Alexander said. "You cannot even be gentle when you're trying to protect him." He bared his teeth. "All of this is your fault," he told my father. "If you had not taken my mate from me, none of this would have happened!"

"Reese would not have met his mate either," Father said. Alexander rolled his eyes.

"I don't care about that little girl."

"Well, I do," I said. "And if you truly loved me, you would at least give her a chance."

"Don't speak to me in that manner, you little shit."

"Good boy," Father said, kissing my cheek.

"Don't encourage it, Mordecai," Grandfather said. "Soon enough, he'll be saying that to you." Father ignored him and jumped onto a tree branch with me still in his arms.

"Must protect offspring," he said. "Keep him away from that...from him."

"Father, I'm safe."

"No, you're not." He cradled me like a baby. "My sweet, beautiful, intelligent boy. I can't live without you."

"Give him to me!" Alexander leaped toward us and grabbed me around the waist. My father kicked Alexander in the stomach and held me back. He handed me to Grandfather, who checked me for injuries and kept me at a safe distance from Alexander.

Father held Alexander in a headlock. Alexander punched him in the stomach and threw him off. He bared his teeth at Father.

"Fine. I will submit to a paternity test. If it says that he's mine, I'm taking him with me," he leered.

"If he isn't yours?" Father asked.

"I will admit I was wrong and let him stay with you."

"Do I have a say in this?" I asked.

"No," Father and Alexander said at the same time.

"It's best to let them work it out," Grandfather whispered in my ear. "And besides, Alexander, Sarah said she would give her child to you."

"The child is human, and it's not the same," Alexander said. "I don't care if it is a boy, it's simply not the same."

I felt faint. I collapsed onto the floor. Father panicked.

"Reese!" He and Alexander were both at my side in seconds. "Reese, baby, stay with me!" Alexander lifted me into his arms. Father hissed.

"Will you shut up? He needs me!" Alexander exclaimed.

"What he needs is rest! I'm his father; I know what's best for him!" Alexander dropped me and held my father in a chokehold. Father elbowed him in the stomach and kicked out of his grip. He lifted me up gently.

Having had enough, I went into my bedroom and slammed the door. I started writing a new song that I called "Her Lipstick on Me".

"She knows that I love her. She knows that I know that she loves me. Her eyes sparkle in the moonlight, they call out to me. She's so bright tonight, and so pretty, and I need to be close to her." That was as far as I got before I heard footsteps and then pounding on the bedroom door. "Come in."

Father came in, flanked by Alexander, Grandfather, and Uncle Soren.

"Whoa, is it my birthday?" I said sarcastically. Grandfather flicked my ear. Father sat on the bed and rubbed my legs.

"Whom do you choose?" Alexander asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"Choose one of us, Reese," Father said. I gaped at him.

"Are you serious? Are you fucking serious? You're my father, you're the only one I'll ever have." Father smirked at Alexander, who frowned. "What is this, a love triangle? Get the fuck out of my room." Father frowned at me.

"Why are you so hostile?" he asked.

"He's a teenager, Mordecai," Uncle Soren said. "Like I said before, welcome to the world of parenting teenagers. You should have already had enough experience to know that this was bound to happen. One day, he cannot get enough of you, and the next, he'll be telling you to get out of his room and leave him alone. And I mean all that literally."

"You have all raised teenage boys. I have not," Father pointed out. He leaned over and tried to read what I'd written in my songbook. I shut it quickly. He frowned. Alexander moved closer to me, and Father hissed at him.

"Please go," I begged. "I need some time alone."

"Of course, Reese." Grandfather bowed to me and left the room. Uncle Soren also left after a look from Father.

"Reese, please tell me what the matter is," Father said.

"All of this is the matter."

"All of what, sweetheart?"

"All of this." I pulled my knees up to my chest. "If I hadn't gotten involved, none of this would have happened."

"Don't do that. Don't blame yourself or act like a martyr. None of this is your fault. I'm sorry that you were caught in the middle, and I blame myself."

"Hypocrite," Alexander piped up.

"Shut your mouth, Alex."

"Don't call me Alex!" I heard a creak, then Evan opened the door. Alexander glared at him. "Who the hell is this?"

"Alexander, meet Evan. Evan, this is Alexander," I said cautiously. Evan and Alexander glared at each other for a moment, then Alexander huffed and refocused his attention onto me.

"Reese," Evan spoke up, "I got my memory back." I stared at him.

"How?"

"I don't know. One minute I was sleeping, then I saw...it's not important. Anyway, I remember everything."

"Evan," I said, "I am so, so sorry. I didn't mean to attack you." Father left the room, as did Alexander. To give us some privacy. Evan flitted forward and kissed me. For a moment, I closed my eyes. I pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. I growled as my belly tightened. I hadn't been kissed in so long. The last person who kissed me was Sarah, and her feelings about me were still on the fence. Sarah.

My eyes shot open and I pulled away quickly. Evan looked hurt.

"You don't need to breathe," he said.

"No, but I...I just can't. I'm sorry, Evan, I just can't." He looked sad.

"If she wasn't in your life, would you?"

"I...yes. If I didn't know her, then yes, you would be the one."

"What does she have that I don't?"

"For one thing, she doesn't use stupid cliches. She's super smart, and so innocent, and kind, and pure, and beautiful." Evan burst into tears. "Evan, please don't cry. I'm sorry." I buried my head in my legs. "This is all my fault. I should never have let my feelings control me. But Evan, you still have another soulmate."

"I have only one soulmate, and that's you, Reese."

"No, I...I was once told that each person has two possible soulmates, which are chosen based on their sexuality, beliefs, and faith. You have another soulmate, I swear. His name is Reid Lockhart. I...I can find him for you. I'll do anything to make this right."

"The only thing you can do is kill me. Either kill me or admit that we're meant to be."

"No, Evan, don't start that. I know I screwed up."

"Drink from me," he said, spreading his arms wide. I gave him a horrified look.

"Evan, are you crazy?! Do you think I'm that sick?" He started crying again. He sat on the carpet and sobbed, rocking back and forth. Feeling terrible, I sat beside him. "I'm so sorry. If I hadn't bitten you, this would not have happened!" Then I started crying. As much as I fought it, I could not stop the flow of tears and the cracks going through my heart. My lamenting brought Father and Alexander into the room, who fought each other to get to me.

Alexander "won", and he celebrated by holding me and saying "Hush, little one. It's all right, it's all right." Father growled at him. Alexander rubbed my back. His soothing motions calmed me enough to go over to Evan.

"Evan, I don't know what to do anymore. I've offered to find Reid for you, and I've done everything I could for you when you were human."

"Go to hell!" Evan snapped, backhanding me and jumping out the window, shattering the plexiglass. Shocked, I laid on the floor for a moment. Alexander lifted me up and stroked my hair. Father had gone after Evan.

"Are you all right, little one?"

"I-I'm fine. Alexander, hold me."

"Of course, son. As long as you need me to."

When Father came back, he looked angry.

"He's mine," he said to Alexander.

"Zip it, Mordecai. He's mine as well. I love him just as much as you do."

"You just met him!"

"If it wasn't for you, he would be mine."

"Wait a second," I broke in. "Just this morning, you were saying that I was yours." Alexander looked ashamed, and so did Father.

"We did the test," Alexander said. "Using a lock of your hair from your hairbrush."

"You did the test without my knowledge?!"

"I am so sorry, baby boy," Father said. I crawled into bed and did not speak to either of them. I felt Father try to crawl in beside me, and I let out a growl. He paused for a moment, then crawled in beside me. He wrapped one arm around my waist.

"Where's Evan?" I asked.

"I lost him about ten miles into the woods. I can't figure out where he went by his scent, either, since it seems to be everywhere." I sighed.

"It's my fault. I keep screwing up."

"Reese, it's not your fault." He peppered me with kisses. "Look at me." He held my chin up. "It's. Not. Your. Fault." I rolled over onto my belly. Father rubbed my back. Alexander sat beside me, causing Father to growl at him.

"How's Sarah?" I asked.

"She's doing well," Alexander answered. "So is the baby. He seems to enjoy it when I rub her belly." I sat up and growled at him.

"She's mine," I reminded him. He grinned at me.

"I'm not going to lie. I often imagine what it would be like if I was the one who loved her." I snarled at his words. I remembered what the psychic had said. Sarah had four possible soulmates, one of them being named Crow, and the others...well, one of them was me. I hadn't stayed long enough to learn who the other two were. I regretted that now.

"Hold on, you told us you didn't care about her," Father broke in.

"I lied. She is the mother of my future child, even if it isn't biologically mine. You are quite lucky, Reese. She talks about you often." My heart soared. If she talked about me, that was good. It meant our relationship meant something to her.

"What does she say about me?"

"Mostly that she misses you. She wants to talk to you, but does not know what to say. Her mother thinks it's your fault that she's pregnant."

"It is. It is my fault. I should have made my feelings clear sooner. If I hadn't been so scared and so stupid, and I could have protected her. She probably thought of me as a loser before all this. She probably still does. What do I have to offer her, besides money?"

"It's been proven that women often choose money over love."

"Alexander, you're not helping!" Father snapped at him. He stroked my hair. "Reese, you have to understand that none of this is your fault. You need not be involved any more than you already are."

"Father, I love her!"

"I know, and that concerns me. I know you've lied to me since talking to her. I know you snuck out. This is not healthy. And your...well, vampire emotions are much more powerful than human emotions, including depression and obsession."

"You're right, Father. I'm sorry. I am growing obsessed with her. I can't stop thinking about her. It's like she's taken over me. I have to see her again."

"No, not right now. You must rest. You have had a hard day."

"But Father-"

"No buts. Stay in the house and yard area. Do not go beyond the edge of the woods or beyond that big department store at the edge of town. And do not communicate with Sarah." It was like he ripped my heart out of my chest.

"Father, how can you do this to me?!"

"Hush. It will not kill you."

"Mordecai, do you want the boy to hate you?"

"Shut up, Alexander. Reese, go to sleep."

~~~~~~~~~

I hated my father. He kept me from seeing her, and now I had not seen her in thirty years. I stopped aging after I turned thirty. Now that I was in my fifties, the world had not changed much, other than a few new iPads and iPhones and so on. My stomach twisted as I gazed at her. She had been married to this particular man for almost twenty years. He was tall, blond, and good-looking. He beat me in the looks department.

They lived in a small house with two children. A boy and a younger girl. The boy was seventeen, my age when I first started dating Sarah. The girl was about five years old and apparently unplanned. Her son with Michael still lived with Alexander. None of them knew that he existed.

The last I heard, Michael had committed suicide by stabbing himself. My old rival was finally dead. Now I had a new rival. Before I blinked, Sarah began aging rapidly. She grew into an old woman in seconds, and then she fell off of the chair, and then....

I flitted into the house. I lifted her head up onto my lap.

"Forgive me," I said. "I never stopped loving you." She suddenly became young again. Then she aged again. Then she became sixteen again. One hundred. Sixteen. One hundred. Sixteen. At this she looked up at me and opened her mouth. No sound came out.

And then we were in a graveyard. She was dressed in the purest white I'd ever seen. A bouquet of different colored roses lay on her chest, and her arms were folded over the flowers. Then she was in a coffin, lowering itself into the ground.

"No," I said softly. "Sarah, don't leave me." As she died, my heart shattered. And then I was standing at the edge of a cliff. I had decided to die. I leaped. Before I hit the ground, though, Father caught me. I fell on top of him and we both rolled over.

"I refuse to let you do this to yourself," he said.

I woke up feeling cold all over.

"Sarah..." I said softly. I had to see her. I didn't care if my father would not allow it. It was early in the morning, and she would be up on a normal day getting ready for school. I quickly showered and dressed.

"Father, I'm going back to school," I said.

"Be back before seven o'clock this evening."

When I got to the school, her car was in the parking lot. I went to the library, and she was there, poring over a book. I sat across from her. She looked up.

"Hello, Reese," she said.

"Hello. Sarah, I am so sorry that I crashed the van with you in it."

"Stuff happens. The important thing is that we're all alive." I noticed that she wore a cast on her arm and leg.

"Yes, but I broke your arm."

"You didn't break my arm. The car did." At this, she smiled. I smiled back at her.

"I hope we can still be together," I said.

"Of course. I'm not going to be turned away because of a car crash. It's not your fault, either."

"Sarah, the crash was my fault. It said so in the paperwork I had to fill out. Everything's my fault."

"What do you mean, 'everything'?"

"Sarah, I...I can't talk about it." My stomach knotted. She looked worried and confused now. "At least, I can't talk about it yet. But I will tell you someday, I promise." A promise I quite possibly could not keep. If I told her my true nature now, she would leave me. And who I was in the vampire world. Prince Reese. I hated that title.

If Sarah married me, she would be a princess.

"Reese?" I realized I'd been daydreaming and focused on her again.

"Sarah, I...I love you."

"Um, thanks. What's going on?"

"What did you think about Alexander?"

"He's okay. He seems to really want this baby."

"Yeah. He has a biological son who hates him."

"That's sad." She looked at her phone. "Well, I have to get to class. See you in free period."

"See you then," I said, my heart lifting.

~~~~~~~~~

I went to Advanced English with a light heart. We were reading a Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations. I had already read the whole book through multiple times and knew it by heart.

"Who's ready for a pop quiz?" Mr. Roth asked. Everyone groaned. I clicked my mechanical pencil and prepared for a difficult day. Mr. Roth handed out the papers, starting with me. "Mr. Nicolai, please pass these back." I did as he asked. "Thank you, Reese."

Question 1. What is the main character's name and how did he acquire it?

2. What's is Pip's main goal?

3. What's the setting of the novel?

4. This is Charles Dickens' ______ novel.

5. Who is Pip's love interest? Why does she reject him?

I knew the answers to all these questions and more. I answered each of them to the best of my ability.

Next was my math class. I turned in my homework and took a seat. We were studying algebraic fractions. Oh joy of joys.

As the day wore on, my mind was taken off of Sarah until lunch, when I saw her. She was eating a turkey sandwich. I sat across from her. She smiled at me. She chewed and swallowed.

"How has your day been so far?" she asked.

"Hard. First we had a pop quiz in Advanced English, and in Math we're studying algebraic fractions."

"You're in Advanced English?"

"Most of my classes are Advanced. Yes, I'm in Advanced Junior English."

"Reese, that's the highest English class a junior can have!"

"Yeah, it's not that big a deal. I've always been good at that stuff. What about you? How was your day?"

"Ugh, we had a test in Science. I think I have one in Mythology And Folklore too."

"Crap, I have that class too. What on?"

"I think the Egyptians and what God did to them when they refused to release their Jewish slaves."

"The Plagues? I can handle that."

"Are you a believer in God?"

"I believe in many gods. Maybe I'm not as religious or as spiritual as I should be, but whatever. What about you?"

"I celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah."

"I remember you saying that. So you're half-Jewish?"

"On my mother's side. What about you?"

"My father is Scandinavian, and my mother is Greek. They both believe in their own gods and goddesses."

"God is not going to be happy about that."

"He's not, you're right."

For a moment, we became silent. Then Sarah asked a question that caught me off-guard.

"Where is your mother, Reese?"

"In Athens. She left when I was a baby. Do you remember what my father said at the trial?"

"Yeah, I remember. I still can't believe he'd do something like that. He seems so nice."

I said nothing to that. Did she think low of my father? I didn't know if I could handle that.

"Do you go to the temple?" I asked her.

"Yep. We used to go to church on Sundays, but after my dad died, we stopped doing that."

"What was your father like?"

"The best father ever. Sabine and I were his princesses. His name was Beckett. Beckett Cresley. I was super close to him; he was my best friend."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," I said.

"Thanks. Say, do you know what happened to Evan Byrd?" As she spoke, my stomach became a hunk of ice.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly.

"It was all over the news. He's missing. I only ask because I know that you two used to date."

"My relationship with Evan is long over," I replied. "I don't know anything." I hated lying to her. She studied me.

"You know something," she said.

"Even if I do, there's nothing I can do," I said. "He's long gone."

"So you do know something! Reese, tell me what it is."

"I-I can't. I'd be giving too much away, and it seems like there's nothing I can keep from you. I don't want you involved." She looked hurt and confused. "I'm sorry, Sarah, but it's too dangerous."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Absolutely. I'm overwhelmingly attracted to you, which is why I want you to stay away from this."

"Reese," she said, "Staying away from this is like staying away from you. And I can't stay away from you. Not for long, anyway."

"Sarah, you don't know how that makes me feel. I...just trust me. Would you like to go out with me later?"

"I would, but I have an appointment. Would you like to come with me?"

"Yes, I would. Thank you, Sarah."

CHAPTER ELEVEN - FINDING

Her appointment was the first official ultrasound. I held her hand, Alexander sitting across the room. All of our eyes were fixed on the screen. The doctor, a plain young male, rubbed some gel on her abdomen and turned on the screen. Her stomach was still flat; she wasn't showing yet.

Alexander looked intrigued as he stared at the screen.

"What's the gender?" he asked.

"It's still too early to tell," Dr. Bronson said. "Which one of you is the father?"

"I am," I said before Alexander could interject.

"That's nice of you, Reese," Sarah said. "Actually, the real father is not in the picture."

"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss," Dr. Bronson said.

"Actually, I will be the father if all goes according to plan," Alexander broke in. "Don't look at me like that, Reese. You know it, I know it, and she knows it." Dr. Bronson looked uncomfortable. Sarah gave Alexander The Look. He ignored her.

Dr. Bronson kept the device moving. "Well, it looks healthy overall. Keep eating healthy, keep up a walking routine, and take good care of it. I would not recommend strenuous or sudden movement." He printed a picture and gave Sarah a few copies.

We left feeling accomplished. I wrapped one arm around her waist. I spun around and kissed her. The kiss was unbelievable. I needed more of her. I pulled her close to me. I easily enveloped her- she is so much smaller than me. She pulled away slowly, causing me to whine and growl.

"Stay," I commanded.

"I have to get home. My mother will want to see me," she said.

"And my father will worry about me," I realized. "I'll see you later, Sarah. I love you." She kissed my chin and got into her car. A black cat ran out from under it.

~~~~~~~~

"Where were you?" Father asked, stamping on a cigarette.

"Sarah had an ultrasound," I said. "I went with her."

"Reese, I specifically told you not to communicate with her anymore-"

"Why shouldn't I?" I asked. "Just because your relationship with Mom didn't work out, doesn't mean that mine will not!" He looked hurt at my words. "Father, I don't care if you hate her or not, I'm not going to stop seeing her."

"I don't hate her," he said. "I hate what this love is doing to you." I glared at him in disgust and started up the stairs. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me up to his chest. "I waited so long for an heir," he said softly. "Now that I have him, I'm afraid I'll lose him." He put my head under his chin. He carried me up the stairs and into his bedroom.

He buried both of us under the covers. "You were with Alexander as well," Father said. "I don't trust him around you." He rolled me onto my side and positioned himself over me. Angry with him, I rolled over and tried to get away. He whimpered and tried to hold me down. I growled at him, baring my teeth. He growled back. I rolled over again and slid out.

My father glared at me, and I glared at him. I went into my room and shut the door. I started formulating a plan. First, I would kill Nales. Then I would buy a house where Sarah and I could spend eternity. Somewhere on the beach. Someplace where I could keep her safe forever. Maybe get a dog or a cat. I thought about the big black tomcat I had seen earlier, and wondered if it was an omen. Then I chided myself for being superstitious. It's a cat.

I smelled Father coming. I rolled over onto my side, facing the wall, and pretended to be asleep.

"Reese, despite what you may think, I don't dislike Sarah," he said, sitting on the bed. "I just don't want to see you get hurt again." I rolled over and glared at him. "Don't look at me like that. I'm only looking out for you. I'm trying to protect you."

"No, you're trying to prevent my happiness," I said.

"You're being ridiculous," he said. "I'm trying to prevent...it's not important."

"I am so sick of everyone saying that!" I cried. "Of course it's fucking important! First Sarah, then Evan, then Soren, now you! What the hell is it that you're so afraid of?" He sighed and looked sad.

"I'm afraid I'll lose you to yourself," he finally admitted. I was suddenly even angrier.

"That's it? You think I'm going to kill myself? Even if I wanted to die, I have reasons to live. You, Sarah, Grandfather, Louis, and even Evan." He looked frightened.

"Reese, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. You're right; it's my own fault. All I wanted was for you to be safe and happy." I knew it was painful for him to say this.

"It's not your fault, Father." Even so, I rolled over onto my right side, facing the wall again. My father left, trying to control his emotions. My head felt like it had been split. I looked at the picture of Sarah's fetus, and pretended it was mine. The most we had ever done was kiss and explore each other. I hoped she was okay.

~~~~~~~~~

I awoke to the sound of "Betrayed" by Avenged Sevenfold. I'd changed Ariella's ringtone to that after I caught her with Uncle Soren. I growled at being awoken from my nap and answered it gruffly.

"Hello?"

"Reese, can we talk? I know you're still steamed about what you saw...."

"About what? Do I even matter to you?"

"Reese Nicolai, haven't you figured it out by now? You're one of my best friends. Yes, I was weak, and I care about Soren, but I care about you more." I was touched by her words. I was still mad, however.

"Okay, what do you want?" I asked.

"For us to fix this and move on."

"Is my uncle there with you?" Silence on Ariella's end. "Put him on." Instead, she hung up. Pitiful, I thought. I shook my head and went back to sleep.

When I woke up, Father was lying beside me. I rolled away from him, eventually falling on the floor. I cursed and picked myself up. Father looked down at me.

"Are you all right, Reese?"

"I'm fine. What the hell? Why are you in my bed?"

"I couldn't sleep. I needed to be close to you. To ensure your safety."

"Enough about fucking safety. I'm a vampire for Odin's sake!" I picked up my dresser with one hand. "I can pick up a baby elephant. I have super sharp incisors." I let my fangs grow just to prove my point. I even let the bottom fangs grow. "I can shatter a sequoia. I can break chains, crush an apple, tear a phone book to shreds, break a bowling ball, tear out the veins of my opponents, swallow a television set."

"I know you can," Father said. "But compared to older vampires, especially ones that are at least as old as I am, you are a mere baby." I hated being called a baby. I gave him a filthy look and went out to grab a snack.

Uncle Soren was sitting there, taking sips from a cup.

"Ariella's been crying," he said. "She misses you. I'm sorry if I betrayed you. I need your trust back."

"Maybe I overreacted," I said. "I'll call her back in a few minutes." I warmed a glass of blood and drank it quickly. Then I called Ariella.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Ariella, I want to be friends again," I said. "I have no friends other than you."

"I accept your apology. Do you accept mine?" she replied.

"Yes, I do," I said. "Would you like to get together sometime soon? I have something I need to tell you."

~~~~~~~~~

We agReid to meet at Ari's favorite coffee shop, To Bean Or Not To Bean. She was already sitting in a booth, eating a chocolate chip muffin and drinking a vanilla latte. I got a regular hot black coffee and sat across from her.

"Sarah's pregnant," I said. She looked blank for a moment.

"Huh? Did you finally do it?"

"No, no. It came from Nales." Realization flashed across my friend's face. I explained about the ultrasound and Alexander.

"So he and your father have a history?" she asked.

"Yeah. They hate each other. My father wants to 'protect' me from him." She sighed and looked at her phone.

"Reese, did you unfriend me on Facebook?"

If I could blush, I would have. "I...yes, I did." She frowned and re-friended me. "I'm sorry, Ari."

"Whatever," she said. "How's Soren?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him in a while."

"Huh. Neither have I. I hope he's okay."

"Ariella Spears, I guarantee that he's okay," I replied. I sipped the black coffee and almost choked on the bitterness. I got up and added creamers and sugar. As I sipped on it carefully, I thought about what to say next. "My father's worried about me," I said. "He's afraid that Alexander will 'steal' me from him."

"How is that possible?" my best friend asked.

"He already tried once. Threw me over his shoulder and started to walk off with me."

"Reese, how much do you weigh?"

" A little over two hundred pounds. Why?"

"Because it's odd that he would throw you over his shoulder. He'd have to be really strong."

"He's got muscles," I admitted. Probably a warrior in his human life. My stomach twisted as I realized that I knew next to nothing about Alexander himself. Nothing about his human life or how he became a vampire. I needed to learn all I could about him.

"Hello, Mordecai," Ariella said cheerfully. I turned around. My father was standing behind me.

"Give me a little warning next time, would you?" I said sarcastically.

"Don't sass your father," he said, sliding in beside me. "I've had a hard day. I've decided to open some new businesses, and getting the licenses and permits has been hell."

"You never told me you wanted to open a business," I said.

"Yes, I did. I clearly remember it. I was lecturing you on the importance of eating right." That's why I didn't remember it. I had been tuning him out. He rubbed his stomach. "Reese, Ari, have you eaten yet? I'll buy."

"Thanks but no thanks," Ari said, holding up her muffin.

"Reese?"

"Whatever." He flagged down a good-looking blond waitress and ordered three sandwiches. She batted her eyes at him and tilted her head when she talked to him. Gross, I thought. I did not need to see that. He flashed her a dazzling grin and she let out a high-pitched giggle. Repulsive.

My stomach flipped when I saw who walked in next. The Beautifuls. They all ordered mochas and lattes and sat in a booth.

"Ignore them, Reese," Ariella said. Unfortunately, they noticed us. Our sandwiches arrived, and they commented on how fattening they were.

"He's totally cheating on her," Rachel Griffin said, tossing back her red hair. Angela giggled and Scarlett chuckled.

"Everyone knows Ariella's secretly in love with him," Scarlett lied. Stupid bitch.

"Reese, stay calm," Father said, putting his arm around my shoulders.

"Who's that, his boyfriend?"

"Nah, that's his dad."

"He looks too young to be a dad."

"Apparently, he did something to Reese's mother, which is why Reese exists."

"What a waste of a life!" Now Father was angry. He threw a vicious look their way. They turned back to their drinks and shut up for literally one minute. Angela fiddled with her ring. Honey braided her hair. Scarlett and Jordan started talking among themselves. Rachel tossed her hair back again.

"Daddy," I said, trying to soothe him.

"Sarah's right," he said. "They are bitches."

"Scarlett's controlling them by using fear," I said. "She's the puppeteer, and they are her puppets." Ariella chewed on a piece of her hair. "Ari, do you know what I'm talking about?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "You're not the only one who's gotten closer to Sarah. I can't believe we weren't friends before this. Anyway, she thinks it was Jordan who told on them."

"Jordan?" I was in disbelief.

"You know what Mason said about Jordan wanting everything Scarlett has. She's the real sneak."

"Why did she tell you this and not me?" I complained.

"She trusts me. She doesn't completely trust you yet. And she's got mixed feelings for you." It was painful to hear that Sarah felt this way.

"Did I do something?"

"Well, Reese, you are a bit overeager. Cool the engine. As for her feelings, you're not the type of guy she generally goes for. She prefers boys like Caden Cartwright and that foreign exchange student from Japan with the long hair."

"I've got long dark hair!" I cried.

"Except for the white. That's the problem. And your eyes are weird. I admit that even I felt a little weird around you at first."

"Is that why everyone avoids me?" I asked.

"Kind of. Also because you seem to prefer being a loner."

"Well, I admit that's true. I do kind of like being a loner. It's better for everyone if I kept myself at a distance." Father nudged me. Ariella looked at me strangely. Then her gray eyes flickered over to the door.

"Oh my god, it's Damon!" she shout-whispered, ducking her head. I glanced back. Sure enough, there was Damon Sage, and he looked furious.

"There you are!" he said, coming over to our table and roughly grabbing her arm. "You're coming with me!" Father stood up, and so did I. Father discreetly put his hand on my head and pushed me back down.

"Leave her alone," Father said gruffly. Damon opened his mouth, then his nostrils flared. He took in a deep breath, and his eyes widened. "I knew it," he growled. He frowned at me. "I knew there was something weird about you! Have you bitten her yet?"

"I would never bite her!" I snapped. Father placed a warning hand on my shoulder.

"We have no idea what you're talking about," he said calmly. "Leave Ariella alone." Damon glanced from me to Father and back again. Then he left without Ariella, growling under his breath.

"Ari, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "I'm just shaken up." I looked at Father. He was typing in his cell phone. Seconds later, I got a text message.

Father: Damon is a werewolf.

A werewolf! How did I not see or smell it? I took in a deep breath, and was suddenly hit with a pungent smell mixed with bad cologne and wolf stench.

Father: He was newly bitten.

We stayed for another hour, finishing our coffee and sandwiches, and then left. Ariella grabbed her purse and went straight to her car. The Beautifuls were still there when we left, of course, talking about the incident with Damon.

I went to my own van. Father went to his Rolls Royce. I nodded at my father, who frowned at being so abruptly left alone.

When I got home, Alexander opened the van door and snatched me up.

"What the hell?" I cried as he threw me over his shoulder. He took me inside the house where he dropped me on the living room floor, causing me to land on my tailbone. Alexander locked the doors and windows all around the house in seconds and came back to me panting. We just stared at each other for a moment. I heard my father try to open the front door, but he couldn't.

"ALEXANDER, DO YOU HAVE REESE? DAMN YOU! LET ME IN! DON'T YOU DARE HURT HIM!"

"SHUT UP, MORDECAI!" Alexander cried out. "I'm not going to hurt you, Reese," he said, turning his attention back to me. I heard an explosion, and realized my father had knocked the front door off. He ran straight to me and picked me up like a baby.

"Shh. It's all right, little one. Daddy's here."

"Mordecai, leave this house immediately. I need a word with the boy."

"Screw you, Alex. This is my house, and you're trespassing. Leave now, and do not come near my son again."

"Reese," Alexander said, "How is Sarah? I have not heard from her."

"I don't know," I admitted. "I think she's fine, though. Is that all you wanted? All this fuss over one question?"

Alexander bared his teeth at me. His incisors started to grow.

"Let him loose, Mordecai," he said.

"No! You will take him away!" Father squeezed me until he nearly broke my ribs again. I squirmed and tried to get away. Father growled and held on more tightly.

"I am going to kill both of you." This caught my attention.

"Wait, what?"

"I was wrong, Reese. You're clearly not my son." He leapt toward us, knocking us over. He rolled on top of me and tried to bite my neck. I kicked him in the chest and he went flying across the room. I ran outside. Father was by my side in seconds.

"Are you all right, Reese?" he asked, checking me over.

"Father, I...I'm sorry, I had no idea..."

"It's not your fault, son."

"MORDECAI!" Alexander knocked my father over and they started pounding each other. I wrapped my arms around Alexander's midsection and tried to pull him off my father. He elbowed me in the face. I heard a loud crack and felt pain in my jaw. And then I felt someone pulling me off of him. Uncle Soren and Grandfather had arrived, and they were breaking up the fight.

Uncle Soren had been the one to pull me off. He held onto me as Grandfather pulled Alexander away from my father. He had Alexander's arms locked.

"Alexander," Father said, getting up, "You are banned from this territory. Do not come near me or Reese Mordecai Nicolai again. This includes every part of the city except doctor's offices and hospitals. I know that you still have an agreement with Sarah Harper Cresley, and you may see her as long as she does not ban you from seeing her or what is in her belly. But only if she is not with Reese. This is final and binding."

Alexander let out a furious roar which shook the trees and ground.

"You heard what he said," Grandfather growled. "Leave. Now." Alexander kicked my grandfather in the stomach and took off into the woods. Grandfather growled at him, even though he was long gone.

"Are you all right, Father?" Uncle Soren asked.

"I'm fine. See that Reese is okay. I will check on your brother." My uncle did check me over meticulously. He smelled and felt me all over. I hissed a bit when he touched my ribs.

"Sorry, baby," he said softly. I hissed again. In some ways, being the baby of the family is a good thing. I'm a little more spoiled, I get what I want, I get more protection and love. In other ways, I'm tired of the overprotection.

I stood up straight, only to nearly fall onto my knees. Uncle Soren caught me. He lifted me up, only to be punched by Father, who took me into his arms.

"Mordecai, control yourself!" Grandfather said. Father ignored him and buried his nose in my hair. He began smelling me. He took me into the house and put me into bed.

"Get some rest, little one," he said softly. "I will watch over you."

"Father, what's wrong with Alexander?" I asked.

"He's a selfish, piece of shit, horrible being. There are not enough insults or bad words to describe what he is."

"That's your own opinion, Father."

"No, son, that's fact."

CHAPTER TWELVE - Struggle And Power

I was sure my undead heart would burst out of my chest when Sarah asked me to go to a party with her. I was slightly disappointed when she asked Ariella if she wanted to go as well, but for once, Ariella said that she had other stuff to do. She gave me a wink when she said that.

We were all together in To Bean Or Not To Bean, and the girls were drinking some kind of green juice with little gummy-like chews in the bottom of the drinks. Sarah was cutting down on her coffee for obvious reasons, and Ariella only went along with her because she wanted to try this new juice. My stomach was still upset after all the human food I'd been eating recently, so I ordered nothing except for a glass of water.

"Yeah, my dad used to call me Belle," Sarah said. "Beauty And The Beast was my favorite movie. I can't tell you how many times I wished I was Belle."

"My dad calls me Ariel," Ariella said perkily.

"My dad calls me Reese," I said jokingly. The girls gaped at me for a moment, then broke into grins.

"Very funny, Reese," Sarah said as Ariella giggled at my lame joke. Butterflies attacked my stomach as Sarah intoxicated me with her musical laugh. The butterflies went away after I saw Alexander. He was sitting in a tree, watching us. When he noticed me looking at him he looked away jumped down. To my surprise and irritation, he walked into the shop. I overheard him order a regular coffee and he sat beside me.

"Hello, Alexander," Sarah said.

"Hello, girls," he said, studying Ariella. "Reese."

"What are you doing here?" I said beneath human hearing. "My father specifically told you-"

"I don't give a shit what your father says," Alexander said out loud. The girls looked at us curiously.

"I have to go," I said, moving him out of the booth. I left enough money on the table to cover everyone's orders.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Father saw me, he smiled at first, until I got closer. He flitted off the porch and smelled me all over.

"Alexander," he growled. He grabbed my shoulders. "Tell me the truth, Reese. Did he touch you?"

"No," I said. "I saw him in a tree at first. Then he jumped down and slid beside me in a booth." Father snarled.

"That's still too close," he said. "That's it, I am never letting you go out again!"

"Can I go to a party with Sarah tonight?" He paused and thought about it.

"I drive you both there, and I pick you up. I will stay within hearing distance. Is that a deal?"

"Yes, Father. I will talk to Sarah."

I did talk to Sarah, who said she was fine with that. I took a shower, redressed myself, put on deodorant and brushed my teeth, especially my canines, and even put on a cologne that Ariella had once said that she liked. I considered putting on eyeliner, and eventually decided not to make a fool of myself. I had not worn makeup in a long time. The most I ever wore was eyeliner.

I did not see what everyone else saw. My eyes are yellow. Not ocher, or bronze, or even gold, but yellow. My hair is long, almost to my shoulders at this point, and cut in a sharp goth style. My bangs cover nearly half my face, covering my eye and my cheekbone. The white tips are quite noticeable, especially with my black hair. If I had inherited Father's golden locks, it would not be as much of a problem. Luckily, my hair is naturally straight, so I have no waves or curls.

I thought about Sarah's curly hair. Her curls were soft and romantic and so incredibly touchable. Her hair was the perfect shade of light brown with occasional caramel flecks and blond highlights. She kept it brushed and tangle-free, which must have been a chore for her. She liked wearing buns and braids, occasionally wearing her beautiful hair down, which was the style I liked best.

I had smelled product in her hair before, but not much. A little bit of hairspray every day and some mousse occasionally. I was so caught up in thinking about my future wife, I almost did not hear Father calling me and saying it was time to go. I grabbed my wallet and keys and headed downstairs.

Father decided to take a little 1994 Honda Accord that we rarely used. I could have used it, but I chose to buy a Chevrolet Astro instead.

Sarah was waiting on the front porch, with the golden retriever Spunk beside her. When Spunk saw us, he started barking. She held him back as she walked toward the car. Her mother Alicia came out and grabbed the dog's collar. Sarah walked slowly down the stairs and hopped into the back behind Father.

~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as we got there, she thanked Father and got out. I followed suit. She headed straight for the bathroom. I wandered back smokers, drinkers, dancers, and those looking for love. My love came out a minute later, looking better.

We moved onto the dance floor, where I rocked her gently to The Fray's "Never Say Never". I thought, I would be exhausted later. I went back into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, and when I came back, Scarlett had confronted Sarah.

"You're just a nobody," Scarlett was saying to Sarah. "The only one who really likes you is Nicolai, and he's even more of a nobody. You're only with him because you're loners. Does he know about your plan? To use him as protection?"

"Scarlett, I have a theory about why you're such a bitch," I cut in. The guy filming this turned his camera to me. "You see Scarlett, you're popular because you're pretty on the outside and you developed early. But there's one thing: you're incapable of love or kindness, and that has turned you into a heartless whore. Few people know who you really are and what you're capable of, but I know. Now you can't stand to look at yourself because all you see is a desperate girl aching for acceptance and power. I could blow the whistle at any time, but I'm not going to. Your little clique? They're afraid of you. That's the only reason why they do your bidding. They're frightened, and they're afraid to show it, so they follow your orders, even if they don't agree with them.

"The only reason why you're on top is because of them. Without them, you're powerless. And we all know you're addicted to power. They know your little secret, and so do I. If you don't leave us alone, I will make sure everyone knows. Goodbye, and have a pleasant night." By now, Scarlett's face was red with anger. She raised a hand to hit me, and Jordan stopped her. I put one hand around Sarah's shoulder.

"Come on, baby, let's go see what's happening in the kitchen." When we reached the kitchen, Sarah spun around, stood on her toes, and kissed me on the lips.

"Reese, no one's ever stood up to Scarlett like that. That was amazing." She kissed me again, much to the chagrin of the people around us.

"She's with that freak?" somebody whispered.

"They've been dating for a while now, ever since he helped her with Michael."

"This is unbelievable."

I ignored them. What did they know? They knew nothing about what we had. Sarah and I were meant to be, even if she didn't realize it yet. Our relationship was special. If someone asked me if I was falling in love with her, I would tell him or her that I was already long gone.

~~~~~~~~~

We danced most of the night, and when we weren't dancing, she was in the bathroom or in the kitchen. Eventually, someone handed both of us a Solo cup of vodka and juice. Sarah tossed hers down the sink, but I tasted mine. It was bitter, and yet, I liked it. I liked it a lot. I kept downing vodkas with tea and lemon wedges. My throat ached for more, until I eventually drank a whole bottle's worth.

Sarah and I made light conversation, and it got more intense as I got drunker. I told Sarah I loved her countless times, only for her to not even respond. We talked about Scarlett and what a mean girl she was. We also talked about Jordan and whether or not she really could be the true mastermind behind all of this.

~~~~~~~~~

I took a cab home.

I crawled into bed with Father. He woke up suddenly and looked at me.

"Reese, what's wrong? You smell like alcohol."

"Daddy, I screwed up. My belly hurts so much, and I don't know what to do about it!"

"Calm down. Lay on your back. And for Heaven's sakes, kick off your boots." I quietly did as he asked. He started rubbing my belly in slow circles. Surprisingly, it worked. My belly ached less and less. That is, until I nearly threw up. Father carried me to the bathroom and held my hair back while I vomited. My gut was on fire. I eventually stopped retching and nearly collapsed.

Father flushed the bowl and carried me back to his bed.

"Your hair is so blond," I said, running a hand through his hair.

"You are definitely drunk. I will discuss this with you tomorrow. For now, try to sleep. Sleep will help you." He covered my eyes until I fell asleep.

When I awoke, I felt humiliated. My father's arms were around me, and he refused to release me.

"Stay here," he commanded.

"How grounded am I?" I asked him.

"I'm not going to do that. It will do nothing in your case, as you learn quite quickly, and I know you will not do it again. I wish you hadn't tried, though."

"I know. I feel terrible."

"Terrible how?"

"I'm an emotional wreck. I feel so guilty, and I feel like crying. I'm in so much pain; everything hurts, especially my throat, my stomach, and my head." Father whimpered at my words. I knew what he was thinking.

Child is in pain. Care for him. Keep him warm and satisfied. What the heck? I could hear him as if he was...Reese, can you hear me? I yelped and jumped about three feet away. Father looked hurt.

I sighed. He hadn't thought-spoken to me in a long time. Some vampire family members and mates can communicate with each other using thought-speak.

I crawled into bed. Father sat beside me, stroking my hair. "I'm sorry, Reese. I know you're frightened. I know you've had a bad few weeks, and I'm partly responsible. Please forgive me."

He leaned down and kissed me.

I thrashed around as the pain became worse. Both my crotch and my stomach were on fire. I doubled over, moaning. I felt like I was going to explode at any second. Father stayed vigilant, watching over me. Uncle Soren frequently offered me blood and water. They only made things worse, so I refused them.

Grandfather was worried. He paced incessantly, nervously.

"It's my fault," he said quietly. "I drew Mordecai away from him, and now he's ill." He sat beside me and stroked my hair. "I'm so sorry, Reese."

"Grandfather, it was my own stupidity that caused this." Just then, my stomach had the worst cramp of all. I doubled over, whimpering softy. Father whined when he saw me like this.

"Shhh, little one, Daddy's here," he told me. I ran to the bathroom and vomited. I vomited until my stomach was empty. Father lifted me up and carried me back to bed. He cleaned my face with a warm washcloth. Afterwards, I felt a little bit better.

"What's wrong with him?" Father asked.

"He's hungover," Uncle Soren replied, rolling his eyes. "Honestly, Mordecai. You call yourself a parent?" Father punched Uncle Soren in the mouth. Father's vampiric instincts took over, and he began licking my face.

"Now what's he doing?" I asked.

"He's doing several things," Grandfather replied. "He's cleaning you, making sure you're okay, and spreading his scent on you. That will let other vampires know that you're under his protection. Basically, you're his, and everyone else should know that."

"It's weird," I said.

"To him, it's natural and instinctive. He'll start hugging and holding you soon. He also blames himself for your illness."

"How grounded am I?" I asked.

"I take back what I said earlier," Father said. "Two weeks." He slid in behind me. "It's for your own safety, Reese."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN- STALKER

I could have sworn that the gray van was there yesterday. It's not unusual for hikers or campers to stop and ask for directions, but for a van to sit at the edge of my father's property for two whole days was definitely strange. A fat silver-haired man was sitting inside, chain-smoking cigarettes.

After school one day, I was driving back home in the old 1994 Honda Accord when I noticed how long he'd been there. I decided to call Father.

"Hello, little one. What is it?" he answered.

"You know that gray van that was here yesterday? He's still here, smoking cigarettes."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Reese. Maybe he's just lost. I will talk to him if that makes you feel better."

"Yes it would. Do it quickly."

"Don't sass me."

"I wasn't sassing you."

"Your tone sounded like you were being a smart mouth. Anyway, I'm busy right now. Can it wait?"

"I guess, but get home fast."

"Those are two contradictory statements."

I overheard Uncle Soren saying "What did you expect, Mordecai? He's not an android."

"Shut up, Soren. Focus on getting those items categorized. I'll be home in a few hours, Reese. Can you hang tight until then?"

"Yeah, I can."

"Good boy. Go do your homework or read in the library. Love you."

I decided to take my father's advice and work on homework. I had a lot to do tonight. Two pages of literary reading, twenty-four math problems, a report in Mythology and Folklore on sea monsters, and an end-of-chapter assignment in European History.

I was finally finished in three hours. I had started with the math homework, then started my report on sea monsters, then finished the assignment for European History, and then I finally finished reading the literary pages for Advanced Junior English. I laid on my bed when I was done and started reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. I had already read Crimes of the Sarahs by Kristen Tracy.

Soon enough, I heard Father's car pull up. I sat up, set the book on my bed, and went out to meet him. He rushed toward me at human speed.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, cupping my cheeks.

"No, just worried," I said, pulling out of his grasp. He frowned at me.

"I think you're being ridiculous, Reese."

"I think you're blind. This guy's a weirdo."

"Fine. If he's still here after two more days, I'll talk to him."

~~~~~~~~

It turned out I was right. The guy was still there two days later.

"I think you were right, Reese," Father said, looking out the window.

"I'm not normally one to say I told you so," I snapped, "and I told you so, did I not?"

"I'm sorry, Reese, you were indeed right. This man is strange. I'll go see what he wants. Do not go past the yard."

"What's his favorite color?" Father asked the strange man in the SUV.

"Black," the man said after a moment. Father tore off the car door and threw it out of sight into the woods. He grabbed the man and threw him on the ground, stepping on his chest. "It's not my fault," the man said. "He wants to keep an eye on him! Says he's his real father!" Father let out a guttural roar, and the next thing I knew, Father was draining the man of his blood. He tossed him aside angrily when he was finished. He jumped into the van and started searching it.

"ALEXANDER!" Father cried out. "SHOW YOURSELF!" He started ravaging the van, tearing it apart.

"Father," I said. He paused and looked at me. Once again, his eyes were bloodred and had catlike slits. He resumed the destruction of the vehicle. I felt queasy and vomited into the grass.

"What the hell is going on?!" Uncle Soren said when he finally arrived with Grandfather. He noticed the dead human. "Reese, did your father do this?" I nodded and vomited again.

"Take him inside," Grandfather said. "He's too ill to be outside."

"What's wrong with him? Why does he keep throwing up?"

"I don't know, Soren."

"Father, you take care of Reese. I'll talk to Mordecai." Grandfather half-dragged half-carried me back inside. I flitted to the bathroom. I soon felt Father holding me and rocking.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"Father-"

"Hush little one. I'm sorry if I frightened you. Why do you keep vomiting?"

"I have a theory about his stomach issues," Grandfather said, folding his arms over his chest. "Reese, how has your stress level been lately?"

"Higher than normal," I admitted. Grandfather nodded.

"I'd like you to take an anxiety test. Answer truthfully, or your father cannot help you. In the meantime, Mordecai, who is his physician?"

"His name is Gregori Dimitrov. Why, Father?"

"I think Reese is suffering from severe anxiety. He needs rest and medication, possibly seclusion." Father's grip tightened on me.

"I'm not leaving him!"

"I'm not saying you have to. Just be in another room. I can post Dimitri at his door." Dimitri is a royal guard, and has watched me on and off, even babysitting me when I was younger. Father growled at that idea.

"Do not growl at your father, Mordecai."

"I'm not a teenager anymore!"

"Then stop acting like one! Reese, do you know where you get your stubbornness from? Your father."

"Do not talk about me to him!"

"Stop this!" I cried. Then I buried my face in Father's chest, embarrassed.

"Reese, tell me what's wrong," Father begged.

"I hate this. I hate it when you all fight, especially over me." Father kissed my eye.

"It's all right, little one. We're merely discussing what to do about the whole situation."

"I'm not a fucking baby!" Father looked hurt, and he looked at me with a confused look in his eyes.

"Reese, do not speak to your father like that," Grandfather said. Father growled at him.

"Get out," he snapped at his father. "You're only making things worse." Grandfather glared at both of us for a moment, then left reluctantly, closing the door behind him. "Reese, please talk to me. What did I do?"

"You treat me like a baby."

"You'll always be my baby, even when you reach my age."

"Father, I'm...I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Grab a book or pop in a movie. I will hold you for a while."

I took my father's advice and started reading a book. He held me for an hour before we heard a knock at the door. Father snarled and his grip tightened on me.

"Who is it?" he growled out.

"It's Soren. We've located Evan."

Father made a noise in his throat. "Daddy has to take care of this. Will you be fine on your own?"

"I'll be fine for a couple hours. No, on second thought, I'm coming with you."

"You most certainly will not!"

"Father, it's my fault he's a vampire. Let me help you." He paused, thinking it over.

"All right, if you insist. Stay by my side, though, unless I tell you otherwise. Deal?"

I hastily agReid to his plan and followed him out. When we got to the living room, I was hit with Evan's scent. Uncle Soren and Grandfather had a hold of him. He was dirty, and he looked like he had been crying.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I asked him. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" He looked up at me in surprise.

"You...were worried about me?" he asked.

"Don't read much into it."

"Evan, why don't you take a shower?" Father said. "You can use Reese's bath." I gave Father a horrified look. "Or you can use mine. Or better yet, you can use the guest bathroom."

"I'll use the guest room," Evan said. He fought to get out of my uncle and grandfather's grasp and went upstairs to shower and bathe.

"He also needs clothes," I said.

"I took the liberty of buying him some new clothes," Uncle Soren said. He held up a large plastic bag. "I also got a toothbrush and deodorant. It's not much, but it'll keep him until we can buy more for him."

I heard the shower running.

"Knowing him, he'll be in there for at least an hour," I said.

"I will leave this bag on his bed then," Uncle Soren said. As Evan showered, I sat on the couch. My grandfather sat beside me and began scratching my back.

"You need to eat more," he said.

"I've been trying to get him to eat more," Father said.

"I can see his spine."

Father purred and nuzzled my neck.

"You worry me," he said.

"What did I do?"

"You smoke. You are obsessed with a girl. You nearly killed Evan. I'm worried that you may be a danger to yourself."

"Father, I'm not suicidal."

"That gladdens me to hear that. But you have thought suicidal thoughts in the past, haven't you?"

"Yes, I have," I admitted. "I'm not happy all the time."

"I don't expect you to be." He kissed my ear. "Mmm. You need a haircut."

"Your hair's longer than mine," I argued.

"Yes, but I keep it tied up and trimmed. I don't have split ends. You're starting to get them, plus your hair's drying out."

"Fine, I'll go see Shei." Shei was my regular hairdresser. Father adjusted both of us so that I was sitting on his lap. He purred again, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me close to him. We laid on the couch and cuddled for about an hour.

"It's not your fault, Reese. These things happen. Better it was you than a rouge with less control." He turned me over and planted his nose in my belly. I pushed him away gently. We got onto the floor and crouched. We began circling each other.

I started toward my father, but he put a hand on my shoulder.

"Never attack your opponent too quickly," he said, grinning at me. I sat back on my haunches. Father circled me, his eyes never leaving mine. Then he leaped and pinned me, his teeth barely touching my throat. "Once he leaps at you, move out of the way. Let's try that again."

We went through it again, and this time I moved quickly. Father grabbed my leg. "If he grabs one of your limbs, kick him. Or roll until you're free." He released my leg. He crawled on top of me and pinned me down. "Try to move out from under me."

I did as he commanded me to do. He rolled me over and planted his nose in my belly again.

"Good boy. Now, try to pin my arms behind my back." I rolled over and slid behind him. I grabbed his arms and held them behind his back, tightening his arms. "Excellent, Reese. Are you hungry?"

"A little," I said, releasing my father's arms and crawling over. He flitted into the kitchen and brought back a warm bottle of blood. I gulped half of it down. Satisfied, I turned back toward my father. We circled each other again, both of us grinning playfully now. Playing releases pent-up energy, releases happiness endorphins, and teaches younger vampires how to hunt. Father leaped at me, pinning me to the floor.

"I win," he said triumphantly.

"Not quite," I replied, moving out from under him. I leaped onto his back and wrapped my arms around his waist. He reached around and pulled me up onto his shoulder like a deer.

"I win again," he crooned.

"I admit defeat," I said.

"Never admit defeat. Keep fighting until you can fight no longer. If he kills you, I'll kill him myself."

"Even if it's she?"

"Even if it's she." He released me and sat on the couch. I sat beside him, finishing the rest of my meal. Father studied me. "I think it's time I taught you how to hunt live prey, Reese. You'll be eighteen in another year. I want you to be prepared, especially since we will have to leave the country next month for the Holiday Ball."

"Father, I will gladly embrace whatever you decide to teach me."

"Good boy." He kissed my forehead. "I'm so proud of the young man you are becoming."

~~~~~~~~~~

I missed Sarah. She was the whole reason for my being, the other half to my duet. My stomach twisted and churned as I stared at the young man holding her hand and talking to her. I had decided to drive by her house to check on her, and now here she was with another male. A potential rival for me.

So far, I knew that his name was Eric Martin, and he was teaching her piano lessons. He was my age, one year older than her, and he was brown-haired. I gazed at them, resisting the urge to get out and pull them apart. He was clearly flirting with her, going so far as to pretend there was a fluff in her hair, so he touch it. I snarled at that. I felt my teeth grow. I tried to keep my mouth closed, which was painful.

My incisors poked my bottom lip, almost tearing a hole through it. My bottom incisors even grew, causing my teeth to bang uncomfortably. I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes, concentrating on sending my incisors back into my mouth.

This is one of her four potential soulmates. No, I couldn't think that way. Lots of guys would love to be Sarah's love interest. She was well-liked by many, even after Scarlett and Michael. She had me on her side. And Ariella. Between the two of us, plus her family, she would heal.

She finally noticed my van, excused herself, and went to talk to me. I rolled down the window.

"Hey, Reese. What're you doing here?" she asked.

"I missed you," I said honestly.

"Why didn't you just call me?"

"I had to see your face, not merely hear your voice, lovely as it is."

She grinned and stood on her toes to kiss me. I kissed her back quickly.

"Reese, this is Eric Martin," she said as Martin walked up to us, looking displeased. "Eric, this is Reese Nicolai. He's my...um...friend."

"I'm her boyfriend," I corrected.

"Lucky you," Eric said in a snippy tone, glaring at me. I glared back.

"Sarah is mine," I said quietly.

"No, she's mine," he said below human hearing. My eyebrows shot up. He grinned at me. "I see you're one of the Night Children, Reese. As for me, I'm a Moon Child." Werewolf! Two of them in less than a week! Fuck!

"What's a Moon Child?" Sarah asked.

"A piece of garbage," I answered her. "Please get in, Sarah."

"Hold on, let me grab my purse," she replied.

"Who do you think you're playing?" Martin said. "Look at you! And look at me! What chance do you have compared with me?"

"I helped her," I replied.

"Yes, she told me all about that. She's a few weeks along, isn't she? She's starting to show, she's put on about ten pounds."

"I don't care, as long as she's healthy."

Sarah came out, carrying a brown handbag. I got out and helped her into my van. I made sure she was in completely and buckled up before shutting the door.

I drove until I reached a secluded park. There, I stopped the van and turned off the ignition.

"Reese, what are we doing here?" Sarah asked. I rested my head on my left palm.

"I need some time alone with you. I missed you," I told her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. The baby's getting stronger. She's always hungry."

"How do you know it's a she?"

"I don't. I think we've had this conversation before. I'm hoping it's a she. I'll name her Celina if it is a she. You once suggested the name Cirino, so that's what I'll name him if it's a boy." She rubbed her stomach. "Like I said, though, it's always hungry. Nothing I eat can satisfy me, and then I wind up eating too fast and vomiting."

"And Alexander?"

"He's been great. He buys all our food and has started buying me maternity clothes. He even went into a fragrance shop with me and bought me this new perfume." She held out her wrist, and I smelled it. Rain and green tea fragrance.

"Do you like the rain?" I asked her.

"I love rain. I love walking in the rain and even splashing in puddles. But since I'm older, I can't necessarily do that anymore without looking silly. It makes me sad."

"Don't be sad," I said. "Can you swim?" She blushed at this.

"I can't swim well," she replied.

"I have a massive indoor pool if you ever want to come by and use it."

"Thanks, Reese, but I'll pass. Like I said, I can't swim well."

"I can teach you. I can teach you so many things." The implication made me purr. Spending time with Sarah was like Heaven. She looked uncomfortable. "Oh, Sarah, I'm so sorry," I said. I scooted closer to her. I pulled her onto my lap and wrapped my arms around her waist. I buried my nose in her hair.

"Do you think that we have a connection because of what happened?" she asked, and I couldn't tell if she was upset with me or not.

"Our connection is so much deeper. I've liked you for a long time, Sarah. What happened that night merely brought us closer." My soulmate looked unsure. I buried my nose in her neck and smelled her sweet liquid. I could feel my pants grow tight.

"I'm sorry," I said. My gut tightened as she made small noises of pleasure. I purred slowly, wanting to ravish her right then and there. Thoughts of my new rival entered my mind, and I growled.

"Reese, stop," Sarah said. I ceased and looked at her. She climbed off of my lap, and I whined.

"Sarah, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Take me home."

"And back to Eric Martin? I think not."

"Reese...are you jealous?" she asked me.

"I don't trust him. Especially since this is so new. I've never been in love before. This is all new to me. I don't trust any males around you, especially since the Michael incident." Her lip trembled, and I regretted my words.

"Please take me home," she said. Still aching with need, I drove back to her house. She go out, almost leaving her purse in my car. I squeezed the steering wheel as Eric greeted her and hugged her. He gave me a smug look as she wrapped her arms around him. I gritted my teeth.

I wanted to rip his heart out and drain him of blood. Whoa, where did that come from? I took a deep breath and drove away, heart aching.

When I got home, I collapsed on the couch, fighting sobs. Father came up to me and held me.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"Father, I screwed up!" I told him about Eric Martin and my feelings toward him, excluding what I did with Sarah and how I felt. I merely told him that she and I spent some time alone. "I hate him!" I cried.

"Of course," Father said. "He's trying to get with your mate. She needs to realize that she is your mate, and then she will be more open to what you want to do with her." I looked at him in surprise. He smiled at me. "Son, I've been around for over two thousand years. I know what you tried to do with her."

I buried my face in Father's stomach, embarrassed.

"I've never wanted to kill anyone so much, excluding Michael," I said.

"That is the instinct. Destroy your rivals so that she can only be yours."

________________________________________________________________________

"You were right," Sarah said tearfully. "Eric was no good. He tried to...to..." She broke off into sobs.

"Oh, sweetheart," I said, holding her.

"He tried to push himself onto me," she said after a full minute. "When I said no, he told me that I was too fat and ugly to keep anyone's attention. He also said that he had a girlfriend!" She burst into sobs again. I made a vow right then to myself. I would kill Eric Martin. I considered all the ways I could kill him. Everything from biting him to sticking a knife in his midsection.

I held Sarah for a long while. Soothing her, kissing her, telling her that I loved her and that I was sorry. She sobbed into my shirt for what seemed like an hour. Then she dried her face on my shirt.

"Sorry," she said.

"It's all right," I said. She laid in her bed, body wrapped around itself. I sat beside her and rubbed her back. "Sarah, you are not fat nor ugly. You are beautiful, soft, and curved."

"I know Eric only said that to get under my skin," she said. She sniffed. "I bet the bitches are enjoying my pain." Then she smiled, a creepy, devious smile. "I planned it all out. But I would never actually go through with it." My gut turned into a hunk of ice.

"Baby, what do you mean?"

"I wrote a short story. About how I faked my own death, and my ghost came back to haunt everyone who has ever hurt me." Then she looked at me, terrified. "Not that I would actually do it!"

"I believe you," I said. This new Sarah terrified me. I was so afraid for her. Her health was detoriating fast, especially her mental health. I crawled in behind her. She began sobbing again. Not knowing what to do, I simply held her. Her small form fit into my large form perfectly. She cried for hours until she eventually fell asleep.

"I will avenge you," I vowed. I kissed her behind her ear. I got up and went outside through her window. "Goodbye, my love."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - DEATH BY LOVE

The news came on.

"Next up, a juvenile rapist found dead! Michael Nales was discovered lifeless in a sewage lake early this morning, his body completely drained of blood and his heart missing from his chest. The heart was discovered several miles away in a graveyard, sitting on the tombstone of the father of Michael's sixteen-year-old victim. According to reports, Michael went to North Hampton High School. Is this a new trend? Is anyone safe at North Hampton High School?"

I grinned maliciously.

"Good work, Father," I said.

"Anything for you, Reese," he replied. "Your uncle inspired me with the heart removal of his victims. I kept his blood in a tank if you wish to bathe in it."

"A tempting offer, but I think I'll just drink it."

The blood settled happily in my gut. One rival down, one more to go. Eric Martin.

"Please don't kill me," Eric begged, shielding his face with his arms. I smirked.

"You are pathetic, Eric Martin. You lie about having a girlfriend to hurt Sarah, you call her ugly and fat, all because she wouldn't sleep with you. She's been through enough already, did you ever think about how it might affect her?"

"I'm sorry!" he sobbed. "Please don't kill me!" I inched forward slowly, grinning evilly. I leaped forward and bit into his neck. Immediately, his disgusting blood filled my mouth. I stepped back and released him, retching. Eric took the opportunity to run away. I let him go reluctantly.

My stomach protested his foul liquid elixir. I threw up noisily.

I awoke from my dream with a feeling of dissatisfaction. I was still on Father's lap, and he was stroking my hair as if I were a cat. I had fallen asleep while watching the news. It was a few days after my chat with Sarah, and I had not seen or heard from her since.

I had heard that she had been ruthlessly questioned, and I was next. Father did his best to comfort me.

"Did I make a mistake?" I said out loud. Father kissed my forehead.

"No, baby, if anyone made a mistake, it would be me," he said. "You know that I will readily agree to my involvement to keep you and Sarah out of trouble."

"You are a good father," I said. He brightened and smiled.

"I know how much she means to you, Reese. I am quite fond of her as well."

I growled at him. "She's mine."

"I know, Reese. I will not touch her. I promise you, I will not try to steal her from you. If anything, I'm afraid that she will steal you from me." I glared at him in warning. He purred and licked my forehead. "What is wrong with you, Reese? You used to be so full of happiness and joy and life, and now, you seem to hate my guts."

"I don't hate you," I said. He looked like he didn't believe me. He pulled me up and playfully blew a raspberry in my belly, causing me to giggle like a schoolgirl. I affectionately nipped his ear. He grinned at me. I put my head under his chin.

~~~~~~~~~~

Uncle Soren and Grandfather were standing in the yard, looking like they wanted to tell us something.

"Reese, we need to have a talk," Uncle Soren said.

"It's about Sarah," Grandfather added. "What? What's going on?" I asked nervously. "Is she all right?"

"She's unhurt," Uncle Soren said. "Somebody got to her in time. She had a car crash."

"Another one?" Father said, looking suspicious. "And how do you know this?" Uncle Soren looked at his shoes.

"Ariella was with her. They were going somewhere when Ariella's car swerved suddenly." Father raised an eyebrow.

"I think it's time to call Jessa," he said.

"Who's Jessa?" I asked.

"A private detective who works for us. She'll be able to figure out what's going on. She's excellent with patterns, and I get the sense that there's a pattern here."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessa was a skinny blond woman who smelled like coffee. Turned out that she was a human. Father and I told her all we knew about the attacks on my love.

"Michael's attack was random," she said. "He's just a big jerk. As for Scarlett, I think she's definitely targeting Sarah. What do we know about the crash?"

"The first crash was my fault," I said.

"I'd like to look at the van," Jessa said.

"By all means," Father replied. After he led her to the van, he came back inside and rubbed my back lovingly. I leaned against him.

"Father, I have to go do homework," I said.

"You are excused, then. Go do your work. I think we've told Jessa enough information."

I went up to my room and called Sarah for the zillionth time.

"Sarah, it's me. Look, I don't know why you're ignoring me, or what I did. Please call me back. I love you." I hung up, my stomach churning. I sat back on my bed and tried to read. I couldn't focus for long, and I reread the same sentence countless times. Eventually, I threw the book down in frustration. Neither Ariella nor Sarah answered my calls, and Uncle Soren and Grandfather did not tell me which hospital they were at.

I started to look through my movie collection just for something else to focus on. I have a decent movie collection, with everything from Hocus Pocus to Star Wars to Pumpkinhead. I eventually decided to put in Heavy Metal 2000.

I pulled out my Advanced Junior English assignment and started to answer the questions. Father had told me earlier that my teacher was going to surprise us with a quiz. I ran my hand over my hair. Finally, I'd had enough. I pulled out my phone and dialed the numbers of every hospital in the city until I came across one that said they had a patient named Sarah Cresley. I got her room number and the address.

~~~~~~~~~~

When I got there, Alexander was there, intertwining her fingers with his. My stomach twisted painfully as I studied her. She groggily opened her eyes and looked at me.

"Hey, Reese."

"Hello, Sarah. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there."

"It's fine. The baby's okay, and that's all that matters." Her maternal instincts were kicking in. She smiled at me weakly. "Your hair's getting long."

"I know. My father wants me to cut it."

"He has longer hair than you do," Alexander growled.

"I made that point to him. His excuse is that his hair is long enough to put up into a bun or ponytail." Alexander shook his head in disgust.

"Your father, I swear. You should have seen the way he looked at your mother. Earth could have collided with Venus, and he wouldn't have noticed. Kind of like the way you act around Sarah."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Sarah argued. I gave her a grateful look. I bent down and gently kissed her soft pink lips. I ran a hand over her stomach. She was definitely pregnant. For a moment, I pretended it was mine. One day, she really would give birth to my babies. After the wedding, of course. Knowing that, I purred contentedly.

"In a few days it will be the first of December," Alexander said. "What will you both be doing for the holidays?"

"My father asked me to invite Sarah to the Holiday Ball," I said.

"A ball?" Sarah inquired. I nodded.

"Yes. My family's hosted it ever since...for a while now."

"For over four hundred years," Alexander replied. "It was how your father met Marina. It will be held in Denmark, where Eilief is originally from."

"I can't go to Denmark. I can't afford a plane ticket," Sarah said.

"I will pay for it," Alexander and I said at the exact same time.

"I'll have to talk to my mother. She'll want to talk to your dad, Reese."

"I'll text him right now," I said, pulling my phone out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father agReid to pay for Sarah's ticket to Denmark. We would drive her everywhere from there. Sarah's mother was hesitant to let her go. Father had to give a solemn oath that he would be responsible for her well-being. When I promised I would not try any funny stuff, Alicia agReid to let her go. I gave her some more money in secret. She was also getting money from my father in secret.

Father gave Alicia a large sum of money, plus health insurance. Sarah's bills would be taken care of. She began looking for another job. Father took her aside.

"Sarah, I'm opening up a music and video store. Would you like to work there?"

"Yes, I would," she said happily. She was out of the hospital, although she was still bandaged and cast. Bruises formed all over her. Ariella felt terrible for the crash, although she quickly abandoned that emotion when Jessa discovered that her car had been tampered with and her brake line cut.

When I went to sleep that night, I was plagued by nightmares.

I was now fifty years old. I had not aged though since I was thirty. My heart still belonged to Sarah, even though she was long gone. After Father and I had that fight and he kicked me out, I learned that Scarlett had finally gotten to her, and she committed suicide, leaving Cirino motherless. I went off and became a nomad for a while. My father, believing that I too had committed suicide, killed himself out of grief and regret. Now I was back, but none of my family was speaking to me.

I started to believe that they blamed me and hated me, so I prepared to leave again, this time for good. My uncle stopped me and asked where I was going. I merely told him that I was leaving for good.

"Please stay," he said, surprising me. "We don't want to lose another family member. We don't blame you. The reason why no one is speaking to you is that none of us know what to say." I glared at him and left anyway. I planned to die alone. This whole thing was my fault anyway.

I laid on the grass, staring at the night sky. I had decided to wait here for death.

I awoke with tears in my eyes and began whimpering. My father, hearing my cries, opened the door and held me in his arms.

"Little one, shh. It was only a dream. It's okay now. Shh, shh."

I began blubbering and telling him about my dream.

"Reese, you know I'd never do that to you," he said. "I would never risk losing you."

"Daddy, please don't leave me. I'll never be a perfect son, but please don't ever hurt me."

"Reese, hush. I would never leave you, and I would never expect you to be a perfect son. I would never intentionally harm you or hurt you in any way. If I ever do, you can...you can hurt me just as much." He began purring, trying to soothe me. Unfortunately, it didn't work right away.

"I know it's my fault. Father, I don't want to lose her."

"None of this is your fault. I promise we won't let anything happen to her."

"No, it is my fault, and you know it. I'm in so much pain; everything hurts, especially my heart." He tensed at this.

"Shhh, Reese, hush. You did not tell me your heart hurts. What else hurts?"

"My head, my stomach, my neck."

"You feel sick to your stomach because you're in so much pain. Your head hurts because of your dream, and you were lying stiffly, which is why your neck hurts. Come, lay with me tonight." He brought me into his bedroom, where he covered me up with blankets and himself. He began purring again, which calmed me somewhat.

I still felt like everything was my fault.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Grandfather said that I had a deep hatred of myself, which worried Father. He insisted on me sleeping with him in his bed from now on.

"Really, Mordecai," Grandfather said. "He's seventeen, not seven."

"And therefore precarious. I'm not taking any chances, especially where it concerns his life."

"I'm not suicidal," I told him.

"But you were in your dream. So was I. So was Sarah."

"Father, you said yourself that it was only a dream."

"That's correct, Mordecai. You did say that."

Father ignored that and pulled me close to him.

"Never again," he muttered. Grandfather glared at him.

"Mordecai, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Last night, I also had a frightening dream. I dreamed that I had another son before Reese. We fought, and I eventually treated him like dirt, even though he tried to mend things with me. I dreamed that my other son was killed by a group of rogues. If I hadn't been so spiteful, I could have saved him."

"Don't be silly. You have no other children. Not that we know of, anyway. It was only a dream. Reese is your only child."

Father groaned and buried his nose in my neck. "I'll never forgive myself if anything were to happen to my Reese. I still haven't completely forgiven myself for my other son's death."

"Now you're just being silly."

Father glared at Grandfather. He pulled me up onto his lap. "I know I am, Father." He wrapped his arms around my waist and purred.

"Father, you're scaring me," I told him. He whined and smoothed my hair back.

"I didn't mean to scare you, little one." I managed to get out of his grip. "Reese, stay."

"I need to get out." My father held onto me as if I was a lifeline. "Father, release me at once!" He tweaked my nose.

"Not a chance, Sassafras," he said.

"Sassafras? Never heard that one," Grandfather said. "Mordecai, you remember the eruption of Krakatoa?"

"Of course. It was heard for miles around and created tsunamis which killed thousands of people. Why do you ask?"

"A new island emerged from the caldera that same year. It became eruptuous, and still creates chaos to this day."

"Father, I don't understand your point."

"It was also the loudest sound ever recorded."

"So? People hear strange sounds all the time. It does not mean that they are significant."

"I'm talking about you and Alexander." Father gave him a disgusted look.

"Me and that...that...swine? Father, have you gone mad?"

"I didn't mean it like that, and you know that!"

"I wasn't even thinking about it like that! God, you're going to make me throw up." He dramatically covered his mouth and held his stomach.

"Such melodramatics! Anyway, I meant the chaos that you and Alexander created which affects us today. Reese was supposed to be Alexander's son. Alexander wants him back."

He was making Father angry.

"What does that have to do with a volcano?" I asked. Grandfather pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Neither of you are getting the point."

"Reese is mine!"

"Mordecai, shut up for two seconds," Uncle Soren said, coming into the room. "What Father is saying is that your and Alexander's rivalry is like a volcano."

"Thank, you, Soren. That was exactly my point."

My father kept his arms firmly wrapped around my midsection. "My baby."

"That's hardly fair, Mordecai," Soren said. "He's my baby too!" Father growled at him.

"Boys, control your tempers," Grandfather chided. "Honestly, it's like having children all over again." My father held up his middle finger. While they argued, I managed to smuggle out of my father's grip. Father caught me just as I was leaving the living room, though.

"I win," he said smugly. "Say 'sorry, Daddy'."

"Release me," I said. He ignored me and kissed my hair. He picked me up and carried me back into the living room.

"Honestly, Mordecai, you cannot expect him to be your little boy forever," Uncle Soren said. Father bared his teeth at his older brother. I finally, finally, managed to break free and zipped upstairs before Father knew what happened. I heard raucous laughter coming from Uncle Soren and chuckling from Grandfather.

"He got away from you," Uncle Soren teased Father.

"Shut up, Soren. I'll catch him again later."

I smiled and laid on my bed, sending Ariella a text.

Reese: How are you?

Ariella: Fine. My car's trashed tho. How is S and S?

Reese: S and S?

Ariella: Sarah and Soren

Reese: They're okay. Are you still with Uncle Soren?

Ariella: Yeah.

I felt sick to my stomach. I didn't text her again for a while. She sent me a couple texts filled with question marks. I texted Sarah next.

Reese: Sarah, how are you?

She didn't respond. I sent her another text. And another. And another. I became desperate and called her. A robotic voice said that the number had been deactivated and no longer existed. My heart pounding, I messaged her on Facebook. It said that I could no longer message her. My heart felt cold. I grabbed my keys and my wallet and went into the foyer.

"Where are you going?" Uncle Soren asked.

"Out. Sarah's phone number has been deactivated, and I can't get ahold of her on Facebook either."

"I'm sure she's fine, son," Father said.

"We'll see you later, Reese," Grandfather said. "I'll be praying for her."

"To Odin or to God?" Uncle Soren said.

"Don't sass me, Soren, I'm not in a good mood."

I went outside to the cool air. It was unusually warm for the first day of December. If my heart could beat, it would have been pounding. I started up the Honda and drove, nearly hitting a large black tomcat.

"Damn creature," I muttered under my breath. When it finally scurried out of the way, I drove away. I sped up a little bit, almost running a red light. When I arrived at her house, my heart sank into my stomach.

Her tearful eyes looked at me. She walked over to me. She buried her face in my stomach and wrapped her arms around me.

"Sarah, I tried calling and texting you," I said. "What happened?"

"Scarlett happened," she snapped. "She's trying to get people to go against me. Check out Twitter and Facebook."

"I was on Facebook earlier," I said.

"Look again. That bitch has gone too far."

Sarah started crying softly. I lifted her up bridal-style and walked through the house into her room. I set her on her bed. She looked at me, shocked.

"Reese?" she said.

"Whatever she did, I will do to her tenfold. Talk to me, Sarah. Tell me what she did." She got her phone out and went to Facebook first.

Scarlett: Sarah Cresley, you are a BITCH! DIE IN HELL!!!!

Scarlett: Why aren't you dead yet? Nobody likes you.

Scarlett: You are a fat whore. You should go anorexic, I hear it's the latest in slow and painful deaths.

I nearly crushed my love's cell phone in my anger. All of them had been written on Sarah's wall until she deactivated her account. I went to Scarlett's timeline and blocked her.

"I blocked her for you," I said.

"I tried that already," she said, tears pouring down her cheeks. "She always finds a way around it." She leaned against my chest.

"Go to Twitter," she said. I opened Sarah's Twitter.

Scarlett: Call this bitch at ____________ and tell her she's ugly and fat.

Scarlett: @sarahcresley is a fat worthless side bitch.

I had seen enough. I set her phone on the table before I crushed it in my fury.

"You are not a whore," I said. "You're not fat, and you're not a bitch. You're beautiful, and smart." I kissed her softly. She kissed back. Her heart fluttered anxiously as our lips met. I held my girl beneath me. I put a bit of pressure on her, our pelvises touching. I could feel myself grow excited.

"Reese?" Sarah squeaked.

"Yes, love?"

"Why is your...well..."

"Why am I aroused? It is because of the friction between our pelvises. The fact that I am deeply attracted to you also helps." I kissed her again. "I am more than attracted to you. Sarah, I honestly think I would die without you." I kissed her again.

"Did you hear that Michael died?"

"I did," I said, happy that she'd noticed. "Pretty ironic, huh?"

"What I don't understand is why somebody killed him," she said. Revenge, I thought.

"Why are you dwelling on that?" I asked.

"People at our school keep dying. The two teachers. Michael. During our freshman year, a senior died from alcohol poisoning."

"I remember that," I said. "Everyone was invited to her funeral. Her boyfriend was distraught."

"He tried to kill himself a year later," Sarah said. "It was all over the news."

"I hope I never lose you," I said, nuzzling her with my nose.

"It'll happen," she said. "We'll get married, and have kids, maybe even some pets, and one of us will die of old age first. It'll probably be me."

"Don't say that," I urged. "If anyone's going to die of old age..." I paused. She was right. If I didn't change her, she would eventually die of old age. Anything else I could save her from. Dying of natural causes was something that I could not prevent. I felt tears in my eyes.

"Reese, did I upset you?" she asked.

"Sarah, I won't let you die. I vow that," I said. "Even if saving you means infecting you with my own blood." Truthfully, I wanted to infect her with my own blood right now. My heart had swelled with joy with the knowledge that she wanted to marry me, then broke into a million pieces at the thought of her death. I sat up. She got up and turned on the radio. "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana came on.

"Oh, I love this song," she said. "Dance with me, Reese?" She offered me her hand. I took it, my heart filled with joy again. I grasped her around the waist and held one of her hands. She put one hand on my shoulder, or at least, attempted to, and we slowly danced.

After the song ended, she led me to the bed. She laid on the bed and rubbed her stomach. She pulled up her shirt.

"Be honest. Am I showing?"

"Not at all," I said. "Give it a few more weeks." She burst into tears. Crap, what did I do now? "Sarah, please don't cry. I'm sorry, that just came out." Truthfully, I had no idea what I had said, but I knew I'd better fix it fast.

"I'm just so emotional," she said. She pulled her shirt down. "Half the time, I wonder if I should just give Scarlett what she wants."

"Sarah, don't say that," I said. I held onto her.

"I don't want to hurt the baby, though. It's innocent in all this." Relief washed through me. She didn't want to hurt herself; she was thinking about abortion. "But it's also kind of late now. Alexander said he'll take it once it's been born. I feel so lost and guilty."

"Sarah, you are not to blame," I said. "Nales is."

"Michael? He didn't make me steal from businesses. He didn't make the clique turn on me. He just gave me this." She pointed at her stomach. "I know for a fact that I don't want it."

"That will be taken care of," I said. I laid beside her and wrapped an arm around her abdomen. "If you want, we can make you sleep for the whole nine months. Or we can change you so that you may tolerate it better." She looked at me with wide green eyes. I've frightened her. I kissed her. "I would never harm you. Even if I ever become angry with you, which I doubt will happen, I will never harm you."

I kissed her again and again. She kissed back.

"'I'm not strong enough to stay away,'" I said.

"Huh?"

"Lyrics to a song I know. In the song, the guy sings about not being able to stay away from his love." I was on top of her now. I kissed her again. "I love you. I love you so much that hurts." I ran my fingers through her curls.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - NOT STRONG ENOUGH

Through the skies we'll fly, never once thinking we'll have to say goodbye

Even though I'm not good enough for you

Please say yes

I'll say I do

I'm not the best, far from it

I put the pen down momentarily and stretched my fingers. I finally had inspiration for a new song. The title of this one was going to be "Marry Me". I was still smiling. Sarah and I wound up spending the night together, even making love at one point. Sweet love.

She seemed content when I left her, sleeping in her nylon sheets. I made a mental note to buy her Egyptian cotton with a thousand-thread count. Father came into my room briefly to check on me. He sat on my bed, and for once, I didn't try to get rid of him. Nothing could ruin my good mood, and he noticed.

"So...you were gone quite a long time yesterday," he said.

"I was with Sarah."

"Of course you were. You used protection, right?"

"Father! We didn't have sex."

"Good boy." He kissed me and walked away.

I laid back comfortably. Only a few weeks ago, I was laying back on my bed like this, talking to Ariella, the day before my life changed. I decided to go back later tonight. Maybe she'll want to cuddle again. Okay, that was wishful thinking. Besides, I had to be careful. She'd been badly hurt only a few weeks ago by a boy. I say boy and not guy or man, because real men do not hurt women the way Nales hurt Sarah. Gods, I hated that name. A growl began in my throat.

But he was gone now. I'd made sure of that. His death was quick and painful. My father was a master of murder, being a vampire prince, so he would make sure that it was not traced back to us.

"Father," I said, heading down for dinner. "What's the best way to hide a body?"

"Bury it," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm a little nervous. Maybe I should not have asked you to kill Nales. Maybe I should have done it myself."

"Baby, I wanted to kill Michael just as much as you did. It was little work breaking him out of jail and pretending to be on his side. Are you going to see Sarah again tonight?"

"Yeah, I was planning to."

"Be careful. We're supposed to have freezing rain today."

"Father, you love Greece. Why didn't you move there?" He took a long while before answering.

"I wanted you away from all that drama. I chose America because of the fReidoms and diverse culture. Also, I wanted you to branch out."

"You don't have much of an accent," I said.

"I purposely worked to get rid of it. I don't want too many questions asked."

"Grandfather has a slight accent. So does Uncle Soren."

"They did not work as hard as I did to get rid of theirs. Reese, come sit on Daddy's lap." I sat beside him instead. He pulled me up. "How do you plan to approach the rest of the school year?"

"I'll go as often as I can, make up any work I've missed. I have to keep my grades up."

"Usually the parent is the one saying that. Why so eager all of a sudden? Is it to impress Sarah?"

"Partly, yes. I have no other plans other than finishing high school and marrying Sarah. She said herself that we'll get married, have kids, and then she'll die of old age. I can't let that happen."

"When do you plan on telling her that you're a vampire?"

"About six months into the relationship."

"You're waiting that long? Reese, that's a recipe for disaster. And don't forget Ariella. You'll need her in case it all ends in tears."

"She's the one who seems to be forgetting me lately. She still sees Damon from time to time-"

"What?" I looked up. My uncle looked stricken. "She still sees the wolf? How could she do that to me?" He began to pace incessantly.

"You were not supposed to know," I said.

"She said she loved me. How could she do this to us?"

I mentally vomited. Uncle Soren's eyes began to turn red.

"And how the hell do you know this?" he asked, advancing toward me. Feeling threatened, Father pulled me into himself and we both hissed. Uncle Soren paused, taking in our reactions.

"Keep your mouth shut," Father said. "You do not want to ruin a friendship." Uncle Soren paused and closed his eyes. A minute later, he opened them, and they were yellow again.

"I...I have to go." He flitted out the front door and we heard a car driving off seconds later. I buried my head in Father's chest.

"It will be all right, little one," he said.

"No, it won't. I royally fucked up, Father."

"Soren has a right to know if his new mate is seeing old boyfriends."

"New mate..."

I went upstairs and did homework. Tomorrow was a school day, and I still had not finished several projects. I worked all morning, only breaking to eat. Father insisted on feeding me himself. He sulked and stopped bothering me after I stopped talking to him for a few minutes. His instincts were to care for me himself again now that a new threat made itself known.

He would feel this way until he felt that I was ready to take care of myself, according to Grandfather.

I worked on Trig first, then Biology, then Mythology and Folklore. I finished around one o'clock in the afternoon, and by then, I was hungry again. I gorged myself on blood until I felt stuffed, and then I dealt with a wicked stomachache. Father held me as I moaned in pain. I pulled up my shirt and rubbed my distended stomach. Father whimpered a bit.

I slept for a few hours, and when I woke up, Father was still there. I detangled myself from him and went to the bathroom to take a bath. Seconds after I eased myself into the warm water, he came barreling in.

"Can't anybody take a bath in privacy?" I snapped.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, closing the door.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning, I untangled myself from Sarah. I'd been sleeping with her all night. I woke up naturally around four in the morning and decided it was time for me to leave. I drove home happily, even though it was dark, and we had freezing rain as promised.

I took a hot shower and took extra care to groom myself. As I ran a comb through my hair, I considered what I should do about Scarlett. I couldn't kill her- that would upset Sarah and draw too much attention to us. But I could blow the whistle on who she really was. Knowing Ariella, a little rumor about a couple of teenage witches in New Jersey would fly faster than a military jet.

And fly it did. After I called Ari and told her what Jordan and Scarlett really were, the whole school knew by lunchtime. Okay, that was a slight exaggeration. As I sat by myself once again, I heard conversation around the Hart sisters.

"There you are!" I looked up. Scarlett was walking toward me, flanked by her clique. "What the hell did you think you would accomplish?"

"I have no idea what you're bitching about," I replied, turning back to my book.

"Oh, you know what I'm bitching about! PAY ATTENTION TO ME, LOSER!" I looked up. Her face was red, and she was fuming. "You're only with Cresley because you're both losers! You're only with her to get your boyfriend back. And look, he killed himself because of you! It's your fault he's dead!" A rumor had been swirling around that Evan had killed himself after too many rejections from me.

Scarlett flipped her black hair in my face and stalked away.

"I don't know why you care," I muttered, turning back to my book again. Before I could get too absorbed in the plot, though, I saw familiar boots out of my peripheral vision. Mason sat beside me. I looked over at him.

"It's my fault that she's like this," he said.

"You didn't do anything," I said. "She was born like this."

"You're actually right. Reese, do you know what histrionic personality disorder is?"

"People with histrionic personality disorder are all about drama. They attach too much significance to relationships, act sexually promiscuous, and enjoy being the center of attention, even if it hurts somebody else."

"Exactly. Scarlett has that. I overheard her mother telling my mother about it."

"I wish I could say I'm surprised."

"And Jordan has borderline personality disorder."

"Twin teenage witches with mental illness? Wow," I replied sarcastically.

"Actually, their parents are starting to be against witchcraft. They don't trust the girls." I looked at him, confused. "They decided to change their minds after too many spells gone bad."

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked him.

"So you can protect your girl better." I looked at him in surprise. He smiled weakly. "I lost my girl, but you can still keep yours."

"Whatever. Your pals are looking at us," I said. Indeed, they were. He looked up.

"Yeah. They miss you. They know something happened between us, and want us to make up."

"Seriously? They don't blame me?"

"No, I told them that what happened between us was my fault."

"Whatever. Is there anything else you needed to tell me?"

"Reese, don't do this. I know I screwed up. I think I know how to stop the Hart sisters. And it's not outing them as witches." He grinned cheekily at me. I mentally flipped him off. "Sarah's sitting with us." I looked up. She was indeed sitting with them, glancing over at me. I stood up and walked over to her. Amara scooted over and made room.

"You know you always have a place here," Amara said. I looked up at Mason. He played with his potatoes. I said nothing. Sarah peeled the skin off of her orange.

"Are you sure you want to be eating that?" Jody said. Sarah gave her a death glare. So did Amara. Sarah threw the orange down, grabbed her bag, and walked off.

"Why do you have to be so insensitive?" Amara said to Jody. I got up, grabbed my things, and followed Sarah. She walked into the girls' bathroom. No way I was going in there. I heard her crying. A few minutes later, she stopped and came out two minutes after that, freshly made up.

"Ignore Jody," I said.

"God, she's such a bitch. She always says stuff like that. If I eat a pickle, she makes a comment. If I eat an onion, she says something about dragon breath."

"Amara called her insensitive if it makes you feel better," I said.

"It does. I am so done with those people. First Mason, then Jody. Now someone has leaked the fact that Scarlett is a witch. She's going to blame me, and when I get my hands on the person who did it...." She trailed off.

"She thinks I did it," I said. She looked suspicious.

"Did you?"

"I...yes, I did."

"Reese, how could you betray me like that? Did you ever stop to think that people will think I'm a witch too?"

"I won't let that happen," I declared. "And with Ariella's fat mouth, and Mason's desire for redemption, you'll be safe from the rumors." She burst into tears again. She wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm so sorry, Reese!" she cried. "I have become a raging hormonal basket case!" I held her as she sobbed.

"Want me to call your mother?" I asked when she finished.

"No...I'll c-call h-her," she blubbered.

For the rest of the day, I didn't see her. I assumed she went home. I gave Jody dirty looks whenever I saw her. She flinched at the sight of my anger. During my free period, I finished today's homework and thought about Sarah. So much that I almost forgot to return a book.

When I got home, Father was waiting for me on the porch, smoking a cigarette.

"Father, have you been chain smoking?" I asked, noting the nearly empty pack.

"Maybe," he said, stepping on the stick. "We need to talk. Alicia called and said that Sarah went home early. She was upset about something. Can you tell me what?"

I told him about Sarah's fears and what she had recently said to me about death. I also told him about the unwanted advice she was getting from Jody. He asked what Jody was like, and I told him.

"I'll have Alexander talk to her," he said. "He seems to be a steadying influence on her." I didn't like that thought. I still didn't trust my father's old rival. "Also, you have to take into account the pressure for her to recover and atone for her past mistakes. The last thing she needs is unwanted advice from someone who has never been pregnant."

"Her stress levels are high," I said. "How can I lower them?"

"Simply by being there for her when she needs you. Right now, she needs you."

"Enough sap, Father."

"I'm serious, Reese. Call her." I shook my head in irritation. I went upstairs to finish my work and send a private text.

Reese: Are you all right? Can I get you anything?

Sarah: I'm fine now. Alexander's here.

Reese: I hope you'll recover from today. If Alexander lacks in any way, call me.

Sarah: I've been independent for a while now, Reese. I can take care of myself.

Reese: Just because you have had success in the past does not mean that you should be required to care for yourself now. Call me if you need me.

I finished homework quickly. In Mythology and Folklore, we were watching all three "Lord of The Rings" movies, and had recently gotten to the last half of the first film. After that, we would watch "Beowulf". Today's assignment asked questions about Frodo's quest and what his uncle's actions led to. I finished it quickly and accurately, then moved on to Trig. I hated Trig these days. My brain was so full that I could barely think anymore.

But again, I finished it quickly and as accurately as possible, then took a break. I was hungry. I drank type A negative until I was satisfied, then finished my homework. I was waiting for another text, a call, anything from her. She was becoming my world. I put my things away, then opened my laptop.

I checked her social media. On her Facebook, her most recent post said that the cousin of a classmate agReid to take care of the baby when it was born. I scrolled through her past posts.

"As some of you already know, I was sexually assaulted a few weeks ago. I recently found out I'm pregnant, and it's his. As I cannot possibly care for a baby, the cousin of one of my friends agReid to take it in, as he's been searching for a baby to adopt."

Is that what he told her? He's been searching for a baby to adopt anyway? I gazed at her profile picture, which was a simple selfie taken a few months before. I ached with longing. Not only was she beautiful, but she was also intelligent as well, and kind.

She had dozens of likes on her post. I looked through them. Ariella, Damon, even Jody and Clarissa. I scrolled through her music likes. Ed Sheeran, Melanie Martinez, Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, Elle Goulding. Book likes: Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares, Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott, and several classic romances including Wuthering Heights. She was a big fan of chick lit and romance. She liked some fantasy, mainly Twilight and Harry Potter.

Heart clenching, I continued to scroll through. She had blocked her old clique, I noticed. I searched for Mason. Surprisingly, she was friends with him. I wondered if she knew what he'd done. I decided to ask him about it.

Reese: I noticed that you're friends with Sarah on Facebook. Does she know what you did?

Mason: She knows. I've apologized to her countless times. Why do you care?

I didn't reply to his text, only deciding to call her.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sarah."

"Hey, Reese. What's up?"

"I..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. I was actually napping when you called."

"I'm so sorry. I'll let you get back to sleep. I love you."

"You, too. Goodbye." She hung up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a little while later when I heard a car drive off. I assumed Father was going to work on his music and video store. Then I heard someone enter my room and felt him embrace me.

"Hello, Father."

"I'm not your father."

"Alexander?" I turned around, stomach tightening. "What are you doing here?"

"Sarah was eager to get rid of me," he said. He grinned at me. "I took her clothes shopping and bought her a bunch of new clothes. Her closet is stuffed to the brim."

"Is that why she was eager to get rid of me earlier? Was she even really napping?"

"She did nap for a while after I took her home. She's starting to show."

"I bet you're happy about that."

"I am eager for my new son or daughter to enter this world. I am happy she decided to give me the baby."

"What if she changes her mind?"

"She made a promise, and she must keep that, or she will not be allowed to live." Before I knew it, my hand was around his throat.

"If you hurt her-"

"You'll what?" he asked teasingly, smirking. "You can't protect her. You can't even protect your father." My grip loosened.

"Don't hurt my father," I said.

"Like I said, you cannot protect him. He can't even protect you. And since he's gone, he cannot stop me from hurting you." He grabbed my throat and held me up against the wall. "You make sure she keeps her promise, or she dies. If you fail to keep yours, you'll die."

"I made no promises," I said. "Not to you, at least." He started squeezing my throat.

"Make it, or die."

"What will happen when my father sees my dead body on the floor?"

"I will relish his pain. It will taste delicious. I may even drink your blood." He let go of my throat and punched me hard in the stomach. I doubled over, curled up on the floor. I sat up. Alexander loomed over me. "Make sure she keeps her promise, or she'll die, Reese."

"Don't hurt her!" I begged.

"Relax, I have not harmed her, and will not harm her...yet." He walked out of my room, cackling like a villain. I stayed where I was until Father came zooming in a little while later.

"Reese!" He picked me up. "Are you hurt? Did he defile you?"

"He just squeezed my throat and punched me in the gut," I said. I told Father about my conversation with Alexander. When I mentioned my line about him seeing my dead body on the floor, Father whimpered and nuzzled his nose into my shoulder.

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry I left. I was only gone for a few minutes to check on something, and I never thought he'd come back here. He knows he's been banned from communicating with you and entering my territory. This is my fault."

"Father, it's not your fault," I said. Father snarled.

"He touched you, Reese. He strangled you. If I'd been focusing on my visions instead of the damn store, you would have not been hurt." He had a vision?

"Father, you would not have gotten here in time anyway. He was bound to come after me again." His eyes widened.

"That's it, I am not letting you out of my sight again! Even when you're at school, I will stay a mile away, maybe in the trailer park. I...I need to hunt. Will you come with me?"

"Father, I'll be fine. Uncle Soren is here, and besides, I'm also hungry."

"So, hunt with me." I thought about it. He had been asking me if I thought I was ready for a real hunt. I nodded in agreement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The human was clearly drunk. He reeked of terrible beer. I started walking down the same sidewalk he was, about ten paces behind him. Father had shown me many times before how to properly stalk the prey. The human spun around. He glared when he saw me.

"What the hell do you want, kid?" he slurred. "I got enough problems."

"You have enough problems," I said. "Use proper grammar. And I want nothing from you. You stink like crappy beer." He swung a fist at me, I ducked, and that's when Father leaped on him. He put him in the sleeper hold, and dragged him into a stinking alley full of dumpsters, where I pierced the skin in the man's neck with my fangs and drank my fill. The flavor was more intense than bagged blood.

Of course, I could taste the booze as well, but whatever. As soon as I was finished, I licked the area, making sure it healed properly. Father and I leaped onto a roof, where Father called for an ambulance to help the drunk man.

"That was intense," I said after he finished the call. He smiled at me.

"Good job, Reese. I'm so proud of you. We do need to practice on stalking, but otherwise, you did well. Good boy."

I felt enthusiasm at my parent's praise. As soon as the EMTs carted the man away, he and I ran across rooftops and landed on soft grass. We began the walk home. It was already growing dark. Father insisted on carrying me home, which I allowed him to do.

When we got home, I brushed my teeth and went to bed.

My dreams were filled with a pair of eyes, a pair of eyes which were a beautiful shade of green. I could stare into those eyes for hours, studying them. Her eyes were a spring meadow, full of life and activity. You could see simply by looking into her eyes that she was a lot more intelligent than she gave herself credit for. Of course, I always knew that, especially when she told me about her past. I woke up thirty minutes past midnight and sent her a quick text.

Reese: Would you like to go to the mall with me tomorrow on Saturday?

Sarah: Yes, I would like that. See you tomorrow around one?

Reese: Perfect. I will see you then.

~~~~~~~~~~

Of course, I arrived twenty minutes early. When she arrived, she looked fantastic in a pair of hip-hugger jeans and a flowy cream top. She was holding onto her purse, which was now pink and covered with studs and bows, tightly.

"Hello, Sarah," I said, straightening up.

"Hi, Reese," she said, sitting beside me on the bench. "Where shall we go first?"

"Where do you want to go first? Do you still have some of the money I gave you?"

"Only about fifty bucks. I spent the rest on my debt, and I've kind of been saving it. Do you want me to pay you back?"

"Absolutely not," I said, horrified. "That money was a gift for you, Sarah. I will buy anything you want today, how's that sound?"

"Oh Reese, I can't let you do that. Are you willing to come into Victoria's Secret with me?" she asked. I winced.

"As much as I love lingerie stores, I'd rather not. I'll give you some cash to spend in there."

"I was kidding, Reese," she said, smiling. I smiled back.

"I'd feel better if I gave you some cash, anyway. No, no guilt. I want you to want for nothing, my love."

Indeed, I spent ten minutes waiting outside Victoria's Secret until Sarah came out with two large bags. I took them from her, despite her protests.

"You are pregnant," I reminded her. I was tempted to peek inside the bags, but I resisted. We went to Wet Seal next, where I gladly went in and secretly bought several clothes for her, along with some clothes she said out loud that she wanted.

"So...Alexander," I said as we walked past the food court. Sarah stopped and looked hungrily over at Taco Bell.

"Can we get some nachos first?" she asked.

"Of course," I said, following her. We got a dozen tacos, two plates of nachos, one topped with jalapenos, and a Diet Pepsi for her and a water for me. Before I knew it, Sarah scarfed down her plate of nachos, the one with jalapenos, and six tacos. I offered her my share, but by then she was full, so we decided to save the rest for later. I got a bag and some boxes, and we put the rest of the food in those.

Next, we visited Hot Topic, and Sarah picked out several outfits, makeup, and buttons. She still refused to talk about Alexander. We went to several stores, and my bank account was several hundred dollars lighter by the time we were finished, not that I minded. We put all the bags we could fit into the trunk of her car, and we had to put the tacos and several bags in the backseat.

"It's been a while since I had a real shopping spree," she said. "I can't thank you enough, Reese."

"Alexander," I reminded her. Her smile disappeared.

"Oh. Him," she said, making a face. "He's such a pervert. He likes to rub my belly, which I don't mind, but he also tries to touch my breasts. In another life, I might have fallen in love with him, but since I have you, I don't need another guy in my life, which I think he wants. Anyway, my mom doesn't like him, but Sabine thinks he's cute." She giggled.

"You should have seen her trying to flirt with him. It was the funniest thing ever, a fourteen-year-old trying to flirt with a guy in his forties." In his forties...right. I grasped Sarah's hand and pulled her into me.

"I will speak with him," I said. My angel's smile wavered.

"Reese, it's not that big a deal," she said.

"It's a huge deal, especially since he tries to touch your breasts. That action is reserved." She smiled at me again.

"You're cute when you're all protective, you know that?"

"I'm completely serious. He shouldn't be touching you at all!" My anger seeped through, and it frightened her. She took a step back, eyes widened in fear. "I'm sorry, Sarah, but it's true. He shouldn't be even talking to you about anything other than the baby and your pregnancy." Her eyes widened even more. I frightened her again. Whimpering slightly, I pulled her into me.

I put my chin on top of her head and smelled her hair. She smelled like gardenias and roses and strawberries today. Of course, she always smelled like gardenias and roses. Her scent soothed me, calmed my nerves. If I had a beating heart, it would have been pulsing beyond control. I kissed her gently. Someone shouted, "Get a room!"

I lifted my face and growled slowly at him. I went back to kissing her after a few seconds. Our kiss was cut short when she pulled away.

"Not here," she breathed. "Follow me home." She went to the driver's side of her car and got in. I went over to my car and started it up.

I followed her to her house and helped her bring in the bags. We put everything except the tacos in her room.

"Reese," she began, turning around, before my lips crashed into hers. I pulled away briefly so she could breathe.

"Relax," I said. "I'll put your clothes away. Where do you keep your jeans?"

"In the closet," she said, looking dazed. "Behind the sweaters."

I opened her walk-in wardrobe and grabbed some empty hangers. I put all her new clothes away. She sat on the bed, reading a book. I noticed with amusement that it was a vampire book. She kept glancing at me over the book.

"How come I never see you eating?" she asked. I froze.

"I'm never hungry," I said.

"Everybody gets hungry sometimes." She and I looked at each other.

"Will it make you happy if I ate one of the tacos?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. I laid beside her and wrapped my arms around her. "Would you prefer it if I had a heart attack?" My eyes widened. She grinned at me. "Exactly."

"That's not funny," I growled. She smirked.

"I know, but it was so worth it. Your face was priceless." I grumbled in irritation.

~~~~~~~~~

If I wasn't not careful, I could wind up revealing more than I intended to.

Father came into my room, and I hissed at him. He briefly hissed back, baring his sharp fangs. He sat on my bedroom and patted his leg. I went over to him and sat on his lap.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" I snapped.

"Are you all right, Reese?"

My cell phone pinged. I had a text message from her. It was a picture of me. She had drawn a picture of me. The guy in the picture had my long hair, my large nose, pointed chin, and my lips.

"She regrets sending you away," he said. He tilted his head. "That is a genuinely nice picture. I had no idea she had that artistic ability." He purred and smoothed my hair back. "You need to cut your bangs. And I noticed that your account balance was a few numbers lower. How much did you spend?"

"I don't know. I took Sarah shopping."

"I thought you hated shopping."

"I do, but she was in heaven when we went to the mall. Her wardrobe is officially stuffed."

"Well, just be cautious of how much you spend on her."

"I thought we didn't have money problems."

"We don't, but next year's your senior year, and after that...well...where do you want to go after that?"

"I'll probably end up going to the music college."

"I will miss you dearly."

"Father...it's only a few blocks away from that Walmart by my old middle school."

"Whatever. Anyway, just be careful how much you spend on her."

"Why were you looking at my bank accounts anyway? Wait...are you keeping tabs on me?" If he could, he would have turned red from embarrassment. "Next thing you know, you'll be reading my old journals."

"In my defense, you are my son, and I must watch you at all times if I am to be a good father. Back to your hair. If you cut it, I'll raise your allowance."

"I already get more than ten thousand dollars a week. For most people, that's a lot. Besides, I hate my ears, and I like my hair this way."

"It will obscure your hearing. And there's nothing wrong with your ears."

"That's an old wives' tale. Back to you stalking me. I wish you'd leave me alone." He actually looked hurt when I said that. He buried his nose in my hair.

"I wish you hadn't said that," he said.

"That's not what I meant. I don't want you to leave me alone constantly, all I want is a little privacy."

"Shush. Listen." We both froze. Someone was outside my window. Father got up and pulled the blinds. "ALEXANDER! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" Father flitted downstairs. When I went outside, he and Alexander were a flurry of blond and black hair. The sky was gray, and it was starting to sprinkle.

"Stop this!" I cried. They didn't stop. I started to walk towards them, then someone pulled me back. It was Uncle Soren.

"Stay here. Louis, keep a hold of him." My blue-eyed cousin grabbed my arms roughly. Uncle Soren and Grandfather pulled my father and Alexander apart, although they still snapped at each other.

"LET ME GO! HE TRIED TO TAKE REESE AWAY FROM ME!" Father roared.

"I did no such thing! I merely wanted to see if he...it's not important. Let me go, Eilief!" Alexander spun around and kneed my grandfather in the gut. When Grandfather released him, Alexander knocked Louis and I over and grabbed me. Uncle Soren released Father.

"I AM GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU, ALEXANDER!"

Alexander smirked. "Murdering your own cousin? That's rather heartless, but then again, so is stealing your cousin's mate."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I said. "Cousin?" At this point, everyone glared at Father, even Louis.

"I am your grandfather's first cousin," Alexander said in an overly joyful tone. I felt faint and collapsed. "I'm surprised your father didn't tell you. Reese! Are you all right?"

"He needs me!" Father stepped on Alexander's foot, cracking his toes and causing Alexander to let go of me.

"He's our fucking cousin and you didn't tell me?!"

"Hush, little one. Yes, I'm sorry. He's our cousin." I turned around and retched. Father rubbed my back.

"Now you're just being dramatic," Grandfather said. I gave him a dirty look. "Don't look at me like that, Reese, I've had a very hard day."

"You need to be more sympathetic," Father said. He picked me up like a baby and cradled me. Embarrassed and angry, I buried my face in his chest. "I'm taking him up to his room. I don't want anyone to bother him for at least twenty-four hours. Place guards around the house and territory. Alexander, once again, I ban you from communicating with Reese Mordecai Nicolai. Leave us alone. I don't know where Marina is, and neither does he. We only know that she goes between Greece and America. She has homes in both countries. Now leave him alone. Bother me all you want, but please, leave Reese alone."

Father carried me up to my bedroom and placed me in bed. He shut the blinds and started straightening things up.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. He paused.

"I was trying to keep you safe. I didn't want you to seek him out, because I was afraid that he would try to kill you. I was wrong on so many levels. I'm sorry, Reese. Even parents make mistakes sometimes." He sat beside me. "I know you've been dealing with a lot lately. I want you to know that I love you more than the universe. If I had a choice between you and the universe, I would choose you, even if it meant killing everybody else, including your mother."

"Why did she leave me?"

"It was my fault. She loved you just as much as I do. She wanted full custody of you, but I refused. We fought for quite some time over it, until she simply stopped contacting me. She left you with me because she was going back to Greece for a while. Now she's...well, I think she's remarried. She may even have other children."

The thought that she may have had other children nearly made me physically ill.

~~~~~~~~

I was five years old. At a clap of thunder, I buried my face in Father's stomach. "It's all right, little one," he said, stroking my hair. "It's only thunder."

"Daddy, I'm scared."

"Don't be. Daddy's here. Daddy will keep you safe."

I woke up from the memory/dream when my alarm went off. Tonight was a big night. I was going on a date with Sarah. I had called her and asked her to go out to dinner with me. She had accepted.

I took an extra-long shower, being sure to scrub every inch of my body with chocolate and vanilla scented body gel. I paid careful attention to my hair. Father and Sarah were right. It was getting longer. Pretty soon, I'd need to trim my bangs. I even deep conditioned my hair to make it extra soft and shiny. I paid extra attention to my chin. Vampires do not grow facial hair as quickly or have as much as humans, but it is still there, and I had not shaved in a while; thus resulting in stubble. I shaved quickly, nearly cutting myself on several occasions.

I rinsed and washed the rest of my face, even brushing my teeth. I studied my eyebrows. They didn't look too bad. Quivering with anticipation, I dressed in the day's clothes. I would wear something different later tonight for her.

Father pulled me into his lap when I sat on the living room couch. He planted his nose in my hair.

"You smell like chocolate," he said. I felt his tongue run over my hair. "But you taste like shampoo."

"You're silly," I told him, turning to look at him. He smiled.

"I was quite mischievous when I was younger. I enjoyed playing pranks on your uncle. He always got me back though, until Louis was born. Then he became Mr. Serious-All-The-Fricking-Time!"

"Who taught you about pranks?"

"Your great-uncle did before he died. Father's brothers were all quite ornery. My father, being the oldest, felt that it was his responsibility to keep them in check. Before they all died. After the last one died, I think that's when he started losing interest in life. And when Amalia died, that's when he lost complete interest until Louis was born. And then a miracle happened, and you were born, and he was overjoyed for a short while until Marina left the family. He was quite fond of her, as was Soren."

"What was my mother like?" I asked.

"An amazing woman. Beautiful. Well, stunning, really. Intelligent. She's where you got your brains from. Kind. Always gave to the poor, whether it be food or money or her services. She loved children and worked to keep them out of abusive and neglectful homes, the same for animals. I remember that she had an incredibly old cat. She was fond of him and spoiled him rotten. He was very fat and pretty much useless.

"In the beginning of our relationship, she had a rat terrier. I remember that that dog was very much like a ferret: always stealing things and always needed a bath because she was chasing smaller creatures in the mud. In all honesty, I miss the little cretins almost as much as I miss your mother. They were excellent companions." Father had tears in his eyes by this point, although he was still smiling. Then the smile disappeared.

"I...I need a moment. Excuse me, Reese." He went upstairs to his bedroom. I laid across the couch and turned on the television. The news came on. Nothing new about Michael's death. I smirked. All they knew was what he'd done and that his heart was ripped out of his chest. I would have to thank Father again for that. I would have done it myself, but I was afraid of screwing up.

I had never killed anyone before, although my father has, many times. Mostly people he felt deserved to die, although there have been some accidental deaths in the past, or so he's told me. But by now he's too good to make that sort of mistake again. I heard something about a book sale at the library. I would not be able to resist that. A werewolf symbol in a park. I sat up.

There on the concrete was a drawing of a wolf. It was standing on a cliff and howling at the full moon. A circle was around the wolf. Known werewolves: none. Well, I personally knew of two. Eric and Damon. But they had not caused trouble or bothered me lately. Ariella had been warned by Uncle Soren to stay away from Damon, and she was complying. She had told me that she got a weird feeling around Damon these days, and she decided to listen to her instinct.

A collision on the highway. Traffic was backed up for a mile. A robbery at a bank. Nothing else that pertained to my life. Father came down again after about an hour. He pulled me into his lap again. He purred softly.

"I'm so happy you're safe," he muttered. "You'll always be my baby. You're my baby and no one else's." I heard two grunts of disagreement from upstairs.

"Am I also Grandfather and Uncle Soren's baby?" I asked.

"Nope. They didn't raise you enough to be considered their baby." When Grandfather came out, he flicked Father on the ear. He was wearing an unusual outfit for him: a tight white wifebeater and jeans.

"What's with the getup?" I asked him.

"I have no reason to do anything today. The guards have been stationed around your property, Mordecai. There are two outside Reese's bedroom and one outside your own."

"Surely I don't need two guards," I said.

"Your father insisted, and I agree with him. Alexander came too close to you yesterday. He's getting antsy. Dimitri is outside your bedroom, Mordecai."

"They'll get bored pretty soon," Father said. "Bring them inside."

Indeed, Grandfather went out, only to come back in flanked by Dimitri and two other guards that I did not recognize. One of them was middle-aged and had thin blond hair and blue eyes. The other was young and had black skin and long black, hip-length straight hair.

"Reese, this is Spencer and Toby," Grandfather said. I nodded to them, and they bowed to me as custom dictated. The blond one, Spencer, spoke first.

"A pleasure to meet the youngest prince." I detected scorn in his voice.

"It is for me as well," Toby, the dark-skinned one, said. He sounded sincere. Father gaped at both of them for a moment, then hissed softly.

"Enough, Mordecai," Grandfather said. "They do not want to take Reese away from you." Father bowed his head and mumbled an insincere apology. When the guards went up to the guest rooms, I fought to get out of Father's grasp.

"I need to go," I told him.

"Are you hungry? I can bring you blood."

"No, just let me go!" Frowning, Father released me. I really was getting tired of this routine.

CHAPTER 16 - DEAD DOUBT

I decided to use the old Honda we used in case of one of our cars not working. It would be easier for her to get in and out of. I again made sure I was presentable and attractive. I even used a bit of cologne.

She had grown a little bit more. She kept her hands on her stomach while she eased herself into the car.

"I can't stop touching my stomach," she said. "It's like I need to see how he's doing, how he is. " I purred, pretending that it was my baby inside her. When she got settled in, I turned right and headed toward a fancy restaurant.

The host took one look at Sarah and stumbled over his words. She offered him a shy smile.

"How m-many?" he asked.

"Two," I said. He led us to a fairly decent table in the center of the room. "Drinks?" he asked, looking at Sarah.

"Just water," she said. He looked at me.

"Same here," I said, trying to sound like I didn't want to kill him and failing miserably. The waiter took off and shortly returned with two waters.

"Wine? Champagne?" he asked.

"No, thank you," I said.

"Are we ready to order?" I looked at Sarah.

"Caesar salad, please," she said. He looked at me.

"Sirloin, cooked rare. And for the side, peas."

"You know, I don't mind a chick who eats steak," he said, looking at Sarah.

"I don't think the baby would be very happy with me," she said. His mouth opened slightly. When he left, her face turned sour. "God, what a jerk."

"Ain't that the truth," I mumbled quietly. "But he has no choice. I control his tip." Sarah looked at me for a moment, then laughed.

"When I was a waitress, people used to think that all the time. But my boss had a rule that tips had to be added onto the total. Not all restaurants do that, but ours did. I thought it was a shitty thing to do, but necessary sometimes because of people who didn't tip well. The most I got on a tip was maybe twenty dollars."

"You're only sixteen," I said.

"True. But I had a debt to pay, and now I have a baby. Plus, my car's about done for."

"Would you like me to buy you a new one?" I asked.

"No, Reese, you've spent too much on me already." She looked around. "What are they saying?" I looked around. Some women were looking at us and talking.

"She's too young to have a baby," one of them said.

"He should be ashamed of himself," said another.

"They're talking about us being teenage parents," I told Sarah. She laughed again, a musical laugh that was like rapture to my ears. I was tempted to kiss her, but I resisted. She looked around contentedly.

"What're they doing here?" she suddenly asked. I looked up. It was Nales' parents.

"Ignore them," I said.

"Oh look, it's the dead boy's parents," said one of the middle-aged women.

"You can't possibly feel sorry for them. Their son raped a girl!" Sarah looked down and hid her head. Luckily, they were seated far away from us. The waiter came back, carrying trays of food. He set a salad in front of me, and the steak in front of Sarah. I switched plates with her. I growled at the waiter's back. It took everything in me not to run over there and rip him apart.

Sarah played with her salad. I cut up my steak, which had been cooked medium-well, and offered her a few pieces. She took them, tears running down her face. She set the cloth napkin in her lap. I noticed how the blue dress she wore accentuated her curves.

"There's that slut," someone said. I looked up. Nales' parents had noticed us.

"Sweetheart, he hurt her," Nales' father said.

"Brian, she got him in trouble!"

"She had every right to be upset! God, why are you such a bitch?"

"You know she's going to abort the baby!"

"If she does, it's her decision. Michael's dead."

"I know he's fucking dead! It's because of her that he's dead!" Nales' mother stood up and walked over to us.

"Sarah," she said.

"Claire," Sarah said.

"What did you do with the baby?"

"He's still with me," Sarah said.

"I'll give you seventy thousand dollars upfront if you let us keep the baby."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"First of all, no fucking way. I couldn't give him to the parents of the boy who assaulted his mother. Secondly, I already promised him to somebody else. Get away from me before I call my bodyguards."

"You little-"

"Claire! Enough!" Brian, Michael's father, came over and put his hands on his wife's shoulders. "She's made her decision. Leave her alone. Let's just enjoy a nice dinner for once." With that, he led Claire away, with her shooting venomous looks at us.

"Sarah, that was amazing," I said.

"She's such a bitch, and I've wanted to tell her off for so long. She still blames me for what happened to Michael."

"I know. I heard their conversation." Sarah's eyes widened, and I knew immediately that I had said too much. Then something she said hit me. "What did you mean by 'bodyguards'?" She smiled.

"I mean you and Alexander, of course. Really though, I have so many people protecting me that I feel like a princess sometimes."

"You are a princess," I said. At least, you will be soon. She was becoming stronger. I could see that by the way she stood up for herself and the baby. We finished our meal, I paid, offering an exceedingly small tip, and she checked the receipt for any "mistakes".

"I think he added the tip," she said.

"Oh, well, I already paid him. Let's go, baby girl."

As I drove her home, we were silent. I was proud of her. She leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek. I turned and captured her mouth with my own.

"I love you," I said as soon as I released her.

"I love you, too," she said. She eased herself out of the car, grabbed her purse, and went inside. I stayed for a minute, listening to her go to her room. She turned on the light, redressed in pajamas, and picked up a book. Satisfied, I started to back out of her driveway, until I saw something. Alexander was climbing the ivy up to her window. He knocked. She opened the window, and let him in. I opened the door of the Honda and stepped out. I shut the door. I climbed the ivy as well and listened to their conversation.

"What did you eat?" Alexander asked.

"I had a salad. Chill."

"What did Reese eat?"

"He ate a steak and peas."

"Interesting. May I?"

"Yes."

I looked into the room. He had his hand on her belly. I could hear him purring from where I was. He put an ear against her.

"He's getting stronger," he said. He grabbed Sarah's shoulders and threw her onto the bed. He laid on top of her, missionary style. Missionary? Oh, hell no. I knocked on the window. They looked up, shocked. "It's Reese!"

I opened the window and climbed in.

"What the hell are you doing to my girlfriend?" I snapped at Alexander. He grinned at me.

"She enjoys it when I do this. Don't you, sweetheart?"

"Not really," she said. I saw red. I grabbed Alexander around the throat and pinned him against the wall.

"Stay away," I growled.

"I can't stay away from your love without staying away from my child. Give it eight more months, and I'll leave her alone forever if you wish. At least let me greet him occasionally!" I was sorely tempted to rip him apart, but I kept my temper under control.

Rival. Kill rival. Rip him apart.

Reese?

Father?

Where are you?

I'm at Sarah's. I caught Alexander being indecent with her.

Come home right now!

Growling, I let Alexander go. I looked at Sarah. She looked terrified.

"I'm sorry," I said, before leaping out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"When you see Alexander, do not engage him. You come right home!" It was the next day, and I was getting a lecture from my father. "Are you still listening to me?"

"Nope," I answered truthfully. Father pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"You are incorrigible, you know that? What am I going to do with you?"

"Love me," I answered sarcastically.

"I do love you, more than anything. Why don't you ever listen to my commands and advice?" He rubbed his abdomen. "I am hungry. I stayed up all night, not eating, just waiting for you to get home safely."

"I'm sorry, Father."

"You are such a fibber. Come here." He hugged me tightly. "I can't imagine life without you. Do not scare me like that again."

"I wanted to kill him," I said.

"How do you think I feel whenever he gets too close to you? I want to tear his guts out, cousin or not."

"How old is he, anyway?"

"He's older than Grandfather by five years." I gaped. "He's one of the first humans. He was part of the most advanced civilization at the time. He angered a deity8u7, who punished him by turning him into a vampire."

"And he's still alive?!"

"More or less."

"So, which race is older? Humans or vampires?"

"Vampires, baby. Believe it or not, there were different kinds of vampires many years ago, who, unfortunately, or fortunately for some, died out. Very few races still exist. Djinni, strigoi, sanguine vampires, which is what we are, some of which are psychic like me. Then there are telepathic vampires, who absorb energy from other beings, reverse vampires, who survive on the sun's energy, chlorophyll vampires, human vampires, and natural-borns. You and I are sanguinary natural-borns. Your grandfather is a human vampire. He started life as a human, then was bitten by Alexander and turned into a sanguine. I am also psychic, which helps me keep track of you."

I closed my eyes and leaned back. Father laid next to me.

"Tired, little one?"

"Very. I got little sleep last night."

"What do you think I went through?"

"I said sorry!"

"You didn't mean it." Angry now, I sat up and went up to my bedroom. I slammed the door and locked it. That made Father nervous. I could feel his anxiety from our mental connection.

Must see child. See if he's okay. Seconds later, he pounded on my door, knocking it off the hinges.

"What the hell!" I snapped. Father zipped over to me and held me. He kissed me softly and rocked me.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," he said. "I'll fix your door. You scared me, Reese. Why are you so angry?"

"Leave me alone," I growled.

"That is not an option. Tell Daddy why it hurts." I growled at him. He looked confused and hurt. "Come on, baby. Forgive me. Tell me what's wrong!"

"Leave me alone!" I got out of his grasp.

"REESE NICOLAI, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" Shocked, I stopped moving. "I am not going to let you do this to yourself! Let me help you. I accept your apology, now accept mine."

"I accept it, Father," I said, voice wobbling. He whimpered.

"I didn't mean to scare you, little one. I'm sorry. Come here." I scooted back and hissed at him. I leapt onto the floor, landing painfully on my funny bone. There was nothing funny about it. I cursed and stood up, clutching my elbow.

Father looked at me sadly. I glared at him and then hid in my closet. I took off my clothes. I opened the door slightly.

"Father," I said, embarassed, "Can you hand me my swimming trunks?" He gave them to me, and I pulled them on, noting that they were a bit tight around the waist.

I went over to the pool and dove in. I swam to the very bottom and sat there, contemplating my life. I decided that I'd get a tattoo on my arm of my name and Sarah's, to show her how much I cared. My heart ached with need. I needed her. I wanted her. I was hopelessly obsessed with her. I stayed under the water for about an hour before I came up. I sat on the edge of the pool.

"Reese." I turned around and looked at my uncle. "Ari called you several times. She sounds really upset, and she won't tell me what's wrong." I eased myself up, shook myself dry, and found my cell phone under my bed.

"H-hello?"

"Hey, Ariella, it's me. Sorry I couldn't reach you earlier, I was...occupied. What's up?"

"Damon's a werewolf!" Honestly, I was more shocked that she figured it out.

"Huh? Is this a joke?"

"NO, it's not a joke!" She took a deep breath. It sounded like she was crying. "I n-never thought...I never believed...are all supernatural creatures real? Zombies and shit? Vampires?"

I mentally sighed. It was time to tell her.

"All right, it's time you knew the truth. Where would you like to meet up?"

"To Bean Or Not To Bean. I need a cappuccino."

~~~~~~~~~~

So that's how two hours later, I was sitting in my best human friend's favorite coffee shop, preparing to reveal a secret that I'd kept from her for so long. She showed up ten minutes late. She ordered a cappuccino and paid the cashier, then sat across from me in our usual spot. Her gray eyes were reddened from her sorrows. I'd seen Ari upset before, but she usually got over it quickly.

"I've been keeping a secret," I began. "A huge one. I didn't tell you, not because I didn't trust you, but because it was better if you didn't know. I don't want it to get out, or I'll be persecuted."

"I know you're bisexual, Reese. Everyone knows that." I chuckled.

"That's not it. I can defend myself from homophobes quite well. Better than most, in fact."

"You've built this wall around yourself. No one would dare upset you."

"That last part isn't true. Plenty of people would love to get me upset. Ariella, I'm a vampire." She froze.

"You're fucking joking."

"No, I'm not. Do you know why I never eat human food unless I must? That's why. My diet mainly consists of human blood." She gave me a disgusted look.

"I don't believe it. And your uncle and cousin?"

"They're vampires too. My uncle is much older than modern civilization. Older than Christianity on Earth. Louis himself is over three hundred years old. And yes, I knew Damon was a werewolf. He was bitten not long ago. I could tell because of his disgusting scent."

"Is your dad really your dad?"

I nodded. "Yes, Mordecai is my biological father. He and I are what's called natural-borns."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Please don't make me get into it. Basically, my parents had me the same way human children are born." I almost vomited at the thought. "Most vampires are bitten, as we have an extremely high infertility rate. My father, uncle, Louis, and I are considered miracles because we're all natural-borns. So naturally, most vampires would love to get their hands on me because I'm quite valuable for several reasons. I'm a vampire and a prince."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're a prince?!" I nodded again.

"Yes, I'm a prince. I kept my identity a secret because I don't want too many questions asked and I want to be treated the same as anybody else. The vampire world has a hierarchy. My grandfather is the king, and my father, uncle, cousins, and I are all considered princes to the rest of the vampire world."

Ariella studied her coffee. She stirred it. Then she looked up at me. "If you're a prince, where's your crown?" I laughed.

"We don't have crowns. Everyone knows who we are. If not by our names or crowns, at least by our numerous guards and expensive castles and homes. My grandfather has a home in nearly every country, although he spends most of his time in Denmark, where he's originally from. In fact, we're related to the first human vampire. Alexander Nicolai."

"That's the guy that Sarah's giving her baby to. Will the kid be safe?"

"The baby will be more than safe with Alexander. He himself has a half-human son."

"That is wicked cool. How old is he?"

"Alexander? He's as old as the Vikings." Her jaw dropped. "He was part of an extremely advanced civilization for the time. He angered a superior being who transformed him into a bloodsucker." I realized how terrible that sounded right after I said it. Ariella smiled.

"And werewolves?"

"Werewolves usually travel in packs. Like a real wolf pack, they have two alphas, usually one male and one female, although I've heard of packs that have two alpha males or two alpha females. You become a werewolf either by birth or by getting bitten. Werewolf births that survive past infancy are less common than natural vampire births.

"The baby usually suffers unless it's given a potion to control the change. Sometimes the child will die either from the pain of the change, hurting him or herself, or getting hurt by another cub that's out of control. Their lives are usually quite sad."

"How did Damon get bitten?" Ariella asked.

"I...I can't answer that, because I have no idea. Although I think he hates me more than he used to." She frowned.

"You said earlier that Alexander angered a 'superior being.' What kind of being?"

"Some kind of deity."

"Deities exist?"

I nodded.

"You'll find that a lot of supernatural creatures exist, including Elves, fairies, goblins, cat women, psychics, aliens, wendigos, and even other types of vampires."

"How do you kill a vampire? Stakes or crosses?"

"Stakes work well, although fire is the best way. Some vampires are also afraid of crosses."

"Did you know Jesus?" Ariella asked.

"No, I really am only seventeen years old. My father was a young boy when He was hung on the cross."

"So how do you kill a vampire?"

"The only way to kill a vampire for sure is to take off his head and set him on fire."

"Why is it always fire?"

"Because fire is the most destructive element on Earth. You know that."

"Are more boys or girls changed?" I bit my lip.

"There are more male bitten vampires because most male vampires refuse to bite women out of courtesy. I don't know how many female natural-borns there are. That is one reason why male vampires are so possessive. A Seer once told me that each person has two potential soulmates."

"Two? It's hard enough finding one, but two?"

"Yes, each person has two potential soulmates. Sarah's unique because she has four, one of which is me."

"You're exaggerating."

"Me, exaggerate? Never. My soulmates are her and Evan, and you can see how well things worked out with Evan."

"But if they're both your soulmates, wouldn't that make you love them equally?"

"I don't know. All I know is I love Sarah more than I ever cared about Evan. Maybe because she's a better fit?"

"Maybe because she's more stable?" Ariella offered.

"Maybe." I told Ariella about the incident with Michael's parents and the rude waiter. She told me how she found out Damon was a werewolf. Apparently, he let slip that he was gone every full moon. Ariella did some research, and he eventually told her. That's when she called me. Then her eyes brightened.

"I've got it! You connected with her more because she's a girl!"

"Nice theory, but you're wrong. The Seer told me that they are both my soulmates because I'm bisexual. I'm not bisexual because they are my soulmates." Her face fell.

"Oh. That would explain a lot." I raised an eyebrow. She burst into laughter. "You're so funny when you make that look! 'Ariella just made a weird comment so I'm going to raise my eyebrow'."

"Make fun of me all you want," I told her. "You know I'm right."

"Aw, come on, you know I'm only playing." But the mood was dampened. "Well, I have to go. Love you." She hugged me.

"Love you too," I said, hugging back.

"I still can't believe you're a vampire."

"I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, but I had valid reasons."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father was in a bad mood. He grabbed me up as soon as I walked in the door and carried me to his bedroom.

"Father?" I questioned. He bit his wrist open and held it over my mouth.

"Drink," he commanded. I did as he asked without complaint. As soon as I drank my fill, he started smelling me. "Did he do anything indecent to you? Did he defile you?"

"Father, no one defiled me. Why are you so worried?"

"I smelled Alexander in the area. I wanted to go after you, but your grandfather and uncle held me back. I tried to follow Alexander, but he got away, and then I spotted him with Sarah at a cafe. She was showing him some pictures. She saw me and waved, and I waved back, and then Alexander gave me the dirtiest look. Then he had the audacity to lean across the table and kiss her. He didn't even kiss her on the head or the cheek, he kissed her full on the lips! That is my son's mate, you piece of dog shit!"

"Is Sarah okay?" I asked nervously.

"Yes, she looked as if it was a common occurrence. I doubt she even knows why he does it or what it means."

"He mentioned having her as a potential mate once," I said, "But I think he only said that to get under my skin."

"Yes. He's still obsessed with your mother. He scattered some old pictures of us around. First, pictures of himself and Marina, then me and Marina with my eyes removed." He hissed silently. "This is getting so old, I swear. He tries to make us react to his actions. He will not get that."

"Father, why did you feed me?"

"Because I need to know that you were safe and healthy. I gorged myself on blood before you came back."

"I'll check on Sarah tonight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She looked so content in her sleep, angelic, even, that I could not find it in my heart to wake her. Besides, she needed her rest. She was now living for two. I wondered if her future son or daughter would be allowed to know her. Still, I kept myself quieter than a mouse as I entered her room. Her journal was open on her nightstand.

I must resist, I thought. I looked through her shelves and desk. CliffsNotes. SparkNotes. Several editions of books we were required to read in school. She was smart. She was clever, and I knew that she liked to read. She had been reading that vampire book that she was so fond of. I looked at the cover. It had a pair of doves holding a ribbon between them and a heart in the middle of the ribbon. The title was in French.

Vampires Ames Soeurs. Vampire soulmates. I opened it, and realized the whole thing was in French. I didn't know she could read French.

"Reese?" I froze and slowly looked at her. She sat up and rubbed her eye. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't mean to wake you," I said.

"I felt your aura," she joked. I smiled slowly.

"My aura is probably as black as a raven's beak. Yours is probably purple or indigo. I wouldn't know." I remembered Madame Indigo and felt terrible. I sat beside her. "Can you read French?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. My dad was French. My grandparents are from a small town in the French countryside. They still live there with my aunts, uncles, and cousins."

"So you're half-French?"

"Yes, I am. My mother is part Israelite, part Italian. My other grandpa is from Israel. He taught me how to read Hebrew, and my dad taught me how to read and speak in French before he passed away." It was interesting to learn this tidbit of information about her. She smiled shyly.

"So, really, I'm fluent in four languages, including Italian. My grandmother made sure of that. Well, I'm still learning Italian." She seemed even more embarassed now. I heard footsteps.

"Your mother's coming," I warned her. She immediately fell back into the bed and covered herself up, one leg hanging over the bed. I hid in the closet and tried not to laugh at her silliness. Alicia came in, studied Sarah for a moment, then put her leg back into the bed and covered her up. She kissed her, said something in Italian, and went back into the hallway, picking up Coffee, the brown Chihuahua, who decided to lick Sarah's face. As soon as she was gone, I came back out.

"What did she say?" I asked Sarah.

"Sei così bella, Sarah. Ti amo più di ogni altra cosa. It means 'you are so beautiful, Sarah. I love you more than anything'. That right there's an example. My sister doesn't think she needs to learn all the languages in our family tree. Really, she's too lazy and doesn't think she can do it anyway."

"There are people with a lot more in their lineage than you and I, and some of their languages are more complicated than Italian or Hebrew, although Hebrew is hard to an outsider. It took me forever to learn."

"You know Hebrew?" I nodded.

"I am also fluent in several languages, Sarah, including German, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, some Bulgarian, Greek, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, and of course, English."

"I wish I was as smart as you. Say something in Greek."

"Den eímai pio éxypnos apó séna, agapitós, o patéras mou me aplá me ékane na mátho óles aftés tis glósses giatí ... kalá, eíche tous lógous tou. I am no smarter than you, dearest, my father simply made me learn all these languages because...well, he had his reasons. There, I said the same thing in both Greek and English."

"Reese, if I were smart at all, I would not have gotten involved with Scarlett. But one simply does not say no to Scarlett and Jordan Hart. Or Rachel Griffin. Or Mia Rayport. Or Sara Blynn. Or Angela Montgomery."

"Did you really call Sara Blynn "Honey"?"

"We all called her that. Jordan's idea, although Scarlett will say it was hers. Sara didn't seem to like it at first for some reason, but she never put a stop to it, so now everyone calls her that. Maybe we're just characters in a book that someone somewhere is writing, and they just felt that it was right." I looked at her. "I know, I know. I've been saying a lot of weird things lately."

"If we were fiction, then I doubt that I could love you as much as I do," I said. "And no one has ever loved his girlfriend more than I love you."

"That's the second time you told me that."

"It's true, mia bella." She smiled and yawned.

"All right, I let you get back to sleep. You need to keep your strength up."

"You're right, but I have such weird dreams sometimes. Like the other night, I had a dream that Death was in love with me."

"Don't say that!" Now I was panicked. She smiled.

"I nearly died from embarrassment."

"That's not funny."

"I thought it was. All right, good night, Reese. I love you." And then she closed her eyes. I crawled in beside her and kissed her on the neck.

"I love you more. Probably much more."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, she woke up crying. I was still with her, as I'd fallen asleep because I didn't want to leave her.

"Baby, what's wrong?" I asked.

"I h-had a dream about my baby dying. It just...died!"

"Oh, Sarah, I'm so sorry. Sometimes babies just die, and no one fully knows why." I had said the wrong thing. She started wailing. I held her like a child and rocked her. She buried her face in my shirt and sobbed.

"I also had a dream about the teachers that d-died," she said. I looked at her. "Both of them bothered me from time to time, especially the guy. He would make me so uncomfortable."

"Then I'm glad he's dead," I said. She looked at me with wide, terrified eyes. Then she ran to the bathroom, almost tripping as she leaped off my lap. I heard her throwing up a minute later. I smelled bile and partially digested grilled cheese sandwiches. She came back four minutes later, her mouth cleaned, and teeth brushed.

"Why are you so violent?" she asked.

"I...I can't tell you." She looked hurt. "It's not that I don't trust you, it's that it is just better and safer if you didn't know."

"Ariella said that you had a big secret," she said. "How come she knows, and I don't? I'm your girlfriend!"

"Ari is my best friend, and her ex-boyfriend is the one who spilled the beans anyway." Okay, the last part was only partially true. Sarah burst into tears.

"I think you should go," she said.

"Sarah, don't say that. Please let me stay and help you."

"Just go."

Hurt, I left her, crawling out the window flitting across the yard and street and starting up my van. Did she suspect? How long had this been on her mind? Was the relationship over? No, I would not let that happen. We were soulmates. Meant to be. Fated.

My father was waiting for me anxiously. He looked...unhappy would be an understatement. Furious. Livid, even.

"Where have you been?" he asked me as soon as I got out of the van. When I didn't answer, he tackled me to the ground and started smelling me. "You smell like Sarah."

"I inadvertently spent the night with her," I said. He looked calmer.

"At least it was her and not a certain someone whose name shall not be mentioned."

"Father, she knows I have a secret. She became upset with me this morning after I said some things...."

"What things?"

I told him about the conversation we had involving Matthew Herman and what's-her-face. He only half-listened, choosing instead to nuzzle me with his nose.

"Interesting. Come here, baby boy." I sat on his lap. He showered me with kisses. "I was so afraid. I wanted to go after you, but I didn't know where you'd gone, and I got no visions."

"Why didn't you just track my scent?" I asked. He paused for a moment, then hit himself on the head with a drink coaster.

"I am so stupid!" He set me on the couch and then went outside. I heard him ravaging the forest. A few minutes later, he came back, dirtied and his shirt was torn. "By the way, I found Evan's scent. I tracked it to the lake, where it disappeared."

"Did you dive into the lake?" I asked.

"I should have. Come with me, Reese. Bring your keys and your phone."

He led me to the edge of a lake about two miles from our house. Father took everything off except his boxers and dove in. He stayed under for about twenty minutes. He came back up, carrying a struggling Evan. Evan was a mess. He was completely soaked, his clothes torn. He cursed my father as he carried him to the shore.

"Grab my clothes, Reese," Father said. I grabbed his clothes and followed him home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Get in the shower," he commanded Evan. "And don't try to run again. You stink like fish." Sulking, Evan took off his wet clothes and hopped into a shower. The shower ran for a long time before he turned the water off. I heard him rummaging around.

Minutes later, he came back down, dressed in a tank top and jeans.

"Why the lake?" I asked him.

"No one ever finds bodies in bodies of water."

"That's not true and you know it," I snapped.

"Fine. I wanted to hide. Since I am now a walking corpse, I decided to act like one."

"How did you survive?"

"I drank fish blood. I caught them as they passed by and drained them."

"You are...well, you had to survive somehow."

"I intended to die, but I was too hungry and thirsty. The burn in my throat nearly killed me. I wish it had."

"Well, my father will get you help."

"I don't want his help. I think it's time to go back to my family."

"You'll have to talk to my father about that." Father came down.

"Reese, I must speak with Evan alone. Go wait in your room or the library." Grateful for the distraction, I went upstairs to my room and started to read a book. My phone dinged. I looked at it. Sarah had posted a picture of herself on Facebook, dressed in a red cotton dress. I gazed at it for a long time. She looked damn good in it. It accentuated her breasts and hips perfectly, showed off her shoulders, as it was sleeveless, and had roses around the hemline.

I recognized it as a dress I had bought her the other day on our shopping trip. She had added gold high heels and gold jewelry. Already, she was getting likes. From Mason, Amara, Duke, Noah, Rachel, and so on. She had gotten closer to that group as well as Ariella and me.

She was gorgeous. I wanted to go over to her and hold her again. I stared at her for a long time. Then I turned back to my book, but my mind was still on her. Butterflies fluttered around. No, not butterflies. Birds. Little hummingbirds. I felt like I had swallowed a whole bunch of them, and my stomach was filled with them. I was happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I fell asleep, and dreamed that I had a son.

As I held him in my arms, I felt like the happiest man alive. Finally, after a century, my mate had agReid to give me a child. I felt gReidy, wanting to keep him all to myself. Sarah was asleep. She had just been through seven hours of labor, and she was exhausted. My son opened his eyes slowly.

"Hey, baby boy," I said. Oh gods, I've turned into my father!

Baby didn't care. He grabbed my finger as much as a newborn could. His tummy gave a growl, and he started whimpering. I quickly prepared a bottle and fed him. She had said she wanted to breastfeed for the most part, but an occasional bottle was okay with her. She didn't want him to have formula all the time, merely as an addition to his limited diet. Cirino was right outside with Alexander. I gave the okay for them and Father to come in.

Cirino stared at his baby brother. He was unsure at first about having a sibling. He had asked Alexander to change him at thirty years old. He had grown up nicely. He had his biological father's blond hair, but his mother's green eyes.

Sarah woke up. She held out her arms, and I hesitantly gave Baby back to her. Baby fussed for a minute, then calmed as his mother held him to her breast and fed him from the bottle. When he was finished, she started burping him.

"Let me do that, Sarah," Alexander said. She reluctantly handed Baby around, and we all got to hold him.

"What do you want his name to be?" I asked Sarah. She smiled at me, eyes still glazed over.

"Doorstop. Let's call him Door." Okay, she was going nowhere near the birth certificate for a while. She was still loopy. I noticed Father trying not to laugh as he held his new grandson.

"I can't believe I waited a century for you," I told Baby. Father glared at me.

"You're one to talk. I waited TWO THOUSAND years for you!"

I woke up suddenly. It was night. I went right back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~

I stayed asleep for the rest of the night. I slept peacefully, only waking up when Father sidled in next to me.

"Wake up, little one. It's a school day, and you overslept." I cursed and threw off the covers. Father grabbed me around the waist. "Calm down. I already called them and told them that you had a chest cold. Come lay beside me." I crawled in next to him and closed my eyes. I slept some more, then woke up around noon. I watched a movie, then read for a while. I studied Mythology and Folklore, then worked on an essay for European History. I created my own ink farm and ranch for Biology. Horses over here, cattle and dogs and a vegetable garden. Wild onions, mint, peppercorns. I studied the anatomy of milk thistle.

We were going to dissect fish in a few days, and I was not looking forward to it. I hate the odor of fish, and combined with my superior sense of smell, it was going to be hell. Then we were going to study yeast. Specifically, yeast infections. Oh, joy of joys.

My father pulled me away from my homework (that's a first), insisting on cuddling with me. Then we got into a wrestling match. I playfully nipped his shoulder. He growled and affectionately nibbled my ear. I rolled on top of him and pinned his arms behind his back. He rolled over and twisted his arms around. He pecked my nose. He grabbed me around the waist and held me still.

"I win," he said triumphantly.

"Just wait until he wins," said a nasty familiar voice. Father hissed and jumped.

"Get behind me," he said as we faced Alexander. "What are you doing here? I banned you from seeing him!"

"You banned me from communicating with him," Alexander sneered. "And I'm here because he wasn't at school. Sarah's wondering where he is, and so was I." Father pulled me into his arms. He nearly rebroke my ribs with his protectiveness.

"Sarah's arm is fully healed also," Alexander said. "The cast has come off."

"The cast came off a week ago," I said.

"Yes, but her arm was not completely healed. She knows her mother is having monetary problems and so she pretended it was."

"What...I told her I would take care of the bills. How could she lie to me about that?" I wondered.

"Did you have sex with her?" Alexander asked.

"A long time ago," I replied. "I've made sure to be extra gentle with her since, especially since she's carrying another life in her belly."

"I would have thought you hated the fetus," Alexander said.

"The fetus is innocent in all this. It's not his fault that his father is a raging maniacal piece of shit."

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SPEAK WITH HIM!" Father cried, and I wondered if he was yelling at me or Alexander. Probably both of us. He shielded me with himself. "ALEXANDER! LEAVE! NOW! BEFORE I BAN YOU FROM SEEING SARAH CRESLEY AS WELL!" Alexander rolled his eyes.

"I told you, I don't care about her," he said.

"You're lying," I said. "You want her for yourself! You've thought about bedding her!"

"I'm not going to lie, I've thought about fucking her. But that's all she is, a possible good fuck and the biological mother of my future child."

"You're lying," Father said, coming out of a vision. "You care about her more than you're saying or letting on. A good bedmate, yes, but your mate? Absolutely not. Reese's mate."

"My mate? Possibly," Alexander said. I saw red and rushed at Alexander. Father grabbed me around the waist.

"Control yourself, Reese. He's trying to aggravate you on purpose. Relax, son. Calm."

"Your son or my son?" Alexander said, smirking. Then it was me holding Father back.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "We know who my mother is."

"Of course it fucking matters!" Father snapped. "Let go of me, Reese!" He spun around and put his teeth on my neck. Not enough to pierce the skin, but enough to make me stay still. It was the kind of bite one uses for a feisty mate or a mischievous progeny. When Father was satisfied with me, he turned back to Alexander, only to get punched in the nose. He was sent flying through my window.

Spencer and Toby went over to him. Father got up and started yelling incoherently at them. When Dimitri appeared, Father grabbed him around the neck and slammed him against the garage door. I leapt out the window to try to calm Father down. Landing perfectly on my large feet, I touched Father's shoulder. He grabbed me around my neck and pushed me up against a cherry tree. When he saw that it was me, he let out a howl of distress and rage.

Where are Grandfather and Uncle Soren? I thought desperately. I noticed Alexander had leapt down and started running toward the woods. I ordered Spencer and Toby to follow him, which they complied to, and ordered Dimitri to track down my grandfather and uncle. My father tore a full-grown dogwood tree out of the ground and started tearing it apart. When it was dust, he started working on the driveway, tearing up the concrete and crushing it like a...well, like a vampire crushing concrete.

He was in full rage mode. Spencer and Toby came back, carrying a very unhappy Alexander between them. Father's eyes were completely red now, and his eyes became slits. When he saw Alexander, he tore off Alexander's head and kicked it like a soccer ball. It landed somewhere in the woods. Alexander's headless body collapsed.

Was Father satisfied? Nope. He turned to the treehouse where I used to play when I was younger. He started tearing it up. I was more worried about him than the treehouse.

"Reese, get back!" I was beyond ecstatic to hear my uncle's voice and see him. He pulled me back. "There's no telling what he'll do when he's like this!"

"Whose head did he tear off?" Grandfather asked.

"Alexander," I replied. "He kicked it into the woods." Grandfather ordered Spencer to find Alexander's head while I launched into an explanation of what had happened earlier. My uncle slowly let me go.

"Mordecai," he said. My father kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying back. He landed against a white oak, shattering it. Then Father turned to me. He ran toward me and grabbed my head. Then something hit him.

"Reese," he said, his eyes turning yellow again. He let go of me. "Oh my gods." Then he took off. Grandfather grabbed my shoulder to prevent me from going after him. Spencer came back, carrying Alexander's head. Alexander's expression was one of shock.

"Put him back together," Grandfather ordered. "Reese, go inside and wait in the library. I must find your father before he hurts himself. Soren, stay here and watch Reese."

My uncle carried me upstairs to Father's bedroom instead. He ran into the library and got me a book.

"Read," he ordered. "Dimitri, stand guard. I must find my little brother and help him."

~~~~~~~~~

They were gone for a frighteningly long time. Eventually, I couldn't stand it anymore. I set the book down and headed out.

"Master Reese, Master Soren and Master Eilief-"

"Can't tell me what to do. Stay here." Even though Dimitri was older and an adult, I was still his master, and he nodded and stayed put.

I went out. I started smelling the air, looking for my father's scent. I tracked him to the edge of the creek that fed the lake, where he leaned against a tree. He had been crying. He turned around.

"Reese. You should not be here. Go home."

"Not without you," I said.

"Reese, I...I almost killed you. I nearly ripped your head off. Leave me be."

"It was an accident. Besides, you already tore off Alexander's head."

He blinked. "I did?"

"You don't remember? He tried to take off, and Spencer and Toby caught him. Then you tore his head off and kicked it away." He grinned weakly.

"At last, my revenge. It still does not change the fact that I hurt you. I'm a terrible father. Maybe I should have let your grandfather take you away."

"I don't want to live with Grandfather. I want to live with you." I sat beside him and leaned against him.

"I must remember to promote Spencer and Toby. Perhaps a position in Denmark?"

"Reese." Father and I turned around. Uncle Soren and Grandfather slowly approached us. "I told you to stay home," Uncle Soren said.

"Go fuck yourself, Soren," Father snapped. "And I'm sorry I kicked you."

"Mordecai, watch your mouth," Grandfather said.

"Apology accepted, little brother," Uncle Soren said. "Not that your kick affected me much."

"Boys, be nice," Grandfather said. He looked at me. "See what I have to deal with on a daily basis?"

Father buried his face in my shoulder. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I am so, so deeply sorry. I can't tell you how sorry I am. Please forgive me on the grounds that I care too much."

"Of course," I said, and kissed his scalp.

"We must go back," Uncle Soren said. "The guards have begun putting Alexander back together."

"Why?" Father asked, looking up.

"As irritating as he is, he is our cousin," Uncle Soren said. "And if it wasn't for him-"

"If it wasn't for him, Marina would be mine, and she would be here for Reese!" Father snapped. Uncle Soren and Grandfather took that as their cue to leave. When they were gone, Father buried his face in my shoulder again. "This is all my fault. I lost my temper, nearly killed my boy, the love of my life, and lost my mate a long time ago. Now she has another, and she's happy without me. All of this is my fault. I should have left well enough alone. But she was so beautiful...and I fell in love with her quickly.

"Why shouldn't I have? She's an amazing woman. I just wish she would have stayed. I fought so hard for custody, I didn't mean to push her away completely. If she were here, she'd know what to do. She would have a plan, and she would carry it out like the princess she is. Now my boy has his own princess, and she's even more beautiful, which I never thought was possible."

"You really think Sarah's beautiful?" I asked.

"Son, she is one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Possibly the most beautiful. She is a classic beauty, yet she's not at the same time. Her features have their own uniqueness and grace. She looks like no other female on the planet, woman, girl, princess, or queen."

I was suddenly proud of Sarah and the fact that she was mine. I looked at my phone. I was looking for text messages, and noticed the time. Ten in the morning?

"Father..." I looked at him. He suddenly looked guilty.

"Curse modern cell phones. I may have fudged the time on all the clocks in your room. And the oven. And the microwave."

"Why?"

"I wanted you to stay home today so I could cuddle with you and make things up to you. Instead, I ended up making things worse. I don't suppose sorry would help?" I got up and walked away in disgust. He didn't follow.

~~~~~~~~~~

I handed in a late slip to the secretary and headed to class. After finding out in was only ten in the morning, not noon, as I had originally thought, I went to school after hastily forging a note in my father's handwriting. The secretary said she'd take care of it, and I headed to Biology.

"What's the reason for your tardiness, Mr. Nicolai?" Mr. Lima asked. I handed him my "father's" note. "Oh. Well then, go ahead and join your partner. We're doing a lab on the computer. Clarissa can explain it to you."

I joined Clarissa Brawn at the computer. She nodded at me and explained the assignment. We were labeling the parts of a fish. Everything from the scales to the gills to the organs and bones. Suddenly, I smelled my father. I looked up. He was up there, talking to Mr. Lima. He was dressed in a button-up shirt and khakis. His hair was brushed and tied back into a ponytail. He looked at me.

"You're Reese's father?" Mr. Lima said out loud. My classmates looked up. Some of them stared at my father. A couple of the girls had dropped jaws. Yes, yes, I know that my dad is good-looking. Beautiful, even. For his actual age.

"I will be working here soon," Father said. Oh, gods, please, no. I will die of humiliation. Why did he want to work here? He had a job. He had several jobs and careers. Soon-to-be music and video store owner, prince of the vampire world, father to me.

My father finished with "so that's why he was late." He had told Mr. Lima that I had a doctor's appointment. I nearly died of humiliation right then and there.

"That's your dad?" Clarissa said to me.

"Yes, that's my paternal parent," I said, painfully. Some of my classmates turned to look at me. I pretended to focus on the lab. Inside, though, I was wishing that a hole would suck me up so that I would never be seen again. I distracted myself with thoughts of Sarah. What would she think about this? How was she? Her baby?

When the bell rang, I got up and left quickly. I went to my locker and put some things away. I got out the books for my next class, European History.

"Reese?" I turned around slowly.

"Father."

"Are you angry with me?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. I had valid reasons. I know you heard me back in the classroom. Yes, I convinced your principal to let me teach here. I'll be teaching Mythology and Folklore while your regular teacher is on vacation for four weeks."

"How...?"

"I may have sent him a generous donation. So yes, he's spending it on a vacation in the Bahamas."

"Why don't you just...never mind."

"What, Reese?"

"Nothing. I have to get to European History."

"I expect to see you in Mythology after your lunch. Don't you dare skip."

"Father-"

"I'm serious. Stay at school. I'll explain my reasons later. I promise." He pecked my forehead and went to the classroom.

I could barely focus on European History. We were studying the beginnings of the trade business with England and France. Some kid argued that England wasn't part of Europe since it's an island. It took the whole hour for everyone to convince him that England is in fact part of Europe. He also insisted that the royal family no longer existed. I held in laughter as the teacher told him that England still has a royal family, and they are a major part of English politics still.

When the bell rang, I put my books in my locker and grabbed a reading-for-pleasure book out of my locker. I sat by myself again in the cafeteria. I was still angry with Mason.

"Make it up to him," Amara was saying. "I miss having him here."

"So do I," Noah replied. They missed me? Finally, I heard Mason's boots.

"Reese-"

"Go fuck yourself."

"Reese, I'm sorry. I know I screwed up. Come on, everyone misses you, especially Sarah." Sarah? I looked up. She was glancing at me and picking at a sandwich.

"Okay," I said stupidly, and followed him. I sat beside my girlfriend. She gave me a weak smile and I kissed her forehead. She looked up.

"Isn't that your dad?" I looked up. Father was talking to a female teacher.

"Unfortunately," I replied. "He's teaching Mythology and Folklore."

"What happened to Mr. Brown?" she asked.

"He's on vacation in the Bahamas." I hoped she'd leave it at that, which she did.

I left the cafeteria early, pecking Sarah on the cheek.

"I'll see you later," I whispered, then left.

"Where's he going?" Duke asked.

"I don't know," Sarah said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I went to the nurse.

"Hello, what's up?" she asked.

"Stomachache," I said. She directed me to lay on a cot.

Not surprisingly, Father came in and introduced himself to the nurse. Then he turned to me.

"Reese, if you're not feeling well, you should go home," he said. "If you just don't want to go to class, tough it out. This is not the worst thing to ever happen to you."

I groaned, but knew he was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I went into the classroom and took my usual spot.

"Reese, come sit up in front of me," he said.

"Don't you trust me?" I said sarcastically.

"Of course. I just don't believe you're applying yourself in this class."

"Father, this is my best subject. I'm getting an A plus."

"Are you really? Oh, well, never mind then."

I sat in my usual seat. As the class filled in, many of them stared at my father, especially the girls. When the bell rang, he closed the door and stood in front of the class.

"My name is Mr. Nicolai," he said. "I'll be filling in while Mr. Brown is on vacation for a few weeks. I don't care if you chew gum or have drinks. I'd prefer it if you saved your snacks for later." I was utterly embarassed. He acted like he was teaching here permanently.

Anyway, he told us to read the next chapter in our books while he graded papers.

Don't think that just because you're my son that I'm going to go easy on you.

I don't expect you to, I thought back.

Good. You did exceptionally good work otherwise. I'm proud of you, son.

Do you want me to read this or not?

Knowing you, you've already read ahead. If you have, you can do other work or read until class is over.

After a while, he said "For those of you who are finished reading the chapter, you may work on other work. Just so you know, there will be a surprise test for those of you who take sixth-hour Trigonometry." Almost immediately, half the class got out math homework and books.

I studied for the surprise test until the bell rang.

"Reese, stay behind for a minute," he said. I looked at him frostily. "Don't give me that look."

"Should I call you Dad or Mr. Nicolai?" I asked sarcastically.

"Call me Mr. Nicolai in front of your classmates. I don't care otherwise. When we're at home, call me what you usually call me."

"Mordecai?"

"Where did this attitude come from? I held you back to tell you that your Trig teacher will be particularly picky about the way you do your problems."

"Just me, or his classes in general?"

"His classes in general. Go to class now, I'll e-mail him momentarily."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the day went by quickly. I had caught up on homework during my free period, so now all I had to do was ace this test and my father would hopefully get off my back. I finished the test quietly and accurately. I turned it in just before the bell rang, then headed to the gym.

Father was talking to Mrs. Kleeworth. She was clearly flirting with him. I almost threw up. First of all, she's married, secondly and most importantly, it's my father, thirdly...well, we'll not get into age. He waved to me as he left. I gave him a dirty look, and he frowned.

Today we were playing basketball. With me being as tall and strong as I am, I got the most baskets out of anyone, even the full-time basketball players. Kleeworth was impressed and half-jokingly suggested that I try out for the team.

When gym was over, I didn't bother showering, choosing to just go to my locker and change back into my normal clothes. I went to my school locker and got out my backpack and books. I grabbed my cell phone out of the locker and my keys.

I went to my van. Father waved at me from across the parking lot.

"That your boy?" Mr. Nguyen, the head Art teacher, asked.

"That's my boy," Father replied, and anyone could hear the pride in his voice.

"You must be proud of him. Acing all his classes, he doesn't cause trouble, he doesn't mouth off."

"Oh, he mouths off to me all the time!"

I got into the van and took off. As soon as I got home, I settled on the couch, putting my feet on my uncle's lap.

"Anything good on?" I asked, looking at the TV.

"Nothing new. Some protest march in Cleveland, a woman got her purse stolen, a stray cat got caught in a pipe. They managed to get her out just in time for her to give birth to six kittens. They're trying to find out if she has an owner right now. Let's see...the woman whose purse got stolen said it was an older man with thinning brown hair and brown eyes. That matches about ten million men in the United States alone. Um...Michael Nales' mother got arrested for causing a disturbance at a grocery store. Someone recognized her from the news and said something about Michael being a burden."

"She tried to fight Sarah once," I said.

"Did she?"

I told Uncle Soren about the time I took Sarah out to eat and Michael's mother caused a scene. He rubbed my ankles and told me not to worry about it.

When Father got back, he raved about his first day. He said that he enjoyed being a teacher and that he may teach full-time and even get his credentials.

"You did nothing all day," I said to him.

"I did nothing for your class, because you were so far behind it was almost unfair. Since I took over, you'll be learning at a much faster pace."

"Father, half the people in that class are dolts. A lot of people only took the class because they thought it would be easy."

"It hasn't been as easy as they thought it would be, I hazard to guess?"

"Exactly. And you'll only cause a distraction."

"Son, my good looks will make the girls and some of the boys try harder. Come here and let me brush your hair." I let him run a comb through my hair. "You are so beautiful, Reese."

"I'm not much to look at. And I gained weight."

"You are thin and muscular. You have a strong core, powerful biceps, and powerful long legs. You have beautiful eyes. Your hair is dark, long, and silky. You are better-looking than you give yourself credit for."

My pants vibrated. I jumped about a foot (literally), before I landed on my ass and realized it was my cell phone. I dug into my pocket, grumbling, and checked my text messages. A text from Sarah.

Sarah: Would you like to go out this weekend?

Hell yes.

Reese: Yes, I would. What did you have in mind?

Sarah: Let's just hang out at home. I miss your cuddles.

Reese: I miss yours too. Want me to pick you up and bring you back to my house?

Sarah: I can drive.

Reese: In your condition, I'd feel much better if I picked you up.

Sarah: Worrywart. Okay, that'd be fine.

I thought of Evan. I hadn't seen him since he retreated into his own room again. I looked at my father. He literally read my mind.

"You're wondering about Evan? He's in his room, sulking. I've been giving him bagged blood. He misses his family."

"Father, I think it's time that we let him go. We're basically detaining him against his will."

"I know, love. I think he needs to recover physically though, first. But maybe you're right. Okay, can you get in contact with his parents?"

"Why me?"

"Because you know their names. Do it now."

I gulped, feeling unease bubbling in my gut. I messaged Evan's father.

Reese: I know where Evan is. Come by my house tonight, and you'll see him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, maybe I could have worded that differently. Evan's parents showed up an hour later. Evan's father pounded on the door.

"Where is he?!" he demanded. My father opened the door. "What...Mr. Nicolai, what are you doing here?"

"This is my house," he said. "Evan, come down." Evan came down. When his parents saw him, they embraced him.

"What happened?" Mrs. Byrd asked.

"It's complicated," Evan said. "They found me near a lake a couple miles from here. Then they let me use their shower and got me some new clothes."

"I'm sorry we freaked out," Mr. Byrd said. "But you understand, being a father yourself."

"Of course," Father said. We packed Evan's clothes, and he left a few minutes later.

"Well, that's one problem solved," I said.

"But what will you do when they find out he's a vampire?" Uncle Soren asked. He and Grandfather had been casually watching the whole thing.

"No longer my problem."

"If it was Sarah, would you be saying that?"

"Evan's ten times as annoying as Sarah is. Yes, I admit that I'm the one that messed up our relationship."

"Because of Sarah."

"Well...partially. She's my true soulmate." Uncle Soren and Father looked at each other.

"He's lovesick," they both said at the exact same time. Father affectionately petted my hair and went up to his bedroom. I went up to my own room and studied for an hour. I thought I did well on the surprise test and for once, I was grateful that my father was masquerading as a teacher.

I read for a long time until I fell asleep. I had a dream that I had a large package waiting for me. Inside the package was a bunch of ordinary things. Pretty things. Flowers, dragon tears, marbles, feathers, sequins, beads, ribbon, sewing needles, Swarovski diamonds, garden stones. I wondered what the significance was, until I noted the gardenias and roses. Flowers for my sweet.

I woke up confused and a little heartbroken. Father was holding me, as per usual. I swear, he spent more time in my bedroom than his own. Uncle Soren had also wound himself around us, our legs entwining.

"What's going on?" I asked, and was met with a kiss on the forehead. Purring, I cuddled closer to him, feeling warm and loved in my father's embrace.

"I want you to take the rest of the week off," Father said.

"How am I going to get away with missing so much school?"

"I told the principal that you were unwell. Now I just have to figure out what you have without looking like a jerk."

"Can I still see Sarah?"

"Of course. I just don't want you around the school while those deaths are still being investigated."

"Wouldn't that look more suspicious?"

"I don't care about that. I'll happily take the blame for all the recent deaths."

"Mordecai, I'm the one who killed Herman and what's-her-face. I'll take the blame for those. I won't risk my little brother going to prison."

"Don't act like you love me, Soren."

"I love you as an older brother should love his younger sibling. You aggravate and annoy me to no end, but that doesn't mean I hate you."

"Whatever. It's in the middle of the night, and my baby has had a long day. Do you think you can sleep, Reese?"

"Father, I'm a seventeen-year-old boy. Of course I can sleep."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN- INTERPRETATION

The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed. I checked my cell phone first thing. It really was around noon. Father had not tampered with the time again. I knew that he was only trying to protect me and keep me from going to school when he fudged with all the clocks in the house.

I started to write a text to Sarah, then erased it. I'd send her a text at lunchtime when her cell phone was actually on. I wondered how she was. How Evan was. I sent him a text.

Reese: Evan, how are you?

Evan: Good. I start school next week. The 'rents know I'm a vampire, but not how I became one. Mom's freaking out.

Reese: Good to know. Tell her to take you to the hospital and search for Ethan Potter. He's a vampire who took care of me when I had to stay there a few days last month.

Evan: What hospital?

Reese: ......The one that's NOT across town.

I was tempted to sass him some more, but resisted. I wanted him to forgive me completely for biting him.

I wished Sarah was with me. When it came down to it, I would kill everyone who had ever hurt her. I was happy to start with Nales. I undressed and pulled my swimming trunks on.

The pool needed cleaning. I ran the pool cleaner and read, until the sun came out and started beating on my back.

Father would be angry with me, but I didn't care. I was at school, reading during my last class before Gym. I decided that I was going to keep going, no matter what my father said or how overprotective he was.

When the bell rang, I went to the locker room and changed. When I came out, Father was talking to Kleeworth again. When he saw me, he frowned. I waved at him, and he waved back.

"Are you related to Reese?" Kleeworth asked.

"I'm his father, actually."

"Oh, really?" She sounded a bit disappointed. I mentally gagged. Father shot me a dirty look. I shot one right back.

Smartass.

We were playing basketball again. Again, I got the most baskets. Ergo, every single one. Kleeworth was impressed, as were the real basketball players. I heard them talking about me as we changed at the end of the period.

"Who knew Nicolai was that good?"

"How come he's not on the team?"

"You ask him!"

"No way; he creeps me out." I smirked at that last comment. I pulled up my jeans and buttoned them.

"Look at his abs!" someone whisper-shouted. I looked up, and several of my classmates quickly looked away. I pulled on my shirt and put on deodorant. Then I spritzed myself lightly with cologne. I pulled on my socks and boots, then grabbed my stuff and headed out.

Sarah waved at me from across the parking lot. I waved back.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind?" I was getting a lecture from Father about disobeying him again. "I told you to stay home for a valid reason! I can't tell you the reason because it's complicated."

"I'm done staying home. You do want me to graduate, right?"

"You have a whole eternity to finish high school. I don't want to risk losing you." He grabbed my face in his hands. "You're not doing drugs or drinking, are you?"

"If I was doing drugs or drinking, you'd smell it."

"I don't understand. You used to listen to me. You used to obey me and love me. What happened to you?"

"I'm seventeen. I can take care of myself."

"I can't wait until you're thirty and you actually care about me and what I have to say again. Ever since you hit puberty, you've lied to me and ignored me. I don't know how to stop it."

"I'm sorry for lying to you, but-"

"I accept your apology. No buts, though. I love you more than anything. I wish you loved me."

"I do love you." He studied me carefully. Father pulled me into his lap. I leaned my head against his chest. "Why can't you tell me?"

"I have to make sure that you're safe. So I wanted to keep an eye on you. The only way I can do that is if I know you're safe. With me being your teacher and you staying at home, I can accomplish that. Normally, I would not insist you leave my sight, but your uncle and grandfather are here, and they have agReid to watch you in my absence."

"I don't need babysitting!"

"It's not babysitting, you stubborn boy, it's...watching you to make sure that nothing happens to you."

"Ergo, babysitting."

"Why are you so obstinate?" Father asked. "I'm only doing what's in your best interest." I openly rolled my eyes. His frown deepened. "Reese, I don't want to lose you. The other night...I didn't want to scare you, but I had a horrible dream. I dreamed that you killed yourself by slashing your arm open."

"I'm not gonna lie," I said. "I've thought about doing that before."

"That doesn't comfort me in the least bit."

"You always catch my lies, so there's no point in saying that I would never do that."

"That scares me." He nuzzled me. "All right. I'll quit teaching if that will make you happy. Sarah is suspicious, anyway. Does she know what we are?"

"She does not," I replied. At least, I hoped not. "And I don't care if you teach anymore. I can't possibly be humiliated any more than I already am. Besides, my classmates would have my head if they knew that you stopped teaching because of me." He flinched at the implication. He kissed me gently.

"Father?"

"Hmm?" he said, playing with a lock of my hair.

"Will you let me work at your video store?" He hesitated.

"If that is what you wish. You will make less than your allowance, however."

"I'm aware of that."

"We have received the vassals of many vampires who are no longer of this earth. And we are among the richest families in the world. Are you sure you're willing to give that up? I'm only opening the store to appear normal."

"Yes, I am sure, Father. I need it to look like I earned my money."

"Technically, you did. You earn millions each year by simply being part of the royal vampire family and my son. I give you everything the world has to offer. I let you do what you want within reason. I keep you safe from rouge vampires and rival covens."

"Are you trying to guilt-trip me?"

"I wouldn't necessarily put it that way..."

"Well, stop it, Father. I hate feeling guilty, especially when you're the one who made me feel that way."

"Why? Because I'm your parent? Because you were formed because of my seed?"

"I think I'm going to throw up now."

"Sorry," he said, even though he clearly wasn't.

He reached for a carton of cigarettes and grabbed a lighter, going outside for a smoke. Ugh. Fathers. I should have told him that overprotectiveness was overrated, although I probably would have gotten a nose tweak for my smart mouth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hadn't seen Sarah in two days. I texted her, and she texted back saying that she was "fine". That alone made me worry. Ariella let it slip that she was working on a secret project. When I pressed for details, Ariella zipped her lips. When Ari and I were alone, she continued to ask about the vampire lifestyle.

Did I really drink human blood? Yes.

Why not animal blood? It doesn't provide the right nutrition. It's also not as satisfying or as tasty.

Did I really turn into a bat? No. Some vampires have the ability to turn into animals, but I didn't.

Did I really burn in the sun? It was a gradual burn, but eventually, yes. I would start to feel nauseous and then get a nightmarish headache before eventually collapsing and burning from the inside out. That was also why I wore jackets all the time and jeans or trousers, even in the summer.

She also asked whether vampires have extra talents.

"Some of us do. My father is able to have visions of the present. It enables him to keep an eye on me. He's the only one I know of with such a gift. Some vampires can see the future, but the future is subjective."

"What does that mean?"

"The future is not written in stone. We can change our futures by the choices we make. It can be something as simple as picking out an outfit for the day, or a life choice like choosing whom to marry."

"Does your dad have any other gifts?"

"Well, yes. He and I can communicate with each other with our thoughts."

"Weird."

"Yes. It mostly is between mates or family members, though. Some coven members who are not related or mates can also do this, if they choose."

"What about soulmates?"

"All vampires have a soulmate, and they don't always have to be mates. They can be good friends, sisters, brothers, a parental figure, or a child." Then again, I hadn't been around very many soulmates. All the women in our family were either dead or not speaking to us. It almost wasn't fair.

Ariella went off to her Science class and I went to the library for my free period. I had finished the second Harry Potter book and planned on reading the third before I decided if I wanted to buy the series for myself and my future children. Of course, I knew the basics. I turned in my library book and went to find the third book. I spotted Sarah across the library, looking at chick-lit novels.

Smiling inside, I made my way over to her.

"Hey, you," I said, grinning. She looked up and smiled at me.

"Hey."

"Where have you been?" I asked her.

"I got another ultrasound, and then the baby made me nauseous. So that's why I didn't call you; I didn't want you to hear me throwing up."

"Have you been eating right?" Her smile got bigger.

"I've been a little naughty when it comes to food. The baby really likes dark chocolate and coffee. But I've been limiting my intake on caffeine. I cut soda out of my diet, and now he wants fruit juice."

"Have you been watching your sugar as well?"

"I have, but it's been hard. I almost got in trouble for snacking in class. Luckily, I was able to hide it before the teacher spotted it."

"What were you eating?"

"M&Ms. He likes mostly sweet stuff."

"What kind of fruit and vegetables do you eat?"

"Strawberries and carrots, mostly. I've also been eating celery, which, I know, takes more energy to digest than it provides. I like the crunchiness."

I nodded. "So what are you looking for?"

"A book for English. We're writing book reports, and we need to find one that involves political issues."

"A young adult book that centers around political issues? Good luck finding one in this library." My minor insult caused the librarian to frown slightly.

"It doesn't have to be specifically from this library. It could be a book that we own or from another library."

"Well, you could always search through my collection if need be."

"Thanks, Reese. You're the best friend I've ever had."

Such a compliment caused my heart to swell with joy and pride. An idea came to me.

"Why don't you record your story? Even if you can't use it for English class, you can still get it uploaded or published. My grandfather's cousin has her own publishing company in Denmark."

"Reese, you're brilliant!" She pecked my lips when the librarian's back was turned. "I have a cousin who is a nail art expert on YouTube, and she gave me her old camera. I'll ask her how it's done." She was still smiling when we checked out our books and the bell rang. She had found one about a teen who found himself on the run from the cops, and I found the third Harry Potter book. The librarian gave both of us odd looks.

By now, the whole school knew that Sarah was pregnant, although the identity of the father was widely debated. Some got it right and said it was Michael's, others said it was mine, and still others said that it belonged to a guy that no one had met yet.

I wouldn't mind filling in the role of father if Sarah had decided to keep it. She could have waited, lied to me, and said it was mine, but she chose to tell the truth, which made me respect her more.

Ariella was able to use her popularity to keep Sarah's reputation in check. By now, everyone knew that the Beautifuls were backstabbing two-faced bitches, and Sarah was a victim. Everyone was as surprised as I was that Mia Rayport turned her back on Sarah. They used to be inseparable.

Later that day, however, I noticed a boy pinning Sarah to a locker.

"Damn you, Ryan Arthur," I growled, prepping myself for battle.

"I hear you like bad boys," he said.

"Leave me alone, Ryan," she said, trying to sound confident. He put his hand up her shirt and squeezed her breast. She gasped and clutched her chest. "Don't fucking touch me, asshole!"

I roared. Before I knew it, I was pounding the hell out of Ryan Arthur. Sarah pulled me off of him and whispered sweet nothings to try to get me to calm down. I walked away, still fuming, being pushed away by my girl.

Of course, I got called to the principal's office. Father was there. But when I explained what happened and why I reacted so strongly, I was able to get off with in-school-suspension, while Father later told me that Ryan got out-of-school suspension. Father also contacted Sarah's mother.

The next time I saw Alicia, she peppered me with hugs and kisses. Sabine gave me a thumbs-up. Especially after we found out that Ryan had a cracked skull and two broken ribs from the force of my impact.

After a particularly calm weekend, Alicia invited me over to watch professional wrestling. Turned out that all the Cresley women, especially Sarah, were really into pro wrestling.

I tried not to be jealous as she admired John Cena. I felt calmer after she cuddled into me. I left around nine PM, giving Sarah enough time to get ready for bed.

When I got home, however, Father was pacing and looked apprehensive.

"Thank God you're home," he said. "Do you remember when I tore Alexander's head off? Well, your grandfather just informed me that he's fully recovered."

"I'm not worried," I said.

"You should be. He'll want vengeance."

"We've already proven that we can take him."

"He may try to collect supporters."

"We are royal and rich. And we also have numerous allies. Not to mention loyal servants and guards."

"The guards are not happy with me right now," Father said, wringing his hands.

"Really? Why not?"

"I may or may not have cut their pay in half after the latest Alexander incident."

"It was their fault."

"Yes, but they're still not happy with me."

"Hire more guards," I suggested. He gave me a no duh look.

"I have hired more guards. You'll have a female guard by the name of Janna. She has dark hair and dark eyes, just so you're aware."

"Lots of people have dark hair and dark eyes."

"Yes, but her hair and eyes are especially dark. I think she's half-black. Her skin's the color of a . mocha. She'll be stationed outside your room in the guest room right beside yours."

"We're filling up guest rooms fast."

"Yes, I think we'll have to build a guest house, at least for when our relatives visit." I folded my arms across my torso, thinking. Suddenly, my stomach gave a loud growl. Father smirked. "Hungry, little one?"

"Apparently so," I replied. Father heated up some blood and gave it to me. I drank it too quickly and hiccupped. I patted my stomach in satisfaction. Father sat beside me.

"How long is Ryan Arthur suspended?"

"Two weeks. He'll be back before the winter formal."

"I don't want him around Sarah."

"Don't worry, son, he's been warned to stay away from her. I can't believe he nearly assaulted a pregnant girl."

"I can. He's a well-known sleazebag, and he's known for sleeping around and getting his way with girls. I guess he couldn't handle being told no."

"And everyone knows that she's yours. Therefore, she's under our protection."

"Our?"

"Since she is your mate, she is under royal protection. When do you plan on telling her your true nature?"

"I don't know. I don't want to scare her away."

"Tell her quickly, or she will accuse you of lying to her."

I nodded and went upstairs to study and do homework. My stomach tightened when I saw that I had a missed call from Sarah. Hating myself for not taking it off silent, I called her back.

"Hello?"

"Sarah, I'm so sorry that I missed your call. What's happened?"

"Nothing, it's just that I haven't seen Alexander for a while. Do you know what happened to him?"

"He...he's...had a little incident. But he's okay now, and he should contact you shortly."

"Okay, I have some more pictures to give him."

"All right, I'll tell him if I see him. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

"Bye, lover."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sarah asked me to visit an apple orchard with her. I dressed warmly and made myself presentable.

I met her at the gates.

"Who owns this orchard?" I asked.

"Ari's uncle," she answered. "She got us free access. Apparently, it's open to the public, but you need a ticket to get in, and the tickets are ten dollars each."

"That was nice of her," I said. I decided not to mention that I could have paid for both our tickets. An employee let us in after Sarah showed him our free passes, and we walked through. Even though it was December, there were still apples on the trees, as the orchard was climate-controlled, and part of it was inside a greenhouse.

I picked in apple and smelled it. It was the reddest, crispest one I could find. I offered it to Sarah. She thanked me and took it, taking in a deep breath of the rich sweetness. In ancient Greece, if a man offered a woman an apple, it was considered a marriage proposal. If she accepted it, it meant that she was accepting his proposal.

Sarah started laughing. I looked at her confusedly and a little bit hurt.

"This one has a worm," she said, showing me the hole. I reached up and got her a new one, this time checking for bugs. She tossed it around in her hands.

"I actually hate apples," she said.

"Do you?"

"Well, I don't like eating them whole unless they're peeled. I also like apple pie and applesauce."

"Apple cake?" I questioned. She burst into laughter. I winced, wondering what was so funny about it.

"I've never actually tried apple cake," she replied. She bit into the red fruit.

"I thought you said you didn't like eating apples whole," I said jokingly.

"I said I didn't like it, not that I wouldn't do it. Ever since I got pregnant, my teeth have been extra sensitive."

We walked through the orchard, occasionally picking apples, and eating them. I could bite easily into them, but it was a task for Sarah. We spent two hours in the orchard. When we were done, we threw the cores into a special basket that they kept specifically for cores.

I bought a bottle of tea for Sarah. I was thirsty myself, but not for tea. I gazed hungrily at Sarah's neck.

Snap out of it! I thought. She is your mate! Mate. Sarah.

"Reese, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I...I'm just a little thirsty." She offered me the tea bottle, and I took a small sip. It did nothing to calm the burn in my throat. When was the last time I ate? One, two...this morning. Gods, my memory's bad. Why am I so hungry?

I tried to contact Father using our mental connection, but I couldn't get ahold of him. That was a problem. I should have packed an extra bottle of blood. Damn.

My future wife sat on a bench, sipping her tea. I wrapped an arm around her and pressed my lips to the side of her head. She began to look faint.

"Are you all right?" I asked worriedly.

"No, I feel exhausted all of a sudden. I think I may pass out."

"Head between your knees," I commanded. "Close your eyes."

"I do, but then the nightmares start, and I see him," she said. "The alien overlord. It's always him. He's chasing me for some reason. No matter how fast I run or how far, he always catches me. And then I wake up before I know what he wants with me."

"Shh, baby," I cooed, rubbing her back.

"That's the thing. I don't know if I want to have this baby. I don't want to be pregnant!" She said the last part with so much force that we got some looks.

"You made a promise," I said. "You don't have to keep it. Alexander's going to keep it. He'll take care of it, and it won't be your problem any longer."

"Reese...I think I'm next. First the two teachers, then Michael. I'm next."

"Sarah, why do you think that?" We were definitely getting some looks.

"Is she okay?" a woman asked, bending down.

"I-I don't know. I think she's hallucinating," I said honestly.

"I'm a doctor," the woman said. "Honey, look at me." Sarah looked at the woman, her eyes full of tears. "Are you pregnant?"

"Yeah, but I don't want it," Sarah said.

"There are many options out there. You don't have to keep it," the nurse said.

"We have someone lined up to take it," I said.

"Teenagers," said a random man. "Knocking each other up like rabbits."

"What's your name, sweetie? My name is Janice," the nurse said. Sarah's eyes rolled back into her head, and she collapsed.

Okay, I thought. Don't panic. Where the hell is Father? Janice rolled Sarah onto her back. Sarah began seizing. Don't panic, don't panic! Okay, time to panic!

"What the hell's going on?" I cried. She was shaking uncontrollably. Janice quickly dialed the number for paramedics while I put my jacket under Sarah's head. "Sarah, baby, it's me, Reese. Calm down. Please, please, please calm down!" We were drawing a crowd now.

"Is she allergic to any medications?" Janice asked.

"I don't know," I said desperately. It hit me then how much I still didn't know about her.

"Does she have any allergies at all?"

"Not that I know of. She's been dealing with a lot lately, though."

"What kinds of stresses?"

"She was raped back in November, and all her friends turned against her."

"Poor baby," Janice cooed. She was almost maternal in her actions with Sarah. "How old is she?"

"Sixteen."

"And her parents?"

"Only her mother is still around. Her father died last year."

"Do you have her mother's number?"

"I do not." I reached into Sarah's pocket and got out her cell phone. I unlocked her phone (I'd seen her do it before and remembered the numbers), and called Alicia.

EMTs arrived on the scene fairly quickly. Janice gave them all the information she knew while I talked to Alicia.

"Alicia, it's Reese," I said.

"Reese, what's wrong? Why didn't Sarah call?"

"She couldn't," I said. "It's okay, she's on her way to the hospital now, but she started having a seizure."

"A what? She's never had a seizure before! What hospital is she going to?" I gave her the name of the hospital, Saint Brigid's, and debated whether to take my van or Sarah's car. I eventually decided to go with Sarah's newer Honda, since it was faster than my old-as-dirt Toyota.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I finally contacted Uncle Soren and told him what was going on. He told me that he would take my Toyota home. I asked him if he needed my keys. He proudly told me that he knew how to hotwire a car. He also said that he was going to kill my father for blocking me. I begged him not to commit fratricide, and called Grandfather as soon we hung up.

Grandfather was also furious with my father. He said that he was going to have a talk with him. I got off the phone with Grandfather and looked at Sarah's phone. I was so tempted to look inside. Finally, I unlocked her phone, and what I saw shocked me.

Eric Martin: I love you.

Sarah: Eric, I told you to leave me alone. I'm not interested, and besides, I have a boyfriend.

Eric: Lose the loser, get with the bruiser.

That was just one conversation.

Scarlett: You're nothing but a bitch and a loser.

Sarah: What the....I blocked you for a reason. Do not contact me anymore, or I'll be forced to tell the cops everything.

Scarlett: Like how you used to always make fun of Reese, and now you're with him because you're a hypocrite and a slut?

Mia: Or how you almost cheated on him with Eric?

I felt tears sting my eyes. How could she do this to me? I thought she truly cared about me. Yes, I had heard rumors that she was only using me for protection. I debated whether to confront her as soon as she woke up or go home. I decided to go home. I would talk with her later. As soon as Alicia got to the hospital, I gave her Sarah's phone and said that I had to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"REESE!" I was being tackled to the ground by Father. "Love, I am so sorry! I'm such an idiot! Father said that you needed me and that you could have been hurt! Are you hurt? I wanted to track you down, but I got no visions or a scent trail so I couldn't follow you." He was speaking so fast that it was hard to determine what he was saying.

"I'm unhurt," I said. "But I'm hungry and heartbroken."

"So you are hurt. Did she break your heart? Did you break up with you?"

"No, I...I did something I wish I didn't do. We were at an apple orchard, and she started hallucinating and saying weird things. Then she passed out and started seizing. If Janice hadn't been there, I don't know what I would have done."

"Janice? Janice? Janice Nicolai?"

"She looked and smelled human," I said. "And said she was a nurse."

"That's the thing. She has the ability to mask her scent and appear human. And she is a nurse, at some big hospital in New York City. What did she look like?"

"Um, she had blond hair and brown eyes. She was not really impressive, she looked pretty average." I sent him a mental picture of Janice. Father cursed. He turned away.

"This is all my fault! I shouldn't have blocked you! I should have gone with you! She's related to Alexander. His...second cousin, I think. And if I'd been there, maybe Sarah would not have fainted."

"Father, she fainted because of an underlying issue. What that issue is, I don't know."

"I have an idea," he said, rubbing his chin. "But I need to talk to her. I don't want to leave you, though. I royally screwed up this time." He sat on the porch and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket. "Alexander must have asked Janice to watch you or Sarah. He told her that she was carrying his child and she needed protection. We have to go back to the hospital, anyway."

~~~~~~~~~~

I stared out the window as he drove us back to Saint Brigid's. I couldn't help but wonder if Sarah really did make fun of me in the past and almost cheated on me with Eric. If she did, then we were not soulmates, and I had to break up with her. The thought broke my heart.

I would miss her terribly. I would always love her, but our relationship was moot if she was going to cheat on me. My stomach ached, and I soon passed out.

I woke up on a hospital bed. Father was beside me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We thought you'd died," Uncle Soren said.

"I was driving you here, when you fainted. That was a few minutes ago," Father said. "It's all my fault. I should have made sure you'd eaten and rested. I'm a terrible parent. I don't deserve to have children." Uncle Soren rolled his eyes.

"It's basic common sense, Mordecai, which you clearly lack," Uncle Soren said.

"Shut up, Soren."

"Seriously. Never block your child; he may need you at any moment. And always make sure he gets enough nutrition and rest."

"Shut up, Soren, or I'll tear your lips off your face."

"Boys, be nice," Grandfather said. "Soren, leave your brother alone. And Mordecai, it's not your fault. Even the best parents make mistakes."

"Where's Sarah?" I asked.

"In a care unit," Uncle Soren said. "She's still passed out. What happened, Reese?" I sighed and told them everything except the moment I read her text messages. Father raised an eyebrow, and I swallowed nervously. He read my mind, and knew I'd screwed up. I was a terrible boyfriend. Never, ever, read your significant other's private messages.

"Reese, it'll be all right," Father said. He leaned forward and rubbed my head affectionately. His eyes glazed over and his hand fell. He woke up out of his vision a minute later. "Sarah's awake, and she's asking for you."

~~~~~~~~~~

She looked weak and fragile. I held her hand.

"Sarah," I said. She smiled at me.

"Thank you, Reese. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"For what?"

"For not taking you seriously. I was stupid."

"What are you talking about?"

"Sarah, I did something. After you were being taken care of, I...I looked at your text messages. The ones in your phone. I have to know, did you really almost cheat on me?" She looked hurt.

"No," she said. "I didn't. Eric wishes I would, though. He won't leave me alone. I think he talks to Mia or Rachel still. He constantly makes shit up, especially about our nonexistent relationship. More than that, why did you read my text messages?"

"I...I don't know."

"I think you do." Her green eyes pierced my heart.

"I wanted to know who you've talking to, and what about. I never expected to see what I did, and I didn't want to cause any more problems. I'm sorry, Sarah."

"It's fine, just don't do it again. You should know you can ask me about anything."

I felt guilty, and dirty, and depressed. I pressed my lips against her forehead.

"I know," I whispered. "I'm so sorry. I love you so much. I don't want to lose you. I'm afraid that you'll find someone better than me, and you'll break my heart for his."

"I could never do that," she said quietly. "I love you too much to dump you for another guy." That was exactly what I wanted to hear. I kissed her cheek. She smelled like tears and sweat. And blood. I felt my canines grow. Fuck! I covered my mouth.

"Reese, are you okay?" Sarah asked. I nodded and went to the bathroom. I got myself under control and went back out.

"I love you," I whispered, burying my nose in her hair. "I'm sorry." I kissed her. "I'm a terrible boyfriend. All our problems are my fault."

"You're being silly," she said. "You're a great boyfriend, you just made a mistake. I understand why you did it." She didn't know the half of it. "By the way, Ari said that you had something to tell me." Fuck.

"I do, but it can wait. I want to know for sure that you'll never leave me." She looked hurt.

"I feel like you don't care about me as much as you say you do," she said. "Have you ever seen the movie Keith?"

"I have not," I said. "And Sarah, I love you more than any guy has ever loved his girlfriend. I'd do anything for you."

"In the movie, an unpopular guy dates a popular girl and everything in her life falls apart because of him."

I was hurt. "I would never do that to you. I love you. Remember this morning, when we were at the apple orchard?"

"Yeah, the reason why I asked you to go with me is because I was hoping you'd tell me whatever your secret is." She turned red at her confession.

"It wasn't just because you wanted to hang out with me? I'm starting to think that you don't like me," I said.

"I do like you, I just want us to be more open with each other."

"That's ironic, considering that you kept something from me." I was getting angry with her for the first time ever. She paused.

"Maybe we should take a break," she said. A...break?

"No, Sarah, I'm sorry. I'll do anything for you. Please don't do this."

"I think it's a good idea, at least until I can get rid of Eric," she said. "Please leave, Reese."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I stepped into the waiting room, Father knew that something was wrong.

"Reese, what happened?"

"She wants to take a break from our relationship," I said. Father hugged me.

"I'm so sorry, love. What were her reasons?"

"It's my fault. I should have left well enough alone. And told her my secret. I am the biggest loser I know!" I buried my face in Father's chest and fought tears.

When we got home, I went up to my bedroom and cried. Everything hurt. My head, my heart, my stomach. I laid in bed for the rest of the night. I couldn't sleep. I was no longer hungry. Father made me swallow a few drops of blood anyway. I promptly threw up.

The next day, I left Sarah several voicemails and text messages.

"Sarah, it's Reese. Please call me. I'm so sorry. I'll do anything to get you back. I can change, I won't be jealous anymore. I love you. Please call me back so we can talk." No response.

Reese: Sarah, it's me again. Please call me so we can talk. I truly love you, and I'm sorry that you've been having doubts. I was right yesterday when I said that our problems were my fault. Please contact me so I can fix this.

Again, no response.

"Sarah, it's me again. I want to tell you my secret, but I can't for your safety. Please trust me. Ask Alexander. I love you. Please call me again."

My heart was breaking more each time she ignored me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At school the next day, I sat with Mason and his group. I looked up at Sarah sadly. She was also sitting here.

"Why aren't you two talking?" Jody asked. We hesitated.

"We're not together anymore," Sarah said.

"Really, why not? You two were so cute together!"

Sarah picked at her sandwich. Then she got up and left the table. Amara and Rachel gave Jody dirty looks. I got up as well.

I tracked her to an empty classroom. She had her head buried on the desk and was sobbing.

"Sarah," I said. I started to rub her back. She flinched. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I pulled out a restraining order on Eric and blocked him," she said. "I'm so stupid. I should have done that in the first place! And if Scarlett contacts me again, she'll get suspended. If she touches me again, she'll be expelled. I'm such a bitch. I was a bitch to you yesterday, and I was a bitch to you a couple years ago, and you didn't even know about it. Scarlett's right. I'm a hypocrite and a whore. I love you and don't want to be embarassed again. I was more concerned about my reputation than you.

"I know that you'd never hurt me on purpose. I don't know what I was thinking. I hate myself right now. I hate being pregnant, I hate Michael, I hate Scarlett, I hate Mia, and all the rest of them. I hate Jody too. I don't know why I sit there anymore. She's such a bitch. I don't know what everyone sees in her. I'm such a loser. I thought about cutting my arm, but I don't want to hurt the baby. I'm an idiot, a bitch, and a whore. I love you, Reese, and I'm sorry."

"I...I had no idea that you felt that way," I began. "First of all, you're not a whore or a bitch. You're not perfect, I see that now, and no one is. I had it coming. I wish Ariella hadn't told you that I have a secret, however, I was going to tell you anyway. I promise, I have my reasons for not telling you. Since you're going to find out anyway, I'll make you a deal. I'll tell you before Hanukkah officially starts. How does that sound?"

She looked at me. "I'm not sure that this relationship is reparable."

"Don't say that. I've already forgiven you. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Yes," she said cautiously. I leaned forward, and she pulled back. I'm sure that I looked confused and hurt. "I'm going back in with careful optimism," she said.

"Do you still see a future with me?"

"I'm not sure anymore. I want a future with you, more than I've wanted a future with anyone before. But we both screwed up, and that damaged my trust, and I'm sure it damaged your trust in me."

"It most certainly did not," I said firmly. "If anything, it made me realize how much I need you in my life. I love you, Sarah Harper Cresley." She burst into tears and buried her head in her arms. "Sarah, please stop crying."

"Leave me alone," she whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I went home early, my heart still broken. Sarah had also gone home early. She was too upset to speak anymore when I left. I felt guilty and dirty and useless. I was a terrible boyfriend. I buried my face in my knees and let the tears flow. I felt my father wrap an arm around me.

"I heard what happened," he said. "Is it still over, or are you getting back together?"

"I don't even know anymore," I told him, rubbing my eyes. "Father, I really screwed up. If I hadn't read her private messages, we'd still be together."

"Shh, it'll be all right, love. I'm sure that you'll get back together." He kissed my scalp. "By the way, I finally opened that damnable music and video store. I'm thinking about selling comics and manga too."

"You should," I said. "Sarah likes manga."

"Oh, Reese." He laid on the couch. "Cuddle with me." I laid in front of him, and he held me for a long time. He eventually dozed off, and I was still awake. I texted Sarah a couple times, to no avail. Father suddenly snatched the phone out of my hand. "No more texting. Go to sleep. Rest."

I did fall asleep, after lightly crying for a few minutes.

I woke up hungry. I crawled out of Father's embrace and went to find a meal. Ever since the first time he took me hunting, I have been craving fresh blood. I grabbed my cell phone and my house key.

"Where do you think you're going?" Father's voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned around to face him, and my stomach gave a loud growl. He chuckled. "Oh, so that's what you're doing. Can you wait for a minute? I will come with you."

He redressed in casual clothes and came with me. We chose a secluded street known for drug dealers and prostitution.

"Have you ever drank from a drug user or dealer?" I asked Father.

"Once, and never again. His blood was so foul, I threw up right after. I prefer blood that is clean and pure. Of course, very few people have pure blood. Most have damage, from tobacco, or alcohol, or illegal drugs, or plain old junk food. Not that I wouldn't turn down a snack that has eaten chocolate. Chocolate is delicious and I'm told that dark chocolate has nutritional benefits."

"It's definitely better than once thought-" Father held out his arm, stopping me in my tracks. I looked ahead. There was a woman standing in front of us. When she saw us, she started walking forward. She was dressed in ultra-tight jeans, a red tank top, and high heels that made my eyes hurt just to look at. She had platinum blond hair, obviously dyed, cherry red lipstick, and loads of blue and black eyeshadow painted skillfully around her hazel eyes.

"Got any spare change, boys?" she purred.

"A woman should not be on this street this late at night," Father said, grinning flirtatiously at her. Blech.

Father, I thought you had a thing against drinking from women.

I generally do, but you're too hungry and this woman needs money.

"Tell that to my sisters," the woman crooned. Yuck. This was becoming more and more repulsive by the minute.

"I generally prefer one woman," Father said. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"A ripe age. Here is some cash and my friend here will show you a good time." The woman winced. She took the money and grabbed my hand. I paused. She looked back at me, confused. I moved forward slightly.

"Forgive me," I said, and bit into her neck. She made a noise of surprise and fear. I used my tongue to calm her. Father stood in front, and stared into her eyes. He used a form of hypnosis to knock her out cold. As soon as I was done, I cleaned her wound and called for an ambulance to get her. I didn't kill her, but I drained a lot of blood out of her.

Father and I walked away with minimal mess. Satisfied, he picked me up and carried me home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up tucked into bed. I looked at the clock. It was almost nine in the morning. I decided to go back to sleep.

When I woke up again, it was ten thirty in the morning. I got up and got into the shower. I was aching all over. My muscles were tense. I washed and conditioned my hair, washed my body, stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. I studied myself in the mirror. I looked thinner than usual, almost gaunt. I rubbed my chin. My cheekbones and the point of my chin could clearly be seen. No wonder Father was so hyped up about my dietary habits.

I blow-dried my hair (a necessity for long hair), and got ready for the day. Technically, it was a school day, and I could not hear nor smell Father. I took in a deep breath. Janna was nearby, as promised. Toby and Spencer were in their room. Dimitri was posted outside Uncle Soren's room. Grandfather was currently in his room and I had yet to find Louis.

Louis spent most of his time holed up in his room. He lived in New York, in a nameless college town. He often pretended to be a college student. He'd graduated so many times, he had a closet full of graduation caps and gowns. Before I was in the hospital the first time, he'd come to New Jersey on a personal visit to see some old friends.

In the hospital, he'd found Ariella and became attracted to her. Unfortunately, she was more attracted to my uncle. It was a twisted triangle, especially considering how much older than her they are. Now she and my uncle weren't speaking anymore, at least as far as I knew.

I wondered who would be her next crush. Caden Cartwright, maybe. She'd crushed on him on and off for years, except for the times when she had a boyfriend or other crush. He was undeniably gorgeous, and rumor had swirled that he planned on asking Sarah out before the school year ended last May.

Jealousy swirled inside of me. Why am I jealous? He's not...wait...he does have a chance now. I wondered how Sarah would react if I spoke to her again. No, I have to wait for her to come to me. I messed up...several times, and now I could pay the ultimate price for it.

I quickly dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and turned on the TV in the living room. The best choices were the news or Halloween. I decided to watch the news for a bit, as I already owned Halloween.

A jail break-out in Saudi Arabia, a new perfume that caused skin rashes, a politician in a heap of trouble for texting an underage girl. I noticed that it mentioned the eighteen year old woman that I drank from last night. Her name was Vanessa Slaughterman, and she was only seventeen, so she'd lied about her age. Father would not be pleased. She had been a runaway from home since she was twelve, and her parents tried to kick her out numerous times.

Now that she was unconscious, they had a change of heart and desperately wanted her back. She was in a coma due to substantial blood loss. Whoops. My father would have a cow when he found out.

I sat up. I felt sick. I went outside and laid facedown in the grass.

"Reese?"

"Uncle Soren."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm such an idiot. That girl was only seventeen."

"Yes, your father was rather proud of you for hunting last night. And yes, she was a minor. Your father is on his way home. He knows you're upset and wants to comfort you."

And before long, Father himself was picking me up off the grass.

"Shh, my little one, it's me," he cooed. "Everything will be all right. Daddy will take care of it."

"I feel like throwing up."

"Don't you dare. Try to keep it in, baby boy. You have to understand and get comfortable with drinking from different people, not just overage men. You may be forced to make a crucial decision that could affect someone else's life."

"I already have. Michael, remember?"

"That little shit deserved it, though. You should have heard the things he said about Sarah. I was glad to get rid of him. He had no compassion or thought for the lives and well-being of others. He was cruel and malicious. Sarah was not the first girl he's hurt."

"You mean he-"

"No, Sarah was the first girl he raped, but not the first girl he was cruel to. He harassed other women, and they were too afraid to speak up. Now that he's dead, his victims have gained confidence. They are speaking up. Being taken seriously."

I held myself and rocked. "It's all my fault, it's my fault."

"Hush, Reese. None of this is your fault. The girl in the hospital is in a coma because I targeted her."

"I should not have bitten her. She was only seventeen!"

"She'll survive, Reese. I will send her family a large sum of money from an anonymous source to cover the Bills. Actually, her family is under investigation for letting things get out of control. It was their fault she was on the streets selling herself."

He nudged me with his nose. I hissed at him. He hissed back, and buried his face in my shoulder. He pecked my temple.

"Sarah..." I whispered. "I have to go see her. Where is she?" I looked up at Father, who was in a vision. When he came out moments later, he spoke.

"She is in her bedroom. She is moaning about her lack of money. She's thinking about getting a job again."

"I thought she was part of our-"

"She is, but we've yet to give her anything. If she continues down the path she's going, she will not be a part of our family anymore. And she will die if she's not careful."

"Die?! Father, I can't lose her! I love her!"

"I know, son. Go, get her back."

~~~~~~~~~

Ten minutes later, I was climbing up the ivy to her window. There was a dull ache in my chest. She had her head on her knees, and she looked sad. I started to open the window. When I was halfway through, she finally saw me. She ran toward me and pulled me in. She was awfully strong for her size. She kissed me furiously.

When she finally pulled away, she took in a breath and kissed me again. And I kissed back. She tasted like mint.

"I was hoping you'd come back," she said, tears falling down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Reese. I was dumb and stupid and afraid. And Alexander's mad at me, and I only have a hundred bucks in my checking account, which I know is a lot for my age, but it's been so long since it was that low, and I was used to having at least five hundred, and I know I've had lower, but it still feels crappy, and I missed you, and I'm sorry, and I can't stop throwing up, and the baby hates me, and none of my jeans fit, so I have to wear sweatpants and athletic shorts, and I'm fat and miserable!"

Her rambling ceased and she buried her face in my chest.

"I missed you too, and you're not fat," I said. "I will go shopping with you again if you need me to."

"I thought you hated shopping?"

"I do, I loathe shopping, but I know how happy it will make you. And I brought you something." I held up the flower. She looked amazed.

"Oh, Reese, I love gardenias, even more than I love roses and daisies and carnations! And they smell so yummy." She took the white flower and sniffed it. "Where did you find it?"

"I have my ways," I said, grinning. Actually, I'd bought at the supermarket, but she didn't need to know that. She burst into tears and started sobbing. I held her, rubbing her back. I pulled her to the bed. When she stopped crying, she held onto me for a long time.

"Why did you have a seizure?" I asked.

"Stress," she said. "That's what the doctor said. My brain activity is too high."

"Oh, Sarah, I'm so sorry," I said.

"Don't be. It happened, and there's nothing that can change it. I'm just an overthinker." I pulled her close to me and pushed her onto the bed.

"Will you allow me to take your shirt off?" I asked. She looked at me as if I were crazy.

"Of course," she said. "But first, close the window and the curtains. It's cold, and I get the feeling that we're being watched." I did as she asked.

I slowly slid her purple shirt off of her. Her bra was lacy and black. I purred at the sight.

"Will you allow me to take off your shorts?" I asked.

"Do, it, Reese." I took off my own shirt, then slid off her shorts. I undid the button and zipper on my jeans. My stomach tensed and contracted as our bodies made contact. Her abdomen was warm, yet her chest felt cold. I kissed her. She kissed back. I ran my tongue over her lips, asking for permission. She granted it. I noticed how small she was compared to me, and that made a bit of pleasure roll through me. I only felt protective of her. I was her shield. Her guardian.

She started to slide off my jeans, and I kicked off my boots and socks. Soon, I was only in my boxers. It only seemed fair, considering that she was also only wearing underwear.

"Do you want me to stay where I am, or will you allow me to add more pressure?" I asked.

"More pressure," she said, and I lowered myself so that I was covering her completely. My belly tied itself into a knot.

"I love you," I said.

"I love you more."

"Oh, sweet one, that is simply not possible. I love you far more." I took off my boxers. She slid off her underwear, and we made love. It was incredible. The universe opened up, babies were born (ha), kittens made friends with dogs, and so on and so forth.

I tried to be gentle with her. I went slowly at first, then she asked me go to harder and faster, and so I granted her wish. We lay sated an hour later, covered in Sarah's sweat. I wished I could go longer, but in her condition, I dared not.

She pulled me into her bathroom, where we showered together. I let her hog most of the water, and remained gentle as I ran shampoo through her long tresses. She rinsed off, then I ran conditioner through her hair. She seemed slightly embarassed, and I wondered why. We had seen each other naked before, and even had sex. Twice. Then I noticed that she had a bit of fuzz on her legs. I didn't care, and I didn't say anything about it.

She turned the water off, and I grabbed towels for both of us. She turned the fan on and grabbed her blowdryer. Minutes later, we were both dried completely and our hair tangle-free. She had lent me a comb that she never used.

"You can keep that comb," she said as I ran it through my hair one last time. "I've never used it, and probably never will."

"Did you...did you steal this comb?" I asked, and she bit her lip and turned pink.

"I might have," she admitted. "I've taken so many combs and brushes that I've lost track of them." Then she turned back to the mirror and slathered moisturizer all over herself. "Reese, can you give me a couple minutes?" she asked.

"Certainly," I said, and went back to her room.

"Reese?" I paused, and turned around slowly.

"Hey, Sabine. Hello, Alicia."

"I didn't see you come in," Alicia said.

"Mom, you were at the grocery store for two hours," Sabine said. "Why are you naked, anyway, except for a towel?"

"I...um...Sarah and I..." A look of understanding crossed Alicia's face.

"In that case, we'll leave you alone. Come, Sabine."

Sabine threw me one last curious look before leaving. How humiliating.

~~~~~~~~~

Sarah came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, her legs shaved.

"Your mother and sister saw me," I said. She cursed.

"Did they say anything?"

I recounted our brief conversation.

"I'm screwed," she moaned.

"What do you mean? Will you get in trouble?"

"Not with my mother, but Sabine will ask endless questions." I chuckled at her dramatics. She changed into sweatpants and a tank top. Then sat on my lap. She did leave the door open, however, so in a moment we were greeted by Spunk. He jumped on the bed and started licking my face.

"Have you ever had a dog?" Sarah asked.

"No, I haven't. My mom had a dog, though, before she left."

"Interesting. Spunk, leave him alone." Spunk ceased licking me and started sniffing me instead, pushing his nose into my crotch. "He thinks you're part of the pack now," Sarah said.

"What does Coffee think of me?"

"I doubt she cares, to be honest. She spends half her time napping and the other half chewing on Sabine's clothes."

"Is she your dog?"

"She was supposed to be mine, but she seems to like Sabine more."

"How? You're much sweeter than Sabine, no offense meant to your sister."

"None taken, and that's exactly right. Coffee's not that sweet, and her personality clashes with mine."

"Who does Spunk belong to?"

"He's technically Sabine's dog, but he prefers Mom. I named him, though, and Sabine named Coffee."

"So everything worked out."

"You could say that again. Spunk, that's enough. Where's your stuffed alligator?" Spunk wagged his tail and jumped down. He started exploring the room.

Sarah shooed him out and closed the door. We laid on her bed and cuddled.

"Sarah," I said, sitting up. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" She sat up as well.

"I...I'm....you could say that I'm on a special diet. I drink..." I trailed off as someone appeared at the window. He opened the window and stepped into the room. Sarah looked back, and seemed unfazed by his appearance.

"Alexander," I said, stomach tightening.

CHAPTER 18- WARMTH & COLDNESS

Alexander closed the window and the curtains.

"Reese," he said, turning around. He smelled the air. "Did you harm her?"

"No, I didn't," I said nervously. I kept one arm around Sarah. Alexander frowned, grabbed Sarah by the shoulders, and began smelling her, checking her for injuries. He paid special attention to her middle.

"The fetus is unharmed," he decided. He eyed me suspiciously. "You fucked her."

"Please don't kill me," I whimpered like a coward. He stared at me, then threw his head back and laughed.

"If she wasn't pregnant, I would have fucked her as well," he said proudly. "I would have been less gentle with her." I had him by the throat in a split second.

"I would've said no," Sarah said, crossing her arms over her stomach protectively.

"I would've hypnotized her," Alexander said, smirking like a fool. "Trust me, Reese, you don't protect your mate very well."

"She's mine," I growled. "And I would happily father her baby if she wanted to keep it."

"The baby is mine," Alexander rumbled.

"Alexander, I think it's time for you to leave," Sarah said. Alexander still grinned.

"As you wish, my little pepper. I will leave you alone for a while. I expect to be contacted before the next ultrasound, however, and I wish to be there. You have my number, Sarah. Goodbye for now."

"Pepper?" I said to Sarah when he left.

"That's the first time anyone's called me that."

We cuddled for a bit longer before I had to go, or Father would be out of his mind with worry. Besides, I had to report what Alexander had done anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To say that Father was upset would be an understatement. He agReid to start giving her money. She was part of the family now, and officially had our assets as well. Her mother and sister would be included or excluded according to her wishes. Father hacked into the bank and sent money to her account.

He asked me if I knew how to hotwire a car. I shook my head, and he asked Uncle Soren to teach me. As soon as my uncle had finished teaching me, Father insisted that return to my studies.

School was dull. Sarah and I both stopped sitting at Mason's table for similar reasons. People constantly asked her about the baby, or they made assumptions abou it, which were usually wrong. Ariella was not speaking to me, and I was confused as to why.

When I asked Uncle Soren about it, he changed the subject, then broke down and admitted that he and Ariella were no longer together. He admitted that he missed her terribly. I became angry and told him that she only saw him as a good fuck. I barely missed his fist heading for my nose, and ran up to my bedroom where I hid for the rest of the night.

I had no regrets, even though Father was angry with me. He threatened to keep me locked in a plastic cage, and I told him to go for it. He never did it.

Later on, both he and Uncle Soren came into my room and apologized. I more or less told them to get over it. Father came into my room in the middle of the night, crying. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he'd had a nightmare in which we got into a massive fight, and I left. Grandfather took my name off of all the royal documents, stopped giving me money, and told Father that I was no longer part of the family.

Eventually, fifty years passed, and Grandfather regretted what he'd done. He and Father had searched for me before, but now they increased their resources. When they found me, I was a pile of ash.

I told Father that I would not leave, that I would try to make things better if I thought there was any chance of fixing things. He kissed me and told me that he loved me.

He confronted Grandfather the next day, who was confused as to why Father was so hostile toward him, until I explained Father's dream. Grandfather smiled, a rarity, and told Father that he was being silly, that he would never do that.

Things were both better and worse. Sarah and I grew close again, Alexander left us alone, Uncle Soren and Ariella were no longer together, and Sarah's name was put on the list of family members, and therefore, she now had money coming in regularly.

It was worse because Uncle Soren was heartbroken, Ariella was not speaking to me, Louis became even more egotistical than usual, and Michael's family was coming down hard on the city to find his killer or killers.

One day, we got a shock. Another rapist had been killed. Someone took inspiration from Michael's death and killed a rapist who was already in prison. Michael's parents were terrified and furious. I decided not to involve myself and tried to forget about it. One day, though, I was walking to my car when school was over, and my tires had been slashed again. This time, I called Father, who called Uncle Soren. They took pictures and replaced the tires on my car.

Father insisted on driving me home himself, while Uncle Soren drove my van.

One night, I woke up from a nightmare. I laid in bed for a long time, crying softly, when Father heard me. He opened my door and sat on my bed, rubbing my back.

I went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. Then I studied myself. What did I have, besides intelligence and money? I didn't think I was that good-looking. Yes, I am thin and muscular, perhaps a little too thin.

Whether vampirism made one more attractive was debatable. Some said yes, others said no. The next thing I needed was a fang-banger trying to turn me into a vampire creator. Not that I would have a problem with that. I would change someone eventually. I would kill someone eventually, either on purpose or on accident. I already had blood on my hands because of Nales.

I relished his death. The little...there was not a bad enough word to describe him. And Scarlett. She deserved whatever repercussions her actions influenced. I had to talk to her. And Jordan. Ask them why. Why Sarah.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I sat on the bench, sipping my water. It was a miracle that vampires don't urinate. All of the liquids in our system are flushed out by tear production and skin and hair oils. The blood fuels us by giving us energy. It's how we can go so long without sleep. And the older you are, the longer you can stay awake.

Scarlett was wearing a pea-green turtleneck, black skinny jeans, silver hoop earrings, red lipstick, and her long black hair was iron-straight and pulled back into a ponytail. On her feet were red stilettos.

"It's December," I told her.

"And I still look hot. What do you want, loser?"

"Leave Sarah alone. She's done nothing wrong. She didn't do what you thought she did. Ask Jordan who really squealed on your little misadventures."

"How the fuck do you know about it?"

"Forget how I know. Leave Sarah alone or I will be contacting your parents."

"Whatever. Parents, schmarents. I don't need my parents. I don't need anyone." A dangerous gleam was in her eye. "You're only with her because you're both losers. She just happens to be a slut too."

"While we're on the subject of sluttiness, have you spoken to Mason?"

"What? Hell, no. I don't need him. I don't even like him. He's a loser, too."

"He loved you."

"I'm too good for him. I'm beautiful, and smart, and I get what I want. Is that all you wanted? You said you had something for me."

"I lied."

"What the...you're such a creep!" Scarlett cried.

"You're a bitch and a whore, a liar and a bully," I countered. She gave me the bird and walked off, swinging her hips dramatically. I sighed and threw away my cup and walked out. I glanced over and noticed Mason standing outside.

When he saw me, he nodded at me and pulled a cigarette out of a carton.

"How much did you hear?" I asked.

"All I heard was Scarlett shouting. I think everyone within a two-block radius did." He stepped on the cigarette.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you know Mason Godfrey?" Father asked.

"Yeah, I do. He's a warlock."

"He's not, but his father is. His father called me and asked me to come with you right away."

"How'd he get your number?"

"Reese, he's the best warlock in the world. It would be child's play for him to hack into the school records and find my cell phone number." Father grabbed me around the waist and put me over his shoulder.

"Father?" I questioned. He sat on the couch and set me in his lap. He pressed his nose against my hair.

"Mm, you smell like gardenias."

"Sarah's basic scent is gardenias," I said.

"Reese, getting back to the Godfreys. That's an interesting tidbit of information, though. Anyway, K. Godfrey, also known as Krauvas the Deathmaster, is Mason's father. He says that Mason has been looking pale and weak. He did a test and found out that Mason's been cursed."

"Krauvas...I know that name from somewhere."

"He's one of the oldest warlocks in the world, and the absolute best. He wants us to meet with him to discuss Mason's future and how to deal with Scarlett."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Krauvas the Deathmaster looked like an ordinary human, except for his aura. One could literally feel the magic radiating off of him. He was tall and muscular, with long gray hair flecked with black. He was as pale as Mason, and shared his chin, forehead, and cheekbones.

Mason looked ill. He was laying in bed, gazing at the ceiling.

"He refuses to tell me what happened," Krauvas said. "I'm hoping that you can help him open up, Reese. He speaks of you often. Good to see you again, Mordecai." My father nodded at him, and I sat on my knees. Even on my knees, I was still fairly tall.

"Mason, I saw you earlier," I said. "You had a cigarette in your hand." Krauvas frowned and looked at his son.

"Mason, were you smoking?" he asked. "I've asked you not to do that. Nicotine interferes with your power and causes irreversible damage to your heart and lungs." Father looked embarassed, being a heavy smoker himself. Not that it mattered, with him already being dead.

"I was," Mason said weakly. "That's when she cast her spell. She glanced at me and sent a green orb flying at me. It hit me in the gut, and now I'm like this."

"She's more powerful than we anticipated. Try to get some sleep, son. I must speak with Mordecai and Reese."

"Wait, Dad, let me talk to Reese alone." Krauvas looked hesitant. "Please, Dad."

"As you wish," Krauvas said. His frown grew deeper. He kissed his palm and then hand it over Mason's forehead. "Call me if you need me." He and Father left together, talking in low voices. As soon as they were gone, Mason burst into tears and sat up.

"Everything's my fault," he said, sobbing. "Haec est mea culpa. Sum tam stultus stultus."

"What does that mean?" I asked. I recognized it as Latin, but I had not studied enough Latin to fully translate it.

"This is all my fault. I'm such a stupid idiot."

"You were in love."

"I was a fool!" he cried, thrusting an arm out and knocking some books off of his nightstand. "If she has a heart, it is as black as the devil's horns. She's a pyschopath and a sociopath. Jordan is simply out for revenge. I should just come clean now, and tell everyone what I know."

"Do your parents know?"

"No, I never told them how deeply how I screwed up. I think my father knows, but he won't tell Mom. He thinks she's too paranoid and fragile."

"What's your mother's name?"

"Antonia. She's a fantastic witch, but Dad's partly right. She'll want to fix it herself without knowing all the facts. I gave Scarlett knowledge that she will abuse, and it will be the death of me. I will die soon."

"Mason, don't say that. You'll live. You'll be all right. Your father will-Mason!" He had fainted. "Krauvas!" I called out. Krauvas burst through the door. When he saw Mason, he looked stricken. He bent over and held his son.

"He's dying," Krauvas finally said. His eyes were full of tears.

"Can't you help him?" Father asked. "You're the Deathmaster!"

"I...I don't know if I can fix this. He's had far too much damage done to him. I've tried everything to get rid of the curse."

"Except cutting him open," Father said sarcastically. Krauvas looked horrified.

"I can't do that to him! He's my son! My only true joy!"

"What about your wife?" I asked.

"I haven't loved my wife for almost a hundred years! I was going to leave her, but then Mason was born."

"You're despicable," Father said. "She's your mate."

I felt another presence. I looked around, and saw a dark-haired woman with tanned skin at the door. She was also lightly crying. I nudged Father, and he looked back at her.

"Hello, Antonia," Father said. Krauvas' head snapped up.

"Antonia!" The woman walked into the room slowly. She hugged Mason. Krauvas spoke again. "Antonia, I-"

"Don't. I heard you. I'll send over the divorce papers in a week."

"Mason could be dead by then!"

"Whose fault is that?"

"I've tried everything!"

"Except cutting him open. What's more important, your fear or your son?" Krauvas looked at Mason. He planted a kiss on his forehead.

"He's as cold as ice," he informed us. "He hasn't got much life left."

"Try it," I said. "He's my friend." When I said it, I knew it was true. Mason was my friend ever since he admitted that Scarlett was using him. Antonia looked resigned.

"Track down Scarlett," Krauvas said. "Ask her what spell she put on him."

"I will do that," Father said. "It's better if she curses me rather than my son." I decided not to say that if I hadn't contacted her and asked her to meet me, she wouldn't have cursed Mason. I must have had a guilty look on my face, because Father asked me what was wrong.

"My friend's dying," I told him.

"There's something else on your mind. Tell me. You don't have to say it out loud."

"This needs to be said. I asked Scarlett to meet me."

"Huh? Why?"

"I told her to leave Sarah alone."

"Next time you ask a villain out for coffee, contact me first. Silly boy." Father's tone was light, but his words were serious.

"Where exactly did you meet her?" Krauvas asked.

"To Bean Or Not To Bean. It's this coffee and tea shop that my friend Ariella likes."

"I know that place," Antonia said. "My faction meets there every Friday. The owner is a werewolf/vampire hybrid." Father looked disgusted. "Her husband is a warlock. It's actually quite the love story if you're interested."

"No doubt that place is protected by magic," Krauvas said. He looked at Mason. "Stay alive, son. I think I know how to reverse this curse, but it may cost you your powers."

"I don't care," Mason said, surprising us. "I don't deserve this power."

CHAPTER NINETEEN - HOW TO STOP A FEMALE villain/ SCARLETT'S DOWNFALL

Father found out that Scarlett used a Fated Death hex. Krauvas was excited. Now he knew how to stop it. I waited in the Godfreys' living room with Father and Antonia while Krauvas removed the hex. It was this huge secret that he didn't want revealed.

I saw him run downstairs, get a gallon of milk out of the fridge, and then run back up. He also grabbed the salt shaker and a bottle of mixed herbs.

An hour later, it was done. Krauvas came back down, smiling weakly.

"He needs to rest for several weeks," he said. "So you may not see him for a while, Reese."

Father took me home. I felt a little bit better, knowing that Mason was going to live. I wondered if he would forgive me. I knew he was probably wondering the same thing I was. I sat on the couch. I left Sarah a message, telling her that Mason was sick and was going to stay home for several weeks. She sent me an emoticon kiss.

Father sat beside me and put my head in his lap. "Are you feeling all right, Reese?"

"I'm exhausted," I said.

"And no wonder. You've had a stressful couple of days, and we didn't leave the Godfrey residence until after midnight."

"Mason thought he was going to die."

"So did Krauvas and Antonia. Krauvas and Antonia spoke with each other, and agReid to separate for a while. She's looking for an apartment to stay in until either their marriage is fixed or it ends. She's keeping divorce papers on hand just in case."

I fell asleep with my head still on my father's lap.

~~~~~~~~~~

I still went to school, even though I was exhausted. I told Mason's group of friends that he was sick and that he was going to be out for a while. Noah was aghast.

"Why didn't he tell me? I'm his best friend!"

"If he's your best friend, then he's been keeping a lot of things from you," I said quietly. He gave me a horrified look. Then he whipped out his cell phone and furiously texted Mason. Duke Taylor was also hurt, as was Amara and Jody. Amara played with her food and Jody started about how it was all unfair. Amara told her to shut up.

I sat by myself again, despite protests. I got the feeling that they were starting to like me, except Jody, who only cared about herself and the latest gossip. Sarah was nowhere to be seen. I missed her. I texted her before Gym, and she told me that she was having a bad day and wanted to be left alone. Her message was so vague that I worried about her.

I screwed up multiple times in Gym. I still did better than everyone else, though. We were playing indoor soccer. I eventually kicked it too hard and it went out of bounds. The shag got the ball back and the game resumed. I vaguely remembered playing as a kid. It only lasted a year, because the other kids didn't like me, simply because of my extraordinary strength and durability. Now that I was a teenager, kids still didn't like me, but for different reasons.

I was a creep according to their standards. I was quiet, didn't cause trouble (mostly), got good grades, and really only lost my temper if someone was hurting my girlfriend. I also wore a lot of black and listened to heavy metal and goth rock. Even the other goths didn't like me much. Well, most of them.

My school had a healthy mix of different cliques, everything from skaters and burnouts to popular kids and jocks. I was in New Jersey. I should be blond, like my father, and got a nice tan, and maybe even kept playing soccer, but that simply wasn't me. My hair was as dark as a starless, cloudy night, my eyes were an unusual color, and I was mostly friendless and alone for most of my school years.

I met Ariella back in middle school. Our school went from sixth to eighth grade, and she was already the life of the party and felt sorry for me. We wound up spending a lot of time together, and she outright asked me one day if I wanted to be her best friend. I agReid, and we've been close ever since.

Now, she avoided me whenever possible.

~~~~~~~~~~

As the week wore on, I caught up on sleep, went out on a couple dates with Sarah, and we mostly just cuddled. I knew the baby couldn't hear me, but I read to it anyway. Alexander bought a bunch of baby supplies, including toys and books. He refused to buy clothes until we knew the gender of the fetus.

I started working a lot more on my computer. I looked up criminal records out of curiousity. I could only find Michael's. I looked up my mother's name. It just showed that she was living in Greece and that she had possibly remarried. I decided not to tell Father. It would break his heart. I looked up all of Sarah's records. She was born on Valentine's Day, one year after I was born.

Her father, Beckett Cresley, was a decent-looking man. Dark blond hair, green eyes exactly like hers. Tall and made a lot of money as a realtor. Her mother, Alicia, worked in car and house insurance. According to Sarah, it was the only thing letting them keep their house. When I told Father, he smiled and said he'd take care of it.

We got Sarah's name on our family records, and she started getting royalties as part of the richest family in the world. (Secretly, of course.) She was ecstatic and profusely thanked my father and grandfather. She even kissed Uncle Soren on the cheek, which dazed him momentarily.

Soon, it was Friday night, and Sarah and I were in my room.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?" she asked.

"All the time, but I like hearing it anyway," I said, playing with her belly button. "You're part of the family now. So is the baby."

"Hmm?"

"Did you know that Alexander's my cousin?"

"I think you told me that. Or he did. One of you did. Or both of you." She put her head on my chest. "I'm so tired. This week has been exhausting."

"I know. I can't believe Christmas is nearly here. Oh, did I invite you to this ball?"

"A ball? Like a football?"

"No, silly, a dance." She blushed and buried her face in my chest. "It's in Denmark, and my family holds it every year. I'm been forced to go ever since I was only a few months old."

"Sure, but I have to talk to my mom first."

"My father's handling your mother right now."

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes. We would go in our private jet, and the castle is a family heirloom."

"Jet? Castle? How rich and old is your family?"

"We're very, very, very old and very, very, very rich."

"And you didn't tell me because...?"

"Because I don't care about wealth. And I want people to like me for me, not because of my status or assats."

"But I'm your girlfriend. You can trust me."

"Explicitly. I trust you with my life. I just didn't know how, and I wanted this to be a sure thing before I told you." I thought she was going to implode, but she handled my words well and said that she understood. Then she fell asleep. I kissed her and let her sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"The children are asleep," Father said. I opened one eye, and was immediately blinded by bright sunlight. "Oh, Reese just opened an eye. I think he's waking up."

"Who are you talking to?" I asked. It came out garbled, and Father gave me a confused look. I repeated the question.

"Alicia," he said. "She's concerned because Sarah didn't go home last night. I don't care if she spends the night, but please, tell her mother first. I don't need a worried mother calling me because her daughter fell asleep on my son's bed." I frowned at the implication and resisted telling him off. I closed my eyes again, and felt Father sidle in next to me. Sarah mumbled incoherently.

A few minutes later, she woke up and stretched.

"Morning, beautiful," I cooed.

"Stop it," she said, smiling. "I'm not beautiful."

"Oh, yes, you are," I said. My tone was light, although I felt alarmed. Was she kidding, or did she truly not think that she was beautiful?

"What do you want for breakfast?" I asked. Louis and Uncle Soren went to the grocery store the night before and stocked our kitchen with human food for the girls. She sat up, and nearly screamed. She jumped out of bed and landed on her ass.

"Sarah, are you all right?" I asked, worried.

"Mordecai, you scared me," she said. I turned around and gave Father a dirty look. "And yes, Reese, I'm fine."

"I think bacon and eggs. Maybe grilled bread and hasbrowns too," Father said, jumping out of my bed and running human speed toward the kitchen. I helped Sarah up, and she rubbed her back.

"I think I landed on my tailbone," she said.

"I'm so sorry, lover," I said, kissing her hair. She hugged me. I lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I carried her to the kitchen, where someone had already started breakfast. I looked at the charred remains of egg yolks and burned bread. Father was rightfully embarassed.

"Oh, for God's sake. I'll cook her something," I said, and carefully set her down. I flipped the omelet he was attempting to cook and sprinkled salt and pepper on it. He gratefully stepped out of the kitchen. Sarah wrapped her arms around my stomach. My stomach contracted due to her touch.

"You're so skinny," she said. "I'm jealous."

"I wish I wasn't so skinny," I said. "Let's face it: I'm a loser. You deserve better than me."

"I don't want anyone else but you." My chest felt light, and I turned around and kissed her on the lips. She kissed me back as if I was the blood in her veins. Her delicious blood. Whoa, where did that come from? She's not a meal. She's my mate. Mate. Sarah. Mate. Not food. Mate.

I stepped back. She tried to pull me back. When she wasn't successful, she looked at me like a lost kitten. I kissed the top of her head. I finished cooking her breakfast and got out a paper plate. That was a tad embarassing. While she ate at the dining room table, I cooked my own meal. B negative. I drank it in the kitchen and poured a glass of milk.

I sat down on the opposite side of her and slid the milk across the table to her. I miscalculated my strength, however, and the milk went crashing to the floor. Oops.

"You're cleaning that up," Father called from the other room. Sarah giggled. She looked around at the spill.

"When did you guys get a cat?" she asked.

"Huh?" I went around to the other side. Sure enough, a big black tom cat was licking up the milk. "Father, when did we get a cat?"

"Oh...I forgot to tell you. Louis found him tangled up in some bushes, and we didn't want a predator to get him, so we rescued him."

"Did you check him for a chip or a collar?"

"He doesn't have a collar, and I'm taking him to a vet today to check for a chip. Louis named him Shadowfang."

"Tell Louis that he's nuts."

"Hey, I can hear you!" my cousin called from the basement.

"Apparently my cousin found him in the woods," I told Sarah, who was looking at me with bright wide eyes. "What?"

"Do you have superpowers or something? I could barely hear your dad."

"Or something." I took a seat again. "Sarah, I have to tell you something. There's a reason why you never see me eat. I'm...I'm a..." At that moment, Shadowfang jumped onto the table and sniffed Sarah's omelet. I took a deep breath. He definitely stank. I made a mental note to look up ways to give cats a bath without being scratched up. His long fur was matted and dirt was easily seen.

I looked pointedly at Sarah. "Any chance you can take him?" Louis started protesting.

"Spunk would pulverize him, and Coffee would go nuts." She scratched his ear. He purred and tilted his head to allow her to reach the back. "Why? Do you not like cats?"

"I do like cats, but I simply am not going to be held responsible for cleaning the litterbox." Shadowfang seemed to glare at me. I did a double take. One of his eyes was yellow, the other was bright green. Huh. Ironic. He stretched and made his way over to me.

"Is that stupid cat on the table?" Father asked from the other room, and Shadowfang glared in his direction.

"Yeah, he is." I scratched the cat's chin. He promptly nipped me. "You little...!"

"Calm down, Reese, it means he likes you," Sarah said, finishing her eggs. "Besides, maybe you can teach him to go in the toilet. Some cats do that, and they can even learn how to flush."

"I hope he does that." I pulled a stray twig out from his tail. He rumbled gratefully. Sarah smiled.

"Maybe he'll be a great pet."

"I hope so, too."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Father and I took Shadowfang to the vet and they checked him for a microchip. Nothing. He appeared to be healthy otherwise, other than some fleas. They recommended flea shampoo and a special food for him to help him overall.

The pet store was full of dogs. I was aware than many pet stores allowed dogs, though, so it didn't really surprise me. Father had sent me in with his debit card and a list of things to get.

First, a cat carrier, to transport him to and from the veterinarian. Next, food and treats. I picked up several bags. A litterbox and scooper. Toys and brushes.

"Getting a cat?" the cashier said as she scanned my items.

"Oh, yeah." I paid while she bagged the stuff and left one and a half minutes later.

I fed Shadowfang a treat and gave Father his card back. Shadowfang gobbled it up, then crawled to the front seat to look for more.

Father organized the cat supplies, while I put the litterbox in an unused bathroom and filled it with litter. Shadowfang watched me with vague interest. He climbed into the box and started pawing at the sandy substance. He mewed.

Sarah had already gone home, and she was now taking a shower and getting redressed for the day. I don't know how I knew that, I just did.

"Father," I said, scooping some wet cat food into a bowl, "Is it possible to have a mental connection with your soulmate?"

"Absolutely. Why do you ask?

"It's like I can almost read her mind and tell what she's doing."

"Is it possible that you know her so well that you know what she's doing?"

"No, it's not. Normally, after a night and morning like this, she'd crawl into her pajamas and play around on her laptop. She's not doing that. She's getting ready for something."

"Is it possible that you've created this perfect picture of her, and now you're being proven wrong and you don't like it?" I had to think about that question for a minute. Was he right? Did I create a perfect picture of her in my mind before I even really knew her?

Had I been so desperate for a lover, for her, that I fell in love with her beauty and only fell in love with her after we began talking and dating? The mere thought broke my heart. A dull ache began in my chest, then moved down to my stomach, and finally, up to my head. There was no doubt in my mind that we belonged together.

I called her after a bit. She texted back and said that she was eating lunch with her mom and sister, and she'd get back to me when she was done. She mentioned piano lessons afterward. With a guy.

Reese: You're taking piano lessons? Since when?

Sarah: I wanted something to let all the emotion out, and I didn't want to hurt myself or the baby, and I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano.

Reese: Who's teaching you?"

Sarah: Some guy named Derek.

Reese: How old is he?

Sarah: Late twenties. And before you ask, he's as ugly as sin.

Reese: Good to know.

It made me feel better to know that she was not attracted to him in any way. There was little risk of losing her.

"Father, do we still have that old piano?"

"It's in the basement by the broken air hockey table."

"How do you break an air hockey table?"

"Don't ask me. Louis is the one who broke it." I heard Louis grunt from upstairs.

I headed downstairs. I rarely went into the basement, even though it was a teenage boy's heaven. There was a fridge and a huge flatscreen TV with a leather couch, a foosball table, pool table, pinball machine, and all sorts of other arcade and bar games. I bumped my leg into the pool table and cursed.

In the corner sat a very old, dusty grand piano that hadn't been used in Lord knows how long. I wiped some of the dust off with an old rag and pressed a key. A beautiful, slightly out-of-tune musical note hit my ears. I sat on the bench and got out the sheet music. I began playing random keys, barely looking at the sheet.

Father came downstairs a moment later.

"Scoot over," he said, and lifted the lid and started tinkering with the components. After two minutes, he stopped. "There. Now it should play much better." I pressed a key. Then another, and then another, and soon I was playing The Beauty and The Beast prologue. I remembered the movie from so many years ago, when I went through a brief phase where I hoarded everything Beauty and the Beast related. It was kind of ironic that I was going through a similar adventure. I would be considered a beast by human standards. A monster, a demon, or what-have-you.

I was the beast, and Sarah was Belle. I remembered that she'd once mentioned that Beckett Cresley had nicknamed her Belle. Well, he was French, and Sarah was his first daughter. No doubt she was the jewel of his eye, just like I am the jewel of my father's eye. I wondered what he would think of me and if he would approve. I hoped he would. I knew that Alicia barely tolerated me for the sake of her daughter.

I carefully picked apart the musical notes, playing everything from "Dance of The Sugarplum Fairy" to the main theme of Koisuru Boukun. My fingers glided over the keys as smoothly as if I'd been playing piano all my life. Truthfully, I hadn't played in years, and I certainly didn't remember being this good.

Uncle Soren and Grandfather came downstairs after a bit to listen.

"That's very good, Reese," Grandfather said. "Why don't you ever play for us?"

"I didn't know I had this much talent," I said. "I haven't touched this piano since I was six or seven." Grandfather and Uncle Soren were impressed, as was Father. He also came downstairs and complimented me, telling me that I should record myself playing.

"I have a bunch of old studio equipment somewhere from when I worked as a music producer," he said.

"You were a music producer?" I asked, astonished. He nodded.

"A long time ago; years before you were born. It's probably all clunked out now, though, so I'll buy you new equipment. Have you ever thought of recording yourself?"

"I have," I admitted. "I want to record myself singing to see if I'm any good."

"You think too little of yourself. You are talented, and many people have told you that."

"Family members don't count."

"Don't be a Scrooge. Try thinking about yourself for once."

I mentally sassed him, and he flicked my ear. I headed back upstairs after a couple of hours at the piano, and made a mental note to practice for a couple of hours every day.

Shadowfang seemed to smile at me as I passed him in the kitchen. He'd been given a flea bath and brushed to perfection; his coat was now clean and glossy and he smelled much better. I got the feeling that he wasn't an ordinary cat.

~~~~~~~~~~

Alicia relented, and decided to let Sarah go to Denmark. However, there were some rules. Sarah and I were not to stay in the same bedroom, I had to treat her right, sex was prohibited (Father pointed out that Sarah couldn't possibly get pregnant again, to no avail), Sarah was to watch what she put in her mouth, and my family was not to go back on any of the promises we had made.

Father took some time to soothe Alicia's worries and keep her calm. The ball would take place on Christmas Eve, as always, and we would have her back home as soon as we could.

Sarah asked me to attend the winter formal with her, to which I readily agReid. Father took me to look for a tuxedo. It took a couple of days, but I finally found one that fit perfectly. Sarah had already shown me what dress she planned to wear. Unfortunately, everyone, including Ryan Arthur, was allowed to intend. His suspension was up.

I kept him at bay with menacing looks. Sarah seemed to have a wall of protection around her now wherever she went. She was friends with Ariella now, one of the most beloved and popular girls in North Hampton High School history. She also had me, and people naturally knew not to cross me simply because of the way I looked and behaved. She was also growing closer to Mason's group of friends (except for Jody), and she was held in reverence by many of the younger girls for her bravery.

She filmed herself talking about her story, even mentioning that her father was dead and her friends turned against her.

"They thought that I divulged a major clique secret, which I never did," she said to the camera. "I have my suspicions about who actually did, but I won't name names. We did all kinds of horrible stuff, and I won't say what, because I'm not feeling vindictive. It's already gotten me in plenty of trouble, and it will get the rest of girls in trouble as well."

She confessed that they beat her up shortly before she was raped. She told the camera that she was indeed pregnant, and it was the rapist's biological child.

"I don't know what I would have done without the awesome people in my life," she concluded. "I made some new friends, got a new boyfriend, and my mother and I are closer than ever. I still fight with my sister, but who doesn't?" She giggled nervously. She ended the video by playing "Strange And Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)" by Aqualung, and then that was it.

Ariella got up and hugged her while I turned the camera off. Sarah had requested that only Ari and I be present. Ari had come to me, apologizing and admitting that she was torn between my uncle and Damon Sage. She decided that neither of them were right for her and dumped both of them. Friendship restored.

Although it broke my uncle's heart, he would get over it. He always got over most of his relationships, except for his one with Alga.

~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, the day of the winter formal. Everyone would be there, I'd heard. Dances had never much mattered to me, but this was important to both Sarah and Ariella, and so my presence was required. I had overheard that Father had secretly paid the entrance fee for everyone in school, which equated to well over two thousand students. That was a bit unusual. Normally, he would not care.

I drove both of the girls there, and they chattered excitedly. I was speechless with Sarah's beauty. She wore the long powder-blue dress she said she'd wear. Her makeup was well-done, with rosy lips and cheeks and smoky eyes. Her hair was curled extravagantly and tied into her usual bun. Somehow, this bun was more beautiful than all the ones she'd donned before.

Ariella was wearing a red dress with pieces of sheer fabric hanging around her legs. Her feet were adorned with sky-high heels and her makeup was much heavier than usual, her gray eyes brighter and more alive than I'd seen them in a long time. Her hair was tied back for once in a sleek ponytail.

The ticket takers informed us that ours had been paid for, and to go on in. The next people were more surprised than we were. Ariella and Sarah giggled. They knew who had paid and why.

I immediately started toward the corner of the cafeteria, away from the turntables. Too bad. "Realize" by Colbie Caillat started playing, and Sarah dragged me over to the middle of the dance floor. I was surprisingly comfortable. She kept her dancing slow and steady, so not to hurt the baby.

"Rule The World" by Take That was next. I started swinging her around like we were in a ballroom. She took my lead and danced gracefully. I noticed the Beautifuls standing in a corner of the room, gossiping. They were closer to the music so they couldn't be overheard. All of them wore pink or purple except the Hart sisters. Jordan and Scarlett wore tight, short red dresses that sparkled. I decided to ignore them for now.

Sarah and Ari went to the bathroom for a moment, and I noticed the Beautifuls heading that way. I decided to stand outside the restroom as extra protection. Ari was a strong girl, but she would not be able to defend herself and Sarah if the clique decided to attack them. I noticed that Rachel Griffin and Angela Montgomery looked a little sick.

I noticed Mason across the room. He looked pale and ill. He was dressed in dark pants and a button-up shirt. He looked like he was trying to figure out the best way to approach Scarlett. I went over to him.

"What're you doing?" I asked. "If she sees you-"

"I know. I need to fix things, though. I've figured out a way to make her forget the knowledge that I taught her."

"But you're-"

"I know. I'm sick and weak. I won't stay long. My dad is waiting outside. He's prepared to take over if he needs to." He doubled over and clutched his head. "Help me up, Reese." I helped him up. He walked over to the clique. Scarlett's jaw dropped when she saw him. Mason stood in front of her. She seemed frozen in fear. He mumbled an incantation and waved his hand. All of the Beautifuls looked worried or confused. Jordan and Scarlett were scared.

Ariella and Sarah exited the bathroom at that moment. They gaped at the scene before them. Mason turned on his heel and started walking away. I expected Scarlett to retailiate, but she looked terrified. Mason looked back and grinned. My cell phone dinged. I took it out of my pocket. It was from him.

Mason: I made Scarlett forget everything I taught her. She will have to relearn it the hard way.

I grinned at the influx of justice, and showed the text to Sarah. She smiled and pecked my cheek.

"So the Harts are, like, real witches?" Ariella asked, looking over at them.

"Yes," Sarah said. "I'm the only one who wanted nothing to do with it. Everything that they were doing was wrong. Everything from popularity and money spells to beauty spells."

"Not very tactful, are they?" Ariella said rhetorically. An evil grin split her face in half. "I know exactly what to do. I'll fix them for good." I decided that I didn't want to know and didn't ask.

"What you going to do?" Sarah asked Ariella. Ari put a finger to her lips and pulled her cell phone out from a silver purse. I took Sarah's hand and danced with her some more. She needed constant breaks, either for water or for the bathroom. We talked with Amara, Noah, and Duke, who had arrived. I told them that Mason was there only briefly to talk to somebody. Amara and Ariella met each other for the first time and seemed to get along beautifully. Something was still off, though.

I swung Sarah around and led her into a different rhythm of movement for each song. The only thing that would have made the night better was if she had agReid to marry me. Needless to say, we tore up the dance floor. I noticed that we got quite a bit of attention as more and more people showed up. The people who had not heard the gossip gaped at us.

The last thing anyone expected was the Lone Goth to be dancing with the most beautiful girl in the universe. Even the teachers who were chaperoning couldn't believe it.

"Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol started playing, and Sarah's grin got bigger.

"This is our song," she said. And so it would be. I dipped her gently and she clutched my shoulders. I spun her around. Gently, of course. When the song ended, Sarah sat down in a chair.

"This is the best night of my life!" she declared.

"Glad to hear it," I said. I sat beside her. "Complicated" by Avril Lavigne was playing, and I found it deliciously ironic. I looked over and noticed that Scarlett's old clique was staring at us and whispering. Sarah didn't seem to care.

~~~~~~~~

I wished that it could go on forever, but it ended promptly at midnight. By now, everybody had been there. The place was packed, and no one wanted it to end. Ariella had already left, and Sarah was exhausted. Some of the others were going to an all-ages club afterward to keep the party going.

I drove her home and helped her up the steps to her front door. She stood on her toes and kissed me on the lips.

"Call me tomorrow?" she asked hopefully.

"Absolutely. If anyone gives us a hard time because of tonight..."

"Why would anyone do that? We're in love!"

"Yes, but we're on two different social stratas."

"I don't give a damn, and Scarlett and Michael have already hurt my reputation anyway. I don't have many friends anymore because of them."

"Even Michael...?"

"Even though he hurt me, people still don't want to hear the truth. Some of them still think that I was totally making it all up; that I'm lying for attention or it wasn't as big a deal as it was made out to be."

I promised swift retribution to any who dared to think her untrustworthy because of her experience.

"Well, good night, my love."

"Good night, my prince." I tensed for a moment.

"Prince?"

"Like in Aladdin, when he drops Princess Jasmine back on her balcony." I relaxed. Her cheeks turned hot pink. My nose flared as the blood rushed to the surface of her skin. I didn't want to leave her, but Father was calling me.

"Well, I have to go. My father will worry if I'm gone too long." She looked a bit disappointed, but nodded in agreement. We kissed again, and she went inside the house.

"Hello, sweetheart," I heard Alicia say. "Did you have a good time?" I grinned and shook my head. I went to my van and drove home in a good mood.

Father was waiting for me. I unbuttoned a few buttons on my shirt and sat on the couch.

"Did you have good time?" he asked.

"Yeah, I did," I said, and told him what Mason had done. He shook his head.

"That boy's going to get himself killed if he's not careful. It's a good thing you were there, for extra protection."

"I don't think Scarlett knows-"

"I think she suspects that you're more than human. She certainly knows that I'm not an ordinary man."

"Because of our eyes?"

"Partly. It also has to do with our aura."

I fell asleep on the couch. My dreams were punctuated by thoughts of her, of Sarah. I had the best dreams I'd had in a long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

When school started up again, everyone was buzzing about Scarlett. At lunch, I sat with the group again.

"Did you hear about Scarlett?" Jody asked. "Apparently, she's some kind of witch. Like, a real witch."

"Where do you hear this stuff?" Rachel Goldstein asked.

"From Ariella Spears," Jody replied.

"Reese, isn't Ariella Spears your friend?" Noah asked me.

"Yeah, she's my best friend," I answered. "And she's right about Scarlett."

"Apparently, Scarlett has some huge secret," Jody continued. "Besides being a witch, I mean."

"I don't care about her religion or whatever, but what's her other secret?" Duke said. They looked at me and Sarah.

"It's not my place to say," Sarah said, finishing her salad.

"She turned against Sarah because she thought that she spilled the beans," I said. Sarah turned pink and nodded.

"She thought that I told her secret, but I didn't. I think Jordan did, actually."

"Her sister?" Amara said. "I would've thought that Jordan and Scarlett were tighter than that."

"Jordan secretly hates Scarlett's guts," Sarah continued, now working on her sandwich. "Jordan has liked Mason for a long time."

"Mason? What's Mason got to do with it?" Noah asked, looking worried on his friend's behalf.

"He's known the Hart sisters for a long time," I said.

"What? Why didn't he tell me? I'm his best friend!"

"I expect that he wanted to keep you out of it for your own safety," I said, hoping to assuage his worries. "Anyway, I would ask him about it if you want the full story. It's not our place to reveal his secrets." Sarah opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. She focused on the rest of her lunch.

I was bored out of my mind during free period. Not even the library would help. I snagged a free computer and checked social media, careful not to get caught. Nothing of interest yet. I checked the live feed. Very little activity.

Even with North Hampton High being as big as it is, it's like a small town. Everyone knows everyone else's business. Yes, we have our cliques. The cheerleaders and jocks, drama club, band freaks, nerds, and so on. We even had a nice-sized goth group. The group that Sarah and I hung out with were just one.

I noticed another goth group gossiping and glancing over me occasionally. I logged out of Facebook and pretended to work on an essay. I picked a random topic (Samhain), and started to write about it. Samhain is a historical holiday with several religious backgrounds, including Wicca and Christianity. It is also supposedly the day where the line between the paranormal world and the mortal world is at its thinnest.

I started writing about ley lines and ghostly activity when a girl with black everything and short hair walked up to me.

"Is your name Reese?" she asked. I nodded. I noticed that she had a nose ring. "Do you know Scarlett Hart?"

"Barely," I said. "She's my girlfriend's ex-friend." She nodded back and walked back to her group. My stomach tightened. I saved my work and started researching mental disorders and evil people. Elizabeth Bathory, Vlad the Impaler, and so on. Some of which were famous vampires or vampire wannabes. My father's first name popped up, and I did a double-take. They even had his description down.

Blond hair, yellow eyes, thin-yet-muscular build. I wondered if he cared. I decided I'd tell him later.

Evan and I were on the same team again. We were continuing indoor soccer. This time, I stayed out of the way as much as possible. Some kid got sick, though, and threw up all over the floor. While he was sent to the nurse and the janitor called, Kleeworth had us go into the Aerobics room. She told us to choose whatever equipment we wanted to use for the rest of the day. I chose weights. I lifted the heaviest weights and started working.

"Why aren't you in any sports?" Mrs. Kleeworth asked me after a few minutes.

"Because I don't like sports," I said honestly.

"You should try out. I bet it would make your father proud."

"My father doesn't need anything else to be proud of me for," I said, a little more rudely than I'd intended. She said nothing else and went over to bother someone else.

When Gym was over, I quickly showered and changed. I met my father in the classroom.

"Hey," he said, "Were you rude to Mrs. Kleeworth?"

I told him what she had said.

"I know she can be a pest sometimes, but try to be a little nicer," he said. I rolled my eyes and gave him a frosty look. "Come on, don't look at me like that. Why are you so testy?"

"Did you know that you're mentioned on a website?"

"I'm mentioned on several websites. You have to be more specific."

"I saw your name and description on a website featuring different vampires."

"Yes, well, I'm a prince. And a vampire. Stop giving me that look. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal."

"Well, it is."

"Reese, it's no secret that vampires exist. You don't even need permission to tell someone that the vampire race exists. No point in stopping people from revealing who we are. For the last time, stop giving me that look. This really isn't a safe place to discuss this, anyway. Let's go home, and we'll talk about it there."

CHAPTER TWENTY - HEARTBEAT

Father and I discussed it further in the car. I was not to worry, he had everything under control. If I was still worried about something or frightened, I was to come to him, and he would take care of it. I was to watch my temper and keep it in check. I was not to be rude to anyone else, and I was not to draw more attention to myself. I was to keep my nose clean and my head down, and keep cool. If I saw Alexander again, I was to come home right away.

Father and Uncle Soren had spread their scents around, marking the territory. Guards were stationed around the house. If I felt threatened and Father was not around, I was to find Dimitri, Janna, Spencer, or Toby. Guards would protect us in rotations so they could sleep and eat.

When I got home, I went straight up to the library and tried to find records. It was the second place Father would have put any records if there was any. The first place would be his bedroom, but I was not going in there. I went up to my room and plopped onto the bed. Tomorrow was the last day before winter break, and then we would start getting ready for Denmark. Well, my winter break started before everyone else's. Father used the excuse of having relatives overseas.

I went to bed early. I was too tired to think anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day had a gray sky and a mild chance of snow. I was still tired and wanted to skip. Father turned on the bedroom light, however, pulled the covers off, and turned me over.

"Wake up, son. Don't give me that look. I know you're exhausted, but you need to do this."

"Father, can't I skip?"

"Oh...oh, all right. I tell your teachers that you fell ill and you'll do your exams at home. Do you want to take the rest of the week off? It's just one more week before winter break."

"Yes, I need a break."

"If you insist. I'll even tell them that you 'broke' down." He chuckled at his own joke. "You're so grouchy all the time now. I never had this much attitude when I was your age."

"Don't let him fool you, Reese!" Uncle Soren called up. "He sassed Father all the time!"

"Both of you did!" Grandfather retorted. "And you still do!"

"It's only healthy!" Louis added his two cents in. "Sometimes parents need to see how wrong they are!"

"You shush, you ungrateful child!" Uncle Soren cried.

"You shut up!"

"Don't tell your father to shut up!"

"I'm three hundred and forty two years old, I do what I want!"

"All of you shut up!" Father cried. "You're not helping!"

I heard Janna ask Dimitri if it was always like this. He stated that oftentimes it was worse. My father ignored them, and kissed my forehead.

"Try to sleep," he said. "You've been so exhuasted lately." He tucked me back into bed and nuzzled my chin with his nose. "Eat something, too. If you decide to hunt, take one of the family with you."

"I'll take him hunting, Uncle Mordecai!"

"Thank you, Louis, but I'd feel better if Soren or your grandfather took him," Father replied. Uncle Soren chuckled.

"He's right, Louis. Your hunting skills, frankly, suck. You always end up killing the meal on accident."

"Not much different from you when you first began hunting!" Grandfather piped up.

"Father, he's been hunting since the 1600s!"

"You've been hunting since you were sixteen! You're almost three thousand years old now!"

"I learned hunting from you!"

"Soren, you taught Louis and me how to hunt!" Father snipped.

"Boys, quit bickering now."

"He started it!"

"No, Father started it!"

"Don't bring me into this!"

I swear, it's like living with a bunch of thirteen year olds sometimes. Anyway, Father gave me another forehead kiss, then went to work as a teacher. I went back to sleep immediately.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was almost one in the afternoon when I finally woke up again. I pulled on a pair of pajama pants with red skulls on them, and went downstairs for a snack. I heated up some A positive (always good when you wake up after a long sleep) and drank it slowly. Grandfather came downstairs.

"Finally awake, are you?" he said. "Your father's right. You have been exhausted." He felt my forehead. "You're not ill, are you?"

"I don't think so," I replied. There are few diseases that can affect vampires, but there are a few that are unknown to humans that can make us sick. Werewolf bites, certain poisons, mad vampire disease. Werewolf bites are the most common, seconded by mad vampire disease, which can be transmitted from vampire to vampire or vampire to human via bite or by drinking affected vampire blood. Fang discoloration, gauntness, increased tear production, milky irises, hallucinations.

Most vampires or humans that get mad vampire disease die from suicide. Werewolf bites are the most reviled, because more vampires believe in werewolves than mad vampire disease. I have seen vampires with mad vampire disease, and it is not pretty. I was only seven when I saw my first one, which my father thought was far too young, but Grandfather and Uncle Soren insisted on introducing me to the very real dangers of the vampire world at an early age.

There are many things about being a vampire that I wish I could change. However, there are some good things too. Most of us are quite beautiful. Look at my father and Louis. We can live forever, which is both a blessing and a curse. Many of us have acquired millions of monetary assats over the years. Some of us choose to live in poverty, yes. However, it is hard for some of us to find paid work because of our diet.

Some vampires can't be around a certain gender or certain groups of people because of the way their blood smells. For example, some people who are allergic to a certain food or exclude certain food may have blood that smells and tastes good, but doesn't provide the correct nutrition. We need blood from all different diets if we are to remain powerful.

Some humans willingly give us their blood. Some do it because it amuses them, or they enjoy the "high", or enjoy feeling weak or using weakness as an excuse. Others do it because it arouses them, or they simply like to know that they're doing a good deed.

Anyway, Grandfather gave me a look that said that he didn't quite believe me.

"When did you start feeling so tired?"

"Probably around the same time that Father let me drink from him."

"Pardon?"

"A few weeks ago, Father insisted that I drink from his wrist because he was worried about me. Is that a problem?"

"Yes, it's a problem. Vampires are never to drink from each other unless they have consented and it is absolutely necessary. It is one of our main laws. He knows that."

"Is he in trouble?"

"I will ask him about it. If he did it for a stupid reason, then yes, he's in trouble. Also, I'd like to run a few tests on you with your permission, Reese."

"What will it entail?"

"Ah, it's a secret for now. Go watch TV or read for a bit while I text him." I decided to take my grandfather's advice and turned on the TV in the living room. I watched old cartoons for about half an hour until Louis came in and switched it to extreme snowboarding. I gave him a dirty look, and he gave me the finger. I shook my head in exasperation. I love Louis, he's the closest thing I have to an older brother, but he's so full of himself and so aggravating.

Uncle Soren snatched the clicker out of Louis' hand and turned to the news. Louis glared at him and started playing on his phone.

"Reese, have you been dieting?" Uncle Soren suddenly asked me.

"Not on purpose, but I have been losing a lot of weight lately," I told him.

"He looks almost gaunt," Louis noted. "Even skinnier than usual." I gave him the finger .

"Boys," Uncle Soren chided. "Be nice. Reese, have you eaten today?"

"Yes, I ate something as soon as I got up," I said. Grandfather and Uncle Soren looked at each other.

"I spoke to Mordecai. He said that he's been looking weak and losing weight for a while now, even before he began speaking with Sarah."

"She probably doesn't notice it because she never noticed him before that night," Louis said. I frowned.

"Louis," Uncle Soren said.

"Father," Louis sassed. "I don't like your attitude."

"I don't like yours," Uncle Soren snapped.

"Louis, don't speak to your father like that. Soren, control your temper," Grandfather commanded. "Reese, what exactly did you eat this morning and how much?"

"I heated up a glass of A positive," I said.

"That makes sense. It's because of his insistence on drinking bagged blood," Louis spoke up.

"I don't think it's that," Grandfather told him. "I think he may have an illness that none of us can see or smell."

"Don't tell Uncle Mordecai that. He'll freak out."

"He already knows my suspicions. He's coming home as soon as he can. He needed to get some equipment for his new store office and a chemistry set. With your permission, Reese, I'd like to take a sample of your blood. I need you to eat until you're completely full, then I will wait for two hours before I take a sample. It may be your white blood cells."

"It's always white blood cells," Louis said in a lighthearted tone, then ducked his head as Uncle Soren and Grandfather glared at him.

"I will contact a team of scientists and we will figure it out. For now, Reese, I want you to rest as much as possible, and eat fresh blood for a while until we figure out exactly what is going on."

I laid across the couch and put my feet on Uncle Soren's lap. He grinned at me and rubbed my legs.

"Oh, sure, when the baby does it, it's cute, but when I do it, I'm a pest," Louis said sarcastically. We ignored him.

"When he was a baby, you couldn't get enough of him," Grandfather reminded Louis.

"That was before he became a goth," Louis said.

"I will shave your head," I threatened him.My cousin looked horrified. I decided to change the subject, even though I was having fun teasing him. "Where's Shadowfang?"

"He's...oh, speak of the handsome devil." Louis grinned like a proud parent as Shadowfang jumped onto the table and dropped a dead snake. "What a clever boy, did you catch that all by yourself?" Louis cooed. Shadowfang gave him a scathing look and started cleaning his face.

"It's a gift for Reese," Grandfather said. "He's showing him that he caught the snake and presenting it to him as a food present."

"I don't want to eat a damn snake," I growled. Shadowfang looked insulted and glared at me. "How'd he get out, anyway?"

"The back door, most likely," Uncle Soren answered. "Cats have been known to climb doors and figure out how knobs and locks work. I must show Mordecai this." He took a picture of the snake and the cat and sent it to my father. Father's reaction was to 'GET THAT DAMN SNAKE OFF MY COFFEE TABLE.'

No one wanted to touch it, though, so Louis asked in a baby voice if Shadowfang would kindly take his kill elsewhere. I don't know if the cat knew what he was saying, but he complied anyway. He ran off, probably to feast on the snake or bury it.

I rolled my eyes and pulled out my phone. I started playing a Slenderman game. I played the game until Shadowfang leaped onto me, licking his lips.

"Was that good?" I asked him sarcastically. Shadowfang turned in a circle and then laid on my chest. He tucked his head under and went to sleep. Louis picked him up and petted him. Shadowfang glared at him; unhappy about having his nap interrupted. I readjusted myself, putting my head on my uncle's abdomen.

"Are you tired, baby?" he asked, petting my hair.

"Yeah. I can't seem to get enough sleep. But when I try to sleep, I either can't, or I have nightmares."

"Nightmares? You're having nightmares?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Does your father know?"

"Please don't tell him."

"Oops; too late," Grandfather said, shoving his phone back into his pocket. "He says he'll stop by a drugstore and pick up some melatonin. Hopefully that will help."

I watched news and cartoons with my family until Father got home. He immediately came over to me and looked into my eyes.

"He's lethargic," he said. "He needs blood and sleep. Take one of these pills, Reese. Swallow it. I know it's disgusting, but try it." I swallowed it with the aid of water. Father made me crawl into bed and drink blood through a straw. Father redressed into a t-shirt and pajama pants, and laid beside me. I fell asleep within minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I awoke again, it was a bright morning. There was a light snow on the ground, and I had slept for a long time. About sixteen hours, to be exact. I had slept well, and felt the best I'd felt in a long time. Father was already awake and had breakfast waiting.

"Any nightmares?" he asked. I shook my head. "Your hair's getting long. I think it's time for a trim." I ignored him and drank breakfast. "Okay, you're taking melatonin until we can get it sorted out. I think you got a message from Sarah."

I checked my phone. Sarah asked me how I was. I told her that I was fine, and that I would be taking an early vacation. I told her not to worry about me. I also asked if she wanted to meet somewhere. She invited me over to her house. I growled under my breath, and suggested my house. She agReid.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When she arrived, it was in the afternoon. I led her to my bedroom. She asked about the guards. I told her they were friends of my father's who agReid to help watch over me. Shadowfang made his presence known two minutes after she arrived. I led her to my room, where we kissed for a long time. The cat decided he didn't like this, and opened my door to let himself in.

I frowned and then promptly shut the door again. Sarah sat on my bed, her knees hugged against her chest. She was biting her bottom lip. The rush of blood entered my nostrils and caused them to flare. She smelled so good. I had to have a sip...just one sip....

"Reese? Are you all right?" Sarah asked. I shook my head. Sarah. Mate. Not food.

"I-I'm all right," I told her. "Why do you ask?"

"You were staring at my lips, and now your pupils are blown wide," she said. She was observant.

"I...it's nothing. Do you want to watch a movie or read a book?"

"Let's watch a movie. What all do you have?"

I went through my extensive movie collection with her. She finally chose a video featuring old Halloween cartoons. I held her while we watched them. Occasionally, she'd shiver or let out a squeak of fear or surprise. She put her hands on her stomach and starting making cooing noises.

"Do you want to choose something else?" I asked her.

"No, I'm just jumpy I guess. How far along do you think the baby is?"

"Well, Michael attacked you in mid-November, and it's now mid-December. I'd say about a month." She shivered again and tried to bury herself underneath me. I kissed her. "In a few more months, we'll know the gender. And then a few months after that, you'll give birth and it'll be off your hands."

"Am I a bad mother?"

"Why would you even entertain such a thought? Of course not."

"The other day, I had a slice of chocolate cake. And then I kept eating it until I got a stomachache. I cried for almost an hour afterwards."

"You are under a lot of stress and pressure. You had a traumatic thing happen to you, and now you have a few cells inside you that will eventually turn into a baby. Plus, finals are coming up. I understand if you're a little emotional."

"Someone told me the other day that I should already be over it. But I'm not. I have nightmares almost every night! I cry all the time for no reason. Ariella feels like the best friend I've had in a long time, though. You yourself feel like a safe port in a storm. I don't know why that is. I've never fallen in love quickly but with you...actually, I don't think I've ever been in love, period. I'm a little scared."

"I've never loved anyone except you," I told her. "I think...we're soulmates." My confession did not soothe her. She looked at me with wide, terrified eyes. Her eyes were watering. I kissed the growing tears away. Had it really only been a month since I found her in the bathroom, sobbing her heart out?

I grabbed my song notebook and started writing.

It's only been a month

Since I saw you in the bathroom

Crying your heart out

I know it's been rough

I know it's been hard

I stopped myself there. I had nothing else to say. I had not written any songs since I started writing "I Love You (Marry Me)". I'd almost forgotten how to write a song. I wondered why. She inspired me. She inspired me so much, yet I had nothing to say. I turned to another page and titled it "Chaos In My Veins". I started to write.

Late at night

I'm so upset

The dawn starts to burn bright

You're treated like a pet

The chaos in my veins turns my heart cold

Our tears fall like rain

Their hearts are as black as mold

I went into my closet, and picked up my old guitar. Sarah watched me with avid fascination. I smiled at her and plucked a string. A note fell out, melodic and beautiful and haunting. I tried another. And another. I made a note in my songbook.

"Are you writing a song?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah, I am," I told her. "Want to take a look at it?"

"Nah, surprise me," she said, holding her knees up to her chest. My stomach twisted with confusion. Why the sudden personality change?

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Eh, you can show me if you really want to." I smiled at her and showed her the notebook. She burst into tears.

"Sarah...did I say or do something?"

"No, your song just reminded me of...it's not important."

"If it upsets you that much, of course it's important! Tell me!" My sudden fierceness scared her, and she whimpered a little. "I'm sorry, lover. I didn't mean to upset you. I'll trash it if that'll make you happy."

"Don't trash it. Give it to Ariella. I know she's in a band."

"I write songs for her band sometimes."

"Really? That's cool." She thought it was cool? Or was she just being nice? No, she thought it was cool. Then she spoke up. "I was drunk that night. At least until Michael..." She closed her eyes and swallowed. "At least until you-know-who did something to me. What he did sobered me up pretty quick. And then he had to go off and die! It's freaky what happened to him. I wonder how many enemies he had?"

"Dozens," I said. "Possibly hundreds. His parents are now pariahs throughout the whole damn city." I flinched at my unintentional curse. She didn't seem to mind, though. She laid her head on her knees. Then she looked up.

"Where's Shadowfang?"

"Hiding, I expect," I told him. "He likes the area under Louis' bed."

"What are you going to do with him?"

"Keep him, unless someone claims him," I told her. "My father put up signs all over town. Louis is hoping nobody claims him, though. He likes Shadowfang the best, although the cat seems to like me the best."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I find it irritating. At least I'm not the one cleaning his litterbox. My father has the guards do that."

"Guards? Why do you have guards?"

"Anyway, Shadowfang seems to like it here. He's adjusting well. He likes the cat food we feed him. He brought me a snake the other day."

"Ew. Dead or alive?"

"Dead. The stupid cat killed it."

"That might actually be a good thing. Did you see if it was poisonous or not?"

"It was a Northern copperhead, I think. Those are poisonous."

"Maybe he was protecting you," she suggested.

"I've not even entertained that thought. I'm pretty sure he buried it somewhere."

"Cats will do that. Some cats like to dig. And you still didn't answer my question from earlier. Why do you have guards?"

I paused. She needed to know. She could figure it out on her own, she was so smart, but it was best if I told her myself.

"Okay. I'll tell you. You know how my uncle and father had that conversation about my grandfather while I was in the hospital?"

She nodded. "I remember it almost word for word. Your uncle said he's a CEO? Is that right? And your father said that he works for the government. Was he right?"

"Yes and no. My grandfather, uncle, and father don't just work for the government. They are a government of sorts. They are roy-damn it, cat!"

Shadowfang had just sprayed in a corner of my room. Truthfully, I hadn't even noticed him until that moment. Sarah stifled her sudden bout of giggles.

"He's a pest!" I exclaimed, irritated. Shadowfang sat in the middle of the room and gave me a smug look. Before I could do anything, however, Louis ran into my room and rescued Shadowfang, picking him up and running out with him. Sarah started full-out laughing.

"You think that's funny, do you?" I asked Sarah. She had tears in her eyes and started choking when she tried to speak.

"It's a riot! It'll be a bitch to clean, though. I think I have some pet stain remover at home. I'll bring you some. Start with baking soda to absorb the odor. Then when it's dried, if it has a stain, spray some pet stain remover on it. Then spray carpet disinfectant over the area."

I absorbed her advice for getting rid of it. I'd never really had a pet before, and I didn't know how to get rid of their messes. I laid back with her and pecked her temple. She purred and laid back.

"You know what I'd like to do?" she asked.

"No, what?"

"Be famous. Of course, most girls want to be well-known. I'd like to write stories for newspapers, get into debates on television, and never have toxic friendships again. I need people who are real and honest, who won't tease me for not going along with something I know is wrong. And what Scarlett and Jordan did was wrong. I'm not going to say I'm innocent, because I'm not. I stole from businesses. I used to drink all the time. I even tried smoking. No more. No more of any of that. No more toxins in my life. No cigarettes or alcohol until I'm twenty one.

"I want to change my life completely. Even my grades are suffering. I can't seem to get any work right. I think I need a tutor. Reese, will you help me with my homework?"

"Absolutely," I said.

"Great. I just need my tote bag. It's in my car in the trunk. Will you get it for me?"

"Sure," I said, and she handed me her keys.

I went downstairs and out the door to Sarah's car. I opened the trunk. I was tempted to look through the bins in the car. One seemed to be full of baby books, and the other seemed to be full of clothes. There was a small toolbox, jumper cables, a jack, and a spare tire. I wondered if she'd ever gotten a flat. I spotted the tote bag and grabbed it. It was heavy; full of books and papers. In the backseat, there was a pair of boots, a coat, and a laptop.

In the console, she had a cigarette lighter, a notepad and pencil, a pen, red lipstick, a compact mirror, teabags, a hairbrush made with wood and boar bristles, and a spoon wrapped in plastic. She had the car manual in the glove compartment, her insurance and other papers, and a bag of dried sage.

Okay, I looked through her car. I found it hard to resist. My only excuse is that I have little self-control. I daydreamed about marrying her on the way back up. My future wife. My soulmate. My fiancee. At least, she would be when she said yes after I finally proposed.

She was waiting for me patiently, looking at a book with a skull and crossbones on the cover.

"What's that about?" I asked.

"Death, of course. It's some kind of anthology about death." I felt a chill run down my spine. "What took so long?" she continued. My abdomen contracted.

"I...it was...hard to find." My lie came out more smoothly than I expected it to. She raised an eyebrow and took the bag. She pulled out a science textbook.

"I'm taking Zoology. What's the most common pet in an average American household?"

"A cat," I said without thinking. In North Hampton High School, either Zoology or Biology was a requirement for juniors. Sarah opened her book.

"It says here that dogs and cats are the most popular pets," she said. "Did you know that there are over a hundred different cat bReids? It says here that Shadowfang is a long-hair of some kind."

"Have you ever had any cats?" I asked.

"No, just dogs. I really want one, though." Okay, we were keeping Shadowfang. Not that I'd had any choice in the first place.

"Speak of the devil," I groaned as the feline made his way back into my room. Apparently, Louis couldn't keep him contained. Shadowfang jumped onto my bed and nuzzled Sarah. She petted him for a moment before he plopped himself right onto her textbook.

"Okay, you have to move," I said, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and placing him on the floor. He glared at me and jumped onto the bed again. Sarah scratched his ear, then turned back to her textbook.

"Can I borrow your computer?" she asked.

"Sure," I said. I turned it on and typed in the password. My father had a habit of trying to snoop on my computer, so I was constantly creating new passwords. Not that I had anything illegal, but there were some things that I'd rather he didn't see. Like plans for leaving New Jersey. I would go to a music college somewhere in the West, and then I'd move to San Francisco, where it was gray all day. I'd move Sarah with me.

Right now, my only music classes were choir. I had a decent voice, but I preferred playing instruments. I was too shy to sing in front of other people by myself. I'd stumble over my words. I closed several tabs and opened a new one for Sarah. She sat in my desk chair and started to type.

While she did homework, I finished writing the new song. She had papers strewn about. Important notes and terms were highlighted in different colors. She wrote and typed until it was almost dinnertime, when she finally said she was finished. I started writing a new song.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked as her stomach growled. "Name anything and I'll get it for you."

"Whatever you have in the house is fine," she said. Damn. We didn't have any human food in the house.

"How about pizza?" I asked. I'd never tried it myself, but I had heard that it was a favorite in many households. She made a face, however, so I quickly suggested Chinese instead. She seemed okay with that, so I placed an order for vegatable lo mein, pork, fried rice, sesame chicken, sweet and sour shrimp, crab rangoon, and chicken egg rolls.

~~~~~~~~~

The food arrived in about an hour, and I paid the man while Sarah tried one of the egg rolls. When Father came into the kitchen, he made a face.

"Do you not like Chinese food?" Sarah asked him.

"I don't particularly care for it," he said. I tried a bite of rice. Sarah smiled at the face I made.

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble just for me," she said.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm going to spoil you rotten, princess."

"Princess?" she asked, trying to grin, her mouth full of chicken, eggs, and fried corn flour.

"You're a princess now," Father told her. Uncle Soren, who was coming into the room, shot him a death glare. "What is your problem, Soren? Can't handle the truth? That your favorite nephew finally found someone who will last forever before your son does?"

"I don't care about that," Uncle Soren said. Sarah looked uncomfortable.

"Maybe I should go anyway," she said. "It's getting kind of late."

"Stay the night here," I suggested.

"I probably would, except I don't have any clean clothes here. And Mom'll worry." She started to pack up the uneaten food.

"Uh, I'll put that away, Sarah," Uncle Soren said, grabbing a box from her. "Go ahead and do whatever it is you were planning to do." She looked even more uncomfortable.

"So, we leave for Denmark in a week," I told her. "Better start planning what you're taking. And get some rest." She smiled weakly, went upstairs to grab her things, and came back down a minute later. She stood on her toes to kiss me on the lips. We kissed, I kissed her hand, and she hugged my father, which surprised him. She waved at my uncle.

"Goodbye, Soren," she said. "Bye, Mordecai. See you later, Reese. Give Louis my regards." She went outside and started up her car a minute and a half later.

"A well-made woman," Uncle Soren commented.

"Very sweet-natured," Father said. "Not to mention incredibly beautiful." To my surprise, I didn't feel any jealousy when they said these things. Instead, my heart swelled with pride.

"Very smart, too," Uncle Soren added. "I can see why you like her, Reese."

"Do you not like her?" I asked. The thought of my uncle not liking her was too horrible a thought to even consider.

"No, I do like her. I just think that you should go slower with her. Also, she is consuming your life. She has you wrapped around her little finger. There is nothing more dangerous than a beautiful woman who has a man who loves her wrapped around her finger."

"If you're referring to Alga-" Father began.

"I mean women in general. Not just Alga. She did it to me. Marina did it to you. Even our mother did it to Father."

"Mother died," Father said. "She didn't leave Father." Uncle Soren looked sheepish. "I highly doubt that Sarah is going to purposely break Reese's heart."

~~~~~~~~~~~

As I got ready for bed, I thought about how I was going to propose. Should I buy a diamond ring? Blue or white? Or should I get an emerald ring? Her birthday was in February, I'd discovered. February fourteenth, actually. She was a Valentine's Day baby. She would be seventeen next year. I purred. Soon, we'd be the same age, at least until next October, when I turned eighteen.

I wondered what to get her for her birthday. A new car? A diamond necklace? A new wardrobe? Well, Alexander had her wardrobe under control. He spent half his money on her, and he was even richer than we were. Some new makeup, perhaps? But what kind? What was her foundation shade? She had a light tan, so maybe that.

I searched through her Facebook and saved every picture of her by herself on my phone. I smiled as I went through her pictures. She was smiling in each one, although her eyes were not always happy. And no wonder. She'd lost her father, lost her friends, been raped, and was falling in love for the first time in her life. I wondered if she'd done it with anyone besides me and Michael. So far, we'd had sex twice, and I had been gentle with her due to her condition.

I wondered if I was moving too fast, if I was pressuring her to move too fast. Maybe I should ask her if it was what she really wanted. That's what I should have done in the first place, but I was so excited that I completely forgot about that possibility. I fell back onto the pillow, stomach twisting with fear. Had I pressured her? Did she resent me, even in secret?

I started going through my own Facebook. No messages, few notifications. No surprise. I had joined few groups on social media, mostly related to music. Shadowfang jumped onto my stomach.

"Hey, cat," I said, scratching his ears. I looked at him. "Did you come into my life for a reason?" Shadowfang blinked once, and I took that to mean yes. Less than a week with him, and we could all clearly see that he was much smarter than the average cat. He yawned. He patted the pillow with a paw, and I turned off the light and crawled into bed. He laid by my head, almost obscuring my sense of smell.

He went to sleep almost instantly. Meanwhile, I lay awake, wondering what Sarah saw in me. I was prepared for weird dreams, however, Father crawled in with me, and I slept peacefully. I noticed that I always slept better when I was next to someone, be it Sarah or my father.

"Go to sleep, young one," Father said. I followed his advice and closed my eyes. In the dream, I felt warm and full and content.

Sarah laid next to me. She was no longer pregnant; she'd had the baby a few months ago. He was with Alexander now. Alexander adored him. He couldn't get enough of him.

The dream changed. Sarah and I were on an island where the natives were not particularly fond of us. Specifically, me. The older ones knew what I was. Some of the women talked about taking Sarah away from me. I couldn't let that happen. They admired her, brushing her hair and showing her how to make oil for skin.

The natives adored her almost as much as my parents did. Mother was particularly fond of Sarah. Their stories were similar, and Mother felt like she had a duty to protect Sarah now that she was part of the family.

The dream changed. I was drowning. I was in a bottomless outdoor pool. The water was green and slightly mucky. I fought to stay afloat. I saw Alexander and begged him to help me.

"You can take care of yourself," he said. And when Father tried to help, Alexander prevented it from happening. Even Grandfather couldn't get to me. The pool opened up, and I saw a bottomless pit.

"Reese!" Father cried, as I started to fall. Then someone grabbed my shoulders, and we were flying. When I looked up at my rescuer, he or she didn't have a face or name. My stomach plummeted, and I felt like a rock was rolling in my gut. I was falling again. My rescuer let me go, and I fell, landing on a giant pillow. I slid down, and found myself inside an old house. There was a corpse in a rocking chair, and that was the only piece of furniture inside the entire house. I didn't recognize the corpse, only noting that it was an old woman.

My heart started to beat then stopped as she turned and looked at me. Then she raised a bony finger at me and said "Thief. Abuser. Liar. Rapist." Then she turned into dust.

I was being shaken. "Reese, baby, wake up! Baby, please!"

I startled awake. My eyes were full of tears, and my neck felt like it had stretched. I also had a hold of Father. He looked worried, studying me with fearful eyes.

"Daddy!" I hugged him. "I was so scared! First there was an island with unfriendly natives, then a bottomless pit, then a corpse who turned into dust! I was so scared!"

"Shh, quiet, love. I've got you. Nobody is going to hurt you. Do you think you can still sleep?"

"Stay with me, Daddy."

"Shh. I'm not going to leave you. You look exhausted, and you're cold all over. I will have the guards fetch more blankets. Spencer, I know you can hear me. Grab some quilts out of the linen closet and then come back. I will give you permission to enter. Shh, Reese, don't cry. Will you allow me to hold you?"

Still shaking, I nodded. Father picked me up and cradled me. He wrapped a spare blanket around me and rocked me. "Try to sleep, dear one. Sorry, Shadowfang." I looked up. The cat was looking at us with a mixture of annoyance and interest. He got up and stretched, then jumped down and walked over to us. He rubbed his cheek against my leg.

"What's he doing?"

"He's saying he loves you, and that he's here. You are his favorite, after all." Uncle Soren walked in.

"What's with all the ruckus?"

"Reese had a nightmare. Sorry to have disturbed you."

"No, you're not. Is Reese okay?"

"He will be. He's just cold and frightened. Is Father awake?"

"He is. He's wondering what's going on."

"Well, tell him. Idiot."

Uncle Soren graced his younger brother with his middle finger and walked out as Spencer walked in, carrying quilts and sheets.

"Thank you, Spencer, that's all for now. You are dismissed. Close the door on your way out."

When we were finally alone, Father set me in bed. I gasped.

"No..."

"Hush, son. You are safe. I am here, and Shadowfang is here, and Louis, and Soren, and Eilief, Spencer, Toby, Janna, and Dimitri. You will be well protected, and the guards are loyal. They will save you from a corpse or a bottomless pit." He was trying to joke about it, but neither of us really thought it was funny. I started shaking again.

Father sighed and cradled me some more until I fell asleep. I stayed in a half-sleep, going in and out of consciousness, until almost four in the morning, when I finally fell into a REM sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

Father had a glass of warm blood waiting for me the next morning. I slept better after I was coddled for a while. Father had wrapped me in nearly every spare sheet, blanket, and quilt, and I didn't want to get up, I was so warm and comfortable. Father insisted, though. He wanted to take me to a doctor, which I refused.

Grandfather checked my temperature.

"Has anyone fed the cat yet?" I asked, wanting to be left alone.

"Louis took care of Shadowfang." Curses. "Are you sure you're not ill, Reese? I think you are. I will have a doctor run some blood tests. I think he should get more sleep, Mordecai. He needs lots of rest."

"I don't need any stinking rest!"

"Don't be stubborn. Everyone needs rest."

Sarah texted me. I told her to come over right away. She said that school was about to start, but she'd text me at lunchtime. I started worrying. My mate was possibly in danger, and I couldn't do anything about it. I distracted myself by thinking about her body. Her silky light brown hair with flecks of blond, her bright, intelligent, expressive green eyes, her amazing curves. I was getting excited now just thinking about her soft breasts and perky hips.

And that ass is all mine. Well, not all mine. Most of it belonged to her. Okay, all of it was hers. Soon enough, though, it would be mine again. I started to satisfy myself. It hurt like hell, but it was so worth it. I didn't care if everyone in the house could hear me. I needed this. I missed her terribly.

My heart ached for a long time. I stayed in bed all afternoon. I tried to read books and watch movies, but I couldn't pay attention. My heart was stricken. I needed her. Then I got a horrible thought. What if Alexander got to her, or Scarlett, or Ryan Arthur, or Michael's ghost? I started flitting toward the front door.

I was suddenly grabbed around the waist.

"Reese, calm down. What is it?" Father asked.

"S-Sarah! I need to get to her!"

"Settle down. She's fine."

"NO! Alexander is still out there! He'll hurt her! If she gets hurt, it will be my fault!"

"Whoa, calm down," Grandfather said. He grasped my face and looked into my eyes. "His pupils are blown wide. He needs Sarah NOW!"

"It's not even ten in the morning! And besides, she's at school!"

"Why aren't you at school, Mordecai?"

"Because it will look suspicious otherwise, and I'm not leaving Reese alone. His own mind scared him half to death last night! Anyway, her mother will never consent, and she needs to finish her finals."

"I never thought I'd see the day where you put someone else before your own son!"

"I'd never do that!" While they argued, I blacked out briefly. I was carried back to bed. "Reese, calm yourself."

"NO! I NEED HER! SHE NEEDS ME!" Father held me tightly around the waist.

"What's going on?" Uncle Soren asked Grandfather.

"Reese is going through mate separation anxiety. He needs Sarah, but we don't know how to get her away."

"Call her mother and tell her that Reese is in jail."

"Soren, shut up," Father said. "Reese, please, calm yourself!" He sounded worried.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! NONE OF YOU UNDERSTAND! SHE'S IN DANGER! SHE NEEDS ME! HER MATE!"

Father and Uncle Soren went into the hallway and barred the door. I screamed in frustration. I tore books out of the bookshelves, posters off the walls, and I even tore the wooden bookshelves to slivers. I tore a textbook in half, tore the blinds off the window, and flipped my mattress over. I went into the closet and tore clothes off the rack. As soon as the closet was empty, I sat in the closet and rocked myself. I burst into tears.

Mate...sweet mate...I'm so sorry....

I cried softly until I felt cool arms surround me.

"Son, shhh. It's me, your father. It'll be all right, little one."

CHAPTER TWENTY - BOUND HEARTS

I smelled her. I glanced at the clock. She had five minutes left until her lunchtime. I walked over to the window and looked out. Her car was pulling in the driveway. She opened the door and stepped out.

I flitted out the door. I ran at human speed down the steps and pulled her into a hug.

"Sarah! Are you hurt? Are you all right? Are you hungry? I'll make you lunch!"

"Whoa, Reese, what's going on? Your father said that I had to get here as soon as possible. I'm going to have to make up the final exams. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, baby, but I had a breakdown. I needed you to come home as soon as possible. I love you." I buried my nose in her hair. Her scent calmed me. My heart seemed to pound as I held her close. I lifted her up. She let out a small cry of surprise. I carried her upstairs to my destroyed bedroom. Well, not destroyed anymore.

Father ordered the guards to help clean it up, and it looked somewhat decent after a few hours of cleaning. Butterflies attacked my gut as I placed her on the freshly-made bed.

"What happened in here?" she asked, looking around.

"I...went a little crazy. Nothing that some cuddling and maybe some sex won't fix." I said. Then I bowed my head, embarassed at my own callousness.

"Not tonight, Reese. I feel a little nauseous," she said. I sulked for a minute before focusing on choosing a book for us to read. "Do you still have some of that fried rice?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah. Janna, heat up a bowl of rice for Sarah," I commanded.

"Who's Janna?" she asked.

"One of the guards."

"Reese...are you royalty or something?" she asked. I paused, taking in a deep breath.

"I...I can't answer that."

"Why not?"

"First of all, the stupid cat keeps interrupting us, and secondly, to explain who I am completely, I have to reveal a huge secret. Bigger than my missing mother and questionable paternal parent. I've never felt so completely alone, even when Ariella and I weren't speaking."

Janna came back with a bowl of fried rice, which I set on the nightstand. Sarah picked it up and started playing with it. I closed the door, but not before Shadowfang squeezed his way in.

"Weasel," I said. He smirked at me. I sat beside Sarah. "The truth is, I...kind of had separation anxiety of a certain kind today, and it made me lose my mind."

"Did you miss me?" she asked, jutting out her lip slightly. It looked irresistable.

"Yeah," I said. "That's an understatement. The truth is, I couldn't bear to live without you. I love you more than anything, Sarah."

"Then why won't you tell me your secret?"

"It's not the right time. It's too soon. But I promise, I'll tell you soon."

"You promised you'd tell me before Hannukah started. It's going to start in a few days."

"I have to go back on that promise. I'm so sorry. I promise I'll tell you before New Year's Day. Excuse me for a moment." I went into the library and found a book on vampire diseases and disorders. I looked for mate separation anxiety.

Mate Separation Anxiety occurs when one mate feels that they have been away from each other for too long, they feel inadaquete for the other mate, or a new rival interferes.

I took the book back into my bedroom and showed Sarah. I sat in my desk chair and started fiddling around on my computer. Sarah looked in the book. When she saw the title, she looked at me with wide eyes.

"Vampire Diseases and Disorders?" she repeated. I bowed my head. "Reese, are you...oh my God." She stood up. "I-I h-have to g-go. I'll see yo-you l-later." I was suddenly standing in front of her. I kissed her on the lips.

"I love you. Please don't ever leave me."

"Goodbye, Reese." And then she grabbed her purse and practically ran out the door, nearly slipping in the slush.

I sat in the desk chair, wondering what I was thinking. I was such an idiot, and now I was going to lose her for good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was listening to Deadstar Assembly, an underrated metal and rock band, and sulking. I'd been staring out the window for almost two days now. I only ate when I was forced to. Grandfather took several samples of my blood and sent them to a lab for testing. Finally. Now we'd figure out what was wrong with me.

By now, everyone in the family and the guards who were with us knew what happened. I screwed up. I revealed our secret to a human.

Truthfully, we had no laws anymore about revealing the secret; it was abolished in the 1950s. But I am a prince. Royalty. And I potentially scared off my true mate. "I Am" by Awolnation started playing when the last song by Deadstar Assembly ended. Then something by Elton John. I started crying softly. Sarah likes Elton John.

I had finished all my finals, and Father turned them in. An A on every single one. That was little comfort. Sarah mentioned on her latest Facebook status that she ended the semester with good grades. That was a little more comfort. At least she hadn't blocked or unfriended me.

My family left me alone. Janna and I finished cleaning. The bookshelves were history, as were some of the posters I'd ripped off my walls. Well, I was thinking about repainting it anyway. When I was younger, the walls were dark blue. They'd been repainted a cream color in my preteen years so that I could paint them a different color, but I never got around to choosing a color.

I thought about painting it black, but Father said hell no. Now I thought that black was fitting. It matched how I was feeling. We hadn't even lasted six months, and she was going to leave me again. This was all my fault. I wished I'd never showed her that stupid book.

"Realize" by Colbie Caillat started playing next. I found it fitting. I decided that I needed to play all our songs, and she'd see how good we were for each other. No, that only worked in books and movies. This was real life.

I kicked off my boots and laid in bed. I'd stacked my private book collection at the foot of the bed. I rolled onto my stomach to choose one. A couple of Jane Austens. Hmm. Sarah must have brought those over. Bronte. She definitely brought that over. I was never one for romance.

I'm not the romantic type. I'm not perfect. I screw up constantly, as evidenced by my lack of a girlfriend by my side at the moment. My father is overprotective and pretentious. My grandfather never shows emotion. My uncle is negative and falls in love too fast. Plus, he had a relationship with a seventeen year old girl and my best friend. Speaking of whom, she's far more popular than I'll ever be, despite my position and title.

My cousin is narcissistic and has major female issues. My cat...wait, my cat? Yes, it's true. At first I didn't like him, but now I was growing quite fond of him. My cat has control issues with his spraying and urinating in the house. Louis still liked him the best, however.

Uncle Soren knocked on the door, and then came in without an invitation.

"Hey," he said, sitting on the edge of my bed. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry." I laid my head on my arms.

"What if she never speaks to me again?"

"I'm sure she will. She likes you too much not to. She needs some time to absorb it and think it over. You know, I feel guilty. I shouldn't have pressured you to keep it a secret."

"You were only looking out for me."

"No, I was looking out for the rest of the vampire race, which I realize now is completely stupid. Can you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Ah, well. Have you eaten today?" he asked.

"No."

"Come downstairs. I'll heat up some B positive for you." I followed him down the stairs, nearly tripping over Shadowfang twice. I ate slowly, making sure to swallow each mouthful carefully.

"What are you worried about?" Father asked. "No one's going to try to poison you again."

"Yeah, whatever. What's on TV?"

"Underworld: Revolution, Alien vs. Predator, Meet Dave, Tabatha's Takeover, License to Drive, Die Hard, Cake Wars, Jennifer's Body."

"Die Hard looks good right now. Let's watch that."

"Really?" Louis asked in a sarcastic tone. "Are you sure you don't want to watch Jennifer's Body?"

"Shut up, Louis."

"No, I'm serious. You, the guy who likes horror and gore the most out of any of us?"

"It scared the crap out of me the first time I watched it." Suddenly, they were all looking at me as if I'd lost my mind. "What's the matter with you all?"

"Nothing. It's like...it's like you're a different Reese," Father said.

"Just because I don't want to watch a gory movie right now?"

"It's not just that."

I went upstairs, feeling uncomfortable. I worked on my wrecked room. I put the rest of my clothes away, made sure I had clean ones, and reorganized my dresser. Socks and boxers in one drawer, shorts in another, tank tops and wifebeaters in another. I made sure that all my boots and other shoes were lined up perfectly according to how much I wore them. My favorite pair I set in front by the door.

Father said that I could start working at his new video store after the holidays were over, but I was anxious to see it.

I dressed and put on a jacket, grabbed my keys, cell phone, and wallet. I even added a wallet chain that I rarely used.

I found it in no time. I grabbed the key I'd secretly copied from my father's keychain and opened the door. It was full of DVDs, CDs, radios, cassette tapes, and even a CD creator and a device to turn videotapes into DVDs. Knowing my father, he'd copy every videotape and turn it into a DVD despite copyright issues. He had the latest computer register set up in the middle of one corner, and videogames were scattered throughout.

"Reese?" I stood ramrod straight and turned around.

"Father."

"Why are you here?"

"Why did you open up a store?" He sighed.

"Okay, the truth is that less and less vampires are dying each year. If no one claims their assets, it immediately goes to us. Since less vampires are dying, we may receive less and less money. This is a backup source. I'm also opening a computer shop where we'll repair, sell, buy, or trade computer products. Everything from a Dynex to the latest Dell. And I'm buying that mall that Sarah likes so much. Soon, everyone who has a business there will pay rent to me. I'm doing this to protect yours and her future."

"How did you even...?"

"I didn't know that you were going to find her so soon. I swear I didn't. But I still wanted to be prepared. Plus, she'll get everything free once she's completely assimilated into the family. And so will you."

I put my head on his chest. "Daddy, I don't know if she'll even take me back. I fucked up. I majorly fucked up."

"That's ironic, because she called the house phone asking for you. She tried to get a hold of you on your cell but couldn't reach you, which is why I'm here, because I couldn't reach you on your cell either."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, I'm not. She wants to know if you still want to take her to the Christmas Ball. Her mother said yes."

I could have literally jumped for joy. I kept my composure, however, and checked my phone. Four missed calls, two from Sarah, one from Father, and one from Uncle Soren.

"Damn ringtone's messed up." I quickly fixed it and called Sarah back. I sat on a couch. My father turned on the Open sign and booted up the computer register.

"Might as well start helping people with holiday gifts," he said with a shit-eating grin.

"Yeah, Sarah," I said, ignoring him, "I'd still like to take you to the Christmas Ball. I'll pick you up the morning we leave. We'll leave next Wednesday. Christmas Eve is the week after that."

"Thanks, Reese. You know, our school is the only one in the state that ends school this early."

"I know! What luck, huh?"

"Yeah, well, I'd better start laundry. I'll call you later."

"Okay. Bye, baby."

"Bye." We clicked off just as a customer walked in, a middle-aged woman.

"Do you have any Barbie movies?" she asked.

"All of our children's movies are over here, madam," Father said, gesturing to the right side of the store. "Reese, come here. You need to know how the register works."

For the next few hours, Father taught me how to complete a transaction, how to stock merchandise, told me how to prevent theft, and what to do if a payment didn't go through.

"Just let them have the merchandise," he said. "It's easier than putting everything back, and it's nice to do." He even showed me where he kept the adult movies. Since I was not yet eighteen, he would only allow me to sell them if I kept my mouth shut about my actual age. He showed me how to remove antitheft tags and stickers.

Throughout the day, more and more customers came through the door, and each one of them bought something. Well, one guy asked if he could preorder a videogame due in mid-January. Father showed me how to do that as well.

Finally, Father had to make the first closing announcement, and several people headed to the register.

"Are you two related?" an older woman asked.

"He's my son," Father said.

"Is he your only son?"

"My only child, in fact."

"Well, then, he's no doubt the jewel of your eye." She then placed several Call of Duty games on the counter. "Are these safe for a sixteen year old?"

While Father helped her, I assisted the last customers with choosing items for their holiday shopping lists. Gods, I hate shopping.

"Excuse me, I need help choosing a gift," one man said.

"Sure," I said. "What can I help you with?"

"You see, my daughter married this guy that I don't like. He likes this celebrity girl, but I can't remember her name."

"Has she been in any movies or written any songs? What does she look like?"

"Uh, she's got dark hair and blue eyes. Holly something."

"Holly Capulet? We have a couple of her movies over here." I directed him to the movie section, where I helped him browse the Holly Capulet movies. He eventually chose a movie and went to pay.

Father flipped the sign before long and we closed up. It was nice, working. I'd never worked in my life except for the occasional chore. Father went through servants like a girl choosing clothes for a date. (Admit it, we all do it.)

I was happier than I'd been in a while. As I drove home, I wondered how much we'd earned today. Father would know. Most of the games and movies we sold were still wrapped in plastic. I stopped to fill up my Astro's tank. It was about done for. I'd have to look for a new car soon. Something fast, yet sturdy and comfortable. Hopefully something that didn't break easily. Of course, I could always buy a used Honda and make modifications to it.

Sarah had a Honda. I could ask her what her favorite features were. Maybe we could buy a new one together. Yes. She could move into the house, and she'd stay with me. We would always have food for her in the house. I would make sure that she and the baby got plenty of nutrition. With all the guards, she would get extra protection. I could assign her her own guard. Maybe Toby?

I was so distracted that I almost overfilled my tank. I cursed loudly as I spilled gas on my jacket and jeans.

"What happened?" the clerk asked.

"A kid spilled gas all over himself," another customer told him. "How are you gonna clean it up?"

"I'll put some cat litter on it. No big deal."

I finished up, paid, and drove away, a little embarassed. While I was driving, I got a text from Father. I assumed that it was because of me being late getting home. When I did get home, however, he didn't look worried.

"I stopped to get gas," I said.

"I know. I can smell on you. Go soak your clothes in some warm water and come downstairs. We need to have a discussion about how we're getting to Denmark."

"I assumed we'd do it the same way we always did; use your private jet."

"Well, yes, but now we have to worry about Sarah. Go get ready for bed and we'll talk."

I ignored his babying remark and took off my clothes. I soaked my jeans and jacket in warm water in the bathtub and went downstairs. I threw on a pair of pajama pants and an old shirt and went downstairs. When I sat on the couch, Shadowfang jumped onto my lap. I scratched him and looked at my phone.

Father: I can't do this anymore. My son will find out, and we're losing money way too fast anyway. I can't keep lying to Reese. Call me

"Father?"

"Yes, Reese?"

"Are you breaking up with someone?"

"WHAT?! LET ME SEE!" Father, in his overdramatic fashion, grabbed my cell phone out of my hand. "How did...I didn't mean to send this to you..." He gave me back my phone. "Reese, delete that. Never speak of it again."

"You know what, screw this!" I said angrily, throwing my phone down. It cracked the wood floor.

"Reese, I'm sorry! I can't tell you. But to answer your previous question, I wasn't dating anyone. I swear on my mother's ashes."

"One of these days, I'm going to run away. And you're going to forget about me until you stumble across my ashes in the middle of the Black Forest."

"Don't talk like that!" He wrapped himself around me. "I can't lose you. I would be devastated. Reese, what has gotten into you? You used to be so cheerful and energetic. Now I can barely talk to you without you getting upset over something."

My vision got blurry, and then a tear fell down my cheek.

"Baby, please don't cry."

"Daddy, what's happening to me?"

"Your hormones are all out of whack. Try to sleep, love."

"What did that message mean?"

"You don't need to concern yourself with it. Don't worry about it. Sleep."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a painful dream that Sarah forgot about me and married another. I woke up in the middle of the night and sobbed, a hole forming in my chest. Father came into my room and held me for a long time.

"Shh, Reese, everything's all right," he said. "Hush, my young one." I fell asleep again within minutes.

When I woke up again, Father was purring and rocking me. I moaned and cuddled closer to him. I was comfortable and warm. When he stood up, I whimpered a little.

"Shh, my little one. It's almost nine thirty in the morning." I looked outside. The sun was shining bright, causing the freshly-fallen snow to glisten like glitter. I was laid in bed, where I slept for another hour and a half, and then got up, feeling energized. I was starving.

I drank two glasses of blood, texted Sarah "good morning", and went to sit in front of the television in the living room. I turned on a death metal music channel. Uncle Soren snatched the clicker away and turned on the news.

"Uncle Soren, you of all people love that kind of music as much as I do. What gives?"

"Well, you're in a good mood. And I switched it to the news because there's been another attack."

"Attack?" I asked, as the news reporter started speaking.

"Another body was found in Moore Park, completely drained of blood and the heart torn out of the chest. This attack is akin to the attack on Michael Nales late last month. Nales, who had been found guilty of raping a sixteen year old girl a few weeks prior, was later found dead, his blood missing and his heart removed from his chest. Authorites are still baffled as to what could have caused the death of the boy.

"The new victim, Aaron Visi, was also recently accused of raping a fifteen year old girl. Could these attacks be related? Or is someone taking a cue from the previous murder?"

"Oh, fuck," I cursed. "This is all my fault. I asked Father to kill Michael."

"Reese, it's not your fault," Uncle Soren said, still eyeballing the beautiful reporter.

"And what about the girl?"

"She's a minor. They cannot disclose any more information on her at the moment."

I wondered how Sarah would react when she heard the news. Would she feel relief, or be scared out of her wits? I had to protect her. I had to keep this information from reaching her ears. What if she's watching this right now?

Crap. I couldn't control what she watched or saw on her phone. I could only keep my mouth shut, and beg my family not to mention it in front of her.

"Reese, you know none of us would do that," Father said, a magazine tucked under his arm. I glanced at the magazine. Men's Health. Huh. Father was healthier than a well-cared-for horse. A lot stronger as well. Like I've said previously, he can crush diamond into dust. He opened the magazine while I briefly admired the biceps on the hottest male celebrity at the moment.

Louis sat on the other side of me. Uncle Soren affectionately ruffled his hair, earning a dirty look from his son.

"She's a hot piece of ass," Louis commented on the newsanchor, who was speaking with Nales' parents. Well, she tried. Claire, Michael's mother, slammed the door in her face, and Brian, his father, begged the media to leave them alone and stop harassing them with phone calls and door visits.

"Women are not toys, Louis," I said. He ignored me. I wondered if he got his womanizing habits from Uncle Soren. Uncle Soren never cheated, though. If he was done with a woman, he was done. He didn't play games. If he was only playing the field, he would let her know. Louis was a jump-'em-and-dump-'em kind of guy. He probably got it from Alga, although he didn't remember her.

I laid across the couch, putting my head in Father's lap and my feet on Louis' lap. Yes, I was deliberately trying to annoy Louis. He pushed my legs off his lap, nearly hitting Shadowfang. Louis scooped up the cat.

"Hey, pretty boy," he cooed. "Did you get fed today?"

"I gave him some wet food earlier," Father said.

"I gave him some treats," Uncle Soren said. Louis purred, petting the feisty feline. Shadowfang decided he didn't like Louis' lap and crawled onto my stomach, briefly stepping in a very sensitive spot.

"Ouch!" I clutched myself and moaned in pain.

"Don't be dramatic, he didn't mean it," Louis said. Shadowfang flicked his tail in haughty defiance and started washing his own privates.

"Should we get him fixed?" Uncle Soren asked out loud. Shadowfang stopped licking himself and glared at my uncle. Louis looked horrified. Uncle Soren grinned. "Just a thought, dear kitty cat." He batted his eyelashes playfully. Shadowfang's frown got deeper and he went back to cleaning himself. Louis picked him up, and despite the cat's protests, and held him like a baby.

Shadowfang reached out with his claws, scratching Louis' arms up. Louis smartly put him down, and he jumped back onto me and curled up. Louis frowned.

"I'm the one who rescued you. Why don't you like me?"

"Because Reese didn't like him at first," Father said. "That's how cats think." My phone vibrated.

Sarah: Good morning. How are you?

Reese: I'm good. How are you?

Sarah: Morning sickness. All I can eat is hashbrowns, bacon, and fried eggs. That's all the baby seems to want these days.

Reese: I'm sorry. I wish I could do something for you.

She needed me. I got up, much to Shadowfang's annoyance, and went into the kitchen. I started rummaging for human food.

"What are you looking for?" Father asked.

"Nothing," I said. "I'm going out."

"Be back before seven. Any later, and I'll come looking for you myself."

I shuddered at the thought as I pulled on my jacket. I grabbed my keys and wallet as I walked out the door. I hurried down the steps.

"Don't fall!" Father called through the door.

"I'm the most graceful creature on the planet," I said back.

"Still, don't get hurt. If you see Alexander, leave and come straight to me. I'm going to the store in a few to start opening it up."

I reached her house in record time and went to knock on the door. Sabine answered, snapping her gum.

"Hey," she said. "She's upstairs." She moved to the side to let me through, and I was promptly greeted by Spunk and Coffee. Coffee wagged her tail, smelled me, and then ran into the other room with her tail between her legs. Spunk, on the other hand, greeted me as if I was an old friend. He jumped up onto me and tried to lick my face.

Sarah came downstairs, wearing sweatpants and a tank top. Her hair was tied into a side braid this time. It nearly reached her abs. She greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. I turned to capture her lips with mine, but wound up with a mouthful of hair instead. Embarassed, I followed her upstairs.

She untied the braid and let the brown curls fall naturally. It was rare to see her with her hair down. I liked it.

"Can I brush your hair?" I asked.

"Sure," she said, handing me a boar bristle brush. I sat behind on the bed and started brushing. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I came to see if you wanted to get breakfast. I know you don't feel good. I figured a trip to a diner might help. Are you craving grease?"

"Yes," she said. "Over anything else, I want grease and salt and potatoes. We could order delivery. There's a place downtown that delivers breakfast. Or we could go out. Either one works for me."

"Okay, start getting dressed," I told her. "And dress warmly. It snowed again." She pulled on a thick coat and pink Ugg boots. She grabbed her purse and started counting out the cash in her wallet. "I was planning on paying," I said. She ignored me. She stuck her little pink wallet back into her purse and stood up. She tied her hair into a loose bun.

"Why do you always tie your hair up?" I asked.

"Habit, mostly," she replied. "And the ends of my hair suck right now. They're dry and splitting."

"Well, maybe we can get your hair trimmed as well," I said. "And don't worry about the cost. I'll pay."

"You know, Reese, you don't have to pay for everything."

"Instinctively, I feel the need to provide for you. And money isn't an issue for me." At least, I hoped not. I would have to talk to Father and wrangle the full story out of him. Nervously, I quickly checked my bank balance. Two hundred million dollars in my private checking account alone. I was suddenly glad that I hadn't checked it in a while. I would have to transfer some of that money to savings.

Sarah bit her lip. I knew that she constantly worried about her own finances. She had paid back her debt, paid everything anonymously, but she was still always worried about it. That was why she got a job as a waitress. While she went to look for a scarf, I glanced at the papers on her desk. Resumes and job applications. Soon enough, she could forget about getting a job.

"My father opened his movie and music store," I said.

"Oh? Good for him."

"Yeah. I'm gonna be working there sometimes. We might need extra help, especially if the rest of our days are as busy as the first one."

"Yeah? Any ideas who you'll hire?"

"Not yet. You're welcome to apply there if you wish it. I'm sure he'll hire you." Sarah bumped her head on a rack coming out of the closet. She rubbed the sore spot. "Sarah, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah. How'd you know I was looking? I don't remember telling you."

I bit my lip, and my stomach tightened. I couldn't tell her that I'd snooped. She glanced at her desk.

"Oh, did you see those papers?"

"I kind of did," I answered truthfully.

"Well, yeah, I'm kind of looking for another job. I was thinking about applying at my aunt's hair salon."

"Well, you can always apply at my father's store, too. He'd hire you in a second."

"Really? I didn't think he was that fond of me."

"How could you think that?" I asked, horrified. "He adores you! He just doesn't want to scare you away." She wrapped her arms around my waist. "My sweet one, you need not worry nor want for nothing. Everything will be provided to you."

"How, and why?" she asked.

"My family is very rich, one of the richest families in the world. We do not show off our wealth like many others do, but we are still very rich. My father's Ferrari and Rolls Royce are the most expensive cars we have. We have several businesses and organizations. We are covered for the next couple millenia at least if we're careful. And we are extremely careful with our assets and vassals. And as for why, you are a part of our family now. I know it all seems sudden and probably frightening to you. You are mine, and by the laws of family values and honor, you will receive part of our monetary assets. My father has already put twenty five thousand dollars in your checking account."

"Again, how?"

"We have ways, my sweet. The rest of my family likes you. As for me, I love, admire, adore, and value you. I place you on a tier. I've loved you since the moment I saw you in freshman year. My apologies for not acting sooner, but I was frightened. I'm not much to look at, while you are the most gorgeous creature on this planet. In the universe. Plus, you almost always had a boy in your life. I knew that you would reject me, and the mere thought broke my heart. You are well-liked and so amazing, and kind, and wonderful, and smart, and perfect, and I'm just...."

"You are the most beautiful person on the planet, Reese," she said, throwing my own words back at me. Her eyes were filled with tears. She hugged me and buried her face in my shirt. She started crying. "You are so good to me," she babbled. "I don't deserve any of this."

"Don't say that. You deserve every bit. And trust me, whatever you've done in the past, it's nothing compared to what I'm capable of. What I've already done." She gave me a confused look. She buried her face in my shirt again. "Calm down, my love. We still need to get your breakfast."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Fifteen minutes later, I pulled into a small diner. She had finally calmed down. It was sprinkling softly, washing away the snow. I pulled out an umbrella for her. She stepped out of the van without assistance, nearly tripping. I caught her just in time. She blushed and opened the umbrella, grabbing her purse. She held my hand and followed me into the diner.

We were seated by a perky hostess at a window booth. Sarah ordered tea, hashbrowns, bacon, and eggs. I ordered the same thing with plain water. When the drinks came, she put several packets of sweetener in the tea.

"So, I'm a part of your family now?" she asked, stirring it.

"Yes," I said. I didn't mention that it would be official when we got married. "You can spend it anyway you like. You'll keep getting it unless we break up or one of us passes away." I shuddered at the thought of losing her. "You can go on as many shopping sprees as you like." She smiled and blushed. "My family also has several organizations and businesses. For example, my father has a cousin who is a well-known publisher. We own that business, and it has published many bestselling novels and booktapes. My uncle has worked for a company that builds and sells military weapons on and off through the years.

"Louis, when he works, has worked for colleges and celebrities. He even met Gene Kelly once. He also does part-time work for Washington D.C."

She took in all this information with rapt attention. "What does your father also do?"

"He also owns several corporations. He has stock in companies that do well. He was barely affected when the stock market crashed."

She continued eating her meal. We ate in silence. Well, she ate, I just pushed the food around to make it look like I was eating. I admit that the eggs and bacon particularly smelled good, but I'd probably get a wicked stomachache. My abs tightened when I tried to actually taste the egg. I tasted the bacon. It was crunchy, slightly salty, slightly smoky, and full of flavor.

The hashbrowns were crunchy on one side, soft on the other. I wondered if that was how they were supposed to be. Sarah seemed to be enjoying hers, so I thought nothing more about it. When she finished her meal, I offered her the rest of my food. She happily took it.

I asked for to-go boxes and the check. The waitress happily brought out both. I left a hefty tip.

The rain was coming down harder, and the umbrella almost went inside out. I helped Sarah up, made sure she was secure, then closed her door and went to the driver's side. I fumbled around for a cigarette.

"You smoke?" Sarah asked as I lit it up.

"Occasionally," I answered, and opened the window a notch. "Let me know if it bothers you." I smoked while I drove. First, I drove back to her house. I helped her out again. I smelled a familiar smell. My father. What was he doing here? I decided to find out.

I followed Sarah into the house, and was greeted again by the dogs, although Coffee just sniffed me once and then scurried away as fast as her little legs could carry her. Spunk jumped on me again and I picked him up. Sarah mouthed the word "wow".

She and I went to the living room, and I put Spunk down. Father and Alicia were talking in the dining room. Sarah sat on the couch and turned on the TV. While she looked for something good, I listened to my father and Alicia speak.

"She will receive this every week," Father was saying. "You and Sabine will receive some as well."

"All our money problems are over," Alicia said with a relieved sigh.

"Yes, they will be."

"How are you getting this money?"

"That is our business. And do not ask Sarah. She does not know, either." He was bluffing. He glanced over at me and winked. He had seen us in the diner. I would probably get scolded later. Alicia took a sip out of a bottle. Sarah eyed it suspiciously.

"It's not what you think it is, baby girl," Alicia told her daughter.

"Mom, it looks like it," Sarah said.

"I know, but I swear it's just root beer," Alicia said. Father raised an eyebrow and looked at me. I shrugged. Sarah glanced at me and blushed, burying her face in my shoulder. She seemed embarassed. I wondered if Alicia had had alcohol problems in the past.

Meanwhile, I held Sarah as if she was a lifeline. She had turned the TV to a music channel; "Lego House" by Ed Sheeran filled our ears. She put her head on my chest, and I wrapped an arm around her. Alicia took several pictures of us, looking to and away from the camera. She insisted that we smile in at least one.

"Can I braid your hair?" I asked.

"Sure," she said, and got a small brush and hair tie out of her bag. She even got out an item that was both a compact mirror and a hairbrush in one with a cute frog on the front. I picked it up.

"I have never seen anything like this," I stated, pressing the plastic bristles out.

"Sarah likes to shop at stores for preteen for their hair accessories," Alicia said.

"Mom!" Sarah cried, blushing crimson. I ran the compact brush through her hair. Sarah held out a bottle of detangler and a small one of hairspray.

"Whoa," I commented.

"She never goes anywhere without a whole set of hair stuff," Alicia said. "She's probably got some mousse or gel in there too." Sarah mouthed a very dirty phrase. Luckily, Alicia neither heard it nor saw Sarah's lips moving.

As I brushed her hair, my father said that he had to leave. Alicia asked him if he wanted to stay for lunch. Father refused, saying that he had to get back to his store. He had left his nephew in charge. I started twisting and twirling my soulmate's hair. As soon as I reached the ends, I began braiding. When I finished, I put a hairtie behind the last braid. She took it from there and twisted it into a bun, which she tied with another hairtie.

Sarah leaned against me. I purred as she placed her head on my chest. I laid back. She laid back with me. I wrapped a leg around hers.

Sweet mate. Beautiful mate. Loving mate. She closed her eyes, and seconds later, she was asleep. I picked her up and took her to bed. I switched out her flat pillow for a fuller one. I took off her Uggs and took the second tie out of her hair. I put the braid to one side and covered her with blankets. I kissed her lips.

"I love you," I said, petting her forehead. "Call me if you need me."

~~~~~~~~~~~

I hugged Grandfather quickly. He pecked the top of my head.

"I'll see you in Denmark, my boy," he said affectionately. He had already packed and a limo was waiting to take him to my father's private jet. "Have your father tell you about more of our allied covens and clans."

Despite being a vampire prince, my father kept me sheltered from some things. Grandfather pressed his lips to my forehead one more time before he left.

"Take care of him, Mordecai," he called out.

"Don't I always?" Father said sarcastically, leaning against the wall and waving at his father. Uncle Soren and Louis were also going with Grandfather, but we'd already said our goodbyes. Louis insisted on bringing Shadowfang, so I was rid of him, at least for a while. I missed that cat already.

Father insisted that Dimitri and Toby go with our family members for extra protection. Spencer and Janna would stay here until we were ready to leave. I had called Sarah and told her to begin packing. I had sent Janna over to help her. Sarah called and confirmed that I knew Janna. Alexander was told to stay away from her until the six-month mark. We all knew he wouldn't, but it was worth a try.

I had also begun packing. I took out my biggest suitcase and started folding clothes and putting them in. Unopened deodorant and toothbrush went in. A small bottle of my favorite cologne went in. Even my MAC eyeliner went in.

When I had that suitcase packed, I zipped it up, and dumped out my backpack. I started cramming extra clothes and books in there. I even packed my laptop.

"Pack a couple movies, too," Father said. "We might have some delays because there is supposed to be a snow storm the day we're supposed to leave." I scoffed. Our local weatherman was as unpredictable and unreliable as a Kansas sky.

As soon as we finished packing, we went outside to our own waiting limousine. Sarah would be impressed.

It was slow-going getting to her house, because it turned out to be traffic that was the biggest problem. It had also begun to rain. As soon as we got to the house, I went up to the front door and knocked. Again, I was greeted with an enthusiastic yellow lab named Spunk. Alicia let me in, and eyed the limo. Sarah and Sabine came down with her bags and suitcase.

"Why can't I go?" Sabine whined when she saw the limo.

"You weren't invited," Alicia said. "Really, Sabine, you don't even want to go to Denmark."

"Maybe next year," I said to brighten Sabine's mood. She grinned and popped her gum. I took Sarah's suitcase by the handle, and her backpack, and took both of them down the steps. My girl followed closely behind, wrapped in a brown trench coat, clutching a pink purse. Spencer took her bags from me and put them in the trunk with the rest of the bags.

Sarah sat inbetween my father and I. She eyed the guards warily.

"How are you, Sarah?" Father asked.

"I'm fine, how are you?" she replied.

"I am well." I was grateful that he didn't ask if she was excited about this trip.

We drove out to the airport and took Father's second private jet. (He has five of them.) We took our bags and led Sarah through the airport. Father showed something to the people behind a desk and said that we were with him.

The guards took our suitcases and we were led to the jet. Sarah was impressed with all of this. I sat in a spot toward the front. She joined me. Father sat behind us. A few more minutes passed. We later heard that some lunatic tried to get on our jet, simply because it was a private jet. But Spencer and Janna took care of him, and we started heading toward the runway after about twenty minutes.

Sarah had pulled out a book and was reading the whole time. I could tell that she wanted to be left alone, so I didn't bother her.

~~~~~~~~~~

"How long has your family been doing this?" Sarah asked after about an hour.

"Years and years," I answered truthfully. "Before I was even born."

"And how long is this flight going to take?"

"A little over eight hours."

"Where's the bathroom?" I pointed out the bathroom to her.

"She's nervous," Father said as she headed toward the bathroom.

"We gave her very little information. It's understandable."

"Yes, but she also knows that this is an extremely formal event, and she's afraid that she'll make a fool of herself or embarass us."

"How do you know?"

"Son, I have lived on this earth for over two thousand years. And most of my surviving cousins are female. I can read emotions on women."

Sarah came back a minute later, smelling like daisies.

"Sarah," I said. "When you get married, what do you want your bouquet to be?"

"Roses, lilies, baby's breath," she said.

"What about gardenias and daisies?"

"I like those, too."

"Excellent! So I'll have a florist make the bouquet-"

"What?"

"Nothing." I heard Father chuckle.

Until death do we part.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - FOR HER

I gently woke Sarah as we landed.

"Baby, wake up," I said softly. "We're here." She opened her eyes and rubbed them, and I was amazed at how green they were after she woke up. She had slept for about six hours, and slept well. I did not sense any nighmares. She seemed okay. She grabbed her backpack and her purse, and shoved the book inside the bookbag.

I let her go in front of me as we exited the jet. She managed her way through, and Father sent Spencer and Janna to grab our luggage. Sarah and I went through the crowd, meeting up with our driver. He would drive us to the castle. Father met us at the limo after a few minutes, carrying his suitcase. Spencer and Janna had mine and Sarah's.

The driver fit all our bags into the trunk, and then we settled into the limo.

"It will take five hours to get there," I told Sarah. "So if you need to go, better do it now." She quickly went back into the airport. A few minutes later, she came back and took her seat beside me. She leaned against me and went right back to sleep. I kissed the top of her head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

When we arrived, I picked up Sarah and carried her inside to her room while her bags were carried by the guards. She was still asleep. I covered her up with the quilts. I kicked off my boots and took my clothes off. She would feel better in the morning if she woke up in my arms, given that she was in an unfamiliar place.

Breakfast was a subdued affair. The cook had gladly made a meal fit for a human, and now Sarah was eating fried eggs on whole wheat toast, bacon, sausage, and drinking vitamin D milk. Claudia gladly put orange juice and a cup of coffee in front of her as well.

"Thank you, Claudia," Sarah said.

"You're welcome," said the matronly old cook. I think she was glad to have someone to feed. Her services were rarely needed, and she was glad to be feeding a human who would become more than a meal or a fling. Father told her about the special circumstances surrounding my beloved mate.

When Sarah awoke, she was confused, as I knew she would be. After a few minutes of talking and snuggling, Sarah said that she was hungry, so I brought her to the human dining room. She was amazed by the sheer size of the rooms and all of the servants and guards. She had quickly showered and dressed, then met up with me and greeted my family. She had briefly met my third cousin Raquieca, who showed little interest. Not that that was any surprise.

Raquieca had just gotten married to a vampire who had been a noble in the 1400s, and now they were trying for a baby. I had always disliked Raquieca, ever since I overheard her call my mother a slut when I was nine years old. Most of my family was in denial about my father's mistake concerning my mother.

Giving her a potion, a love potion, without her knowledge, thus confusing her and forcing her into a marriage that she would later regret, tearing her bond with Alexander, producing me, and later forcing her to fight for custody of me, of which she either lost or gave up fighting. I wasn't clear on the outcome of the custody battle.

Sure, all of that was totally not his fault. Wait, yes, it was.

Anyway, Sarah happily finished her meal by spearing the last of the bread, rubbing it all around her plate to soak up the grease, and then popping it into her mouth. She had finished her milk and was halfway through her orange juice. She finished off the juice with a flourish, and then added a zillion spoonfuls of sugar and cream to her coffee. And soon, it was more sugared cream than coffee.

She drank that, and then went to the bathroom again. She came back after a long while, looking refreshed and smiling. I smiled back and wrapped my arms around her waist. She shivered.

"Are you cold?" I asked.

"Not when you're around." She winked. I let out a growl. I ran my hands over her buttocks. My belly tightened as she ran her hands over my arms and then up my shirt, feeling my bare abs. I would have gladly done her, but we couldn't in the dining room. So I led her back to her room.

I continued to growl as she begged for me to go faster and harder. I resisted, though, and finished in the bathroom. I roared as I felt sweet release.

When I went back into the room, she had just finished herself, and was zipping up her jeans and putting her pink belt back on. She still had her black tank top on. She put leather riding boots on.

"Have you ever ridden a horse?" I asked.

"Years ago. What about you?"

"I used to ride all the time. We used to ranch horses, but they slowly died out and we stopped buying them. I have a cousin who still rides; she's a jockey in...Kentucky, I think."

"Cool. My grandpa in France still has a farm and ranch. He's got horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, goats, ducks and geese. And of course, dozens of cats and dogs."

"You have relatives in France?"

"My father's from France, remember?"

"Oh, right." I mentally slapped myself for forgetting that important piece of information. "Sorry. Want something to eat?"

"I just ate, silly." She went back to the bathroom. Huh. She had been going to the bathroom a lot lately. Well, she was pregnant. And we'd just had sex, and before that, she'd had a big breakfast. Plus, she spent all day yesterday in cars and a jet.

I laid on the couch in the den and turned on the television. Holly Capulet's face appeared. It was her newest movie. Something about a football player, and a cheerleader, and a new girl. I thought, Holly's not bad-looking. Gorgeous, actually. Long black hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, and a skinny figure. But I already had a girl. Sarah Cresley.

Sarah sat by my feet.

"She just released a book," she said.

"Who, Holly Capulet?"

"Uh huh. It's about the night her twin sister Helena died. And she's dating Seth Morlugoe."

"I don't know who that is."

"He's her agent, silly. It's so weird, because he's also responsible for Helena dying."

"Why is she with him, then?"

"That is anyone's guess. I think only she knows why. I guess because his family's loaded?"

"That's not a good excuse. She's loaded, too."

Sarah laid in front me. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. I nibbled her ear, and she giggled. She tipped her head to the side and pecked me on the lips. I kissed her again and again. I would have done her again, were it not for the fact that I smelled Louis coming. I stopped kissing her, and she looked confused.

"Louis is coming," I told her, then pecked her button nose.

Louis set Shadowfang on the floor. The cat stared at him a moment as he walked away, then started toward us.

"Reese, come here a second," Uncle Soren said. "Sarah, you can stay here, explore the gardens or the library, or I can have Janna lead you back to your room if you wish."

"I'd like to explore the library," she said.

"All right. Janna! Come lead Sarah to the library. You are under her command now. Whatever she wants to do, comply."

"Yes, Master Soren." Janna bowed and then led Sarah to the library, Shadowfang trailing behind them.

"Uncle Soren, what's going on?" I asked. He paused for a moment.

"Your mother is here."

The earth could have been shaking and I would not have known it. Time seemed to stop completely.

"M-my...what?"

"Your mother. She is here." I shook my head in disbelief.

"How...why...?"

"She flew in from Greece the other day and stayed in a guest house. We didn't tell you earlier because we didn't want you to deal with the shock while you were caring for Sarah."

I needed a moment to compose myself, and told my uncle as such.

"As you wish. Come to the entrance when you are ready." He left the room.

After what seemed like hours (it was actually only about ten minutes, I was later told), I finally found enough courage to go down to the entrance. My heart would have been pounding if it could beat.

A tall, curvaceous, unearthly beautiful woman was sitting in the library with Sarah. She smelled like cotton, linen, and lemon. I quickly hid from sight. She was unbelievably gorgeous. Skin like moonlight, bright, crystal blue eyes, long raven wildly curly tresses, and a lovely Greek accent came out from between her full red lips.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Santorino."

"Call me Marina, my dear. Tell me about your family. What do your parents do for a living? Do you have any siblings?"

"My mother is a realtor, and I have one younger sister named Sabine. My father passed away last year."

"Oh, I'm very sorry for your loss!"

They seemed to be getting along beautifully. Sarah had to be nervous, but it didn't show. She answered each of my mother's questions, and she didn't flinch once. I was proud of her.

"What did your father do before he died?"

"He was a farmer in France, and when he came to America, he became a realtor, like my mother."

"How interesting. What was your name again, dear?"

"I'm Sarah Cresley."

"What a beautiful name. What's your mother like?"

"She's, ah, well, what can I say? She's Mom. She doesn't like me or Sabine very much, she prefers the sauce. She tells me all the time that I should never have been born or that I should have been adopted."

"That's terrible. I have lost many children in my time, and I would give anything to have every single one of them back, especially my Selena and Reese. They were the ones who survived. Selena died twenty-three years ago, and my poor Reese died of SIDS, according to his father. Mordecai convinced me that I'd be better off not seeing his poor body. I regret that now. I've lost all hope." The woman's eyes sparkled. "Sarah, would you like a new mother?"

"A new mother? Who?"

She laughed. "Me, of course. I'll be your mother."

Sarah bit her lip and burst into tears. "I need a mother right now, and I can't rely on my own. I'd love for you to be my mother."

The woman hugged Sarah, squeezing her like a mother would embrace her daughter.

"Finally, a daughter. Do you have any siblings, Sarah?"

"A younger sister named Sabine."

"Perfect! Two daughters!"

I decided to make my entrance then.

I entered the library and sat beside Sarah. "Hello, Mother."

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She looked me up and down. Then she squeezed the dickens out of me.

"It's you," she breathed. "I can't believe Mordecai lied about this! You've been alive all this time!"

"It's good to see you too, Mother."

"My Reese." She was shaking, and I realized she was crying.

Soon, though, we all heard Sarah's stomach growl.

"Want to get lunch, Sarah?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "It was nice to meet you, Marina."

"You too, sweetheart."

~~~~~~~~~~

Claudia made steak and fried potatoes for Sarah. She gave her a glass of iced tea. Mother briefly said that she didn't know how humans could stand eating "that stuff", then walked out.

"Aren't you hungry?" Sarah asked when she noticed that I wasn't eating.

"Not particularly for steak and potatoes," I replied. She raised an eyebrow. She suspected. Or she knew but was in denial. She kept eating. I rubbed her back. When she finished eating, a servant took her plate away. Sarah smiled at me. I smiled back.

"You should smile more often," she said.

"Seeing you smile makes me smile," I told her. She reddened and looked at the table. Then I noticed Mother and Father in front of us. They sat at the table as well.

"Did you enjoy your meal, Sarah?" Father asked.

"I did. Thank you."

"No need to thank us. You are our guest; a decent meal is the least we can provide for you." Sarah's cheeks pinked even more. Then Mother spoke up.

"What are your meals usually like, Sarah?"

"Nothing like this. It's usually precooked or frozen."

Mother looked suitably horrified at this, until I explained what Sarah meant by frozen. Mother looked relieved. She really seemed to like Sarah; adore her, even. I took my girlfriend by the hand and led her into the den, where we sat on the couch. My parents joined us. My parents. It felt good to finally be able to say that.

Sarah leaned against me. Father tried to get Mother to lean against him, but she forcefully pushed him away.

"Don't touch me," she growled. "You lost your right to touch me when you screwed up." Sarah looked uncomfortable, so I showed her a picture of a kitten to distract her.

"She's cute," she said. "What breed is she?"

"She's a Devon Rex," I explained. "Speak of the devil." Shadowfang jumped up onto the back of the couch. He climbed onto my shoulders.

"Whose cat is that?" Mother asked.

"He's ours," I said. "Louis found him in the woods one day and decided to keep him. Mother, this is Shadowfang. Shadowfang, this is my mother, Marina Santorino." He didn't even glance at her. He yawned instead. Sarah petted him, and he licked her fingers.

"His tongue is like sandpaper!" she said excitedly. Shadowfang looked proud of himself. Mother chuckled at my girl's silliness. She was looking at Sarah- at both of us- with awe and love.

"Sarah, may I brush your hair?" Mother asked.

"Um, okay, sure." Sarah said. "I'll be right back."

"Where is she going?" Mother asked me.

"I don't know," I told her. Sarah came back with a boar-bristle brush and a few hair ties.

Mother took out Sarah's bun and began brushing. "Your hair is so curly," she said with admiration coloring her voice.

"Yeah. Sometimes I wish it was neater," Sarah said.

"Nonsense. Your hair is beautiful. Most women would kill to have hair like this." Shadowfang put his front paws on Sarah's lap. He sniffed her shirt, then rubbed his cheek against her.

"Why do cats do that?" Sarah asked.

"It's a way of scent-marking," Father explained. "They have scent glands in their cheeks, and it's a way of marking a place or person as safe. Of course, sometimes it also means that they like you."

"Do you like me, Shadowfang?" Sarah asked. He nuzzled her hand in response. "He says yes."

Mother continued to brush and braid Sarah's hair, twisting it into a complicated updo. I started to smell Alexander. Father did, too. His eyes started to turn red. Mother could also smell him, but she made no movement.

My father's archrival stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest and leaning against the frame, a smug grin on his face, which promptly fell when he saw my mother. Mother looked up and stopped braiding Sarah's hair.

"Who invited you?" Father snapped.

"Eilief," Alexander said. "Marina."

"Alexander." She looked sick. She turned her head away and hugged herself.

"Marina, please look at me." His voice was full of pain and desperation.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I destroyed our relationship and hurt you. I betrayed you. I can't forgive myself for that."

"That was not your fault! It was his!" He pointed at my father. Father looked ashamed of himself. Sarah looked uncomfortable.

"Sarah, would you like to see the gardens?" I asked.

"Sure," she said. I quickly led her away as my parents and Alexander continued to fight.

~~~~~~~~~

I carefully plucked a dead freesia and handed it to Sarah. She smelled it.

"It's still got the scent," she stated. During the fight, it had begun to snow, and was now falling gently and slowly.

"So it does," I said, taking in a whiff. "Do you like freesias?"

"I do. I like the smell, mostly, but they've got pretty petals, too." One more flower to add to her wedding bouquet. She picked off the dead petals one by one, repeating the "he loves me madly, deeply, passionately" mantra. Yes, I do.

I led her on a walk around the ailanthuses. She commented on their beauty, and I told her that she should see them in the springtime. We reached my favorite spot, a white marble bench surrounded by rosebushes and pine trees. The rosebushes had been planted a hundred years ago, and they still bloomed pink flowers. Sarah sat on the bench, and I sat beside her. She looked around, her eyes pausing on a statue of Cupid and Psyche.

She looked at me. I looked at her. Then I leaned forward and grazed her lips. She grabbed my shoulders and tried to pull me close. I kissed her. She kissed back. We kissed for a long time, only pausing so she could breathe. Her breath smelled like oranges and mint. I could taste everything she'd eaten. It tasted amazing. I pulled on her lip with my own. A growl emitted from her throat, and she stopped kissing long enough to whisper that she loved me. I told her that I loved her the most.

My belly twisted and tightened, and I was dealing with tension. I needed her. I would have had sex with her again, but I couldn't. I needed to watch our sex lives- it could hurt the baby she was carrying. We'd already risked its life at least twice. And she wanted to, not necessarily keep it, but she was willing to give birth to it. Not that she had much choice now. She'd already agreed to give the baby to Alexander, and he would kill her if she backed out. I hated his guts for that. I was thankful that she didn't appear to know about his threat.

We kissed for a long time, and then Sarah said that she was hungry. I took her back to the dining room, where Claudia had set out a bowl of fruit. Sarah took an orange and began to peel it. I took it from her and slid my nail into the rind, breaking it cleanly. I finished peeling it and gave it back to her. She frowned at me and took a wedge.

"I wasn't going to eat it," I stated.

"Whatever. Can I take a nap after this?"

"Absolutely. Just tell me when you're ready, and I'll take you back to your room."

After she polished off the orange, I led her back to her bedroom. I ordered the servants not to bother her, and for Janna to stand guard at her door. They seemed to get along well. I went back into the den.

Father and Alexander were literally in each other's faces, screaming and growling at each other. Mother was sobbing into her hands.

"ENOUGH!" I cried. They all stopped and looked at me in shock. "Seriously, stop fighting. This is supposed to be a happy time." Then I turned on my heel and started to walk away in the most irritable manner possible.

"Reese, wait," Father said. I turned around. "I'm sorry that this has affected you. Come hunt with me."

"Reese can hunt?" Mother asked, amazed.

"Father recently taught me how," I explained. Father led me out roughly, grabbing me by the shirt and yanking me outside. He threw me onto the ground. He took a deep breath, and I thought he was going to yell at me.

"I'm sorry."

"I beg your pardon?" I replied.

"I'm sorry. You're right. I must stay away from both of them, or I'll lose myself and do something unforgivable. And I'm sorry for dragging you out like a dog just now."

I stood up and brushed snow off my jeans. "What the hell's the matter with you, Father?"

"Watch your mouth. And you know how I feel right now. Guilty, awful, terrible, angry, furious, upset, sad, guilty. I love your mother. I always will. But she's not mine. I realize that. I haven't yet found my soulmate. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. I've dated countless women, trying to find her. And when I met your mother...she made me feel things that I didn't know that I was capable of feeling. I fell in love with her. But she loved Alexander. She still does. So, I brewed a love potion to make her fall in love with me.

"She dumped him, and agreed to marry me instead. We married, and then she found out months later, and then you were born, and then she divorced me. She fought harder for you than I'd ever seen her fight for anything before. The custody battle lasted for years. Eventually, a judge and your grandfather ruled in my favor. I was ecstatic. Your mother got upset and asked to see you occasionally, but we refused. Told her not to come back. I realize that was cruel and unnecessary."

I was disgusted with him. I rudely pushed past him and headed toward the den. Mother and Alexander were locked in a kiss. Neither was fighting to get away. I turned around and went to Sarah's bedroom.

She was still asleep, looking like an angel. My angel. I kicked my boots off and slid in beside her. She was warm and cozy and soft. I kissed her forehead.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - THE BALL

The next day was spent getting ready for the Holiday Ball. I found my best tuxedo. Fortunately, Father wasn't making me wear a bow. He was, however, making me wear nice pants and a jacket. He wanted me to go to a hairdresser and have my hair trimmed as well, which I reluctantly complied with.

I had half an inch cut off and my bangs trimmed. When the barber was done, I looked decent. I was grateful that I wasn't being made to wear makeup.

The women were not seen all day. I assumed that they were getting their dresses fitted, their hair trimmed, and their makeup done. All Sarah said was that she'd chosen a green dress. She had eaten breakfast quickly, and she agreed to see me before guests started to arrive.

The castle was being decorated all over by both the human and vampire servants. Claudia was working overtime to bake desserts for the human guests. The maids were busy sweeping, mopping, dusting. A robot vacuum could be seen going throughout all the rooms, picking up dirt and debris.

Father made me drink A positive before we started to get dressed. The ball would begin at seven o'clock and continue until dawn. Everybody was nervous since this was Sarah's first ball with us. She was beautiful and smart, yes, but she was also human and pregnant. The implications were nerve-wracking.

As seven o'clock approached, guests started to trickle in. I was already dressed in my tuxedo, and so was Father, Louis, Uncle Soren, and Grandfather. Alexander was also present as a family member. Mother arrived, looking stunning in a sparkling cherry red dress and red lipstick. Her hair was a bit neater, and the curls were looser.

Sarah followed Mother, looking unearthly in an emerald dress that brought out her eyes. She'd lined and shadowed her eyes in black and dark brown, and her lips painted with a dark red. I closed my jaw and smiled.

"You look lovely," I said, admiring her neck framed by a diamond necklace.

"You look handsome," she countered. "And thank you."

I introduced Sarah to a few family friends and allies. The Russian coven leader was especially interested in her. I growled at him, warning him to keep back. He looked suitably apologetic. My third cousin, Raquieca, was frowning at us. I think she was jealous because she wanted all the attention, and Sarah was the one who was getting most of it.

Raquieca's sisters Rebeka and Rainess were also there. All of them have blond hair, and all of their eyes are either green or blue. Sarah spoke with Rainess, who was the nicest out of all three.

"How do you feel about the possibility of marriage?" Rainess asked her.

"Marriage?" Sarah chuckled humorlessly. "I've never given it much thought. If I find the right person, then yes, I want to get married."

"I mean marrying my cousin," Rainess corrected.

"Oh...um..." She was saved, luckily, by my mother pulling her away to meet somebody else. Sarah gave Rainess an apologetic smile and waved at her, signaling that she'd talk to her later.

"Sarah, you must meet my friend Anna," Mother said excitedly. "Anna, this is my future daughter-in-law, Sarah Cresley. Sarah, this is my good friend Anna Cheklos. Anna has been my friend now for many years."

I got separated when Father made me greet Grandfather's surviving sisters-in-law. All of Grandfather's brothers were dead, but their wives and whatever children and most of their surviving victims had survived the centuries.

"Hello, Aunt Helga," I said to Grandfather's first sister-in-law.

"Hello, Reese. It is good to see you." I doubted that. Helga was the mother of Raquieca, Rebeka, and Rainess, and she didn't much like my grandfather, and she had agreed with Raquieca that one time when she called my mother a slut. As for me, I didn't like her at all. Still, I hugged her, then greeted my aunts Elsa and Gudrun.

We chatted for a bit, they asked how I met Sarah, and I told them that I met her through school.

"Will you marry her?" Aunt Elsa asked.

"I am hoping to propose to her very soon," I stated, because it would satisfy Aunt Elsa. Music began playing, and people started dancing. I excused myself and went to go find Sarah. She was at the refreshment table, studying the drinks.

There was human blood for the vampires, animal blood for who we called the deniers, red and white wine, champagne, and water for the humans. Sarah had decided on water and filled up a glass.

"Hey, there," I said, approaching her with a smile.

"Hey, there," she repeated, taking a drink.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

"Yes, I would." She set the glass on the table and took my hand. "Rule The World" by Take That had begun playing. I led her in a slow dance. I kept one hand on her waist, and I held her right hand with my left one. My stomach tightened as someone bumped her, and her chest touched me. I pulled her away and mentally growled at the other person.

"Reese?" Sarah said, looking worried.

"I'm okay," I lied. She didn't look convinced. "It's okay, baby." I swung her around, gently, and dipped her. She nervously looked at the ground. "Trust me," I said.

"I do trust you," she said. "That's the problem," she mumbled. I didn't let her know that I heard her, but her words stung. What did she mean by that? I wondered that if I kissed her, it would make her feel better about me. Then I chided myself for such a superficial thought.

"I need a break," she said as the song ended. She went back to the refreshment table. I noted that my father and grandfather had chosen the crystal bowls this year. Last year, it was gold. A lot of vampires complained about the funny taste that the gold gave the blood.

As more and more people arrived, I nearly lost track of Sarah. I noticed a tall warlock with straggly black hair staring at her. He was smiling as if he just found his soulmate. Oh, hell no. She's mine.

"Hello," I said to him.

"Hello," he said, giving me the once-over. "Reese, right?"

"Yes. What's your name?"

"Crow."

"Crow, is this your first time here?"

"No, actually. I've been coming here every year since Louis turned eighteen." Hmm. That was a long time ago. Why have I never noticed him before? He wasn't bad-looking- He was a bit taller than me, with long curly black hair, tanned skin, and dark eyes. He was definitely toned- he probably had better abs than me. His features were angular, his cheekbones were high, and his lips were bow-shaped and pink. He was going to be tough competition.

"Do you know the girl in the green dress?" he asked, looking at Sarah again.

"Yes. She's my girlfriend. Her name is Sarah Cresley." He looked at me, then back at her.

"Sarah," he said, as if he was trying out the name. "Care to introduce me?"

"I would, actually," I said. He looked at me and smirked.

"Let her choose who she wants," he said. "Me or you. It's her decision, after all." From then on, I had a new rival.

He approached her slowly. She froze completely when she saw him, then regained her composure. I growled silently. He stood in front of her and kissed her hand.

"Hello," he said. "My name is Crow. What is your name, my dear?"

"Sarah Cresley," she said, and I marveled at her composure. She didn't stutter or speak nonsense once.

"There's a cat in here!" someone cried. I looked around. Shadowfang had made his presence known. Louis scooped him up, mumbled an insincere apology, then took him back upstairs. I looked around. During the distraction, Crow had snuck away with Sarah and was now dancing with her. I wished that no one else was there so I could suck him dry.

He swung her around, not careful with her. I turned around and tried to find Father. He and Uncle Soren were chatting with the Japanese coven leader and his wife. Father noticed me, and started to wave me over, but paused at my hostile expression. He excused himself for a moment.

"Reese, what's wrong?" he asked. I looked over to where Crow and Sarah were still dancing. I couldn't read Father's expression when he saw the vile scene. He frowned then, apparently not liking it. "I know that he's a friend of Louis'," he said. "And that he's a warlock, but I forget his name."

"Crow," I growled. Father looked at me.

"Reese, try to control your jealousy. She can dance with other males."

"Ha. He practically forced her!"

"Reese, control your volume! And try to calm down. You cannot do anything about it now. Have a glass of O. This particular batch came from New Orleans."

I took a sip. The blood was all right. Not the best I've ever tasted, but not the worst, either. I finished off my glass in the time it took for the song to end. Sarah went to the ladies' room, and Glen and I shared a glare that said She's mine. She came back a minute later, looking refreshed and smelling of freshly applied lipstick and perfume.

Someone pulled out a bunch of bells, and a bunch of people started dancing to the Moreska. I had to take part, being a member of the royal family. Sarah also took part. As the men circled around the women, Crow joined us, taking his place across from me. We danced faster and faster until the music stopped, and a lot of people clapped, having had fun with the dance.

Sarah was pulled away from me again by Mother, who kept introducing her to different people. "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers began to play. I glanced over and noticed Evan Byrd. Huh. Father must have invited him. He waved at me, and I waved at him. What we had would never happen again, and both of us were okay with that. Our relationship now was one of friendship.

"Hello," I said to a beautiful blond who was standing by himself.

"Hello," he said to me. Oh my...His eyes were a sight to behold. Not only were they beautiful, but one was also green and the other was blue.

"My name is Reese Nicolai," I told him.

"Nice to meet you, Reese. My name is Reid Lockhart." Interesting. The seer that I'd seen last month had said that Reid Lockhart was the name of Evan's other soulmate.

"Nice to meet you as well, Reid. How do you know my family?"

"I'm a friend of Soren's, actually. I've been friends with him and Louis for a long time."

"That is interesting. Excuse me for a moment."

I went over to Evan.

"Hey," he said. "What's up?"

"I'd like you to meet my new friend Reid Lockhart," I told him.

"Sure, why not?" He followed me over to where Reid was standing. Reid's eyes widened and his jaw dropped when he saw Evan. As for my ex-boyfriend, well, he gaped at Reid.

"Reid, this is Evan Byrd. Evan, this is Reid Lockhart," I said.

"Nice to meet you, Reid," Evan purred.

"You as well," Reid replied. I excused myself again. That was one more problem taken care of.

I found Sarah sitting in a corner, resting.

"Hey, you," I said.

"Hey," she said. "I swear, Crow's going to be the death of me." I tensed at her words.

"Why? What has he done?"

"He's just so rough with me. I get the feeling that he's the kind of guy who doesn't take no for an answer. I wish I could take these heels off."

"There's a balcony right out there," I said, pointing toward it. "Would you like to go outside?"

"In a few minutes. I still need to talk to a couple of people."

Another half an hour passed, though, and she was still mingling. We danced to "Earth Angel", and then Crow stole her away for "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley. Louis noticed his friend dancing with my girl. He glanced over at me. Finally, he approached Glen and Sarah.

"What are you doing?" he asked Crow.

"We're dancing," Crow told him, holding my girl close. Sarah looked grateful to see Louis.

"Whatever. Sarah, my father wants you to meet a friend of his. Let her go, Crow." Crow looked furious, and he looked like he would never let Sarah go, but she managed to wriggle herself away from him. Louis took her by the hand and led her over to me.

We danced again to "Passion" by Utada Hikaru, and then I led her over to the balcony. The song ended, and "A Time for Us" by Barratt Waugh began playing.

"This is a pretty song," she said, sitting on a bench.

"Yes, it is," I said, leaning forward to kiss her. Our lips met, and a fire went through my veins. I'd never been so in love with anybody than I was at that moment with Sarah.

"Well, isn't this a pretty sight?" FUCK! I jumped up into a defensive position. The dark-haired vampire in front of us had a lascivious smile on his face, and his teeth gleamed. He looked around at Sarah. "She looks tasty, and I don't just mean her blood." Okay, that was it!

I jumped onto him, and he punched me hard in the stomach. I doubled over, and he grabbed me in a headlock. I kicked the back of his knee, and he went down. I grabbed his head, and he twisted my arm and turned me around. He kicked the back of my leg, and I fell over. I grabbed his arm and flipped him over. He retaliated by punching me in the jaw. I aimed a punch at his nose, but he caught my fist and flipped me over.

He grabbed my head to tear it off. Then Uncle Soren appeared seemingly out of nowhere and jumped onto his back and tore his head off in one fluid motion. Sarah screamed. Father and Grandfather relieved my enemy of his limbs so he could not put himself back together.

I turned back to Sarah. She was shivering in her dress.

"Y-you're a vampire! You're all vampires!" Then she stood up and took off, likely going to her own room. Sarah....

"Reese, look at me," Uncle Soren said. "You've got some blood on your temple and on your mouth. Are you in any pain?"

"No," I said. "I'm not." Except for my pride. And possibly my relationship with Sarah. Father checked me over next. "Father, can I go to bed?" He nodded.

"You may. But say good night to your relatives first."

After hugs and kisses all around, including a huge kiss from Mother, I went upstairs to my bedroom and took my clothes off. Then I locked the door and cried. I cried harder than I'd ever cried before. I was about to lose the best thing to ever happen to me.

~~~~~~~~~~

I didn't get up the next morning for a long time. Finally, Father came into my room.

"Sarah said she wants to go home," he said. "So, we've set up the jet. She leaves tonight."

"Does she like me still?"

"I can't answer that because I do not know the answer. It's up to her."

I pulled my knees up to my chest. Father sat beside me.

"I'm so sorry, Reese."

"I should have told her sooner."

"Is there still a chance?"

"I don't think so. It's over." The realization broke my heart. Father rubbed my back and kissed my temple. I winced as pain shot through the side of my head. Father noticed.

"Sorry, Reese. When do you want to go home?"

"Please, don't put me on the same plane with her." He nodded and mumbled the words "as you wish".

He left my room. The moment he left, I dug out my laptop and started searching social media. She hadn't unfriended me. She had not announced our relationship on Facebook, and I saw no reason to, so that was not a worry. I picked up my phone and sent her a text message saying good morning. She didn't reply. I called her. I heard her cell phone ringing, but she didn't pick up.

"Reese," Louis said, coming into my room. "Don't freak out. We have a problem."

"What's that?"

"Sarah's missing." I froze. "Reese?" My cousin came over to me and yanked a strand of hair out of my head. "I'm secretly a zombie. I had sex with Ari-never mind. Is anybody home? Come on, Reese, this isn't funny. Wake up."

Then I awoke out of my trance. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN SHE'S MISSING?!"

"We've looked all over for her. All we could find was her suitcase half-packed and her cell phone. We searched the grounds, and we're having Spencer and Toby search the woods. Janna and Dimitri looked all around and even in the pond, but there's no sign of her. We lost her scent about four miles down the road. I've never met a human that smelled so much like gardenias."

My heart would have been pounding if it could beat. I grabbed my keys and my phone and got up.

"Whoa, there, tough guy," Louis said. "I'm under strict orders from Uncle Mordecai to keep you from doing anything irrational."

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"We didn't know she was missing then!"

Just then, my mother came barreling into my room. "Reese! Thank God!" She squeezed me. "I heard that Sarah was missing! No one can find her!"

That did it. I started flitting out, only to be grabbed by Father and Grandfather.

"Reese, calm down!" Father said. He pulled me up to him and stroked my hair. "Everything's going to be all right, little one. I promise you; we'll find her."

"Speaking of promises, has anyone seen Alexander?" Louis asked, jutting out his hip. Father tensed.

"I haven't seen or heard him," he confessed. "Although, mostly, I've been purposely avoiding him."

"I haven't seen him, either," Grandfather said, petting me. "Louis, ask your father if he's seen him. If he hasn't, we'll send some people out to look for him as well."

"Why?" Father asked.

"Why what, Mordecai?"

"Why look for him? He's a pain in the neck to everyone here."

"True, but he is family, and he is Marina's true soulmate."

"And did you contact Kieran?"

"Alexander's son?" I asked.

"Yes, love, Kieran is the name of Alexander's half-human son. I actually like him, because he hates Alexander as much as I do."

"That's sad."

"It's Alexander, son."

"Hush, Mordecai," Grandfather broke in. "You're only confusing the boy. And the last time I spoke to him was to invite him to yesterday's ball. He didn't show up, as usual."

"He never shows up if there's a chance that Alexander will be there. I remember that he went the last twenty balls."

"How come I've never met him?" I asked.

"Your father insisted on keeping you apart so that you would not learn about Alexander."

I glared at my father.

"Don't give me that look. It's not my fault everyone's missing!"

"Don't be melodramatic, Mordecai. Reese, quit it with that glare. Soren, any news?"

"Yes," my uncle said. "I have good news and bad news. The good news is, we found Sarah's scent again. The bad news is her scent is intermingled with Alexander's. We think he took her to you-know-where."

Father and Grandfather shared a look that I couldn't describe. It was a mixture of fear, anger, and despair.

"What is this place?" I demanded.

"Hush, Reese," Father said. "You'll stay here with Louis."

"Like hell I will!"

"Watch your mouth!"

"Father, she's my true soulmate! I can't live without her!"

"And I can't live without you! Please, stay here. I promise I'll bring her back."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ten minutes later, all of us were heading to this mysterious place. We decided to take a car. I couldn't help but let a few tears escape. Father noticed and did his best to comfort me. I fell asleep a few times. Each time was wracked with horrifying dreams that would terrify the best horror writers in the world. Once, Father woke me up before my dream was over. He said that I'd been whimpering in my sleep. I buried my face in his chest and cried.

Finally, he picked me up and rocked me, lulling me to sleep again. What felt like hours later, I woke up to the feeling of a tongue in my hair.

"Wake up, little one. We're here." I opened my eyes and stared.

It looked like a warehouse.

I looked up at Father. He was staring at the place with rapt attention.

"Stay in the car," he said.

"No way."

"Excuse me?"

"Father, she's my mate! I have to see if she's all right!"

"Oh, very well. But stay close to me."

I stepped out of the car first. Father followed me. Uncle Soren and Grandfather came out of the other side of the car, and Louis stepped out of the driver's side.

"Dad," my cousin said, "Is this what I think it is?"

"It is, son." My uncle's voice was gloomy, and I detected fear.

"What is this place?" I asked. No one answered. Uncle Soren stepped forward and kicked down the wooden door. The door broke into a million tiny pieces. Inside was dark and a bit damp. I could smell black mold. Uncle Soren stepped inside first, followed closely by Grandfather and Louis. Father went in next, and I stayed right behind him.

"You're here." It was Alexander's voice that spoke.

"Alexander!" Father hissed.

"Where is she?!" I demanded of the voice.

"She is here. I have not harmed her, only frightened her a bit." A light turned on to reveal Sarah strapped to a chair, a burlap sack around her head. I rushed forward and took off the sack. Louis started working on her bonds, while I tore the duct tape off her mouth.

"It's a trap!" she cried. And then I felt a whoosh. Grandfather, Uncle Soren, and Father formed a protective circle around us.

"Show yourself!" Uncle Soren shouted out into the darkness. Sarah, now completely free, held onto me.

"What more do you want?" Father asked. Alexander stepped forward out of the shadows.

"I want the boy."

"Reese? You can't have him."

"You saw Marina, what more do you want?" Louis asked.

"She rejected me. Broke my heart all over again. Give me Reese. He was supposed to be mine, anyway."

"Go fuck yourself."

"I have been doing that, for many years. I'll offer you one last chance for deliverance. Give me the boy, and we'll all walk away happy."

"No, we won't," Father said. "I wo-"

"Silence, Mordecai." That command came from Grandfather. "Alexander, we can reach a compromise. I'll give you the receipt for the shipping empire, the blood banks, anything."

"I already have millions of money, most of which is hidden away. Give me the boy." When no one said anything, he attacked. He hit Grandfather over the head, and he picked up Uncle Soren and threw him out of the building. I heard my uncle land with a thud, and knew he was out cold. Next, Alexander grabbed Louis and tossed him out as well. He landed on top of Uncle Soren and bounced off, also unconscious.

Alexander turned to my father. "It's just you and me now, Mordecai."

"So, it is. Why do you want my son?"

"Because you took him from me!" Then they collided, creating a shockwave that knocked Sarah over. For a moment, they were a blur. Then I saw Alexander throw a right hook at my father. Father, in return, kicked Alexander in the stomach. Alexander doubled over for a moment, then threw a punch into my father's jaw. While they fought, I untied Sarah.

Father grabbed Alexander's arm and twisted it, emitting a cry from his rival. Alexander grabbed Father around the neck with both his legs and twisted himself in the air, throwing him down. Sarah clutched my arm and whimpered fearfully.

"My father will have your head!" Father cried. Alexander cocked his head.

"Do you really think he still loves you? The only reason why he went to America was because of Reese! He's the only reason why any of them went to New Jersey!"

"You're lying, trying to hurt me," Father told him. Alexander scoffed.

"Like you hurt me? I will steal Reese from you, and then I will take Marina back, and then I will kill all of you."

"Keep talking like a cliche villain, and you'll only wind up dead!" Alexander made a noise between a growl and a laugh. He wrapped his hands around Father's throat. I stepped forward to do something.

"Stay back!" Father ordered me. He kneed Alexander in the gut, and he released him. He kicked the back of Alexander's knee. Alexander fell over, clutching both his stomach and his knee. I looked over at Sarah. She was hiding behind me.

"Ass!" Alexander cried. "I should have killed you long ago!"

"Enough with the cliches," Father said, rolling his eyes. Alexander let out a roar and aimed a fist at my father's thigh. Father clutched his leg and used his other one to kick Alexander in the throat. I heard a roar, and Grandfather jumped on top of Alexander and pinned him. Alexander, in return, rolled over, and Grandfather kicked him off.

They each crouched into a defensive position. With his red hair and yellow catlike eyes, Grandfather looked almost feline. Alexander tilted his head.

"Do you really love Mordecai?" he asked.

"Of course I do," Grandfather said.

"Yet you haven't told him that you loved him for centuries or even hugged him. Not since Amalia died."

"I loved Amalia."

"Oh, anyone with a working pair of eyes could see that. You adored her. But what happened? She left you."

I saw what was happening. Alexander was using my father and grandfather's worst fears to break them down.

"Did she commit suicide? Or did she leave you unwillingly?"

"Is that a confession?"

Alexander scoffed. "I had nothing to do with Amalia's death."

"I believe that, but what I don't understand is why you're bringing her up now."

"Think about it. Did you kill her out of anger because she was going to leave you? Or did she commit suicide?"

"I never hurt her!"

"You used to have a temper, did you not? It's why you're so emotionless now, to avoid going back to that dark place which nearly destroyed your family."

"I never hurt them!"

"You used to have moments where you would forget everything, would you not? And then your family would avoid you for days."

"That's not true!" It was Father who spoke now. "Father, don't listen to him! He's trying to distract you!" Alexander smirked.

"It was worth a shot, cousin." He lunged forward, and Grandfather moved to the side to avoid being bitten. Alexander hit his head on the wall and growled, shaking his long black hair.

I looked up. Uncle Soren had recovered and was now running back into the warehouse, carrying Louis. He placed Louis in the car, and then grabbed one of Alexander's arms. Grandfather grabbed the other one.

"Kill him!" Father cried.

"Control yourself, Mordecai. Ah, Dimitri. Take Alexander into custody." The timely arrival of the lead guard was a relief. Janna pulled out a pair of titanium handcuffs, to which she put on Alexander.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - HOMEWARD BOUND

Sarah was asleep in the private jet's bedroom. We had finished packing, and then Father had arranged for a jet flight back to America. Alexander would be held in the dungeons in Denmark until Grandfather decided what to do with him.

I had just awoken from a two-hour long nap and was now having a glass of blood warmed up in the microwave. Father put a book in front of me.

"What's this?" I asked him.

"Family genealogy. Every vampire in our family. You already know all the basics. This also includes our human ancestors, including Alexander's." I opened it and saw my picture from the day I was born to my latest school picture. Each picture was marked with a date, signifying my age when the picture was taken. I turned the page. There was Louis, and there were small paintings of him as a baby, and a picture of him now.

This page was also marked with his birthdate. I turned the page. Father. Mother. Uncle Soren. Alga. Grandfather. Grandmother. Grandfather's brothers, their wives, and children. Alexander. I frowned and turned back to Father and Uncle Soren. There were pages stuck together. I unstuck it and looked at the page.

"Who is Mathias?" I asked.

"What?" Father replied, looking at me. Then he noticed the book. "Oh, crap, I forgot that was there!" He quickly took the book back.

"Father, do I have another uncle?"

"Of course not! Why would you think that?"

"Father, I'm not stupid. I saw it, plain as day. A man with blue eyes and dark hair."

"I don't know him! I swear!" He held up his hands as if he was surrendering.

"Okay, fine, don't tell me! I still think it's fishy."

When we landed, I saw Alicia and Sabine through the window. Alicia looked both nervous and excited.

"Time to wake up Sarah," Father said.

"I'm already awake," came her voice. She sat beside me and leaned against me. When we were completely stopped, she got up and grabbed her purse and backpack. Louis picked up Shadowfang's carrier. Shadowfang himself was batting at a fluffy pink pom-pom inside the carrier. The next thing we knew, Louis would be buying Louis Vuitton pet carriers for the mysterious cat who had so abruptly come into our lives. And yes, that's something he would do.

We all filed off the jet, each of us carrying our own bags. Well, except for Louis. Janna was carrying his bags while he carried the cat.

Alicia squeezed Sarah tightly.

"My baby," she said. Mother, who had come with us, had an indiscernible look.

"Okay, I'm fine, Mom," Sarah told Alicia.

"How was Denmark?" Sabine asked, fiddling on her cell phone. "Was it cold?"

"It was very cold," Sarah said. The Cresley women walked off, chatting animatedly about Sarah's trip. I looked at Father. He looked at me.

"I told Alicia that Sarah had been missing for a while," he said. "I told her that Alexander had simply stolen her away to talk about the baby inside her."

"Baby?" Mother piped up. She looked at me.

"Not mine," I said. "I think you and Sarah have a lot in common." A flash of understanding crossed Mother's face.

"I wish to hear about it," she said.

"Of course. Please, though, do not bring it up in front of her. It only happened last month, and she is still recovering."

"Absolutely! When did she find out?"

"About three or four weeks after it happened."

Father steered me toward the limousine that would take us home.

"Marina, where will you stay?" he asked.

"I have bought a house not far from where you live. I will stay there for a while."

~~~~~~~~~~

I studied the book. It was the book written completely in French that Sarah had been reading, Vampire Soulmates. It looked okay. It was New Year's Eve, and Sarah was staying the night, with our parents' permission. Alicia figured that Sarah couldn't get pregnant again, anyway, and this was a nice change.

And Father knew that he owed me. He owed me a lot of explanations still. Like what his big secret was. Who that man in the genealogy book was? He also agreed to stop using his powers to make me fall asleep to end our arguments and debates. It got us nowhere.

Sarah came into my bedroom, her teeth brushed, and her hair combed and tied into a loose ponytail. She was dressed in a tank top and boy shorts. She stated that the Beautifuls had been leaving her alone since break started. Shadowfang wound himself between her legs, and I was afraid that he was going to make her trip. She didn't, though, and sat beside me on the bed. She took some medicine and snuggled up beside me.

"What's the medicine for?" I asked.

"It's to help me sleep," she said.

"You don't want to watch the ball drop?" I asked.

"I've seen it about sixteen times. We're just lucky to be alive when the new year rolls around."

"Indeed. Another year of watching the snow melt, seeing the first dandelion, the first spring rain, another birthday comes and goes."

"You're lucky. You turn eighteen in October. I turn seventeen in February."

"What's so great about turning eighteen? I smoke anyway."

"I wish you wouldn't, although I know it doesn't affect you." At this, she fluttered her eyelashes.

"You're still okay with me being a vampire?" I asked.

"I wish you'd told me earlier. Vampires are awesome."

"Oh, my life is most certainly not awesome. The only awesome thing about my life is you."

"What about your friends and family?"

"Them, too," I replied. She leaned forward and kissed me on the lips.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you more," I countered. "Much more."

"Even though these past couple months haven't been great, I've enjoyed your company," she said.

"Ditto," I responded. She laid down on her side and closed her eyes.

"You'll take the risk of me deciding this is too much?" she asked.

"I'll take my chances," I grinned. I turned out the light and kissed her before being taken away by my dreams.