Chapter Three: Momentum

Music wafted through the hotel room and the late summer, early autumn sunset cast a beautiful purple and orange glow that gave the space a warm, peaceful ambiance. Evangeline stood in the bedroom, putting on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. She had stayed up late last night and forced herself to sleep in so she could be alert and energized for her night with Godric. Even though she had woken up well before the sun fell behind the horizon, Evangeline was still energetic; if not from the sleep, then from the excitement she felt.

There was no denying she was excited to spend time with the vampire. He was mysterious, handsome, generous, and incredibly kind. Even without the sense of familiarity, Evangeline felt comfortable, albeit shy, in his presence. Godric had yet to criticize her, and he seemed sincere in everything he did, when it came to her, at least. He barely knew Evee, but he paid for her to stay in a lavish hotel. He was so old, and yet, looked no older than a teenager. He was also a walking history textbook, probably having seen so much over the course of his life. He was the intriguing one, not her.

Evangeline hummed to the melody of the music, swaying her hips back and forth, as she looked for a shirt to wear. The news forecast had said that the heat would break at night, and the cool breeze coming in from the open windows had attested to that. Evee spotted a thin red and black flannel in her bag and pulled it on, relishing the feel of the soft material. She didn't know what Godric had planned for the night, if anything, so she kept her hair simple, leaving her purple locks down, her chin-length bangs partially falling over her left eye. She also applied a little bit of black eyeshadow to give her stormy eyes a smokey look.

Just as she had finished cleaning up, a knock sounded on Evangeline's door. Her head snapped up to the windows and she realized that the sun had already completely gone down. Instantly forgetting about everything else, she launched towards the door and pulled it open.

Godric smiled when he saw her flushed face, her eyes bright, and her chest heaving from answering in a hurry. He took in her appearance and, dressed in a flannel, jeans, and boots, she just looked so... Real. She was the total opposite of the bland, run-of-the-mill humans he saw every night. Her hair was unique, as were her stretched earlobes; at least to today's society. Godric fondly remembered the tales of races and tribes from a time even before he lived. Ancient Egyptians stretched their ears to display their nobility, as did the Buddha when he was known as Prince Siddhartha. Some tribes, such as the Maasai tribes from Kenya, stretched their lobes because they found it beautiful. Other old civilizations stretched their ears to show their warrior status.

To Godric, Evangeline was all of those things.

"Godric," she breathed, a lopsided smile playing on her lips. "Nice to see you again."

"Good evening, Evangeline. It's nice to see you again, as well," he replied. He spoke the truth, too. Godric had risen about an hour before the sun set, as usual, and was ready to leave his home as soon as he was able to. He even asked Isabel to put anything that came up on hold if it wasn't incredibly urgent.

"Would you like to come in?" Evee asked, gesturing behind her to the room.

"Actually, I was going to ask if you were ready to leave." Godric replied. "I thought we might take a walk tonight."

"Okay," the girl replied. "Lemme just grab a jacket." She disappeared, only to return a moment later with a faux leather jacket hung over one arm. Evangeline wasn't sure if she would need it, but she brought it anyway. While she loved the beauty the cooler months brought, she hated the cold weather that came with them.

As the two left the building and began their walk, Evangeline snuck shy glances at Godric. Every so often, he would advert his eyes down to her and give a small smile, and Evee would quickly look away. She felt like a child, acting like this; like a school girl that had just realized that, sometimes, boys were cute. She wondered how childish Godric thought she was.

"So," Evee began as they entered a park. It was cozy, with lots of trees surrounding them and benches lining the dimly lit walkways. "How did you find me the other night?"

"Coincidence, actually." He gazed at the sky as he spoke. "I had been out to run an errand and I saw you in passing."

"Oh." Evangeline couldn't help but feel disappointed. Godric hadn't been actively looking for her like she had hoped; they had met purely by chance. She glanced down at her boot-clad feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, not wanting to show her disappointment. Godric picked up on it, however, and stopped walking. Evee continued to look at her feet until Godric curled his index finger under her chin and brought her attention to him.

"Coincidental or not, I'm happy our paths crossed. You are a wonderful girl, Evangeline. Please believe me when I say that."

"Should I, though?" Evangeline retorted. She probably shouldn't have opened her mouth, but she was disappointed - even a little angry. "Should I believe you, Godric? If you're so happy our paths crossed, if you decided you wanted to get to know me better, why didn't you seek me out?"

Godric pinched the bridge of his nose, which Evangeline thought was a really human thing to do. It would have been humorous, had she not been angry with him.

"I didn't seek you out because I am a monster, Evangeline." He opened his eyes and sadness reflected from them. "Vampires are extremely dangerous creatures. I shouldn't even be spending time with you, really. It's too hazardous."

Well, then! That was not the answer Evee had been expecting. It was obvious that Godric was beating himself up over it, and all of her anger melted away. Evangeline couldn't be mad at him when he was so distraught.

"Oh, Godric," she sighed, bringing her hands up to cup his cold cheeks. "You're not a monster. Not at all."

"I could kill you if I wanted to." He stared hard into her eyes, trying to get the point into her head.

"So can humans. I mean, look at my arms." Evangeline pushed up her sleeves and showed Godric the hand-shaped bruises Boy Band had given her. They were a sickening combination of purple and green, with hints of yellow mixed in. Godric frowned, but Evee continued before he could say anything. "You may be a vampire, but you have done nothing but be good to me. You could have hurt me - hell, even killed me - many times. And yet, you haven't."

"I haven't, but it's been difficult, Evangeline. I haven't spent this much time around a human in years." Godric countered. "You have to understand-"

"I may not entirely understand the situation, but you really aren't the monster you think you are." Evee cut him off. "Understand me, Godric, when I tell you that."

The vampire looked to the ground, having a battle within himself. From the corner of his eye he saw a small hand slip into his. Evangeline's fingers intertwined with his, and she bent slightly to catch his gaze. Godric raised his head to look at her.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, okay?" She offered him a small smile and Godric felt a tingling sensation spread throughout his body. He couldn't determine if it felt like fluttering butterflies or sparks of electricity; perhaps a bit of both. Evangeline's hand felt warm in his and they fit almost perfectly. Even when she wasn't trying to be funny, her smile was still lopsided, and Godric briefly thought about how it was one of the cutest things he had ever seen.

"Come on," she said, breaking his trance. "Let's continue our walk."

Obliging, Godric let Evangeline lead him down the path, their hands remaining connected. The silence shared between them was comfortable as they strolled at a leisurely pace, simply taking in their surroundings and enjoying each other's company.

"Tell me about yourself." Godric suddenly said, breaking the silence. "You know more about me than I know about you."

"That's not a lot, though." Evangeline teased with a smile. The vampire smirked in response and said nothing, waiting for her to continue. Evee blew out a breath, her lips making a raspberry noise and blowing her bangs up a little. "Well... My full name is Evangeline Colette Shevlin. I'm twenty-three years old and my birthday is May thirtieth."

"Where were you born?"

Evangeline hesitated, uneasy about sharing that kind of information.

"Philadelphia."

"Did you grow up there?" Godric noticed her hesitance in telling him about her personal life, but he was curious.

"Yeah. I lived there until I was nineteen."

"Where did you live after that?"

"That's when I started my traveling." Evee looked up to the stars, silently calling on them for some support. She hoped Godric wouldn't tell anyone, and she had a feeling that he wouldn't, but she didn't know for sure. "The first place I went was New York. I stayed in Manhattan for, like, six weeks. I spent about a year hopping around the East Coast, then I started moving inward. The night you saw me play was the day I got to Dallas."

"What made you want to travel?" The more Godric heard, the more he truly was interested.

Evangeline visibly tensed, her hand squeezing his a little harder. Her eyes frantically darted back and forth across the ground in front of them, and Godric heard her pulse quicken.

"I... I don't want to talk about that," she eventually mumbled, her voice quaking slightly.

"Did something happen to you?" Godric gently pressed, his gaze boring into the side of her face, eyebrows knitted together in serious confusion.

"Please, Godric, don't make me talk about it. I don't want to right now." Evee pleaded, staring hard at the ground. "Maybe I'll tell you another time, but I just don't want to tonight."

"Where are your parents?" He changed the subject after a moment of silence.

"Back in Philadelphia."

"Do you have a good relationship with them?"

"Yeah. I miss them a lot." The love the girl had for her parents was visible in her eyes.

"Have you spoken to them recently?"

"Not really. I've been moving around a lot, lately. I think the last time I spoke to them was..." She thought for a moment. "Sometime around three months ago."

"Why haven't you called them?"

"I can't."

Her short reply told Godric that they were heading back to that subject again, so he didn't say anything else. They walked for a few more minutes in silence, until a colorful paper stapled to a light pole caught Evee's attention. She stopped for a moment to read it.

"FALL CARNIVAL
NorthPark Center parking lot
Sep. 13th - Sep 22nd
Mon-Thu & Sun: 6pm-9pm
Fri & Sat: 6pm-10pm

8687 N Central Expy
Dallas, TX"

"What's NorthPark Center?" Evangeline asked, turning to face Godric. Excitement was creeping into her tone, and he was glad the negative emotions were seemingly forgotten.

"I believe the term is shopping mall," he replied, taking a look at the flyer. "What is a carnival?"

"You must be really old if you don't know what a carnival is," Evee teased. "It's basically a bunch of amusement rides and games set up in one place, and people pay to ride or play."

"And do you want to go to this... Carnival?"

"Yes!" Evee exclaimed. She was glad the subject of her past was dropped. "I brought some money with me. What time is it?"

Godric pulled his cell phone from his pocket and pressed a button to light the screen.

"Seven forty-two."

"We'll have, like, an hour if we go now." Evangeline bounced on the balls of her feet. "Can we, please?"

"If you wish." Godric smiled at her excitement. How could he say no? "It's close by. It'll only take a few minutes to get there."

"Oh, thank you!"

Evangeline suddenly threw her arms around Godric's neck and he immediately tensed. Her body was flush against his, her breasts pressing onto him. The sweet aroma of her blood mixed with a musky perfume oil filled his nostrils. Warmth left her body and entered his. Her neck, and the jugular vein pumping hot blood inside of it, was only centimeters away from his mouth. His pupils dilated, his gums ached to extend his fangs, and the crotch of his jeans became too tight.

It took every last ounce of willpower that Godric had to restrain the beast that was clawing its way to the surface.

Realizing what she had done, Evangeline quickly pulled away and put distance between herself and Godric. She hunched her shoulders and held onto her right arm with her left hand.

"Sorry," she mumbled, sneaking a glance at him. He was as stiff as a statue, and the only indication that he was alive - or as alive as a vampire could be - was his heavy, ragged, unnecessary breathing. "I'm so sorry. That was so stupid of me. I shouldn't have hugged you; we're not even close like that! At least, I didn't think we were. I don't know how you feel. And... God, I'm just so fucking stupid. I'm sorry. I know you said you don't feed much anymore and me being so close probably just-"

Evangeline was suddenly cut off by a cold finger being placed over her lips. Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked up to see Godric staring down at her. She had been so caught up in her rant, staring at the ground, that she didn't even notice that the vampire had, for the most part, composed himself. He was still breathing deeply, but he otherwise seemed fine.

"Sowwy," she said from behind his finger, her speech distorted because of it.

"Relax, little one." Godric said softly, even though he, too, still appeared tense. "Come. We don't have much time for the carnival."

It wasn't long before Evangeline and Godric arrived at the mall parking lot. Evee was happy that the walk was a short one, as the silence that passed between the two of them was incredibly awkward. She kept a gap between them, afraid that being too close would set him off again. The incident was both embarrassing and terrifying; she could see the restraint he had been using to keep from attacking her. All because she had let her excitement get the better of her. He could have easily killed her. The thought of how he could rip her throat out as if he were biting into Jell-O was disturbing.

"Oh." Godric's voice broke Evee from her scary thoughts. "I have seen these before."

Metal barriers enclosed the carnival into a portion of the lot, so no cars could drive through. There were lots of rides, including a Tilt-A-Whirl, Scrambler, Zipper, a fun house, and a surprisingly large ferris wheel. Sounds from games echoed around her as children tried their hand at water gun racing, balloon darts, ring tosses, and frog hopping. Delicious smells filled her nostrils as people walked by with corn dogs, bags of popcorn, cotton candy, and, Evee's favorite, funnel cake. Her mouth watered at the mere thought of the deep fried, sugary treat.

"I knew you couldn't have gone all this time without seeing a carnival." Evangeline replied. "Are you going to go on rides with me, or am I gonna have to go alone?"

"Would you rather I went with you?" Godric looked uneasy about the idea, and Evangeline debated on telling him not to worry about it. However, the image of him being on the Scrambler was too good to pass on.

"I mean... It would be nice, but-"

"Then let's go."

A surge of joy shot through Evee, though she didn't hug Godric. She did not want to relive that moment.

The vampire paid for a small string of tickets, which made Evee frustrated, but she was slowly learning to deal with the fact that she was never going to win when it came to paying for things. However, she would never fully accept it. Godric was stubborn about it, sure, but so was she. Evee decided she would save the money that he wouldn't let her spend, and just buy him something really nice later. It would be a combination gift; a combination of "thank you" and "here's your damn money back."

Godric on carnival rides was definitely as amusing as Evangeline had thought it would be. They went on the Tilt-A-Whirl first, and Evee found herself laughing more at Godric's reaction than the ride itself. He looked like he wanted to enjoy himself but didn't understand the ride at all. It probably also wasn't much fun because it wasn't like he could get dizzy from the spinning. If anything, the ride was probably too slow. Regardless, Evee had to wipe tears away from laughing so hard.

The vampire really wasn't enjoying the amusement rides, but he accompanied the girl anyway, because he did enjoy seeing her so happy. Her cheeks turned rosy, her eyes sparkled, and she bore a huge grin. Her joy at something so... So human was enough to bring out a small sliver of his own humanity. It was a sensation that Godric hadn't felt in decades. Centuries, even. He had glimpses of it before, but never had it felt so satisfying.

They had just gotten off of the Scrambler when Evangeline saw the ring toss. She meandered over to it and smiled at a teddy bear that hung from one of the booth posts. The bear was a pretty chocolate brown color and wore a red bow around its neck.

"Would you like the bear?" Godric asked as he watched Evee admire it.

"I would, but I don't have anywhere to put it, with all of the traveling I do." She sighed softly. It really was adorable, and she wanted something to remember the night by. "I think I might try for it anyway."

Evangeline fished some money from her pocket and gave the game attendant five dollars. In return, he handed her a bucket of red plastic rings, each just slightly larger than the necks of the small sea of green glass bottles that sat before her. Godric gave Evangeline a look that indicated that he was clearly displeased about her paying for herself, and Evee stuck her tongue out at him in response. She plucked a ring from the bucket and tossed it, aiming for a bottle in the middle. It clinked off of the neck and clattered to the ground.

"Would you like me to do it?" Godric asked.

"No." Evangeline stubbornly replied. "I want to win it myself."

Godric chuckled at the girl's intense look of determination, her brows furrowed together and her bottom lip caught tightly between her teeth. Ring after ring flew through the air, each one missing. Eventually, determination turned to frustration and Godric had to keep himself from blatantly laughing at the poor girl. When yet another ring missed, Evee huffed. Then she turned to her vampire friend, a silly glint in her eyes.

"Godric?" He instantly knew what was coming.

"You want to let me win you the bear now." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Well... I mean... This game is really hard, considering my puny human hand-eye coordination is crap." Evangeline knew he knew she was putting on an act because she was too stubborn to admit she couldn't do it, but Godric, bless his heart, didn't call her out on it. He simply smiled knowingly. "And you're a vampire..."

"I am."

"And because you're a vampire, your hand-eye coordination is so much better..."

Godric couldn't hold back any longer and openly laughed at her. The casual and innocent expression Evee was making faltered as she, too, broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Give me some." Godric said, gesturing to the bucket of rings. Evangeline did as she was told then stepped back, giving him room.

Two minutes and a very disgruntled game attendant later, Godric and Evee were waiting in line for the ferris wheel, Evee clutching the brown teddy bear to her chest.

"So," she began as they took a few steps forward in line. It was moving quickly; they wouldn't have to wait long. "How are you liking the carnival?"

"It's... Interesting," he concluded after a moment.

"If you don't like it we can leave now." Evee responded. "We got to hang out here for a little bit, so we can go whenever you want."

"No, I do like it." Godric replied. "I would come to these every night if it meant getting to see you smile."

Evangeline's cheeks immediately heated up, and she looked away with a small smile. Before she could struggle with thinking of what to say in response, the ferris wheel operator opened the gate and motioned them forward. Evee clambered into the cart and Godric followed, albeit much more gracefully. The little door shut and locked behind them, and the wheel began to move. The girl diligently kept her gaze away from the vampire, too nervous to look him in the eye. After a comment like that, she wondered exactly how well he wanted to get to know her. Evangeline had thought of it before, but physically hearing things with such a suggestive undertone made it seem so much more real. A chill ran down her spine, from both the thought and the strong breeze that blew by now that they were off of the ground. Godric put his arm around her shoulders and her cheeks suddenly felt warmer.

"I know I can't do much to keep you warm, but it's better than nothing, I suppose." Godric said.

"It's the thought that counts." Evee replied as she turned to glance at him, the ghost of a smile appearing on her soft lips. She allowed herself to lean into him and, although his body wasn't warm, it warmed her soul to think that someone wanted to spend this much time with her; that someone truly enjoyed her company.

Godric's embrace tightened. Evangeline was clueless to the fact that he felt the exact same way.

"I wonder what it would be like to see the city from above." Evee mused as the wheel rounded the top. She couldn't see very far into the distance, and they weren't very high up, but the view of the parking lot put the thought in mind.

"I could show you."

"What?"

"I could show you the city from above."

Evangeline took in the features of the vampire next to her. While amusement shone in his mercurial eyes, there were no signs of teasing or lying in them. Her own smokey orbs danced across his high cheekbones, strong, straight nose, and landed on his slightly full, slightly pink, lips. Her attention lingered there for a few seconds before bouncing back to his eyes.

"You what? How?" She just didn't understand. It was like her brain was malfunctioning. From his statement or his lips, which were taunting her with the smooth way they moved, Evangeline wasn't sure.

"I can fly." Godric deadpanned.

"You can what?"

"You must be having a hard time hearing," he mocked.

"Well I'm sorry!" Evangeline retorted, still in disbelief. "Excuse me for my mind being blown over the fact that you just told me you can fly!"

Godric chuckled, slowly moving closer to Evee. He curled the arm around her shoulders inward more, forcing her to lean against him. Her stormy eyes met with his silvery ones.

"You're a silly girl, Evangeline."

"Why is that?" She asked, her voice breathy from the adrenaline pumping through her veins. The close proximity between them made Evee's heart thud wetly in her ears. Her eyes traveled across his face, frequently making pit stops at his lips. A smirk was set into said lips that Evangeline would've smacked clear off, had it been anyone else. It wasn't just anyone else though; it was Godric, the devilishly handsome vampire who had saved her from a hulking mass of a man. Godric, who wouldn't let her spend a dime for just about anything. Godric, who was kind and caring and treated her so well, simply because he wanted to.

Cool breath broke her from her trance. Godric was slowly leaning in, his eyes flicking between her eyes and lips.

"Because you care so greatly over miniscule things." Godric replied. A hand came up to lightly grasp her chin. Evee felt like she was going to burst from the anxiety but she tried not to let it show. She gripped her teddy bear so tightly that she was afraid her nails were going to puncture holes into its soft fur.

Slowly she began to lean in as well. Being so close, she could see that his pale lips looked incredibly soft. She suddenly wanted to find out if they felt as such. His unnecessary breaths, lightly falling on her face, smelled like spearmint. She wondered if it tasted like Wrigley's chewing gum.

"Being able to fly is not miniscule." Evee's voice was barely above a whisper, but she knew Godric could hear her clearly.

Their lips were millimeters apart; if the wind so much as blew the wrong way they would kiss. Evangeline closed her eyes. Her belly quivered from butterflies. Her nerves were so on edge that her skin tingled. And then...

"Alright, lovebirds. Ride's over."

Evangeline shot back like a teenager caught by her parents, putting as much space between herself and Godric as possible. The ride attendant stood with the gate to their car open, silently teasing her with a smirk and raised eyebrows. Her face immediately heated up so much that it felt like it was going to melt off. People waiting in line for their turn watched the scenario, smiling and laughing.

Evangeline had never wanted to punch someone square in the nose so badly.

A hand grasped hers, and Evee turned to see Godric offering a small smile. He otherwise appeared calm and collected and she wondered how he wasn't dying of embarrassment, like she was. The vampire moved his hand to the small of her back and gently led her away from the crowd.

"I believe the carnival is closing for the evening. Shall we go?" He asked, glancing down at her.

"Yeah," Evee replied, her face still red even as they walked away from the ferris wheel. "Let's get out of here."

"I have something to show you before we return to the hotel."

Before Evangeline could respond, Godric pulled her close, their bodies pressed against each other. His arms snaked around her waist in a vice-like grip and the butterflies returned to Evee's stomach. She blinked rapidly in confusion, trying to process what was happening.

"Wrap your arms around my neck." Godric commanded, gazing down at her. She could smell him again, and she thought she was going to get dizzy from all of the emotions and sensations overwhelming her human brain. She did as she was told, her hands gripping the opposite arms to get a stronger grasp.

"Hold on tightly."

"What are we-"

Suddenly she screamed, the shrill sound echoing through the air, as Godric took off in flight.

A few minutes later, the pair landed. Godric attempted to release Evangeline from his hold and step back, but she refused to move her arms. Her head was buried into the crook of his neck and she was breathing in short, quick spurts. He could hear her fragile heart working hard in her chest.

"Are you alright, Evangeline?"

"Fine. I'm fine." She was breathless and shaky, and it took a moment two gather herself. "It's just... That was both the most exhilarating and terrifying thing I have ever experienced."

A deep rumble in Godric's chest signified he was chuckling, and Evee eventually started to giggle as well. Finally, she pulled away and gave her trademark lopsided smile.

"I'm sorry. That was just so amazing! I can't believe we just flew!"

Godric smiled at the girl before him, remembering what he had said to her on the ferris wheel. Then it was as if something clicked inside Evee's head, and she looked at their surroundings. They were on the roof of the tallest skyscraper in Dallas, at least seventy stories high.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, her head and eyes moving in every which way. She looked at the black sky above, only a few stars twinkling down at her; most of the others were drowned out by the city lights.

And the lights! Evangeline approached the protective barrier at the edge of the building and looked over. All of the lights in Dallas shone brightly, sparkling in all kinds of colors. The street lights and the cars that obeyed them seemed so tiny from the height they were at. She could no longer pick out individual voices from the people below, and instead they came off as a low, generalized, hum.

"Godric, it's gorgeous up here!"

"You wondered what the city looked like from above, so here it is." He replied, smiling at Evee. He came to stand next to her as she leaned against the rail and looked over; she looked like a giddy little girl on Christmas morning.

"This is all so incredible." She said, turning her attention to him. "Thank you."

"Have you enjoyed your evening?" He studied her face, their eyes eventually meeting.

"Absolutely. I never thought I would ever get to do anything like this. I wish I could see the stars better, though."

"Perhaps we'll go somewhere more secluded next time."

"I would like that."

Evangeline felt herself moving closer to him, the feeling of familiarity returning. Godric placed his hand over hers on the rail, as if he could feel it, too. They silently looked at each other for a moment before seemingly coming to an understanding without words. Godric's free hand curled around the back of her neck, lightly holding her head, and hers came to rest on his stony chest. Their lips collided in a feverish passion, moving together with urgency to release the tension from the carnival, but also softly, as if both were still incredibly nervous. Godric's lips did, in fact, taste as good as Evangeline thought they would; they were soft and smooth, and the chill from his cold body mixed with the taste of spearmint made a shudder run down Evee's spine. Or maybe it was from the fact that she felt like this was all new to her, but at the same time, not new at all.

Two bodies meshed together, limbs tangled in one another. A bruised leg slid up the side of a masculine torso and wrapped around the lower back.

A pale hand glided its way up the front of a nearly malnourished feminine abdomen and cupped a breast.

Messy dark brown hair fanned across a pillow. Hands gripped at bed sheets in ecstasy.

Evangeline and Godric both jerked back, abruptly ending the kiss. She stared at him in shock and confusion, her breathing ragged. He returned the gaze, the same mix of emotions written on his features. Whatever she had seen, playing like portions of an old movie, he had apparently witnessed as well.

"What the fuck was that?!"

PLEASE READ: I am so, so sorry that I took over three months to finally update. There was so much going on with me that I either couldn't find time to write or couldn't find inspiration. I was stuck with writer's block for a few weeks, then after that I just had a lot going on. I had moved into a new apartment, was (and still am) having problems with my job, and the holidays had sucked up what was left of my time. Now that some of the stress has eased, I have been able to actually sit down at my new computer desk (hooray!) and get the rest of the chapter done. It's so nice to actually have a desk to write and type at.

Anywho, please go check out my bio page! I have included a few things to help you guys get a better idea of what's happening on my side of the computer screen. The first paragraph in the bio explains everything. Lastly, I have gone back to the first chapter and added a disclaimer, copyright, and rating warning. Please read that as well! I don't want to hear anyone complaining later about how I included something in a chapter that set a trigger off, but I never said anything. That means you didn't read the head note at the first chapter.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Xoxo, Shelly