Disclaimer: I do not own the Night World Series.

The Vampire and The Pauper

Chapter 6: It's All Over Now

"This is where you live?" Brenden asked with anger seething through his teeth. Lizzie glanced at her escort and then at her lap filled with shame and embarrassment.

"…Yeah."

The neighborhood could be described in one simple term: suburbia in poverty. All houses were one-story, and were the exact same design, with only a handful of colors to separate them. Some houses were white (or grey from dust and dirt) and some were red, but most of them were brown. The only thing that made each home different from the one before were the random items in the yards and small damages to the structures. One yard had piles of trash and gunk overflowing in the gutters. Another had a resident who was probably trying to be stereotypical upper-class, with garden gnomes, fake deer, fake flamingos and all.

As Brenden drove up to Lizzie's home, she could feel her cheeks burn hot pink. The front yard had old smash segment of what once was a wooden chair from when she was ten years old and her dad and his neighborhood friends were super drunk in celebration of the New York. A butcher knife was lodged through the wooden fence. That was from when she was fifteen and her dad chased her, calling her a whore because he was barely noticing that she had breasts. The signature to tell that it was her house was when she looked at her bedroom window and saw three bullet holes in the window. The sight of her wounded window made her dread that Brenden was seeing how much value she truly was. The humiliation influenced the want to just curl into a ball and die. She would never forget that night. It was last New Year when daddy dearest shot in the air with his Glock, or at least tried to. He was so trashed his aim was lopped to the side. He ended up shooting into Liz's room. She was so lucky to have been scrubbing spilt soda out of the carpet at the time.

Yes, New Year was her dad's favorite holiday. Now that I think about it, the 4th of July is soon about a few months. That's something to look forward too. Oh and dad's birthday is on Monday. Better prepare.

The car came to an immediate halt and Lizzie turned to see Brenden in a whole new state. Liz had seen him irritated before like at the hall and in the woods, but now he looked even more hostile. His eyes glared at the windshield with clouds of anger covering his pupils. His teeth were visible and notably sharp as scalpels to Lizzie's worry. His hands clenched down on the wheel tight enough to look like fist with his knuckles pure pale.

He was obviously furious, much to his passenger's confusion, but the girl was even more bewildered when she noticed he stopped right in front of her home.

"Brenden?" she beckoned in gentle and slightly frightened tone. Her voice called the boys piercing, midnight red eyes to shoot an enraged stare at her own. With his jaw clenched and mouth closed into a thin line, Liz looked at him the most peculiar way wondering what was raving in the depths of that strange place known as his mind. "Why'd you stop? I didn't tell you this was my house."

"You didn't have to. My telepathy has let hear everything you're been thinking." The mention of another otherworldly term like "telepathy" caused her to flinch. She still had no clue that was going on with the world had vampires; that's enough for tonight! She did not want to even touch on the subject that he was invading her head.

"…Oh … So, you heard about my memories and my father—"

"—Yeah, yeah. I did."

Brenden looked at the girl he was going to spend the rest of his life with and felt his anger boil over. So that was why she didn't want to come home, he figured with thoughts of murder. How dare this mere pathetic mortal do things like that to her! He saw everything she remembered about the rat she called Dad. It became his vows that no one would ever treat his Lizzie in such a way again. In the back of his mind he made a decision. Once Lizzie was packed and ready to go, he'd kill her father just for the heck of it. Speaking of that…

"Bunny, I forgot to mention something. I have good news and somewhat upsetting news, but just know that you have no choice and if you don't comply, I will make you comply." He smirked with delight and the look in his eye changed to mocking satisfaction.

The statement of such bold intention took a minute to process for the poor girl. When she finally understood she drew to stare of caution and fear. "Uh… What are you talking about?" she asked skepticism but mostly the hint of pure stupidity.

His smirk did not fade; if anything, it grew. The vampire leaned toward the girl too shocked to react. Knowing she couldn't rebel gave him the opportunity to wrap his arms around her waist. He leaned closer, placing a feathery kiss on her cheek before explaining in a light, soothing melody to her ear.

"When I met you a few hours ago. I was sure it was a mistake to get too attached to you."

The girl's expression suddenly brightened. "That's okay if you don't want to see each other anymore after this. I actually thought—"

"—Let me finish, my little Bunny." She shivered at the sparks of vibrations his whisper sent off. "I was sure it was a mistake. However, after our dance… our kiss… our time together… I know now for sure that you and I were meant to be. I refuse to go on with my dramatically extended life without you on my arm." With each pause, he placed a kiss on her neck. The smell of fresh, running blood blocked by easily torn skin was hard to refuse, by the boy was able to maintain his self-control.

"You refuse—?" she started with boundless confidence and great offense.

"Shhh… Bunny. So here is what's going to happen: you are going to go up to your room, pack up your things, and we are going to go to a place that I can keep you until I can get it legalized to change you."

Lizzie's discomfiture was conjured into pure confidence and power by his words. With a huff, she used her knuckles to shove him back to the driver's seat.

"Excuse me? Let me get one thing straight: I am not some stray animal for you to pick up and keep."

"Of course you aren't, Bunny."

"Stop calling me that. And plus, I don't intend on having any sort of relationship with you."

"We already established that you don't have a choice on the matter."

"Third, what do you mean by 'legalized to change you'?"

"I meant get the okay to change you into a vampire like me."

…

"Are you crazy? No! Hell no! No way am I ever going to be like you!"

"You don't have a choice on anything, my precious bunny rabbit."

"I won't do what you say."

The two were now up to their throats with irritation, glaring with direct power at each other. Brenden's smirk grew a bit wider and his glare had shown the pleasure he had knowing that he was bigger, stronger and in control.

"Once again, Love, you have no say. Now this can be done in two ways. You could comply or I can use my telepathy and make you do it. Now which would you prefer so I can make the final, since you can't."

Lizzie had tears in her eyes at how his arrogance could actually defeat her. He was right. He held all the power. She had no choice but to comply, because she wouldn't want to hand him power over her own free thoughts too. She'd already lost too much in the past 24 hours.

"Well, so what's going to happen after I go with you? Are you going rape me or something? Tell me the truth; I've already had enough surprises today!" she spat with as much venom as there was serious rage. The comment presented her turn to smirk at Brenden suddenly taken back complexion.

"What? No!"

"Why not? You've had no problem taking advantage of me in any other way!"

"That's different!"

"How so?"

"Because what I'm doing isn't to mistreat you, it's to protect and love you."

"I don't believe it."

"Well learn to because that's the truth! We are meant to be together so it is my duty to protect you. Humans are way too fragile, so I will make you immortal. But most importantly, I'm not going to let you continue to live this life you've nicknamed a nightmare! I know I can make you much happier than what that vermin you call a parent!" Their glares burned with intense resentment.

"You don't love me. I've only met you a few hours ago. You don't know me! You don't know anything about me!"

Before Lizzie could blink, her captor had leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She could feel her partner rap one arm around her waist with the sly attitude. Her first instinct was to push him away but this sparking sensation made all her muscles relax to the point where she couldn't move an inch. A thick haze with sparkles enveloped the couple. This feeling of completeness made both of them giddy. The rest of the world no longer mattered. She saw strings of lovely, bright colors amongst the pink clouds; they had shown her pieces of thought. It was Brenden's thoughts. They had been of his intentions. He really was trying to protect her. Most importantly, this connection proved to her that they really were meant to be.

She would have stayed with him in that wonderful fog forever if she could. Unfortunately, though, a conflict of reality grabbed Lizzie by hair and dragged her out of the car.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you little whore?"

That voice snapped Lizzie completely out of the haze and into panic. She brought her hands to her head and felt a large, calloused fist twisted in her tresses. This told her that her daddy was ready to inflict punishment for staying out passed curfew, more or less adding that she was caught with a guy. She bent back her spine so her feet may maintain her balance, keeping her drunken father from dragging her ass on the dry dirt lawn to pull her into the house. Her eyes closed as she wished for her two best friends to swoop in and save her.

Instead she had a controlling vampire intervene. As she waited for a force to pull her toward the front door and strike blows, her father had suddenly let her go. She took a minute to regain her balance and opened her eyes to meet her savior.

Brenden had already opened the front door and was currently tossing her unconscious, but still breathing, father inside like he was nothing more than a puff of fluff.

He… he saved me? She saw the boy in a whole new light. She knew his intention was at least safe. She knew he wasn't going to harm her. This act of heroism had made her heart swell with love and trust all for him. She decided she would comply. She would do whatever he commanded, for the time being that is.

She could tell he was smirking as she walked into the house quietly and headed toward the stairs. When she took the first step up she heard his voice in her head.

Your life here is over now, Lizzie. It's time for you to start again with me.

A.N.) The basic 'please review'.