Dear Readers,

I just wanted to take the time to thank each of you for sticking with me as I stumble my way through this story. I know it's a bit long and may seem unguided at times but each time I write a new chapter I'm doing my best to improve and make events more interesting and well strung together and each of you is motivation for that! To those that have left reviews I want to express how much I appreciate that you took the time to leave a small piece of yourself with me. It makes me very happy to hear that you are enjoying the story! To all the other visitors: Thank you for stopping by.

Cheers!

Revisions and Updates: In struggling to write the next chapter so I've been going over previous ones and fixing a lot of things that were bugging me. No major plot shifts, just a tweak in grammar and dialogue here and there. Thank you for reading and I really hope you enjoy the story!

Chapter 1: Confrontation

My name is Amelia Stratton and I live and go to school in Shreveport, LA. I'm 26 years old and up until 3 months ago there was nothing all that special about me. I went to school, worked hard at my job, and aimed to have a stable life just like anyone else. Even when an event as spectacular as vampires officially announcing their existence happened, nothing about my life changed. It just went on. I never met or even caught a glimpse of a single vampire. That is until one attacked me three months ago, changing me and my life forever.

It was Tuesday night and my last class of the fall semester was ending.

I lingered and stopped at different painting stations, chatting and saying goodbye to some really sweet people I wouldn't likely be seeing again. My best friend Cecile was doing the same thing and we grinned at each other from across the room. I'd join her after I finished talking to Brent, a 30 something student that worked at the art gallery on campus. Brent is a pretty decent guy but a bit hard to read, for me anyway. I joked and smiled all the while wondering what he really thought of me and if he'd ever end up making a seriously committed statement one way or the other. Unless we keep in touch I guess I'll never really know. He surprised me with a friendly hug at our parting and I left to weave among paint slathered easels to stand next to Cecile. She was talking to Jeanne, one of the few people left, and I hopped up on a stool to hang out and chat but mostly just listened.

It took the larger part of an hour before we were the only ones left in the building. Hurriedly Cecile and I packed our things and walked to our cars. I reveled in the cold December air, taking it in in several deep breaths. I always loved the smell of winter. Not that cold air exactly has a smell, but it brings an awesome sense of clarity and sharpness with it, something that to me smells like love. I parted with Cecile at her little blue Toyota and walked three rows up to my Volkswagen, looking left in time to catch her waving a final goodbye as she drove past. I threw my hand up, but was too slow for her to see and shrugged to myself with a smile. I'd see her this weekend anyway. I was fumbling for my car key when I regretted not using the restroom before I had walked all the way out to the far end of the parking lot. I glanced at my watch and it read just minutes before 10 PM, which is when the security guards force out any remaining students and lock the buildings. I sprinted the entire distance back to the main doors. Luck was on my side when I found that the door popped open easily.

After finishing my business I picked up a brisk pace as I walked back to my car. Somewhere during the time that I was distracted by deliberating over what music to listen to on the drive home I had been followed to my car near the end of the lot. Unable to get my attention visually my pursuer had clearly seen no other option than to track me by foot.

"Excuse me!" He called from several yards back.

I stopped and turned, surprised. I had expected to see one of the security guards so I wasn't really prepared for the muscular, imposing physique jogging towards me. From what I could tell under the dingy yellow security lights of the parking lot he was fair skinned, blond, and had a great smile. I hadn't the slightest clue who this guy was, or why he was trotting around in nothing but a tank top and jeans, but whatever he had to say must be important since he had to be freezing. Maybe he was going to ask if I'd seen his jacket. I hugged my own around me tighter and wiggled my legs impatiently, trying to stay warm. I just wanted to get the car started and blast the heater. I love the smell of the cold but I definitely don't like being in it. The closer he stepped the more I became aware of how incredibly handsome he was. It wasn't just that I could tell he was beautiful, it was that specific feeling of immediate attraction some faces and bodies can inspire. I smiled and gave a sympathetic nod to his bare arms.

"You must be freezing." I commented and watched my breath escape as a thin steamy cloud.

He merely gazed at me intently for a moment and when he was sure he had my attention he opened his mouth. I caught a flash of brilliantly white teeth.

The next thing I knew the rear windshield wiper was digging into my back as I was slammed against the trunk of my car. I made a surprised noise that sounded like what my friend's cat used to do while hacking up a hairball. He clamped an icy hand over my mouth before I could really start screaming, forcing the now muffled sounds to come out of my nose in pitiful moans. His other arm pinned me to the car across my chest and shoulders.

"Hush," He breathed at me calmly, staring deep into my eyes. "Struggle if you like, but no screaming."

His eyes were a clear blue; the iris was bright, icy, and covered by pale lids that deepened to pink and red at the folds and inner lining. For a moment I felt his voice press at me, like a breeze trying to pass through my skin. It promised to soothe my panic, dissolve my fear, and reveal hidden possibilities if I let it in. Caught in the rush of surprise I did just that, shivering lightly as it slid through me. My shoulders relaxed and my voice died on an outward breath that had started as a scream but ended as a sigh. The tranquility I felt only lasted a few moments before some primal piece of my brain dedicated to survival snapped me out of the daze, throwing me back into reality.

The pressure from his arm was lessening and his hand began to pull away, so I struggled violently against him with everything I had and caught him off guard.

"Help! Let me g-" I screamed, but my cry was choked off by the swift return of his palm.

I think I had managed to get at least 6 inches between my body and the car but I quickly lost that ground. The rear windshield wiper cruelly dug into my back as he forced me against it. I groaned and stared at his face that hovered just inches away from mine, horrified. His left eyebrow was cocked and he had this cruel, amused smile on his lips. He leaned forward and smelled me, grazing his nose against my cheek adding to my terror and revulsion. All I could think was how stupid I'd been to think I was immune to the dangers of an empty community college parking lot. A girl had gotten raped here just last month.

"You're… different." He said, his mouth hanging open as if he were waiting to be fed from a spoon.

I noticed now that when he had spoken there was no steam to his breath and, in fact, no trace of warmth to his body at all. Two sizable sharp incisors descended into the cavity of his mouth, completely ruining my hopes of somehow gaining the advantage by catching him off balance again. His smile had turned vicious. Oh god, why a vampire? Why wasn't there anyone else in this forsaken parking lot? One of the security guards was bound to show up. Any moment I'd see one of their little golf carts that they drove to make their rounds coming around the corner. At least that's what I kept telling myself.

My upper body was helplessly pinned but my legs were still free. On a chance I kicked out with everything I had and missed. He made a gently chiding noise as he crushed any further efforts easily, pinning my lower half with his pelvis and legs. I struggled to draw in air. It felt like I was being crushed between two boulders. My body was tensed, waiting for him to strike but he simply stared, watching me with an intense curiosity as if he expected me to magic my way out of the current situation or grow feet from my ears. I narrowed my eyes and burned holes of hatred into his head. At that he seemed to light up with delight. He threw his head back with a laugh and it infuriated me, renewing my will to struggle. The way I was pinned, though, all I could manage was a squirm. My heart hammered against my ribcage.

With a wink he pushed my head to the side, exposing my neck. Muffled screams escaped my nostrils as the immediacy of my death hit me. I couldn't say that I prayed, but I hoped, I hoped against hope that someone would come. Ultimately, I thought, what good would it do? He was the first vampire I'd ever encountered and he was insanely strong. I remember thinking that the only thing that could save me from a vampire was another vampire.

The cold tip of his nose was the first thing to graze my skin as he lowered his head to my throat and it completely broke my ability for coherent thought. A shiver rippled through me that I couldn't control. I felt wild, like a trapped desperate animal unable to do anything but tremble under his grip, squeeze my eyes shut, and wait for the inevitable end. His lips were in place, just above my jugular vein, pausing only long enough to appreciate the rapid speed of my pulse. I wasn't sure how exactly I knew that, I just did. I wanted to speak, but managed only a string of imploring whimpers. Please, I begged with my whole being, please don't kill me.

"Shh," He soothed, "Try to enjoy this."

There was something strained in his voice that caused me to go completely still as I felt his rough stubble graze my skin, prickling and scratching. The last vocalization from him was a deep groan as I felt the wetness of his mouth, immense pressure and then a sharp stinging pain that told me my skin had been broken. I squeaked, hearing wet sucking noises and felt dizzy, all the energy draining out of me in a rush. He shifted his weight and wrapped his arms around me tightly, pulling me away from the car, crushing me to him. The world slowly became a fragmented mass of black holes that started small then bloomed outward, completely covering my vision. There was a rhythm to the way he drew on my blood and he rocked back and forth with it, grinding our bodies together. Enjoy this, was he crazy? Maybe this wasn't supposed to hurt as badly as it did and my body was in absolute revolt against every moment of it. His hands squeezed at my sides, urging me to relax and give in but it was all too horribly overwhelming. I gave a pitiful moan, pleading for the pain to stop; it was radiating down my shoulder and up into my head. Suddenly I felt violently ill, my vision blacked out, and then I felt nothing.

I woke to a painful bruising in the musculature of my neck and an incredibly dry mouth. I was lying on a dark leather couch staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. Fluorescent lights flickered down at me. The memory of what transpired before I lost consciousness flooded back so quickly I shot up off the couch in a desperate panic and found myself too weak and dizzy to stand. I stumbled 3 steps then fell to all fours, sinking slowly to lie on the thin carpet. Almost deliriously I wondered what type of foot traffic this floor saw and how clean it was, but quickly realized I was too weak to really care. I felt pitiful, exhausted, and vulnerable. My breathing was labored as my body attempted to recover from the rigors of moving from couch to floor. I heard a door handle being operated from the outside, but was just too damn tired to bother to move. That threw the idea of hiding out the window pretty quickly. Whatever was coming was coming. There was little I could do to stop anything from happening in this state.

"I can't imagine that the floor is more comfortable than the couch." A male voice commented casually. I watched a pair of pale feet in sandals step over my body then settle behind a large desk. "How's the neck?"

The sound of an envelope tearing filled the silence and as I thought of the region in question it throbbed painfully. It felt awful, but I couldn't muster the energy to respond. I continued to lie there, listening to the rustling of papers going on above me and closed my eyes. Once closed, my eyelids felt thick and swollen and much too heavy to open. Eventually I managed to peel them apart enough to see a pair of hot pink pumps with straps that wrapped around delicate ankles. Apparently I had lost some time. My right cheek and shoulder ached from having fallen asleep on the floor and I rolled onto my back desperately seeking a position less painful.

"Eric, you know this is a bad idea." A feminine voice drifted down to me.

"Enough, Pam," His voice clearly brooked no arguments. "Wait outside."

Everything sounded dim and I hadn't the slightest clue what the topic of conversation was even though the displeasure in her voice was easy enough to read. So the woman was Pam and the man at the desk was Eric.

It was then that I heard the strangest sound. It sounded like a voice drifting over a weak radio signal or someone speaking in a manner that all but a few of their words were slurred beyond comprehension. "Pathetic. She won't survive."was what I made out. It had been the Pam's voice that much was clear to me. I worried my hearing had been damaged or that the murkiness of sound was me slipping in and out of consciousness. It must have been the latter because I thought I had merely blinked very slowly but found that Pam and her shoes had disappeared from the room entirely. I was now staring up at the towering figure of the vampire that had attacked me, Eric. His hands were casually slung into the pockets of his faded blue jeans as he looked down at me, giving me a nudge in the shoulder with his foot. I felt a fresh rush of panic at his touch.

"Get up." Eric commanded simply, not needing to put any menace in his voice.

My brain urged my body into action but physically I was too tired. It was a simple matter of having had my blood drained without having any food or water for at least a day. I was unsure how much time had passed, but I doubted very much that it was the same night. That being said, I would have liked nothing more than to obey him, for the sake of my own preservation, but it just felt impossible. I furrowed my brow and closed my eyes and let my head loll to the side in an attempt to convey my complete exhaustion. I swallowed and noted that my tongue felt like sandpaper.

"A few bites to end it... maybe the basement." The fragmented speech buzzed dimly in my ears as if coming through a veil of cotton. More accurately, it felt like the sound was coming from inside my head trying to push its way out, but that didn't make sense. The words were few but in my gut I understood the full meaning and my eyes flew open and flooded with tears. If I was broken he'd just kill me and toss me aside. I shook my head and felt the hot streaks race down my cheeks, cooling swiftly. I had to fight to survive.

"No, please," I managed to choke out with a sob or two. "No basement." I was begging, but put enough force into my voice that said I would fight tooth and nail when it came down to it. I had already been sure I was going to die and now I was determined to not go quietly.

"Oh, really?" He had knelt down beside me and was staring with a look quite similar to the one I had witnessed last night; cruel amusement. He paused a long moment and rubbed the fingertips of his right hand together as if rolling something between them in order to determine the quality of it. "Perhaps not, then." He said with an air of having discovered a new use for a toy he had planned to throw away.

Relief rushed over me and caused a fresh spill of tears. Quite unexpectedly I felt one large hand slide under my shoulders, propping me up to sit before the second slid under my legs. Eric hoisted me off the floor so quickly and with such little effort it left me dizzy, and then placed me on the leather couch I had woken up on.

"You could use something to eat." He informed me. "Then we'll talk." And with that he left.

My situation had just taken a dramatic turn for the better and I didn't have a clue why. I lay there for several minutes, simply stunned, trying to analyze the possibilities. My brain was in such a fog that eventually I gave up and began taking in my surroundings. I was in a large office with metal shelving, a large desk, and several wall size posters for local bands. Liquor bottles, cases of beer and true blood, books, and filing cabinets occupied much of the space in the room. I didn't get the chance to examine things much farther before an attractive young woman entered carrying a tray of food with a large bottle of water. It wasn't until I met her gaze that I even considered the state of my appearance. Her expression was, at first, annoyed but it quickly melted into pity which told me I must look pretty awful. I attempted a smile that felt as rigid as I'm sure it must have looked. The girl spoke with the intonation I've come to associate with home.

"Sorry, Eric said to bring this to you." She seemed nervous and as she came closer her eyes darted around as if trying to avoid looking directly at me.

She set the tray down on a small side table near the couch and lingered a moment.

"Are you ok?" She asked in a whisper and looked around as if she were asking something taboo. I wasn't sure why I nodded yes, but it seemed to pacify some of her anxiousness. Her eyes drifted from my face to my neck as if she were trying desperately not to look and failing. "I'll be back with some warm water." And with that she hustled out, shutting the door gently behind her.

She came back after I had started devouring the hot bowl of soup, taking such large bites of bread that I could only shake my head to communicate that there was nothing else I needed. I swallowed harshly to choke out a quick thank you before she had shut the door behind her again. I glanced to my right and saw a small desk clock. It read 1:55 am. The soup was gone and I stopped mid bite on the last chunk of bread and simply stared. Was it the same night as my attack or the next? My insides tumbled around in panic for a while and then an overwhelming sluggishness took over me. My belly was warm and full and after a little more water I was so tired I was ready to sleep. At this point it didn't matter where, my exhaustion was so thorough. I no longer felt quite as weak, which was wonderful, but I wondered with dread what lay in store once Eric returned. I curled up with my legs tucked underneath me, rested my head on the arm of the sofa, and waited.

Soon I heard the sound of approaching footsteps and then the jiggle of the door handle. With great effort I pulled myself upright as Eric strode in, giving me a quick appraising glance then sat in the large chair behind his desk. I was conscious enough now to feel incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. He filled me with such terror and attraction that my resolve to even look at him failed completely. I stared at my hands folded in my lap. Rust colored stains were embedded under my fingernails and marked my palms. It looked like dried blood. My blood? It suddenly dawned on me what the warm water and clean cloth was for. I soaked the cloth in water and began wiping myself off, giving me a real excuse to avoid looking at the vampire who sat behind his desk, silently watching me. At least I assumed he was; it was hard to know for certain without checking and I was trying my damnedest not to. I winced as I dabbed gently at my neck with the wrung out cloth, slowly making my way towards the bite marks. I could feel that a huge bruise radiated out at least 2 inches in every direction from the punctures made by his fangs. There was barely an area on the left side of my neck that didn't hurt. I groaned softly, breaking the silence to ease my discomfort and partly because I couldn't help it.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch," Was the tune I sang as I cleaned myself.

I glanced up briefly to find him staring at me, a look of quiet indifference on his face as he watched me maneuver tenderly around the bite. If he was any standard for how all vampires behaved, they must be an incredibly bizarre bunch. I'd never witnessed a face so expressionless that it appeared to be made of stone. The overall effect was incrediblydisconcerting.

I shook myself and focused on the bowl of water that was turning more polluted each time I wrung out the cloth. I spent the next five minutes absorbed in my grooming, silently wishing for a hot shower. This small bird bath was definitely better than nothing, but it made me painfully aware of just how icky I felt overall. The grime beneath my fingernails refused to go. Finally the water was too dirty to continue washing with so I dried my hands and mourned the loss of the activity as I settled back into the couch. I drew a deep breath and blew it out slowly, feeling somewhat more relaxed and waited for the talking to begin. Just when I was about to open my mouth and blurt out the first thing that came to mind, the sound of Eric's voice filtered in through that veil of cotton and I looked around wondering if I was hearing some sort of P.A. System. It seemed to come from everywhere at once with no distinct source or determinable location. The tone was familiar but the words were unclear. I turned to look at him hoping it would bring some clarity to what he was saying but by then he had gone quiet.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" I asked, trying to be as polite as possible despite his general lack of courtesy.

Eric stopped writing, put his pen down, and looked up at me. He was grinning ever so slightly, as if he'd found something he'd been searching for, and it looked dangerous. He cocked his head to one side and answered me, but not in the way I expected. I was hearing his voice, but his mouth wasn't moving.

I haven't said anything out loud.

"No way…" My voice was filled with wonder and denial.

After that first exclamation I ran out of words and my mouth just hung open in silence. I shook my head in disbelief. The whole world felt surreal. Was this really happening? I found myself grinning from ear to ear and surprisingly, and for the first time since I'd woken up here, I forgot my anxieties. I could hear thoughts. And not just any thoughts, vampire thoughts. What did that mean? And why me? I bit at my bottom lip, lost in thought until Eric got up from his chair to stand at the front of his desk.

Look at me Amelia. His voice rang clear in my head.

I looked up at him slowly and knew I was having a hard time hiding my excitement. The grin that had crept up my face held fast, even as I slowly considered the repercussions of being able to find out precisely what went on behind the curtain in Eric's head. I began to wonder if this was the reason why he had attacked me, but that seemed incredibly unlikely. How could he have known about it when even I didn't? I gazed at him long and hard worrying over the idea. His current expression was impossible to read and he made no attempt to communicate again. This only increased my anxiety. As the silence lengthened his stillness seemed to grow. He was eerily devoid of any sense of motion. I was focusing so hard on him, trying to pick up on any slight movement or sound that I fell completely into his head. Flashes of images accompanied surges of strong emotion and both came barreling into me along with his thoughts. Hunger, lust, and power rolled through me and I rocked backward as if a fist had materialized out the air and clocked me in the forehead. I was seeing hundreds of bodies alive, vibrant, and willing then just as suddenly dead. My ears buzzed and tingled, a chorus of screams echoing over and over, reverberating through my brain. I didn't want this, I wanted out, but I wasn't sure how to escape it or how I'd even gotten there in the first place. I tried to scream but all I could manage was choked breaths as the visions overtook me. Bodies were raining down on me and I was drowning in them, falling under their dead and heavy limbs, paralyzed by the tragedy of their deaths, and finally when I thought I couldn't handle any more I opened my mouth to scream, and it filled with the taste of their blood. I was repulsed and yet wanted more.

Mercifully, I was pulled out of the visions by my own screams. My limbs flailed wildly until they found purchase on the arms of the couch and I used it to propel myself up and as far away from Eric as I could manage. My face was wet and tears puddled in my eyes blurring my vision so completely I tripped several times before I found the far wall. Furiously I wiped at them, not wanting to be left blind in a room with the owner of a mind like that.

"What," I gasped, chest heaving, "The hell was that?" I clutched my chest as my heart hammered wildly. "It feels like my heart and head want to burst," I swallowed hard, unable to finish what I was saying. I fought the wave of nausea hard, determined not to empty the contents of my stomach. I had gone from sitting with my back against the wall to being doubled over, clutching my stomach with my forehead pressed to the floor. I breathed heavily, slowing the intake of each breath as I tried to exhale all those foreign emotions so they did not overtake me again.

"Please, please." I said as evenly as I could manage, "I don't want to experience that ever again."

"It isn't my ability to control, it's yours. What was it you found so terrible?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious. I looked up to see him leaning casually against the front of his desk, arms folded across his chest, his icy blue eyes fixed on me.

My mouth hung open while I grasped for the right words to accurately describe what sort of hell had just paraded through my brain. "I think you know." I swallowed hard. "I could taste them..." I squeezed my arms around myself in search of some sort of comfort. "How many people have you killed?"

He shrugged as if I were asking how many cocktail shrimp he'd eaten at an all you can eat buffet. "I've been alive for over 1,000 years. You can understand why I've lost count." He said, a very subtle hint of distaste in his voice. "How many animals have you eaten in your lifetime?"

Point taken. I kept my mouth shut and stayed with my back to the wall, finding comfort that he wasn't coming any closer. The emotional overload had left me feeling weak all over and tired. I stared at the floor between my knees and tried my hardest to think of anything else but him just to avoid falling into his mind again. A second dose would be most unwelcome. A small shiver rolled across my shoulders and down my back raising goosebumps along my skin. I chewed at my lip and after a long moment looked back up at him.

"I'm guessing you wanted me to experience all of that. But why?" I said with an edge of impatience. I was quickly growing tired of my surroundings and present company and I hoped to avoid any further scenarios filled with physical pain and abject terror. Above all, I just wanted to go home.

"I wanted to understand some of the specifics of your ability." He had been staring off absently and now looked down the bridge of his nose at me. "I have a small job for you."

I scrunched my face in a frown, not liking the sound of that one bit. If it weren't for his supernatural nature and his large menacing physique I would have quickly said no thanks and made a bolt for the nearby door. I stared at it longingly, devising as many escape plans as I could think of but they all seemed likely to end in my untimely demise. Escaping, if not unlikely, was impossible. I shifted uncomfortably.

"I would say no thanks, but I don't get the feeling I have a lot of choice."

He gave me a pleasant smile and shrugged.

"Fantastic." I said tartly.

"Think of it as a returned favor then."

"I'm sorry?" My tone was incredulous. "When have you done me any favors?"

"Well, I didn't kill you." His tone was flat and his expression deadly.

He was projecting images of what it would be like to feed from me until there was nothing left. Apparently he found the taste of my blood incredibly appealing and he was just looking for reasons to have it again.

"All right, stop. Stop." I gritted my teeth and shook my head, trying to rid myself of the sickening tickle he caused in my scalp.

"Calm down," He chided, "I don't want you shutting down just yet."

I started rubbing my temples with both hands. I had a tremendous headache forming and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to hate hearing all vampire thoughts or if it was specifically Eric's I detested.

"Look," I said with as much patience as I could muster, "I'm tired, my body hurts, and my head feels like it's ready to explode. I just want to go home."

The moment I said the word home I felt an ache of longing so strong I thought I would burst into tears. I fought it off by forcing myself to my feet, having to focus hard on not falling over. I teetered for a brief moment before I put my hand on the wall for support and fixed Eric with a look that I hoped came off as very serious. "And you, sir, scare the crapout of me." My thighs felt so weak I thought my legs would buckle at any given moment so I eased into a heavy lean against the wall.

"If I do this favor for you, Can I go?"

Eric gave me a long appraising look in complete silence. I got the sense he was drawing the moment out simply to make me uncomfortable. I watched his eyes dart back and forth from my face to my neck a few times and finally he settled on direct eye contact.

"I don't see why not."

Hearing that small confirmation that I would actually get to leave filled me with relief and helped me gather my strength, eager to get whatever the task would be over with. I did stop to consider that the vague promise of release had come from the very mouth belonging to the man that put me here in the first place, but I shrugged off the gnawing negativity and hoped for the best since at this point, hope was all I had.

"All right." I finally agreed with weary resolve.

He reached across the desk behind him and made a page from the phone. I heard the line pick up and Eric said only, "Pam."

I shifted nervously not knowing what to expect as we waited. I kept glancing at Eric, hoping to be filled in on the details. Hell, I would've settled for vague generalities. Eric straightened slightly, folded his arms across his chest and waited with his gaze fixed on the door. Within a few moments Pam entered, her delicately pale hand wrapped firmly around the forearm of rather disheveled, dirty, and gaunt looking man. Almost instantly I felt pity for him. I guessed him to be in his early 40s but poorly aging. By that measure he could have been younger, but he didn't look it. Thin wisps of hair lay wildly strewn about his scalp, like some toddler's messy art project and his face was lined with wrinkles accentuated by the dirt and grime covering him from head to foot. His mouth and chin were caked with dried blood that had also spilled down and soaked the front of his shirt. The material looked dark and stiff and immediately drew to mind the thought of my attack the other night. I lowered my head and just felt sorry for him. The funny thing is, I couldn't imagine my state of misfortune looked too much different from his.

"Pitying him would be a mistake." Eric said, drawing my attention to him. "This vampire is responsible for the deaths of at least 10 human bar patrons and inciting the police raid that recently took place." So he wasn't human like I had assumed. At this point Eric had begun circling the much smaller man, walking deliberately slow, communicating silently with Pam as he did so.

I couldn't help but flinch as I caught the tail end of "Remove his head," from Pam and my subtle movement drew the attention of all three vampires. Pam regarded me with narrowed distrustful eyes as Eric paced back to his desk to my right, and the small man merely looked frightened and hungry. It took me a moment to notice that his fangs had come out and the sight of it made the hair on my arms stand on end.

"So, it would be a great favor to me to know the names of anyone else involved." Eric offered in a tone that I think was meant to be polite.

I nodded and folded my arms, hugging myself tightly unsure of how to go about the task.

"What's your name?" I addressed the captive vampire, figuring his name would be the best place to start. I took a step forward and tried my best to smile even though I'm sure it was tight lipped and awkward looking.

The man sneered at me and snapped his jaws, baring his teeth and fangs. I retreated instantly and felt my heart pound against my chest. Pam kicked him behind the knees sharply and he fell into a kneel, wincing as she yanked his head back roughly by those pathetic remnants of hair. She looked very much like she was enjoying herself.

"Nathan." He replied with a strained hiss.

I nodded and paused a moment, waiting for my gut to tell me what I should do next. What came to me was a large swell of panic. I stiffened, fear coursing through my body, and it took me some length of time before I realized the panic and fear were not my own. It was coming from Nathan. I was hearing a mass of jumbled sounds and I stared hard at him, taking a tentative step forward to see if distance had any effect on my ability. It was like stepping through a sound proof curtain. The dim murmur of noise on the other side clarified into rapid but articulate speech. I glanced at Pam and Eric wondering if they could hear it too, it was so loud. Eric inclined his head towards Nathan, urging me to continue and I realized I would have to translate.

"He's terrified enough that he doesn't remember the women." I addressed the thing I found most important first, trying to find out who the poor bar patrons were. Eric and Pam didn't seem to care. When I focused harder all I felt was thirst and a hunger so desperately needy it dwarfed all consequence in comparison. My vision was overwhelmed by a thick, viscous red river. I closed my eyes. The vision intensified until I remembered my other objective and focused as hard as I could on that. "Nathan, who else was involved with the raid on the bar?" I heard him spit and struggle and hiss curses at me, but the answers his mouth would not tell, his mind did. As he thought of his co-conspirators I saw them; a large man of non-distinct background, a tall attractive woman with dark skin and a proud face, and a pale man bearing similar resemblance to Nathan but only so far as his clothing and mannerisms. I caught glimpses of intimate moments between the two, some more sexual than others but mostly it was just companionship, pure and simple. I shook my head to break off the mental link and took a deep breath.

"Well, two are police officers but he doesn't know their names, and the third is a vampire named Louis."

I was looking at Eric and watched something very dark flash through his cold eyes. I had lied about the names belonging to the police officers and was worried he'd picked up on that. He made no motion to suggest that he was suspicious so I backed away from Nathan, figuring my job was finished. I couldn't help but think of my own encounter with Eric and wondered how anyone would willingly put themselves in a position where they are the target of his anger. Nathan let loose a scream that startled me so badly I hunched and covered my ears. Pam began dragging his kicking form from the room, slamming him against every sharp object she passed. It was astonishing watching her small frame flex barely a muscle as she hauled him out, kicking the door shut. After they'd gone I uncovered my ears and straightened up feeling slightly silly. I wondered what would happen to Nathan. The more awful scenarios I envisioned the more guilty I felt for his fate. He was suspect in a crime and I had convicted him and provided the evidence necessary to carry out his sentence. What if I'd heard wrong? Also, as far as I knew, Eric had no clue as to the qualities of my character. I could be lying for the sake of causing trouble, or just making things up to save my own skin.

As if he'd read my mind Eric said, "You've only helped confirm suspicions I already had. In these affairs one must be certain before action is taken." His eyes slid over the room to find me. "Louis and Nathan will be repaid in kind for what they've done."

I shrank back from his gaze and gave a single nod. Not that I agreed, but I just didn't want to think about it.

"Even if you'd suspected it of them, what if I had lied? What makes you so sure I gave you the right information?" I don't know why I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

When he turned his full attention to me, I wished I had. I wasn't trying to antagonize him, I was just genuinely curious as to why he trusted me.

"I can't be one hundred percent sure in the way that you can. But your terror is plain in your eyes." He cast his gaze down the full length of my frame and wore a grin that was neither happy or playful. "I'm only sure because I think you are too scared to even think of lying. And, you don't taste like a liar." Just the tip of his tongue snaked out to wet his lips.

I couldn't fight the tremble that followed his last statement.

"Fair enough. Are we finished?"

I told myself to shut the hell up and work on getting out of here. I'd done my favor and I was done with this stupid place. I was ready to go home. I fished around in my pocket for my car key but found it missing. Worried, I looked up at Eric.

"You should see your face." He laughed lightly, grabbing something off the desk and tossing it to me. "Your car is out back and this fell out of your pocket. Go home."

I reached up to catch it, but the key bounced off my palm and skidded across the floor a few feet in the direction of the door. I sighed at my lack of coordination and picked it up, turning it over in my hand with an immense feeling of relief. It was a small comfort and I managed a tiny genuine smile as I placed my hand on the doorknob. I thought about turning to say goodbye, thanks for not killing me, and ask if could talk to him whenever I needed to about my new ability but in the end decided against it. The last part I would rather figure out on my own than need him to shed light on it. I slipped out of the door as quietly as I could, relief sweeping over me as I made my way down the long, dim hall and turned left, eyes fixating on the glowing red exit sign above the door. That's also when I noticed Nathan. It was dark in the hall but I could see that his shirt was wet and fresh blood spattered his face. His eyes were wild, his fangs were full out, and Pam lay in a bleeding heap on the floor. I screamed. He growled and lunged at me.

I was bowled over quickly and my vision blanked to white as my head connected with the floor hard enough to knock me momentarily senseless. I screamed and fought blindly, pushing against what felt like a solid wall pressing in on me. My arms were up to protect my face and he sank his fangs into my right forearm and I felt immense pressure followed by stinging pain. I desperately clawed at his face with my left hand since I couldn't physically push him off of me. My thumb came in contact with his closed eyelid and my head swam with his rapture as he drank, nearly pulling me into it. I pressed in with everything I had. I watched as my thumb disappeared into his eye socket with a sickening squelchy sound and he released my arm, and howled in pain. My stomach did a somersault. I scrambled out from under him as fast as I could, using both feet to kick him square in the chest and propel myself backward. I was turning to run when I saw a flash of movement from my right and heard the most sickening sound that I'll never forget. It sounded like thick dull pops followed by the tearing of wet paper. I glanced over my shoulder to find Eric standing, legs wide spread, with Nathans body hoisted off the ground and completely torn in half. To my horror, he was still screaming. The imagery was like something out of a graphic horror movie and I gaped, unable to look away. Intestines dangled as other organs slid out of his midsection and fell to the floor in a wet pile. And blood, there was so much blood. It poured out of him like a running faucet. It was so horrific it looked fake. Another blur of motion preceded a dull wet snap, and the screaming ceased instantaneously. I watched Nathans head fall to the floor with a disgusting thunk.

My next coherent thought came as I was leaning over the sink behind the bar washing the wound on my arm. Eric sat a now conscious Pam in a booth on the far side of the room. Fresh waves of nausea rolled over me as Nathan's end replayed in my head. I steeled my stomach and thought hard about home. I would brush my teeth, shower, dry my hair, and fall into bed. Freshly determined to get there I finished up in the sink and wrapped my arm with a nearby towel. I'd used 100 proof vodka to sterilize the wound and now it throbbed painfully but at least it wouldn't get infected if I took good care of it. When I turned around Eric was sitting at the bar.

"How is she?" I motioned to Pam.

"Recovering." He didn't sound worried.

"Ah, that's good." I smiled, not sure if it really was a good thing.

I stared off for a moment thinking how lucky I was to be alive. If it weren't for Eric I'd probably be dead. Of course if it weren't for him I wouldn't be here in the first place, but give credit where credit is due. It was getting a little easier to look at him, so I did as we talked.

"Thank you... for saving me." I paused because I wasn't sure that his intention had been to save me. But if he'd let it slide as that, I would too.

"That was clever, going for his eyes."

I shrugged, not sure I deserved the compliment. "It was sheer desperation. And it's a shame I only got the one."

I stared at Eric's eyes. They were really quite beautiful. His pale skin that showed so much pink inside his eyelids set off the iris color like nothing else I'd ever seen. They were the bright vibrant blue of a midday sky and just as clear. Idly I wondered if his eyes were just as squishy as Nathans had been. If he hadn't been killed would the damaged one have grown back? I shrugged and gently patted at my makeshift bandage. It felt very wet against my skin. Eric gestured to my arm with a large extended hand.

"What's the damage?"

I couldn't see the harm in letting him take a look. I was even hoping he might know a thing or two about first aid so I laid my hand gently in his and let him remove the towel. I watched his nostrils flare just before I caught sight of the bright red that had soaked through the cloth. My head suddenly felt light.

"I really need to sit down..."

He didn't try to stop me as I stumbled to a nearby chair with a broad back and slumped into it. I cradled my arm to me as I waited for the world to stop spinning.

"I think you've lost too much blood." He said, kneeling beside me.

There was a small amount of strain to his voice. My eyes were closed as I nodded in agreement, wondering if I might need to head to the hospital. I felt him gently grasp my arm and assumed he was resuming his examination. I looked down, startled, as he began licking the open bite marks. I sucked in a breath to fight off squirming as the initial sting set in but the pain lessened the more he kept licking. If it hadn't started to recede so quickly I would have protested his treatment but it seemed stupid to object to something that was clearly helping. I was mighty anxious when I saw glimpses of his fangs as he moved his mouth, but the longer he worked the less I became afraid of him using them. If he hadn't used them at this point he likely wasn't going to, or so I could hope. Leisurely his tongue stroked my skin and a calm tranquility spread through me. I felt I was recovering and rather rapidly. Eventually Eric pulled away almost reluctantly and sat back on his heels. He looked dazed or sort of drunk.

"That should help prevent any visits to the doctor." He said between breaths. They were very deliberate, since vampires have no need to breathe.

"Thank you." My voice sounded so soft, even to me. "So you don't think it'll need stitches?" As soon as the question came out of my mouth I was looking down at fresh pink scar tissue where the gaping jagged tears in my flesh had been. My jaw fell open. "How...?" I looked at Eric, bewildered.

"Vampire blood."

"No shit..." I stared, dumbfounded. "Well, wow, thanks." I twisted and turned my arm over and over again examining the results. I didn't understand it but I was very pleased. Even my fatigue had lessened.

He nodded, keeping his lips tight with his gaze fixed on me. I smiled warmly, not sure if he was expecting some further gratitude on my part. Should I give him a hug? I straightened up in the chair and then I noticed how largely dilated his pupils were. Suddenly I got the urgent sense that if I didn't leave now, I'd never see home again. I regarded Eric like a large forest predator and moved slowly and cautiously out of my seat.

"Right, well, thank you so much again and I'll..." I was going to say be seeing you, but I didn't plan on that ever again if I could help it. I fumbled for my car key as I struggled to come up with something passable. "I'll try to stop by the bar sometime." It was the quickest thing to come to mind.

"Be sure that you do."

He had pulled a small business card from his pocket and handed it to me. It was glossy and black with Fangtasia written in a fancy red cursive on the front. The backside had the address and number of the bar. At least I finally knew where I was. My apartment was just a 30 minute drive away. Walking briskly to the back exit I gave a final nervous wave as I shut the door behind me and breathed in the cold night air. It bit at my cheeks and nose as I hurried through the small back parking lot to my car. The windows were covered in a light frost. I trembled and shivered violently as I waited for the heater to kick in and drove off into the coming dawn. I was so relieved I cried the entire way home.