

#

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# The Ruthins

## A Vampire in Love

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By Tessa Stokes

The Ruthins

A Vampire in Love

Third Edition of the stories **now re-edited.**

Editor Ella Graeme

Copyright 2013 Tessa Stokes

Published at Smashwords

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to actual people living or dead is purely coincidental.

All rights are reserved worldwide

ISBN 978-1-908210-75-3

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Cover Copyright Tessa Stokes 2013

All new edit, Ella Graeme 2013

All rights are reserved worldwide 2013

Smashwords License Statement

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

****

## The Ruthins

## A Vampire in Love

### Chapter One

He walked through the crowded nightclub smiling at his companion, a pale, lovely girl who didn't draw as many admiring glances as he did. Then after kissing her on the cheek, he stood by the bar, and scanned the range of hopeful female faces. His companion wandered alone onto the dance floor, where she started to sway to the music.

He looked around the crowd. A girl caught his attention. She had very long hair, and an elfin face. Her dress was barely there, and he liked the way it clung to her thighs, and showed off her pretty neck and shoulders.

The girl, whose name he would instantly forget, knew she'd been chosen, even though he hadn't yet approached her. She waited happily until he walked over, gracefully weaving through the crowded bar area.

He knew he was being stared at and not just by women, and he flashed his eyes in his sexy, inviting way as he returned their stares. His eyes were bright kingfisher blue in reality, but seemed silver in the special club lighting. He knew this gave them the shivers, his admirers, his future lovers. The one he approached wouldn't be the only girl he ravaged that night.

As he came closer, the girl was extremely impressed by his lovely face. He was very attractive, bordering on beautiful. His nose a perfect shape, his eyes, oddly silver, and mesmerizing, were fringed with long, dark lashes. He was tall, elegant, and muscular, and wore a shirt that was reminiscent of one from the sixteenth century over black jeans. The cuffs ruffled, coming to halfway down the backs of his hands, and the top four buttons closed with loops of satin. His hair was dark, and long to his shoulders, thick, slightly wavy, and pushed behind his ears. His overall look radiated sex.

He asked her name, and smiled charmingly. He captivated the girl as he leaned close, and kissed her cheek. She felt the coolness of his skin and the softness of his lips, and wanted them on hers.

Very soon, he took her hand to lead her to the outdoor area of the club. Couples were out there kissing. There was a woven, wooden fence in which there was a door that led to the street. Once out there, after closing the door, you could not re-open it from that side, and he knew this. There would be no escape back into the club garden for her.

Once through the door he began to kiss her gently at first, and then with little bites on her lips and cheeks. She breathed rapidly with excitement as he ran his hands up and down her thighs, and then along her neck as he continued to kiss her. It would be over in minutes. As soon as he had driven himself into a frenzy, he almost flew with the girl to the back alley of a row of shops across the street.

He felt her body respond to his, even as she moaned in pain when his bite became harder on her breasts. He stopped, and kissed her gently until her moan suggested another feeling, with his hips against hers, and his cool skin against her inner thighs. He filled her and thrust until he knew she was coming, and then he bit down hard into her throat and drained her in seconds. There was a trash skip in the alley and he tossed her in it.

When he went back into the nightclub, he noticed the companion he'd arrived with dancing close to a young man, her arms around his neck. She gave him their special look over her prey's shoulder.

The silver-eyed, beautiful man began tempting another woman. This next conquest had fifteen minutes of exquisite sexual pleasure in a nearby public rose garden, before she too became his meal. He didn't want to toss her into the trash with the other body. She'd whispered his name against his ear as they had made love, if that's what it could be called. It felt good so he put her in the trunk of his car, illegally parked in the entrance to the gardens. He already had a ticket that was tucked underneath a windscreen wiper. He left it there and went back to the club. He decided against telling the next girl he approached his name.

By the time he met up with his friend on their designated rendezvous time at his car, three other bodies were pressed into his trunk. He was sated with blood and sex. He smiled all the way to the place they disposed of bodies, and once there, threw the parking ticket in with them.

It was nearly dawn, which came early in the warm June weather. He wanted to be in his cool, comfortable house by the time that abominable sun came up. His companion fell silent as he drove home, her hand on his thigh.

### Chapter Two

****

Bliss hated her name, but then, when she thought about it, she hated her sister's name more, which was Blessing. Especially since lately, their dad said her sister wasn't such a blessing after all.

Bliss wondered what prompted her parents to give her this name. Could it be a reflection of how they felt when they conceived her, the love making that is? She hoped so, thinking that her dad had been very lonely since her mom was killed in that car crash. She hoped they shared some high-level lovemaking in the past.

Some of the kids at school found out her Christian name, and so there had been a few extra unpleasant moments to add to the ones already in existence in her job. She described her job to her friends as crummy and soul destroying. It wasn't meant to be so. It had held promise in the beginning, but as time went on, she found herself at such impossible odds with the ethos of the system, that the shine wore off more rapidly than she'd expected.

It would be her birthday in three days. She'd be twenty-four. She tried to get a few friends together to celebrate, but most of them were busy. It was hard being the one without a boyfriend. Two friends were already married, one had a child, and two others had jobs that meant they were going places, literally, as one of them was out of the country, and the other about to be.

Bliss lived in a seriously overpriced rental house, a mews 'cottage style' house, which always had one plumbing problem or another. She couldn't afford much more. She still owed study fees and needed to run a car. _'Seriously'_ , she'd told her dad _'you can't do without one'_ , and he agreed.

****

On the morning it all started, she pulled into the car park at work, parked next to Dennis's new car, and taking her briefcase out of the back seat, said hello to the teacher on playground duty. The other teacher stopped to commiserate with Bliss on yet another Monday. It was already warm and sunny. June so far had been unusually hot.

Bliss reluctantly walked into the staff room. As she made coffee, the head of the school, Dennis, came snooping around to check who was still in there and not in place in a form room at this unbelievably late hour of eight thirty in the morning.

Bliss didn't care anymore. She looked straight at him and said, "I like your new car Dennis, very chic."

He enjoyed compliments of any kind, and this one deflated his pigeon breast, which had been puffed up ready for the encounter with the late comer. He smiled and nodding turned to go back to his ivory tower.

Bliss watched his back disappear down the corridor and then went to the form homeroom, where she would need to take the register.

As she walked into the form room, the students were in small groups chattering. Some were in couples very close to each other. One or two stood alone looking very bored. Bliss dumped her briefcase on the desk, and stood watching them as she drank her coffee. She noticed a particularly attractive girl had a new hairdo, with lots of blonde streaks. It looked great. The girl was being worshiped by her group of friends, and as the register bell went, they groaned, and looked around to where Bliss normally stood.

Bliss felt a sudden rush of empathy for them and smiled at them all, called the names, recorded absences, and then sent them off to their first lessons.

She walked to where she would give a ninety-five minute session in English Literature. The theory behind the extended session said students could explore the texts in more depth. It just made the ones who hated the subject hate it more, and sometimes they would hang out in some hidey-hole for the period. Bliss knew what it was like, because she used to do it with gym, and games. She no longer cared, _'let them miss their hated subject, maybe they put in double for the subjects they loved'_ , she thought.

As the students wandered into the classroom, Bliss wrote up on the whiteboard.

_As long as you're quiet, you may do any work you have outstanding for any subject, or read, draw, etc. You choose. Any racket or ridiculous behavior, and we have to go back to the usual for the whole ninety-five minutes_.

Bliss sat at the desk just to the right of the whiteboard. A desk designated for the teacher, and watched their expressions as they read the board.

No one seemed upset by the instruction, and the students went quietly on with whatever they wanted to do. Bliss watched for a while and noticed a couple start writing notes to each other. Two or three students got out netbooks, iPods, or other gadgets. Bliss ignored it all. She had her own agenda.

Last night she'd downloaded an eBook she wanted to read, a light-hearted romantic fantasy. Too late to start reading then, now she got out her iPad to start the book. She was soon engrossed in the story. It drew her into the main character's life within minutes, and she was shocked when the bell for the end of the period sounded. The students quickly packed up and left the room before she could give them homework, not that she intended to do so, but they didn't know that.

Bliss had another class right then, younger students and poetry, but she simply didn't want to do it. They filed in and sat down, most of them quietly staring at her, one or two boys already creating their own clown act at the back of the room. She ignored them and pointed at the board where the message to the last class remained. The loudest boy at the back exclaimed, "But Miss, the lesson only lasts forty-five minutes." His colleague in clowning added, "Right."

Bliss erased the ninety-five minutes and wrote forty-five. There were a few, raised eyebrows, and smirks, but then the students just did their own thing. Even the loud boys settled down.

Bliss sat down and turned her attention back to her book. The heroine had met a gorgeous guy, who might fall in love with her. The best thing so far was how Bliss could identify with this heroine. She too had no success with her love life and hated her job, but this character had decided to do something about it. Not just leaving the job, but also leaving the town she lived in, and going off on an adventure that led her to this lovely village and gorgeous guys.

Bliss didn't usually read romance. Love stories worried her, but Bliss felt lonely. She was tired of being alone, and very short on romantic moments, and places in her life. This time Bliss read the book.

Throughout the day, Bliss read when she could. She left work right away at three thirty, actually passing some students on the way out of the gate, a very unusual occurrence.

On the drive home Bliss thought about what she'd read that day, especially the life that the main female character built for herself. Bliss wanted to do that too. She wanted to move away from where she lived, find a different life, love, different friends, and a different job.

She'd stopped at the traffic lights when she made the decision. She was going to leave her old life behind. She'd use the half-term break. Drive off across country, and stop when she loved her surroundings. It would be ten days away from her real life at least. She smiled as she rounded the top of the road where she lived, and then entered the drive, to park in the carport assigned to her mews cottage.

### Chapter Three

Bliss felt a pang of impatience as she unlocked her front door. How would she last out the week until Friday when she would be able to leave school for her holiday?

She started to make herself a cup of coffee. She wanted to continue reading her book, but at the same time, she didn't want it to end because then she would have exited that lovely world within the book.

Bliss forgot she was supposed to be celebrating her birthday that week, and a friend reminded her. She sat in the back room, which the afternoon sun warmed through the French windows. Bliss had opened one side of the doors, and sat in her favorite chair with her coffee, and book. Disturbed in her enjoyment of a love scene by her phone ringing, she put down her reading and answered her cell phone.

Lynn apologized for not being able to make it to the Friday evening get together to celebrate her birthday. Bliss suddenly didn't care. There was only one friend remaining that could make it. Bliss soothed Lynn before ending the call. She called the remaining participant in her birthday plans and told them _'it was off, she'd decided to get away, have a little holiday instead, that she'd leave straight after work on Friday'._

Bliss picked up her reading. She read until the breeze coming through the door turned from warm to cool making her shiver. She thought about making a sandwich as she closed the door and flicked on a lamp. Night was falling. There were red streaks across the sky. A flock of birds flew noisily overhead on their way to roost. She stood looking out at the potted plants on the patio. Should she water them? It rained lightly yesterday morning before the hot sun came up so maybe they would be okay. She'd water them the next night. She went to the kitchen to make a salad sandwich.

Bliss took her sandwich into the back room and switched on her TV. She checked the channels. Not seeing anything she wanted to watch she muted the sound, and left a show playing on the screen as she ate the sandwich.

Bliss went back to reading. At midnight she stopped, even though the book was hard to put down now. The characters were special for Bliss. The sexy love story enticed her. She felt desperation as she finally showered and got into bed. She wanted to have something happen in her life that would lift her from the solitary existence that had befallen her.

Trying to sleep, she imagined being with one of the characters. He would hold her close and whisper against her lips, the way she'd read he did with the girl in the book. He would fall in love with Bliss and they would make love.

Bliss sighed. She wasn't able to picture this properly. She couldn't believe any more that she would meet someone who would love her. It had been so long since she'd been asked out, or approached at all by a man. Well four years actually, she thought, counting back, and finding it closer to five years since she had a relationship.

She'd been nineteen. She'd met him at a party, a slim hipped young man, dressed in black, his hair unfashionably long, his green eyes inviting her to fall in love, which she had.

It had been eight months of pure pleasure. She'd felt lovely in his gaze, sexy in the warmth of his arms, invincible as they did everything together, always inseparable.

What had happened she thought, what had really happened? He hadn't let her down easily. He'd simply dropped her, one day there, the next gone with a group of friends to Australia for a year. Maybe for good his letter had said. It shook her to the core. She couldn't believe he'd done it. Bliss called him at once. The letter was pushed through her door by hand in the night so that she expected him to be somewhere she could contact him. His cell phone was off. She called his home, where his mother said he'd already left, that the plane taking him away departed at five that morning. Maybe Bliss could email. His mother sounded sympathetic as she told Bliss this. It made Bliss cry.

Bliss remembered the email she'd sent him, and how it had been answered. He wrote back, _'please accept that we're over. I'll remember you because we had fun together, but I will not reply to any other correspondence'_. That hurt Bliss more than she could describe to her Dad, her sister, and any friend who would listen to her sad tale.

Bliss hugged herself now as she shrank in her bed remembering this awful time, and then she lay straight again staring into the darkness of her room. At close to one-thirty in the morning, she sighed noticing the time on the big face of the digital clock on her bedside table. How was it possible that she'd met no one else, that not one guy had asked her out in four years? She knew she'd be tired the next day when it was time to get up for work, and the more she tried to sleep, the more worried she became about not being able to cope the next day. This job had stripped her of her natural resilience, and the vitality she could have enjoyed. She felt old, and then trying to stop this dive into melancholy she told herself twenty-four wasn't even remotely old.

Sometime between two-thirty and three in the morning, Bliss fell asleep.

****

Over a hundred miles away from where Bliss slept, but at the same hour, the silver eyes were once more focused on a pretty girl. A group of girls left a party and they fell into step with the gorgeous man, and his friend. A man not quite as attractive, but sexy all the same, and this man started a conversation telling them his name was Nathan. The girls were heading for a taxicab, but then agreed to go on to another party with the two men. They all got into Nathan's luxurious car and began to kiss each other.

The third girl who wasn't being kissed, but was crushed up against the car door, was about to get out and leave the other two, when she felt a cool hand slide between her legs, and start to give her such pleasure that she closed her eyes. She gave herself up to the stroking that made her hips move and she pressed down. She felt a thumb stroke her bud and the fingers were deep inside her. Her orgasm made her moan.

She opened her eyes again to see the man who'd been kissing her companion watching her. He looked over her friend's shoulder with a smoldering expression in his silver eyes. She wanted his kiss and moved a little forward to reach her mouth to his. He left his fingers inside her and leaned towards her.

Nathan started the car. The girl he had by his side was slumped in the passenger seat.

_They had time for more fun before the dawn came_.

### Chapter Four

****

The sun came through the bedroom window straight into Bliss's eyes. She didn't want to get up, but she did. She plodded through the day, and at three thirty instead of attending a staff meeting, she told the Deputy Head that she was unwell, _'could they cover for her the next day'._

He nodded his head agreeing to do it.

Bliss sang along with the songs on the radio as she drove home in her happiness at the freedom she'd have the next day.

Once in her cottage, she threw open the door of the big, back room window to the sun. She settled down to read her book again. It was like going home, a welcoming landscape, friends, lovers. There must be something close to this out there in the real world she thought, if only she could find it.

Bliss read half the night. When she finished the story she felt such a loss that she checked the author's website in the hope that there were more books with these same characters, and this same landscape. Her joy at finding there was one other book surprised her.

It was late and so she waited until the next morning to buy the book. Bliss started to read it right away. Sitting there engrossed in the book, she suddenly realized she was moving a finger over her lips every time the heroine and her lover were kissing.

She sighed realizing she really needed love, and then she sighed again. She stood up and put her iPad down. Bliss made herself coffee and rang her dad. It surprised her when her sister answered the phone.

"Blessing, why aren't you at work? Is dad home, this is his day off isn't it?"

She heard Blessing sniff.

"I have a cold and anyway I'm waiting for a new contract. The agency has something for me to start next week. Dad is at the supermarket. Why are you calling, why aren't you in a class, it's not break, or lunch time?" She asked accusingly.

Bliss looked up at the ceiling and then at her fingers as she coiled the telephone cable around them. "I want to tell dad I'm going away for the half-term break...just on a little road trip. We were meeting for lunch on Friday after school finished...you know we get off at midday...well I was thinking dad wouldn't mind if we had lunch another time. I want to get away as soon as possible to miss the Friday traffic. When are you expecting him home?"

Blessing sniffed again and cleared her throat. "I don't know. He was gone when I got up. Just call him back. Have you taken the day off work or what?" She wasn't giving up on her quest to know why Bliss was calling at a time she would normally be teaching.

Bliss smiled slightly at the tone in Blessing's voice, it was wheedling, like when they were children.

"I took the day off if you must know. I feel burned out by the place. I'll be back there tomorrow."

Blessing immediately took up her flag. "You should just pack it in. The job's been bad for you for the last two years, since you took it in fact, tell them to stick it, be a free spirit like..."

She didn't finish because Bliss finished for her.

"Like you, I know, and you have a point, but I have to work. I need to get another job before I leave this one."

Bliss heard something in the background of the phone call, and Blessing said _'hello Dad, hey Bliss is on the phone'_ and then her dad's voice came on the line.

"Bliss, what's going on? Are you calling from school?" He sounded a little harried.

Bliss quickly reassured him. "Everything's fine Dad. I'm just having a day to myself. I'm calling to tell you I'm going off on a little trip for half term, do you mind if we skip lunch Friday? I'd like to avoid the rush hour if I can." She heard her dad breathe out.

"That's fine. Is it still okay for me to pop over Thursday night, it's your birthday, have you forgotten?"

"Of course I'm expecting you on Thursday night," she answered. "It's just I thought I'd give you advance notice of Friday lunch, you know, so that you could plan something else."

Her dad had Friday afternoon off but worked every Saturday. He was the manager of a bookstore, a large branch in the nearby city, and he often worked a four-hour shift on Sunday too. Apart from that, he only had the one whole day off a month. Today was one of those monthly days.

Bliss sometimes worried that he worked too hard, but he'd told her _'this is what kept him sane after her mom died_... _he loved books, he always had...it was his sanctuary, the bookstore.'_

Bliss smiled down the phone. "Dad, I'll see you on Thursday night then. I'll let you go unpack the shopping before something melts." Her dad said his goodbyes and they ended the call.

Bliss stared out of her kitchen window at a blackbird on the little stone birdbath as she waited for the kettle to boil for tea. Poor dad she thought, ' _I wonder if Blessing is a worry to him.'_

Blessing and her free spirit stuff. She'd declared herself this a few years ago, eschewing university and a permanent job. She went from one temporary job to another and had done the same with her accommodation. Mostly because she lived with one boyfriend or another, moving her few belongings in black plastic garbage bags, until the relationship broke down and she moved out.

Almost a year ago now, Blessing had gone home to her dad after she'd lived for a week in her old Ford van. A cramped existence, which her dad found out about from the boyfriend Blessing had left. Her dad insisted Blessing come home for a couple of months until she found her feet again. A year later Blessing hadn't found her feet. Bliss asked her dad if he minded Blessing being at home again. After all, it had been her choice to leave, and she'd done so in a flurry of declarations about independence, free spirited behavior, and growing up. Her dad said that he minded Blessing sleeping in her little van, and that having her home was good in many ways, although he wished she were a little less messy and maybe a little more ambitious. Bliss agreed with him. When Blessing had stayed with her for two weeks, the place had been intolerably messy after only two days. Bliss couldn't see how you could even know where any of your stuff was, when everything was just chucked everywhere.

She took her coffee into her back room and sat down with her new book. Bliss sighed as she continued to read the passage she'd previously been reading. The author described a kiss between the characters so vividly. She let go of all thoughts and read the book. She stopped in the evening with a couple of chapters left to read, and she wanted to save them to read over the next two days. They would keep her going until she was free. Free from the job and off on her break.

She decided to pack a little, thinking this would cement the idea that she would be going away. She fished out her big 'hold all' and checked the condition of her toiletries case. It needed wiping out, and so Bliss did this with dampened paper towel thinking about what clothes she would take for the week.

It was important to have just enough. She didn't want too much. She would buy something if she needed it. Let this holiday change her in as many ways as possible.

After half an hour, Bliss felt happy with her packing. She went downstairs and started to make some toast. She made a cup of tea, and took her toast to the small table where she could sit and look out at the view from her little garden. The mews were built on a slight incline and the gardens had a lovely view of woods, and farmland.

As she ate, Bliss considered the locations described in the books. She wanted to go to those places, convinced they were real places disguised by made-up names.

Bliss dragged herself through Wednesday at school. Thursday dawned a little cloudy and it drizzled with rain at morning recess. Bliss looked at the sky during the lunch break hoping the weather would clear for Friday, and go back to the lovely warmth that had characterized the last few weeks.

That evening her dad arrived with Blessing in tow, they both smiled happily as she let them in, handing her wrapped packages. Her dad kissed her cheek as he passed. Bliss caught his arm and kissed his cheek in return.

The evening passed quickly as her dad told her little stories about a new employee he had at the bookstore. The young girl was always holed up somewhere reading a book. He thought it charming even though she wasn't pulling her weight in busy periods.

Blessing regaled Bliss with ideas for how she could get 'temp' work, and so escape the job she'd come to hate. Bliss smiled and nodded throughout, her dad occasionally giving her a little smile of commiseration. It was a nice evening and their gifts for her were great.

Her dad had given her a laptop case, made from neoprene, and a vibrant fluorescent blue. She exclaimed in delight. Inside he had popped a gift certificate for a clothes shop he knew she liked. Blessing had already been there. Her present for Bliss was a cotton sweater, scoop-necked, and with three quarter length sleeves, just what Bliss would have chosen, in a deep violet color. Bliss kissed them both on the cheek saying she'd been spoilt. By the end of the evening, they were all feeling happy and relaxed.

Bliss wanted to read the last chapter of her book before she went to sleep. Tomorrow was her big day and she was so looking forward to it.

### Chapter Five

When the term break-up bell rang out in school, Bliss picked up her briefcase where she had already stowed her laptop in the concealed, padded compartment, and walked out to freedom. Her beloved car in the car park shone in the sun, even though black the sunlight bounced off it in spangles. On her way home, she sang to the CD in the CD player. She loved this band, and she loved her car. She told herself that job had been worth doing just to have bought her car.

At home, she changed into her jeans, short flat boots, the T-shirt she'd chosen to wear, and cleaned her teeth. She checked her light make-up, renewing her lip-gloss and then made sure she had all the toiletries she would need for a few days.

With her hold all in the back next to a blanket, her long boots, waxed jacket and sweater thrown beside it, she carefully placed her hard shell case containing her netbook, iPad, wireless dongle and a flash drive on the back seat. Then she secured it with the seat belt and decided to cover it with the blanket. She put a box of tissues and a roll of paper towel on the floor behind her driver seat, and completed her packing with her toiletries case and a six-pack of bottled water, which she put in the trunk area with her hold all.

Satisfied with her packing, she ran back into her cottage and went to the bathroom, picked up her little shoulder bag containing her wallet and phone, and a bottle of water from her fridge happily. She locked her front door. As she walked to her car Bliss uncapped the water, took a small drink, and placed the bottle in the cup holder located below the transmission. She had maps and her satellite-navigation unit, but right then she would travel by heart, and set off in a general westerly direction.

As she reached the outskirts of the city she lived near, the traffic became heavy, and it took her half an hour to get out the other side. Then the road she was on cleared considerably and smiling to herself, she began to sail along.

Bliss soon reached the next county. The countryside was beautiful, rolling green fields, hedges loaded with white blossom, or banked with trees heavy with leaves. The leaves formed a canopy over the road, and cooled the air before she came out again into the bright sun, and the warmth of the early June weather.

In yet another county, she'd been driving for about two hours. On reaching signs indicating she was approaching a country town she decided to stop there, find a café, eat, and boot her computer. She would locate a room for the night in one of the hotel chains that were frequent, inexpensive, and quite comfortable.

Bliss slowed down as she entered the town. The buildings were old, with some lining the street, half-timbered, Tudor type, and low. She entered the main street where the buildings were alternately very old and not so old, the bar, very old, the shop alongside not so old. She noticed a café, and to her great pleasure, a river running through the middle of the town. She had to cross an obviously medieval bridge to continue on the road to the well signposted car parks.

Traffic lights controlled the progress of cars over the bridge that wasn't wide enough for two cars alongside each other, so first one side of the traffic could drive over the bridge and then the other. Bliss stopped at the red light looking to the right ahead, where a large sign proclaimed the entrance to the main car park for an abbey. _Excellent_ , Bliss thought, a river and an abbey. When the light for the line of traffic she was in went green, she drove over the bridge.

She turned into the abbey car park and found a space at the end the shade of a young oak tree. She found change to buy a parking ticket from the pay and display machine, and got out of her car. Locking it, she started to walk towards the machine. A silver four-wheel drive vehicle stopped and a woman called to her from the open passenger window, _'did she need a ticket'_ , and Bliss answered _'she was going to buy one'_.

The woman held out a ticket to her. "Have this one...it's valid until six thirty when the abbey closes...we've finished for the day."

Bliss smiled her thanks and took the ticket. She put it on her dashboard and picked up her little shoulder bag. She would go and look at the abbey, and then go to the café just over the bridge.

Bliss had a small camera, a digital point, and shoot type. It was a good camera, and the latest version of the brand. She slid that into her back pocket and entered the abbey grounds. The trees cooled the air and lent an atmosphere of serenity and silence to the gardens. The outside of the abbey looked impressive. She knew most of the central building was Norman, she could tell from the style and stonework. As Bliss entered the abbey through a massive dark wooden door, the echoes of sanctity and age greeted her.

She felt peace as she looked around. A sign said she must purchase a photograph permit from the abbey shop located in the abbey near some of the most ancient tombs. Bliss wandered down there slowly looking at effigies and Norman stone tomb canopies. She was enchanted with the place. High above the vaulted ceiling was painted with what the historians believed to be the colors originally used when the abbey was built, red and gold. A mirror gave the viewer a wonderful view of the ceiling all the way down the abbey.

After she bought her permit she set about photographing, tombs and effigies, ancient floor tiles, stained glass windows, and Norman font, she'd spent an hour in there before she knew it. She left the abbey, retrieved her netbook from her car, and found the street that would take her over the bridge and to the café for coffee.

Bliss was fascinated and happy to find the café had a small stream running in front of the paved area where tables and chairs were set up. This was just like one of the cafés in the book she loved and she smiled to herself. The stream seemed to come from alongside the main river but be separate from it. After being parallel for about the length of two buildings, it ran down a series of steps to go at right angles and travel in front of buildings on the side street.

She found a table by the stream and sitting down looked around at the striped awnings, the matching sun umbrellas, and the little terracotta pots of purple flowers. She picked up the small menu encased in a stand up plastic case, and was looking at this when someone came to take her order.

Bliss looked up to see an extremely thin boy of maybe seventeen, his green and white striped café apron wrapped almost twice around his pencil-like waist. Too long for him it reached almost to his ankles where his jeans, cut off and turned up, showed his bony white ankles, and his feet in white canvas espadrilles. His white T-shirt was spotless, and so were his thin hands as he held a pad and pencil to take her order. Bliss asked for coffee and a cheese salad roll. The boy smiled and a dimple appeared in his right cheek. Despite his extreme thinness, this made him very attractive. The boy went off to get her order.

Bliss noticed a man with his back to her at one of the tables close to the café building. He wore a faded denim shirt and reading something in what looked like a folder in front of him on the table. Bliss wondered how old he was, and what he looked like. He seemed good-looking from the back. She sighed at her fanciful thoughts. She'd only just started her holiday. She couldn't expect to meet anyone yet, and she might not meet anyone at all. As long as something happened to give her life a new dimension, maybe put her on a different path, she would settle for that if she couldn't find love, or friendship.

Something about the man's shoulders was attractive, just the way his shirt fit over them. His muscles moved under the shirt. His hair was cut just short enough, fashionable, thick, and glossy. He must be quite young, she thought. _Maybe he will turn my way when he leaves, he might see me, join me, and spend a few minutes talking about..._ Bliss stopped herself. This daydreaming had become weird. Her loneliness was becoming tiring, depressing almost.

Her view of the man was blocked by the thin boy bringing her order. He set her plate down carefully with her coffee, and then backing away a little, asked if she wanted anything else. Bliss smiled at him. "No thank you this is fine." When he left clearing the view to the table near the café building, the man had gone. A coffee cup left to be taken away by the staff, and the seat pushed just slightly back from the pale wooden table.

Bliss sighed. ' _I was silly to invest even a few thoughts in a complete stranger with his back to me. If he'd turned around, he wouldn't have been interested in me,_ she thought. Somehow, life had taught Bliss to undervalue herself. She picked up her salad roll, and took a bite. It was fresh and tasty. She realized she was hungry.

### Chapter Six

Bliss was wrong about the man. He had noticed her, three times in fact, if he counted this one. Devon had come along to the café to have coffee and read the minutes of the latest council meeting in some kind of peace. He'd seen her in her car waiting at the traffic lights on the bridge. The car caught his eye at first. The big black crystal finished Jeep, just the sort of thing he liked. Then he'd looked at who was driving it.

He'd seen Bliss as she looked away to her right at something. Her dark hair fell in a messy, windswept way from a large tortoiseshell colored hair clip. She wore white sunglasses and then she drove on. Devon watched and then entered the café. They knew him there, and he always had the same coffee order, paying and taking it out to a table himself. He talked briefly with a couple of the wait staff and the cashier as he paid, about the lovely weather and the prospect of it continuing for the next week. A fete and a spring ball happened in a couple of days. Devon knew they were important events for the town.

He took a table facing away from the road and in the shade cast by the café building. He opened the folder containing the minutes he wanted to read, drank some of his coffee, and sighing, started reading. He felt angry with some of the decisions taken at this meeting. As he read about them, his feelings grew, although he knew that it was more disappointment than real anger that he felt. He took out his cell phone and rang one of the other council members. Complaining bitterly about the decisions, he spent fifteen minutes on the phone and then drank his coffee down. It was cold and he wanted a pencil. He went back into the café and got more coffee. He borrowed a pencil from the jar of them that the wait staff used and once more went outside to read the minutes. He intended noting his feelings by each point in the document.

Devon had been reading for five minutes when a friend of his, seeing him there, took a seat at the table and they talked about what was happening in their lives for about a half hour.

When his friend had gone Devon sighed and pushed the folder away from himself leaning back in his chair, and looking up at the blue sky, and wisps of cloud that were drifting slowly along. Perhaps he was being too emotional about the council meeting and the decisions after all, because ultimately he cared for, and respected the council members. He pulled the folder close again as he thought about this. His coffee cup rattled as the folder grazed it, and he decided that one more cup would see him through reading the minutes and then he would leave. He got up and gave the pencil back as he paid for this third cup of coffee, the cashier making some joke about how much of the stuff Devon drank.

As he put the cup down and glanced up at the bridge over the river, he saw Bliss again. He knew she'd been driving the Jeep. Her hair still trailed down from its clip, and she was wearing the white square sunglasses. Maybe Wayfarers he thought. Her T-shirt had a scoop neck and skimmed the top of her low cut jeans. The sleeves of the T-shirt reached just down past her elbows, in a ballet style, and Devon knew this. He knew quite a bit about fashion because of his sister Marguerite. This young woman piqued his interest, and he felt sparks of some emotion. _She's coming this way._ He turned to his table and sat down in front of his folder and coffee cup.

When Chris, a staff member Devon knew, had been to her table to take her order, Devon thought about turning around to sneak a closer glance at her, but stopped himself.

Trying to read he'd finished three quarters of the page of minutes, but he could feel her stare. He knew and could sense her interest in him. He let himself soak up the vibes coming from her. He was sensing human thoughts well that day. Yes, she was thinking about him for sure, should he turn around? No, he wouldn't. He should forget this encounter. Chris had brought her order, and Devon left, walking swiftly away down the side street and to the lane that would lead to the house where he currently lived.

Despite his best intentions, Devon threw the folder of notes onto his desk in the large front room of the house, which served as his office, and picked up his car keys. He left the house by the side door, got into one of his own vehicles, a beat up formerly white F500, and drove out of the drive and down the lane to join the street that would take him past the café and over the bridge.

He wanted to know if she was still there. He guessed, unknowingly correctly, that she had parked in the abbey car park and he decided to go there himself to check if the big, black Jeep was parked there. He let himself smile as he pushed the button on the old CD player. He didn't listen to a great variety of music. He had his favorites, and stuck with them. One of his favorite songs would play next, how ironic he thought, ' _Sparks_ '.

He wanted to drive past the café, and so took the left turn that would lead him past it. As he joined the small queue of cars waiting to go over the bridge, he saw that she was still at the café. Chris was out there at her table, and the girl seemed to be looking at something on the table. He suddenly realized it was a small laptop computer. _What's Chris doing?_ He seemed to be just standing there next to the girl.

Devon hadn't noticed the traffic in front of him start to move, he was stationary. The car behind him became impatient, and it began honking the horn. Devon woke up. He moved his foot to the accelerator, at the same time noticing that Chris was looking over at him. Chris raised his hand and waved at Devon, who put his foot down and roared over the bridge, not intending to, but squealing the tires into the abbey car park.

Devon felt foolish. It had been a long time since he'd felt this way and he didn't like it. He drove to the end of the car parking lot and then he saw the black Jeep. Another vehicle was just pulling out of the parking spot beside it, _lucky_ , thought Devon, and took the vacated parking spot. He got out and strode off to the street and the café, entirely forgetting to pay and display.

He walked rapidly over the bridge. _Is she still there?_ He couldn't tell until he was on the highest part and then he saw her. She was standing up, and he sighed. He really wanted her to be sitting there at the table. She sat down again, and he'd reached the small footbridge over the stream that ran directly in front of the café's paved area. A mother duck swam in the water there, her brood of tiny ducklings dropping like little stones from the paving into the stream beside her, one after the other.

He approached the girl. Her umbrella shaded the entire table and surrounds from the sun at this time of the day, and she'd taken her sunglasses off. _To read the screen of the laptop,_ he thought, and realizing it was a netbook in front of her, he thought fast. He would use that to speak to her.

*****

When Bliss had finished eating her roll, she took out her netbook and booted it to book a hotel room nearby, if she could find one. She wanted the anonymity and security of a big chain hotel room. She had already bookmarked the site and now put her location into the search box to find a room for the night. The search brought her a choice of hotels, one hardly any distance from this town, and one about ten miles towards the next town. She decided on the closest one and booked the room with her credit card.

The thin waiter boy had come along right then, and she ordered another cup of coffee thinking she would enjoy the early evening here, and maybe walk along to the row of shops nearby after her coffee. She liked the town and its atmosphere.

The thin boy looked at her netbook as she closed her browser. He smiled and said he hoped to study for a career in computers next year at the nearby college. Bliss loved technology. She had a degree in computer technology as well as her English literature masters. She told him she was a technology junkie as she unplugged her wireless dongle and slid it into the pocket inside the hard-shell case she had.

Right then a commotion had happened on the road nearby. A dirty off-white truck of some kind had stalled perhaps. The drivers waiting to go over the bridge were blaring their horns in the hope this din would move the offending vehicle on before the lights turned red again. The waiter boy looked over there at the same time as Bliss. He raised his hand, and waved at the driver of the truck. Bliss couldn't see them. She turned back to her netbook and closed the lid.

The thin boy took her order for coffee and before he left the table, Bliss asked what time they closed that evening, thinking she might buy another salad roll to take with her to the hotel for her supper later. They didn't close until ten, and most shops were open at least until eight-thirty, he told her.

Bliss moved her chair along a little to see a group of ducks that had confidently waddled onto the paved area of the café. A mother duck led her group of ducklings around the tables, weaving in and out of chairs. It stopped to peck at some crumbs of bread that had spilled down from a child eating a sandwich a couple of tables away. Bliss watched them as the ducklings simply waited for the mother duck to give the signal for more movement. The mother duck headed towards the table where Bliss sat and her ducklings followed. The adult duck skirted Bliss's feet, but the ducklings started to try climbing over the toes of her boots. Bliss felt amusement and concern for them. The mother duck had made good time to the stream and was about to flap down there. Bliss stood up and let the ducklings pass. She sat down again to watch them running up and down the paved area as they saw their mother fly down into the stream. They had just started to follow her into the water and Bliss turned to her netbook. She was about to pack it away when she became aware someone was by her table. Devon had reached her.

### Chapter Seven

Bliss looked up at the very attractive man now saying something to her. She realized it was the man who'd been reading at a table earlier. The one she'd fantasized about. She recognized his faded denim shirt and noticed it had front pearl-headed fastenings. He had the top three undone. He was younger than she expected when she'd looked at his back view, maybe the same age as she was. He asked her about the netbook.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but I'm thinking of buying one of those," he indicted the netbook with his hand, "and I wanted to find out what a real user thought of them, before I did, buy it, you know, instead of reviews in computer magazines and such."

Devon faltered. He'd been surprised by her lovely eyes close-up. They were a shade of blue-gray that he'd rarely seen. The iris rimmed with a dark ring that seemed a darker blue-gray. Her eyelashes were thick, dark, and looked real. She wore an almost identical blue-gray line of color under her bottom lashes. Her skin was pale. He liked that. Her lips were a bright pink with some kind of sticky looking lip-gloss. He didn't like that.

Devon sensed that she was nervous. He tried a small smile at her, and she seemed to become even more nervous. He pulled out the nearby chair and sat down. "Sorry, do you mind if I sit down? I hope you don't mind my question."

Bliss noticed his shirtsleeve cuffs were undone, and his sleeves fell back now and again revealing his arms. His hand gestures were graceful and attractive. He had an aura of sexuality about him that disconcerted to her.

Bliss answered him.

"I really love the netbook it's reliable and fast. I use it for all kinds of work and it's held up under heavy use. I'll buy another of the brand in a heartbeat, when I need a new one, that is."

Devon listened to this. He thanked her and then sat for a full minute simply looking at her feeling her reaction to him. He liked it.

Bliss felt her heart beating faster as she answered this man's question, mostly because she felt very attracted to him. Now that he was sitting there opposite her, he was even better looking than she'd first thought. He had a movie hero's angular jaw and a tiny indent maybe a dimple in the very bottom of his chin. His nose was a perfect shape, his eyes dark and she didn't know if they were very dark gray or very dark blue because his pupils were wide as he looked at her in the shade. His hair was cut short at the top and front, then sort of spiked, and fell onto his forehead. He had eyebrows that were almost straight, his lips were defined, not too full just right and inviting, and his skin was pale. He seemed to be studying her, as she was studying him.

She liked what she saw very much. _Is he interested in me, or does he really want an opinion on the machine?_ She decided to put it into the case she had for it and started to do this for the second time. She was nervous at this man's closeness, and she knocked her cup of coffee. It spilled over. In a flash, the man had stopped it spilling, and righted the cup in its saucer. Bliss took a deep breath, and tried to smile when she said 'thanks', but he had such a big effect on her she couldn't smile properly.

Devon had righted the coffee cup before the lot went over her netbook. He knew she was nervous, and he concentrated on her. _She's afraid. She's attracted to me, but I scare her._ He sat back in the chair and looked away from her.

"Did you see the ducklings earlier?" he asked, and then added, "They're so cute. The traffic often has to stop for the ducks around here. They just cross the road anywhere and anytime they want to." He tried to put her at ease. He realized he very much wanted to know who she was, and why he felt such a compulsion to be near her. Chris came along and smiled at him.

"Devon, what was going on with the truck at the lights a few minutes ago, did it stall?" The thin boy asked and Bliss took note of the man's name, Devon, not something you heard every day. She liked it.

Devon smiled back at Chris. "It didn't exactly stall, Chris, but I thought it might. I saw you wave. I'm just talking with." He looked across at Bliss for a descriptive word, or maybe her name, but she didn't supply it.

Devon realized he couldn't name her. So he nodded at her as Chris looked at her, and then back at Devon, who continued. "Yes I asked about the netbook. I'm thinking of buying one."

Bliss knew the thin waiter boy's name now, and she looked at Chris as he widened his eyes a little at Devon, and replied. "Another one Devon, how many computers will that make?" He burst out laughing, and then continued, "Maybe five, or six?"

Devon had the grace to look a little embarrassed, and Bliss looked questioningly at him.

"You have one already? Then why did you ask me about them?" Bliss felt hope more than any other emotion. Please let him have wanted to get to know me she thought.

Devon grimaced slightly at Chris and then asked, "Chris, will you bring us two coffees, maybe that one is cold by now."

"Is that okay?" he asked Bliss, and he gestured at her coffee cup on the table. She nodded and Chris smilingly went off to get coffees.

Devon leaned forward a little and looked earnestly at Bliss. "I asked because I wanted to talk to you and I didn't know how to. I'm not skilled at approaching women, and I really wanted to approach you."

His expression was sincere and Bliss relaxed. This was what she'd hoped for. She finally smiled a little. The dimple in her right cheek appeared.

Devon wanted to kiss it. He felt appalled by this and leaned back from her a little again. He was forbidden to touch a female. It was one of the conditions binding him to ensure his safety. It couldn't hurt to sit near her, look at her, talk with her, he thought, and he sighed deeply.

Bliss wondered what the sigh meant. He looked wistful and right then she wanted to reach out and put her hand along the side of his face. She sat back in her seat just in case she did this without thinking.

Devon, she thought, it suits him, and then she said, "I know now that the boy who served me is Chris, and that you're called Devon. My name is," but she hesitated. She dreaded telling strangers her name. "My name is Bliss," she rushed.

Devon registered this information. When she held out her hand to shake his, he didn't know what to do. He knew that if he avoided shaking her hand it would send some kind of unpleasant message, and yet it would contravene his conditions. He made a sudden decision, he would explain to Tara later.

Devon took the hand he was offered, and felt the surge of this girl's deeper emotion. He almost recoiled from the core of loneliness he encountered. He managed to let go and sit normally, although he felt like falling down from the sheer intensity of the contact.

"I apologize for being so rude, not introducing myself, it just slipped my mind. Bliss, that's an interesting name, evocative, hopeful, soft, you can almost taste it. I imagine it's caused some comment from people you've encountered in your life," he said gently.

Bliss watched his expression. _He's tasting my name_ , she thought. It scared her a little, and yet she liked what he had said about her name, others had made fun.

Devon breathed out as he felt a wave of some emotion go over him. That physical contact with this lonely girl had a huge effect on him. He was awash with kindness. It moved through him until it threatened to spill out of his eyes and trickle down his cheeks. He shook his head as if to shake the emotion away and Bliss watched him. She waited for him to speak again because she had no idea what to say next.

Devon pulled himself together just as Chris came back with the coffee, and after Chris had left the table he took up his cup relieved at having something tangible to do. He took a sip of coffee and began to question Bliss.

"So are you on holiday or have you moved into the area with your work? Are you in the computer industry? You do know about computers from the way you answered my question. Are you living or staying nearby?" He didn't take much of a breath, and it made Bliss break into a series of smiles as she answered.

"I'm on holiday. I wish I had moved into the area with work, because I would love to change my job and my life, but I'm only on holiday. I just booked a room not far away for tonight." She stopped, and had just the tiniest twinge of panic that she'd put herself in danger by revealing the information she had. It was something a woman alone had to consider.

Devon smiled. "Okay, what's your job now? And what would you like to change it to?"

Bliss sighed. "I teach English at a high school and I don't know what I would like to do instead, everything else seems unattainable."

He looked kindly at her, his eyes darkening further. He frowned slightly and then said, "You should try. You might be able to do so many other things. Lots of people feel the way you do and then they make that leap of faith and change. Believe me it can be done. My sister Marguerite is an example."

He thought, _so am I_ , but didn't want to tell Bliss that yet.

"Marguerite has a clothes shop now, a boutique if that's still the expression. She always loved fashion and made some of her own things when she had time, so this is perfect for her and saved her from a life of unhappiness."

He raised his eyebrows slightly and then took another drink of his coffee, looking at her over the rim. His eyes were emphasized by this, and as he looked at Bliss, she thought they were full of emotion.

She looked straight into his eyes, and without knowing it, she softened her gaze, so that he felt her attraction to him. He was being careful about picking up her feelings. He'd taught himself to avoid intruding into peoples' privacy this way. Just as he'd taught himself not to lust after certain things over the last twenty years he'd been under protection. _I've slipped up enough today already_ he told himself. He could see she liked him, clearly in her eyes. That was okay. Anyone could see that. He wasn't using any special powers he had.

He, in turn, softened his gaze and put down his cup.

"Where have you been today, on your holiday I mean?" He asked.

Bliss smiled at him and he felt elated.

"I drove through a lovely forest, and some great countryside, and when I reached this town I visited the abbey. It's great, and it surprised me how old some of the tombs and interior stone work is."

He nodded at her. "It is lovely I agree. It's only recently that I've actually been able to go inside." He realized what he'd said as soon as it came from his lips. "Pressure of work," he added in an effort to cover his mistake.

She hadn't noticed, or it hadn't registered as an odd thing in her mind because she nodded at him.

"I parked in the car park there. It may be approaching the end of my ticket time," she told him, and fished in her little bag, took out a phone, exactly the same as the one he owned himself, and checked the time. "Oh I have half an hour before the ticket expires."

Devon knew that it didn't matter, at the end of the day the abbey closed to visitors, and the car park became free. He told her this information. She gave him another smile. He was making her happy, and he liked that.

Bliss was happy. She felt better than she had in a long time and she couldn't quite believe that she'd met this lovely man on the very first day of her holiday. She told herself not to be too hopeful, it could be they just have coffee and she never saw him again.

She told him about her holiday plans to see historic places, castle ruins, country villages, and how she was looking for towns just like this one to lift her spirits.

He smiled at her plans and she smiled back.

He drank the rest of his coffee and she looked at the empty cup and drank a little of hers. If she didn't finish it too quickly, perhaps it would keep him with her a little longer.

Devon was thinking about how he could keep her with him for the rest of the evening at least.

"You know what, my sister's shop is in that row of shops over there," and he nodded towards the opposite side of the road. "I could show you, introduce you, she has some nice clothes and stuff...well if you wanted to, not to be pushy or anything." He felt worried that he might push her away, _was this too much_ he asked himself. He needn't have worried. Bliss was very pleased to have him say this.

"I thought I might wander along and look in the shops this evening. Chris told me they open until late. I'd love to see your sister's shop."

Devon smiled. "Well anytime you're ready I'll take you, if that's okay?" He was so relieved when she nodded and started to pick up her things.

"I'm ready now, thank you."

### Chapter Eight

Bliss had her netbook case strap over her shoulder and the bag strap too, holding them there with her left hand. Devon looked longingly at her right. He wanted to take hold of it and cross the street with her. To walk hand in hand with this lovely young woman in the late sunshine would be great he thought.

Instead, he walked by her side and glanced at her to cross the street. The lights were red, and the traffic on one side stopped, so they made it across before the oncoming stream of cars got over the bridge to where they were. They looked in a tourist gift shop first

Devon smiled at her over the little ceramic models of the abbey and fridge magnets with pictures of the effigies of knights on them. Bliss smiled back and bought a postcard of the medieval bridge that showed the river. She would send that to her dad.

They looked into a shop that sold pottery. Devon told Bliss that the potter was a local artist and many of the pots were originals. The next shop was his sister's shop. Devon went ahead of Bliss into the shop and held the door for her. He turned and walked down to the counter situated in the middle of the floor space like an island. A tall woman with the same color hair as Devon's, but bright, light blue eyes broke into a smile as he approached.

"Devon, hello, how's it going?" she asked, and then she realized Bliss was with him and the smile froze on her lips.

Devon saw this and immediately started trying to put her mind at ease. He knew what she might be thinking.

"Hey, Marguerite, I just met Bliss at the café, she was coming over here. I told her my sister had a shop and thought I'd introduce you." He knew it sounded odd, and it might have even made things worse. He tried to give Marguerite a message with his eyes, _'please don't worry'_.

Marguerite was worried. What was Devon doing? He hadn't been near a woman, well a strange woman for years. Had he forgotten why?

She tried to be normal and welcoming to the girl, it was rude not to.

"Hello Bliss, that's an unusual name, very pretty. Are you just passing through?" She couldn't help adding that.

Bliss realized some unspoken communication had passed between the brother and sister. She hoped Marguerite didn't disapprove of her, but could see she wasn't welcome here. She tried to put Marguerite at ease.

"I didn't bring much with me, clothes and so on. I wanted to buy things during my holiday. I saw your shop and when Devon told me it belonged to his sister I thought I'd look at the things you have." Bliss smiled and hoped this would help. It was mostly true.

She gave Devon a look fit to melt his heart, and he looked back at her. His sister caught the look and knew Devon had formed some attachment to Bliss.

' _Damn it_ ' Marguerite thought. _I want him to have some happiness, but this could endanger him._

She smiled at Bliss. "Well take your time, have a look around. Devon maybe I can have a word with you in the office about the fete, whilst Bliss looks around." She had the inflection of a question in her tone of voice, but she meant it as a directive. You could see that from the look on her face. Bliss considered the woman as she watched them disappear down the back of the shop and then she looked around. She was the only customer.

The door opened right then and a younger girl came into the place carrying a cardboard tray of coffee in lidded paper cups. She saw Bliss, looked at the counter and finding Marguerite not there, looked back at Bliss.

"Hello, everything okay? May I help you at all?"

Bliss shook her head...this must be another worker.

"No, thank you. I'm about to look around. Marguerite has gone down to the office with her brother."

Bliss saw a name badge on the pale pink, striped, shirt this girl wore. It read _Anita. S_ he smiled at her as Anita put the cardboard tray on the counter, and nodded at Bliss.

Bliss started to look carefully through a hanging rail of clothes. She saw a dress she liked. It was floaty, and had the kind of scooped neckline she knew suited her with darts that nipped in the waist and flared the skirt out again. Long triangles of the fabric in a sheer version were stitched around the hip line. Bliss checked the tags. It was expensive and had a special label, ' _An off the Rails original_ '. Bliss looked at the size. _It might be too small,_ she thought, but she'd like to try it on. She picked it up and right away Anita came to her and took the dress to hang in a fitting room whilst she looked for anything else she might want to try.

Bliss noticed the shop sold cosmetics. She searched the lip colors for a pink she might like. As she sampled a couple of colors, Devon came along behind her. He picked up a very sheer gloss stick and said, "I think this would suit you." He smiled a little at her and she put the gloss testers back, wiping the back of her hand with a tissue from a box thoughtfully provided on the cosmetic stand.

"I'll give them all a miss," she answered, and then told him, "I'm about to try on a dress." He looked to his side as his sister walked over, as if Marguerite was chaperoning him.

Bliss felt awkward and followed Anita to the fitting room where the dress hung. With the door closed, she considered pretending she'd tried it then going out to escape from the shop and the slightly strained atmosphere there. Then she decided to slip the dress on over her jeans, and pulled her T-shirt over her head. She took the dress from its hanger and undid the side zip. Having put it over her head and smoothed it down to her jeans, she undid them and pushed them down her legs to check the dress fitted her hips. She couldn't bring herself to undress completely. The dress looked good. She had the zip done up and even hobbled by her jeans she twisted around to check the lovely slimming effect it had on her. Bliss was going to buy this dress. She took it off and pulled up her jeans, put her T-shirt back on, and picked up her bags from the bench where she'd put them.

As she came out of the fitting room door, the very efficient Anita was there in seconds to help her with the dress.

"Did it fit? What do you think, it's a lovely dress?"

Bliss had a second to reject the dress, but she didn't.

"It's lovely. I'll take it."

Anita smiled clearly thrilled Bliss would buy the dress. Marguerite smiled too saying,

"That's a good choice. I imagine it will suit your slim figure very well. I wish I'd seen it on."

Devon was quiet. He stood away from the counter and watched as Anita fussed with tissue paper and a bright pink, paper carrier bag for the dress.

He wanted to leave and have Bliss to himself. He hadn't enjoyed the meeting with his sister in the office. She'd more or less warned him off Bliss, saying it was a risky business even being friends with her. Marguerite had also said she could see he already felt more for this girl, and that was out of the question and he knew it.

Devon felt sad, he would go straight to Tara tonight when Bliss left town. He would explain about Bliss, and ask questions he'd never needed to ask before.

Bliss headed for him. She had the carry bag now as well as her computer and other small bag. He didn't hesitate. He took the netbook in its hard case away from her.

"Let me help," and he cast a glance at his sister, which Bliss couldn't see.

They exited the shop and Marguerite called, "Have a good holiday," as Bliss closed the door behind her.

On the pavement, Devon stopped a few paces away from the boutique doorway.

"I want to apologize for the less than warm welcome my sister gave you. She's just so protective of me, always has been, and being a couple of years older, she treats me as if I'm still a teenager. Sorry Bliss." He looked miserable and Bliss wanted to comfort him because it wasn't his fault.

She put her free hand on his arm to say so, but he flinched away from her touch. Bliss felt shocked by this and didn't say what was in her mind to say.

She stepped back and shook her head. "Sorry" she said instead.

Devon looked stricken. Bliss looked down at the pavement.

"You know I think I may get going now, to my hotel, I have to find it." She backed off, turning to go the way they had come. She would to head to the car park and her car.

Devon sighed audibly and as Bliss looked up at him he nodded, "Okay, sure, nice to meet you. I hope you have a really great holiday." He gave her the netbook and moved another pace away from her.

He closed his eyes as having taken her computer case from him she silently walked away down the street towards the bridge, and the car park. He felt a great sense of loss. It was unwelcome, and worrying. He opened his eyes. She must have hurried because she was already on the bridge. He walked quickly across the road and cut through the lane he knew led to the back-to-back car park lots belonging to the shops over that side of the main road. He almost ran through them and on, up the incline of road to Tara's place. He needed to talk with her right away.

Bliss felt such disappointment tears formed in the back of her eyes. A heavy sadness weighed on her at what happened and at Devon's ability to let her leave, precipitously, and in pain. When she passed the café, she skipped buying a salad roll, her intention earlier, and went to the car park.

As she approached her Jeep, she saw the vehicle next to it, and as she got close, she felt certain this was what Devon had been driving. This was the truck Chris had waved at as it stalled at the lights. Devon had admitted to being there. She inspected the vehicle's exterior. Why hadn't Devon told her he was parked here? To Bliss this meant that he really hadn't wanted to be with her any longer. _He didn't even take the opportunity to walk with me to the car park._ She sighed and put her computer back in its secure spot. She put the dress in the pretty carrier bag on the seat next to it and got in to drive away.

Bliss followed the signs out of the town and found the hotel on the road out very easily. It wasn't far away and she was sorry about that now. She would've liked to drive and ease her pain at the way things turned out with Devon.

She parked in the car parking lot, crunching on the white pebbles. She would check in and then come down for her netbook. She took her hold all and toiletries case over her shoulder and went into the reception. Bliss soon had the key to her room. She'd declined morning papers and breakfast because she intended to go back to that café in the town for breakfast. Maybe she would ask Chris about Devon. There was something not quite right about the whole episode with his sister. She dumped her hold all on the chair by the window of her room, and put her toiletries case in the en suite bathroom. After going back to the car, and bringing up her netbook, she flopped on the bed, flicked on the TV with the remote and began surfing the channels for a distraction from thinking about Devon.

Half an hour later she regretted not buying something to eat before she'd left the town. The cheese salad roll she had at the café was all she'd eaten that day, and now Bliss felt hungry. The hotel had a restaurant. _'I'll go and have some dinner there,'_ she thought. She put her keys in her pocket and taking her small purse with her, went down to the restaurant.

The place was reasonably full of people, but there were a few empty tables too. Chiefly those that were clearly designed for solitary diners and Bliss sat down at one of them. She looked at the menu, chain hotel food, she thought smiling, but she ordered.

Bliss looked around her at the people there. She didn't really see them. Her mind still full of the sight of Devon, of his dark eyes, which she still didn't know the actual color of, his lips, and his hair. Even his voice was attractive for her. She wished something had developed from their meeting.

When her meal came she ate a few bites because she was hungry, but then started to pick at it. She asked for a bottle of spring water then paid. She left the restaurant quickly.

Bliss dreamed about Devon that night. It was a sad dream. He rejected her in the dream, his words close to those of her last boyfriend, _'don't communicate with me again_ '.

When Bliss woke up it was because there were people down below in the restaurant courtyard having an early and noisy breakfast.

After showering and drying her hair with the hairdryer provided by the hotel, she made a cup of tea and drank it looking down at the courtyard. Another sunny warm day lifted her spirits. In the distance, green hills and woodland beckoned. She gathered her things and dropping her room key in the hotel key chute, left thinking that she would drive on and forget yesterday.

### Chapter Nine

By the time Devon had reached Tara's place, he desperately hoped she would be home. As soon as he rang her doorbell, he realized he should have just called her to check that. The door opened and Tara's dog bounded out at him before she could stop it. Devon let the dog greet him at the same time as asking Tara if she might spare him a half hour. He really needed to talk with her.

"I always have time for you. Come in."

Devon followed her down the hall passing the antique table with the beautiful patterned vase on it that was always full of flowers. They went into the kitchen at the end of the hall. Tara started to make coffee. She didn't question Devon. She waited for him to tell her what was going on.

Devon sighed, and then he started to talk about how he sometimes wondered if he might one day have someone in his life.

"You know Tara, someone I love, and they love me, like you and Jon have each other. It's been so long since, well, since I couldn't be trusted with another person shall we call it, twenty years Tara. I'm completely cured. I never want to go back to how I was, I will never."

He stopped talking as she placed a cup of coffee in front of him. She used her old, rose patterned, china cups with a gold rim on the top of both cup and saucer. Devon suspected the gold was real gilding but had never asked. He put his hand up to his forehead and rubbed it across a couple of times. Tara wondered what it was in his mind he tried to erase.

"You've met someone Devon?" Her clear, cultured voice brought his eyes back to her face, and she smiled at him.

Tara was fond of this one. He'd fulfilled everything asked of him, and she didn't forget he'd saved Jon's life and not just Jon's, Saffron's, Erik's, a whole group of them. Devon was special to the whole council. What was he really asking for? She'd try her best to give it to him.

"I might have met a girl to love. I feel so drawn to her. I'd like to get to know her, with the council's permission naturally."

Devon told Tara all about meeting Bliss, and how he shook her hand. He told Tara about the well of loneliness within the girl, and how he'd wanted to kiss her cheek, hold her hand, be with her, and about how his sister had reacted. Tara nodded several times to encourage Devon in his story, and then when it seemed Devon had told her everything, she pursed her lovely lips firstly, and then smiled.

"Devon, we imposed the conditions on you in order for you to help yourself as much as our healing potion and meditations have. If you violated a condition, I know in the early days you thought we'd then withdraw our care, but they're not tied to the healing potion at all. I thought you understood that now."

Tara got up from the chair she sat on and went to the big dresser in the corner of the kitchen. She opened a drawer and took out a folder to bring it to the table. Then she sat down next to Devon and opened the folder. It contained a document. A copy of the plan and conditions for Devon's the healing method. She brought a pencil with her and now started to write in the margins of the document. She said aloud what she wrote.

"Devon has proved he's trustworthy amongst humans, and no longer lusts after their blood, he may, with the permission of the council, form a relationship with one of them. This relationship must be overseen by the council in a way to be agreed between two Elders and Devon." Tara stopped writing and looked at Devon.

He smiled at her.

"When could this amendment be ratified Tara, the council's just met?" Devon hoped she would say that she'd convene an extraordinary meeting.

"I want you to know Tara, that I'll never do anything to disappoint you, but I need to go after this girl and try to mend the sad way we parted this evening. Could I have your permission to do that? Maybe you could call Erik and ask him if he'll join you in giving me permission. I know she's staying just out of town. There's only one hotel near enough for her to have said that. May I go after her tonight?"

Tara shook her head.

"I'm sorry Devon. It has to be in front of the whole council. We need to stay within our own rules to keep everyone safe. We've learned that if things change then something like what happened twenty years ago could happen again. We can't risk that. There might not be another Devon around to save us then."

Devon was disappointed and looked downcast, but he knew it was true, and he nodded.

"I'll make sure we meet tomorrow night and then you will have the chance to love, and be loved Devon. I think you deserve that now."

Tara put her hand over his, and he felt a surge of warmth, and well-being. He knew she was sending him healing vibrations and was grateful.

He stayed with her for a couple of hours. She made him more coffee and they talked about the last council meeting. One of the community asked to bring a trusted member of the public into one of their learning circles. The request was rejected outright. It was the catalyst for a new rule to be added to the ones already in existence. They must never trust anyone with any part of their secret no matter who it was. It had been argued that just letting someone into one of their activities was hardly letting them in on the secrets, but it hadn't been accepted. There were more restrictions placed on their movements and that annoyed Devon. He thought that for _beings_ with such power at their disposal, they lived a very restricted and insular life.

Devon suddenly realized he'd felt like rejecting the _beings_ earlier when he was angry about the decisions. He felt bad about that now. It hadn't meant he would just go back to being his old self, cast off their protection, and stop taking the potions and meditations that kept him from being a killer again, a vampire of the most horrible kind. He told himself he would never be that again. He took Tara's hand and thanked her sincerely before he left.

Tara knew what was in his mind, she always did. She knew what was in everyone's mind. It was one of her special powers. She could shut out the din of thoughts and did so most of the time.

### Chapter Ten

Devon left and walked in the darkness to the abbey car park where he'd parked his old truck. He looked at the space next to it where Bliss had parked her car, and he felt as empty as the space was. There were one or two vehicles still in the car park he noticed as he got into his truck. He started the engine and drove to his house. As he drove he listened to the words of the song on his CD player, they seemed very apt. They described his sadness right then.

Devon went into his house. He would normally have switched on the lights because that's what humans did, but he could see in the dark, and he didn't put the lights on that night. He was up the stairs in a flash using his excellent speed where no one could witness it, and he went to sit in the room that had the biggest window. It looked out on a long back garden where Devon had planted banks of flowers under Saffron's, and Elise's guidance. Beyond it were fields, then woodland going into the distance tree after tree. Devon sighed looking out. Bliss was somewhere out there. He realized he hadn't told Tara her name. "Bliss," he said aloud.

Devon thought about his sister Marguerite. Had she never met anyone in all these years? Has she never hoped for love? She'd been a vampire too, but now also helped by the _beings_ with special food and medication. Devon smiled to himself. He didn't know what else to call them, they weren't human he knew that, but he didn't know quite what they were, except kind, loving, powerful and strange.

He thought about the time he'd first met them. It had been because two of the vampires in his vampire community had met and feasted on two _beings_.

Quite how the _beings_ had been naïve enough to allow this to happen to them was never fully explained, because at the time Devon didn't care. He'd been off on a hunting trip with a friend and returned home to the large manor house and estate where his vampire community lived. He'd killed at least eighteen humans this time. He preferred females. He loved them. He loved their softness and sometimes would use them sexually before he drank their sweet blood. Devon had been a monster. He shivered now thinking about it.

The vampires that consumed these _beings_ suddenly had more powers, more than the hugely emphasized senses and motor abilities that all other vampires possessed. They used them against others in the vampire community. It caused unrest and dissent. Devon didn't like it. His leadership under threat, and he began to ask questions.

How had the vampires gained these powers?

One could move objects just by thinking about it. The other could actually become invisible, not achieve a facsimile of invisibility via extreme speed of movement, but actually be invisible at will even when stationary. They began to round up a following amongst the other vampires, a group hell-bent on hunting down the other _beings_ and consuming them to gain their powers.

It all came to a head one night when the vampire with the kinesthetic abilities used it to throw stakes at other vampires. It was done in a group gathering, a party. They'd obviously thought it through because they'd brought the stakes to the party. The supposed jest became serious. They thought the fewer vampires in the community the more special powers could be taken for themselves when they hunted down the other _beings._ One of the stakes in the volley of stakes aimed at the group hit his sister in the leg. Devon was furious as he went around unpinning the staked vampires, and he realized then that the two vampires, dangerous as they already were, had become exponentially more so. Some of the vampires had been killed as the stake happened to hit them just right. _This is not good,_ he thought. The whole vampire community was under threat from within. He was under threat, his sister, anyone in fact. Suddenly Devon felt vulnerable, something he hadn't felt in nearly four hundred years. It wasn't the way to be, killing your own kind.

The next night he was summoned by his sister to a barn on the edge of the estate, almost too close for comfort to a neighboring estate. Only woodland separated them, and it appeared the _beings_ were living in this woodland. Somehow, a small group of them had been lured into the barn. Alternatively, maybe that was where they'd always been holed up for all Devon knew, but they were now captive within it.

Marguerite had come for him, calling him to try to stop the carnage, but more than that, to prevent the collection of yet more special powers by the two renegade vampires.

Devon could see it now in his mind's eye as he sat looking out into the night. He remembered it all clearly.

A group of five _beings_ was in the barn. They'd formed a circle with their backs to each other, holding hands, and were looking out at the seven or eight vampires who laughed, taunting them. The massive barn door was held closed by a pile of vehicles hard up against it, a tractor, a trailer, and a couple of cars. Devon had leapt up to the high, small door that hay bales could be lowered from, and burst through it. He'd landed in front of the _beings_ between them and the vampires.

"What's this?" he asked. "These people are not human. They may even be like us, have you asked?" He addressed Drew who was amongst the group of vampires, and standing next to the one Devon knew could become invisible. Drew was supposed to be able to be rational. Devon could sense these captives were not human beings. They also had a different smell.

As he turned to them, a lovely female compelled him to look into her eyes. It had been a very long time since Devon lost his humanity. Every shred of it gone, he had no joy other than killing and drinking human blood. Those eyes bored into him, and his mind was filled with pictures, like a kaleidoscope of color he saw beautiful scenery, he smelled cut grass, he felt a warm breeze. Devon's mind was filled with love of life. He felt a petal from a rose touch his cheek as the eyes of this being held his, and he felt a wave of pure love go right the way through his sorry form.

He'd felt nothing like this in almost four hundred years. Whilst he might smell the flower he no longer saw it, no longer realized the scent was beautiful. The only smell beautiful to his senses was blood. The being released him only for another to take over his mind, and he saw his sister bent, and twisted in death. He saw others in his community turn to dust, and he saw the Manor on fire and all around the towns and villages blackened and in ruins.

Devon's reaction in the first seconds had been indifference, but then to his horror he felt almost decimated by sadness. It threatened to drive him to his knees. With a supreme effort, he turned from the _beings_ and found the vampire who could become invisible standing only a pace away holding a stake. It was about to be driven into his own heart. Devon reacted at a phenomenal speed. He struck the vampire in the throat with his bare hand, his extreme strength, and skill born of age, cut the head of this vampire right off. The one with the ability to move things hurled a barrel at Devon from a distance. Devon moved and the barrel hit the flagstones and shattered spilling its contents across them.

It turned into a cue for the group of vampires to attack him, except for Drew, who disappeared, and Marguerite, who ran around and around the circle of _beings_. It appeared to Devon that she was making sure no other vampire turned their attention on them.

The vampires became determined to rid themselves of Devon as their leader. He seemed to them to have gone soft. He was, however, still exceptionally powerful. Devon slaughtered the six of them, including the ones with special powers. They were headless and strewn about the barn. He turned.

The _beings_ were in that circle still, looking at him with wide and beautiful eyes. He blinked to break the pull of those eyes, and yet he wanted it. He wanted to see now if the pictures of fire and mayhem had changed. Even though he had no eye contact, pictures came into his mind. They were of a river, a garden, and he could feel the cool grass under his bare feet. He could feel drops of rain. The garden faded, and his mind was filled with peace.

Devon spoke to them. "Go now. There's a back door, you will need to stoop... it's only a meter high. Get as far away from here as possible."

A male amongst the _beings_ broke away from the circle, he came close to Devon, and Marguerite ran to Devon's side, but the _being_ smiled.

Devon couldn't comprehend what the _being_ was saying at first, but then the speech became understandable.

"We will leave. Thank you for your help. We are unable to kill, and so would have perished. It's sad to think of any life being lost, but we know these creatures are little loss to this world. You're different, you were good hearted, and a glimmer of goodness remains, I can feel it. It allowed Tara and me to communicate with you. If you ever need help to overcome the dreadful fate that's befallen you, seek us out. We are heading to the next town where there are others like us and we can live in peace. Don't worry about how you'll find us, now we know your mind, as soon as you're within the town boundary we will detect you."

They had all gone then, through the tiny door at the back of the barn. Devon and Marguerite had hauled the vampire bodies out into the open on the concrete square between the barn and another outbuilding. They had burned the bodies, only going back to the manor house when the last was consumed by fire. On the walk, Marguerite had confessed she was tired of their existence. She'd stopped feeding as much as she used to, and she was growing weaker on purpose. Devon had been aghast. He had no idea and asked her if anyone else knew. She'd told him no.

### Chapter Eleven

The manor house community hadn't lasted long after that night. Drew gathered as many of the vampires as he could get to follow him, and in a weird coup for leadership, had simply vanished into the night with them.

Then the five left behind quarreled over a plan to go hunting in the next town. Devon argued against it, telling them how foolish it was to hunt on home ground, and so draw attention to something strange happening. No, they were better off catching walkers and travelers, or going further afield as usual in small forays. Marguerite continued her semi-starvation, and Devon longed for the kind of peace he'd felt when the _beings_ invaded his mind.

One night he'd taken his boots off and walked in the grass at the back of the manor house. He hoped he'd feel the same as when with the _beings_ in the barn, but he felt nothing.

The real turning point came, however, when he found a young woman, her car with a flat tire, as it listed badly on one side, waiting on a stretch of road some miles away from the manor. He could have fed easily. He approached her, soothing her and allaying any fears she might have with his attractive scent and his beauty. She got out of her car and told him she was waiting for the Automobile Association. She'd called them, and they were on their way. Devon looked at her throat and filled his nostrils with the perfume of her blood. He could hear it pulsing in her veins. Devon saw her eyes, trusting, wide, and the same pale blue as those of his sister.

He was reminded of the _beings_ and their compelling eyes, and suddenly Devon felt something close to disgust for himself. He looked at the tire and changed it. He saw that it had been only listing badly because the wheel was in a sizable pothole and he pushed the car up and back along the road slightly. The car on level ground and with its tire changed was serviceable once more. The young woman rang the association and told them she'd been helped and they could cancel her call out. Devon urged her to take care and watched her drive away in the thickening darkness.

That night he and Marguerite took a few belongings, and left the manor house and the estate behind. They walked swiftly to the town they deduced housed the _beings_ and around three in the morning Devon and his sister stood on a medieval bridge looking down into the river below. They had only been there for a few minutes and Devon was thinking about where they could hide in the daylight if this wasn't the correct town, when a car stopped next to them. Through the window already wound down appeared the face of one of the five _beings_ he'd met in the barn.

The _beings_ knew Devon had arrived.

They concocted a potion that restored Devon to a semblance of being human. Now he no longer needed to feed on human blood. He could walk in the day and live a life with real feeling. They had healing minds and meditated to help heal him. They did the same for Marguerite. He made a pact with them that saw him accept certain conditions to help his healing. He would never be fully human again, but he could live almost like one. One of the conditions was that he could not be alone with human females, they were his true weakness, and the _beings_ needed him to overcome that.

In twenty years, Devon had come to love these strange _beings_. There was about a hundred and sixty of varying ages in their group. They didn't age like humans, hardly at all in fact. They had one or two special powers each. They held meetings where they would make decisions for the good of all. They held healing and learning circles to teach and care for each other. They had a group of Elders amongst whom, were three of the _beings_ he had saved in the barn Tara, Jon and Elise. The other Elders, Saffron, Erik, Arthur, Seth, and Angharad knew Devon well now. The whole community of _beings_ lived and worked in the town, gradually building it up, and contributing to the established human population with their work and diligence. They kept their secret all those years and Devon realized that was for the best.

He closed his eyes. Sometimes he could sleep a little now too. The scene in his mind before his eyes wasn't conducive to sleep. It was the last time he'd killed. On one of his nightly walks, two weeks after he and Marguerite had come to the town, he encountered the last of the vampires from the manor community. The ones he and Marguerite had left behind. They had come for feeding and were about to break into a house on the lane where Erik had a house. Devon knew from visiting Erik, that an ordinary family with three children lived in that house. Devon killed the three vampires, tossed them into the back of a utility vehicle he was borrowing, and drove their bodies out to a lonely spot where he burned them.

In the last twenty years, Devon and Marguerite had occasionally killed roaming vampires. He hadn't come across one for five years.

Devon opened his eyes and went around his house switching on the lights. He would get permission to find Bliss tomorrow from Erik and Tara. Bliss couldn't have gone far. He would find her and tell her he wanted to get to know her. He smiled then and made some coffee. It approached midnight, _Bliss will be asleep in that hotel,_ he thought, and he pictured her sitting at the café table today smiling. He wanted to see that again.

### Chapter Twelve

The next morning Bliss was driving through a forest so thick, it felt several degrees cooler on that stretch of the road than before she'd entered it. She'd changed her mind about going back to the café for breakfast. She would move on from meeting Devon. It had been too good to be true, she told herself.

Bliss decided to head down country, and only slightly west. It would take her past ruined castles according to the tourist booklets she picked up. She was on the lookout for another town that was similar to the ones described in the book she'd read. She went through a village that had the prettiest cottages she'd ever seen. Every single one whitewashed and with baskets of flowers hanging from them with roses or ivy climbing on the walls. Then the road wound steadily upwards until she found herself high and able to see for miles around. The countryside was laid out before her, but the thing that really captured her attention was the castle on this hill. It was ruined, but still very much a castle, and the village that was adjacent was built from the same kind of stone.

Bliss drove around it before going into the car parking lot that served the castle. She passed an ancient looking church and streets that were narrow, the cottages looking very old. Some of them were converted into shops, and a café. Bliss smiled as she parked her Jeep and bought a ticket to put on her dashboard. She went to the office which sold entrance tickets to the castle. You had to pass through to go into the castle grounds. Bliss bought a guidebook and happily went through to the castle. The ruins were fascinating and there were walkways between the remaining high towers that meant you could walk the whole battlements if you wanted to. Bliss walked in the now grassy moat instead. When she'd taken lots of photographs and had begun to feel thirsty, she found the café that was situated in the castle grounds. It had its own little shop that sold postcards, and plants.

Bliss bought tea and found a table to sit, which faced out to a vista of the surrounding countryside. The place was lovely, and she enjoyed sitting there drinking her tea, and listening to the conversations of the other tourists at the café tables. She looked out at the view, and decided that she would continue to head in the direction she'd chosen that morning. It was only midday, and she could reach another of these fabulous places before she thought about a hotel for the night.

Bliss moved on. The countryside around her remained green and rural. She was on a country highway not a motorway and intended to stay on it for as long as possible.

The road took her to a large town. It was busy and had ring roads to major towns that took her a little while to negotiate. She remained on her country highway and found a small town with a Roman Villa signposted a few miles on. Bliss stopped in the town and parked in a local supermarket car park. She bought some fruit, chocolate, and a bottle of mineral water from the cold cabinet.

Bliss walked the length of the high street and went into a shop that sold only hair accessories. She chose a hair clip that matched exactly the shade of green as the dress she'd bought. It reminded her of Devon and made her sad for a few seconds.

Bliss went back to her car and continued driving. On the outskirts of the town was a picnic spot. She stopped and ate some fruit, and drank some water. She took the road to the Roman Villa. It was early evening before she remembered to boot her computer, to find somewhere to sleep. The hotel she booked was twelve miles on and she flipped through the music tracks on her car CD player to find a favorite before she set off for it.

Bliss had given up thinking of Devon but he thought of nothing else but her.

### Chapter Thirteen

The council met that evening. It was agreed Devon could seek out Bliss, but that he could only see her to form a relationship if she was in the town. The Elders could check on her safety in this way. They trusted him. It just made sense to protect everyone. Devon had done so well for so long. Devon agreed, but as they continued to talk he wondered how he might persuade Bliss to come back and stay in the town for the whole of her holiday. Erik knew what he was thinking and smiled sympathetically at Devon. When they were having coffee after the meeting was closed, he approached Devon.

"I think if it's meant to be Devon, you will find her and she will come back." Devon looked wistfully at Erik.

"Thank you for allowing me to go after her alone. It means a lot to me. I'll contact you as agreed if I need to stay the night tomorrow. I don't know where she may have got to but I need to start out as soon as I can to find her."

Erik nodded and as agreed Devon had gone home. He threw a clean shirt in the back of his car, and put a few toiletries in a plastic bag, comb, and toothpaste, a pair of boxers, he chucked the bag alongside the shirt.

Devon revved the engine of the dark blue four-wheel drive. It was new the year before, and he had been teased for buying this his third car. He only smiled at the kindly meant comments. In minutes, he reached the hotel he felt sure Bliss had stayed in the night before. Then he slowed down, where did she say she was going? He tried to remember what little she'd told him about her plans.

By pure fluke or fate, Devon chose the same direction as the one that Bliss took that morning. He roared on in the evening sun. The sky still very light blue but with red streaks across it now, heralded a further sunny day to follow this one. Devon was on the road Bliss had taken. The traffic died away after rush hour, and only a few cars remained on the country road. Devon took a different turn and headed away from where Bliss was, at the same time as she took a shower in her hotel, and looked online for places she would visit the next day.

He drove through the night until he reached the coast, and he watched the ocean as the sun came up behind him. He'd gone as far west as he could. He felt that he'd gone in the wrong direction. Bliss had given him the impression she was staying inland, and in the country towns where ancient ruins could be found. Devon bought coffee in a service station on his way back east. He drank it in sips as he drove, desperate to get out of the busy city area he was in, before everyone woke up and started scurrying to work. He made it to the country road Bliss had been on and went through the village with the castle high on its hill. Devon stopped there becoming frantic. He sat in his car in a parking area on the road edge, where he called Tara on his cell phone.

"Tara, I have no idea where she might have gone. She was looking for historic places, ruins, and such. Have you any ideas where I could head? I'm in a town called Rossay. I don't know where to go now."

Tara knew from his tone of voice that he was very upset, and she tried to soothe him.

"Devon, try to be calm, and think about her. Think hard about her. She may have passed that same way. Let your heart send you in a direction. Call Erik or me later if you're going to be out of town tonight. I'm thinking of you and hoping that you find her." They had ended the call then.

Devon didn't know it, but he wasn't far behind Bliss She'd got up just after nine in her hotel, and not left until after ten. Right then she was in a town not far from her hotel, and sitting at a café table with a cup of coffee.

Devon sighed, he didn't know where to go, and he pulled out of the parking area, and drove on. This time fate ensured it was in the right direction.

When Bliss journeyed on, she detoured into a large town she'd decided to visit. It had a Roman amphitheater and an interesting looking church caught her eye as she drove slowly along with the busy traffic looking for car parking.

Devon passed the hotel Bliss had slept in whilst he'd driven like a whirlwind to the coast. He saw the ring road that Bliss had taken into the nearby larger town and something told him to go that way, but he squashed the thought, she was sticking to rural and small towns she'd said. He drove on and as he approached another lovely little town, he felt a deep sadness...he would never find her, and he felt defeated. He looked for a car park and walked back along the main street to the market square in the town. He walked around the market there looking at some of the antiques on a stall. He saw a small blue patterned vase that he knew Tara would love and bought it for her.

The market square was walled on two sides by streets full of interesting places. A shop selling chocolates and candies, handmade things that even looked good to Devon who never ate candy. A shoe shop selling bespoke boots made to order and mailed out to wherever you wanted, a shop selling only soap, and one selling only pencils, pens, and erasers all in matching sets. Then a café, its tables set up outside to face the market square and aid 'people-watching'. The aroma of coffee settled Devon on spending some time there. It couldn't hurt, he thought, because after all, he hadn't a clue where to go next in his search for Bliss.

### Chapter Fourteen

Bliss had stopped in the large town located parallel to the market town Devon was in, and only eight miles separated them. She was sitting down to coffee too in a strange tavern type coffee house, its tables all inside the cafe, made of dark wood and carved in an ornate style. The interior of this café was dark and probably welcoming in the winter as it had a huge fireplace at the far end. The fire unlit in the summer warmth had the grate filled with a large bowl of bright pink peonies. Bliss chose a table near to the front window, but you couldn't see out. The window was decorated almost to the top with dark blue designs, similar to ancient Celtic designs. There was hardly any daylight coming in and the lighting was subdued to the point of dimness. She thought it was a little creepy.

Bliss almost gathered her shopping and left, but then a young woman came along to take her order and Bliss thought she would have a quick cup of coffee and then leave. Bliss asked for coffee and the young woman smiled, and nodded. She looked pale in the dim light, her hair in ringlets falling about her shoulders a version of auburn, and she wore a name badge, _Annabelle._

Bliss wriggled in her chair to watch the young woman walk away and as she did, a young man came from behind an ornate screen halfway down the café. He walked past Annabelle and said something to her. Bliss didn't catch what, and then he approached Bliss.

When he was standing by her table, she could see how good looking he was, his eyes a strange shade of bright blue, like a kingfisher, and his hair very dark. He was wearing a blue shirt and black jeans. The cuffs of the shirt were ruffled and came down over his hands to his knuckles. He looked at her with what could only be described as interest.

"Hello, is it still very warm outside? I've been working all morning so not looked out. I own the café and since it's now my coffee break, I thought maybe you wouldn't mind if I shared your table."

He was charming, courteous in an old fashioned way, and very attractive. Bliss was enchanted. She nodded even as a little voice inside her head cautioned her against this stranger.

"Okay, I'm not staying long though. I'm travelling through." She found him compelling. She looked into his startlingly blue eyes as he sat down and she thought, well here we go, this could be the 'someone' I'm meant to meet.

There was no denying his attractiveness, his skin was pale but fine and unblemished, and his eyelashes fringing those beautiful, bright blue eyes were long and curved. He sat down very close to her, almost too close for a stranger. Bliss could feel something in his presence. He seemed to exude masculinity, sexuality, she thought, as she looked at his lovely shaped lips and imagined what it would be like to kiss him.

He smiled slightly at her, and she wondered if he'd guessed what she was thinking. His eyes held a knowing expression. The coffee arrived and Bliss was thankful to have the presence of the young woman Annabelle, who put the cups down, and fussed around for a minute or so.

The young man, who had failed so far to name himself other than as the owner of the café, watched Annabelle as she walked away. When he turned to Bliss, his attention felt like a gift, it made Bliss feel special and wanted. He questioned Bliss in such a winning way that she told him all about her holiday plans and the places she would like to visit.

He gave her little information about himself, other than that he lived in a small market town a few miles east of this one. He had an old house, and he liked the atmosphere there. The age of the town was comforting. He thought she would like it and there was a ruined abbey just outside it, he told her. You could wander around at any time, the entrance fee was by donation only, and it was set in a field back from the road where sheep roamed around from a nearby farm.

Drew liked this young woman. He wanted to feed on her, but at the same time, he thought he would also like to spend a few days and nights with her. To feel her warm skin and smell her blood until it drove him into a frenzy. He knew Annabelle was jealous. She was always jealous when he deviated from the straight feed to this kind of behavior, but he didn't care. He smiled and flirted with Bliss. He convinced her to have dinner with him that evening, in his hometown, and to allow him to show her around the abbey ruins first. He knew she would love them as he did. Drew used all his charm and the mannerism he knew invariably women responded to, a flash of sexuality in his eyes, a look of promise.

Bliss was reeled in. Her loneliness was making her vulnerable and the loss of the potential with Devon was making her reckless. The idea of perhaps walking hand in hand with this beautiful man, around a ruined abbey was seductive. She agreed to meet him at a particular restaurant in the market town where he lived. After telling her his name, he wrote the name of the town and directions to it on a letterhead that Annabelle brought him. They would meet at six thirty there, have a coffee, and then go to the abbey. Then afterwards dinner he said with a devastatingly attractive smile. Then he asked her if she would like another cup of coffee here before she went off for the afternoon, and asked her in a friendly way what she planned to do next.

Bliss left the cafe feeling buoyed by this meeting with Drew. When he'd finally told her his name, as she heard it, a shiver went down her spine. She didn't know the origins of that shiver, other than she found his name to be as sexy as he was. He in turn had enthused over her name when she told it to him.

"Bliss, Bliss, Bliss," he said. "It sounds as if it could be the name of an exotic new drink, a cocktail." He smiled again at her and in her innocence, Bliss believed his sincerity.

She drove away from the larger town and easily found the market town Drew directed her to. She drove through it to find the ruined abbey for herself and have advance knowledge of it.

Bliss smiled to herself as she went back to the market town and parked up in the tourist car parking lot, next to a big, dark blue four-wheel drive. She booted her netbook and plugged in her portable wireless broadband dongle. She Googled the abbey and the market town reading what information there was, before she looked for accommodation close by. This time she booked two nights at the nearest hotel in the hope of getting to know Drew better by being around. She could check in after two and decided she would do that. She intended to shower and wear the dress she'd bought in Marguerite's shop to meet Drew that evening. She started her car and drove off again.

Devon was at the market town's café in the square. He'd called Erik and told him that he'd stay the night in the hope of chancing upon Bliss in the area, before driving home the next morning. He'd discovered from the man waiting tables, that there was a substantial ruined abbey just a little way out of this town. He hoped Bliss would find out and decide to visit it, because she was looking for ruined abbeys. He sighed and ordered his third cup of coffee before he got out his phone. He picked up the nearest cloud internet wireless signal, looking for a room for the night. He found a nearby hotel, one of the chain hotel types Bliss favored. He booked a room there simply because she'd chosen the chain and it felt like he could be closer to her by doing something similar.

He was doing this when Bliss passed, his head down, he didn't see her car, which he would have recognized had he been looking.

Bliss checked into her hotel. She hummed as she shook her dress out and put it on a hanger to catch the steam from her shower, to drop the couple of creases that were in the floaty fabric. She looked over her shopping that she'd bought in the large town that day. She'd bought a T-shirt in a lovely Wedgwood blue and a white slip that was so pretty she had to buy it even though she didn't usually wear petticoats at all.

She flicked the TV on, and sorted out her things. Since she was staying two nights, she unpacked her toiletries a little more than usual. Then she hung one of her T-shirts on a hanger. It was the same ballet style she always wore, but this time in a pale avocado green. Bliss had the same style in blue, and in white. She liked the style. It made her feel slim.

By the time she was ready, with the lovely dress on, and her hair held up in the clip she'd found that matched its color, it was also time to drive back to the market town, and the restaurant to meet Drew.

Bliss exited the hotel car park feeling nervous. She hoped Drew wouldn't let her down, but at the same time, she had butterflies in her stomach thinking about meeting this very attractive man again.

****

Devon walked up and down the main street of this market town and called Tara again. He'd found a couple of alleyways full of shops, places to spend time. He felt his search for Bliss was over. He would stay the night, check out that abbey ruin, and then leave. He called himself a fool a few times and then he picked up a bottle of spring water at a nearby shop, and walked to the car parking lot and his vehicle. There was an empty spot next to it. It reminded him of the space that was left when Bliss had gone from the abbey car park. He felt sad.

He drove into the hotel car park on the left of the hotel as Bliss exited on the right. They couldn't have seen or passed each other. It was a one-way route in and a one-way route out on the other side of the hotel.

He checked in, and made a cup of tea drinking it looking out at the fields surrounding the back of the hotel. There were rabbits, lots of them all over the fields, nibbling on the grass, hopping about, enjoying the late evening warmth. Peace descended as the traffic dwindled to an occasional car on the nearby road.

****

Bliss went into the restaurant. It was as dimly lit, as the café had been where she'd met Drew. She found a table as close to the windows as she could. They weren't blocking the light as much as the Celtic design windows in Drew's café. They were only tinted with a blue shade that cooled the interior. Large lush plants lined the window bottom, and they added to the cool ambiance. Bliss checked the time on her cell phone, it was ten minutes after the time she was to have met Drew here. Her lateness had been because of parking.

The market square she passed through was full of stalls, and a musical event crew had been putting equipment up at the far end. A band was setting up on a small raised stage. The bar staff was putting tables and chairs out onto the paved area. People were spilling out of the bar onto the square itself. Their intention to listen to the band, and enjoy the evening continuation of the market was evident on their faces. Some were already taking places at the outside tables, and a waiter with a tray of drinks was already serving a group of people there.

Bliss watched this blue tinged picture of gaiety, and waited for Drew. She'd ordered coffee when asked what she wanted by a staff member who was dressed all in black. Now she took a sip of it thinking that maybe Drew had stood her up.

Drew was intentionally late. He was waiting for the sun to have lost its intensity and he enjoyed the way his dates were always so grateful when he eventually did turn up. He could make it to the restaurant if it was cloudy or after seven with the sun having little effect on him in his specially made clothes.

A member of the group of vampires he hung out with was enterprising enough to discover that a country produced cloth, which could prevent the penetration of the full spectrum of the sun's rays. They ordered fabric on the internet and made shirts that gave them protection. The night was still their province and they couldn't go out in full sun, or be out in the day at all for long without this clothing. The winter was great. They could wear long coats and hats, and go out much more.

Drew looked at the evening sun. It was clouded over now, but still warm. He knew the rays still came in through the clouds and he moved with exceptional speed to his car. He drove home to the town he'd lived in since arriving there ten years ago. He lived only a street away from the restaurant where he'd arranged to meet Bliss. His three story Georgian house part of a row of them that was located in one of the more sought after parts of the actual town center. Drew intended leaving his car on the road outside his house, and skirting the main street by using a little service lane that ran to the market square between houses. These provided him with very decent shade. He grinned to himself. He was looking forward to the seduction of this lovely girl Bliss. He thought that was what it would be when he let himself drink her blood...Bliss.

Bliss looked at her cell phone, seven twenty-five. He wasn't coming. She was stupid to have thought this was a real date. He'd spent a flirtatious hour with her this morning, bored by his work no doubt. He would have thought better of their assignation at the end of his working day, he would prefer to go home and relax. Her thoughts were convincing.

She got up and paid for her coffee, the only thing she'd ordered in her now more than forty-five minute wait. She'd crossed the square to the area where a crowd of people was listening to the band, when Drew entered the restaurant.

He knew at a glance that she wasn't there, but he also knew she'd been there. Her smell was nectar to him. He cursed inwardly. They usually waited a long time for him. He was shocked that she'd left. Of course, the restaurant belonged to one of the vampire group that lived in the town and Drew questioned the waiter about Bliss.

The owner, Greta, sat on a stool in her little office at the back of the restaurant and looked out of her two-way window. She saw Drew come into the restaurant and start to look around. She came out to him, greeting him, and interrupting his questioning of Lance the waiter, who was standing back from Drew. Lance had always been a little in awe of Drew and he was thankful as Greta arrived at his side. Drew could be vindictive.

The member of staff who'd served Bliss joined them. They'd seen her cross the square they said, maybe she was still out there, they ventured.

Drew sniffed. He wanted to go out there, but at the same time, the sun wasn't down far enough for his liking. He sat at a table and Greta ordered them coffee.

Bliss stood with a group of people listening to the band. It was good music and they were covering well-known songs. She thought about getting something to eat at the bar and looked to see if there would be a free table. She turned and went into the bar. It was bright, friendly, and full of people.

### Chapter Fifteen

Meanwhile Devon was miserable. He cleaned his teeth and looked at his reflection in the mirror. It always surprised him to see it. Tara had laughed at his reaction the first time he realized he had a reflection again. He combed his hair and it fell a little in soft spikes onto his forehead. He noticed his eyes were dark blue today, they could be steel-gray sometimes, and he didn't know why.

He decided to check out the abbey ruin since it was a warm night. A balmy night was what the Elders would call it. He had to drive through the market town to get to the ruin and he saw the square full of people. The road had been reduced to a single line of traffic as cars were parked down one side now. Men in fluorescent yellow waistcoats were at each end of the road, and they directed cars to go or not to go along this narrowed thoroughfare. Devon made a decision and a sharp turn into the car park where he'd parked earlier that day. He would spend a little time here instead. He would check the ruin out tomorrow. Bliss would most likely be there during the day anyway, he reasoned.

Devon saw her car immediately he entered the car parking lot, and his heart filled up with what he realized was joy. He parked up on a low bank of grass. The place was very full, and there was nothing else for it. No space on the concrete was left, and Devon wasn't missing this chance of finding Bliss for the sake of a parking spot. He went to her car and looked around it. He knew it was hers.

He went to his own car and took an old petrol receipt from the glove compartment. The pen he had in there had to be coaxed into working, but when it did, he wrote her a note.

" _Bliss its Devon, I'm desperate to find you, please don't leave if you come back to your car. My dark blue Landrover is on the grass to the left of you, wait for me. Please wait for me."_ He secured it in her door handle. She would be sure to find that when she opened her driver side door, he thought.

He put the pen back in his car, locked up, and strode off to the square. It stood to reason she would be there in that happy crowd.

Bliss had bought a toasted sandwich and orange juice. She sat close by the bar at a table already occupied by two old people, tourists. They readily shared the table with her and told her their itinerary for the next day in their Midwestern accents. They were friendly and nice. Bliss felt safe there and ate her sandwich happily.

When they left the table, she did too, joining the now large throng of people in the square, watching the band or shopping. The sun had made a last blaze from behind a cloud, but now it was almost down, and the square was lit up with strings of colored lights that Bliss hadn't noticed during the day. They were high up between the buildings and trees, strung out to the market stall canvas roofs and the street lamps by the raised area, where the band was now playing.

Bliss stood watching the band. The people in front of her were starting to dance. She smiled at this and one of them, a much younger boy maybe seventeen spinning around, noticed her, and tried to get her to dance too. Bliss only smiled and he spun back to his friends grinning at her.

Devon wove expertly through the crowd and towards the band. He felt instinctively that Bliss would be there, if she was anywhere in this crowd, and when he saw her it was because of the dress. He knew that dress and then he knew her figure and her hair, and he'd reached her.

"Bliss," he said. "Bliss, I'm so happy I've found you."

She heard her name and turned to the voice, vaguely familiar, and she was surprised to see it belonged to Devon.

He reached her side. "I've looked for you for a night and a day. I was almost ready to believe I would never find you again. I can't tell you how good it is to see you." He put his arms out to her. Bliss looked questioningly at him and then moved by the emotion in his voice, and the look on his lovely face, she stepped into them and put her arms around him.

"Devon, what's happening?" She asked as he hugged her, and then caught hold of both her hands as she moved back from his hug.

"I realized I couldn't just let you go after the other day, meeting you, I felt so happy. I wanted to get to know you, but I didn't know how, and then I let you go and I couldn't bear it. I had to come after you Bliss. I felt we had such a connection when we met at the café. Please tell me that you felt it too." Devon poured all his hope into those few words and Bliss could sense that. She smiled at him. She'd felt the connection too. She'd hoped for it, and been so disappointed to lose it.

"I know, I felt it, I wanted to stay with you, get to know you, I hoped," she faltered under the depth of emotion she felt. "I hoped we were at the start of something special," Bliss finished her sentence. She thought she might just as well come out with it because after all he was there in front of her looking so happy at finding her.

Devon sighed in relief. "I want to hug you again, if that's okay? I want to talk to you. Could we move a little away from the band so you can hear me better?"

Bliss nodded, and as he let go of her hands she hugged him too. Devon moved only a little away from her, he desperately wanted to kiss her, was it too soon he asked himself. He moved slowly and with great care, he kissed her. The contact was almost too much for him. He felt like falling down. That was becoming a habit, he told himself, but she was kissing him back now. It was so good, he couldn't remember the last time he'd kissed, and been kissed like that. Tenderly, gently, he held her face in his hands and then they breathed against each other, the kiss was so moving, so delicious for both of them.

Devon took her hand to walk to the side of the square away from the band. He could hear Bliss, but he wanted to make sure she could hear him. Bliss held his hand and thought about what had just happened. She was happy and half thought she might be dreaming all of this. It felt like love when he kissed her, but then again she'd felt loved for eight months. She'd believed she was loved, but that had evaporated overnight when her last boyfriend had taken off to Australia. Something he must have been planning for weeks and she'd never known. Bliss was thinking, but Devon was on alert.

He knew instantly that a vampire was behind them. He didn't know it was Drew, only that it was a vampire.

Drew spoke. "Well if it isn't Devon Ruthin himself, the prince of darkness. What are you doing here, and with my girl too?"

Both Bliss and Devon turned together. Devon let go of her hand as they turned, now she found it again and held it tight.

### Chapter Sixteen

Devon was comforted by Bliss holding his hand, but his voice held a note of disappointment. "What does he mean, his girl? How do you know him Bliss?"

Bliss didn't want anything to happen to drive Devon away from her now. She sighed and then spoke up.

"I'm not his girl. I met him in a café this morning. He asked me to eat with him tonight, but I waited more than forty-five minutes, and when he didn't arrive, I left the meeting place. I thought he'd changed his mind, and gone home instead. We don't know each other."

Devon instantly thought Drew more than likely had Bliss on the menu, and he sensed Drew was annoyed at this loss.

Drew shook his head.

"She's right, she's not my girl, but she could have been."

He was considering just whisking Bliss away from Devon, a surprise attack. He could get her away, drain her, and dump her with the trash at the back of the bar. Let Devon follow him, be too late, and find her dead. He allowed himself to contemplate the imagined victory just a second too long and Devon sensed the intention. He put his arm around Bliss, hugging her across the shoulders into his body. Bliss having had to let go of his hand in order for Devon to do this, slipped her arm around Devon's waist. Reassured by her touch again, he gave Drew a look that said back off.

Drew shrugged. "You know, this is a bore, Devon, I have places to go, but Bliss, we are not done, I think you know that. I think you liked me as much as I liked you today when we spent time together." He smiled his knowing smile, but this time Bliss didn't find it sexy. She found it menacing. She looked down at the ground and Drew took the opportunity to leave. He passed close to Bliss at an incredible speed. She felt a breeze move her dress as Drew tore the corner from one of the floaty triangles. He held it to his face for a split second before he put it into his pocket.

Devon watched. He knew something had happened, but he couldn't guess what. Bliss hadn't cried out, and she appeared fine. Maybe Drew had moved close to her just to freak him out that would be like Drew.

Devon turned Bliss to face him. She looked around realizing Drew had left them.

He must have silently left as she'd dropped her head she thought. She looked at Devon. "Devon, how does he know you, and why did he call you the prince of darkness?"

Devon still had his arms around her shoulders and he looked longingly at her lips. He really wanted to kiss her again but he answered. "I knew him a long time ago. It's just his nickname for me. He likes to tease."

Bliss nodded slightly, she could imagine that of Drew. Now she was with Devon she thought Drew was never going to be the love she was looking for, he'd been out for something else. She could see that now. Maybe she was just going to be a bit of fun for him, a girl on holiday, no strings, that sort of thing. It wasn't what she wanted. She wanted Devon and his offer of real love. She'd come looking for that hadn't she?

Devon moved his face closer to hers. He felt one of those waves of emotion again, like the one he'd felt in the café close to her. He wanted to be kissing her when it reached his eyes so that it couldn't spill over and trickle down his cheeks. He kissed her very tenderly and Bliss kissed him in return. She kissed him with all the longing she felt for love after years of being alone. His touch was gentle. He felt cool and strong under her hands as she held him. He moved back from her a little, and looked into her eyes. They seemed more gray than blue in the colored lights. She was so pretty, and he felt so much for her, he was confused by it.

"I would like to talk to you, and tell you things. I feel so much for you, serious feelings. Could we go somewhere and talk? Just say yes or no." He knew this would sound a little strange, but he was worried Drew was somewhere listening. He couldn't risk Drew knowing where Bliss was staying that night.

Bliss smiled a little. "Yes," she said, and then she let herself reach out to the love he seemed to be offering. She kissed him again, holding his face in her hands.

Devon was captivated by it. He let her kiss him, his cheeks, his lips, his forehead, and he bent his head to hers to get more kisses. It was like the first time he'd felt raindrops again, so welcome, so exotic, so sensual. He whispered in her ear, "Let's walk to the car parking lot, my car is there, and we can talk there perhaps." Bliss nodded and they walked hand in hand to the car park area.

On the way, Devon had all his senses on high alert for Drew, or any of Drew's group of vampires that Devon knew Drew would have. By the time they reached the car park, Devon was pleasantly surprised there was no sign at all that Drew, or any vampire was near. Devon relaxed only slightly. He walked with Bliss to her car and told her again why he'd come after her. This time he added that he hoped she would come back to where he lived and spend some time with him to get to know him.

Bliss questioned him.

"You mean come back to the town with the abbey, and stay nearby? I'd love to." She thought then that she couldn't have hoped for anything better.

Devon held her close, and he kissed her gently. He whispered to her.

"Where are you staying I want to take you there tonight to make sure you're safe."

Bliss wondered what that really meant. Why would she not be safe? Maybe he just wanted to spend more time with her. She told him where she was staying in a whisper because their lips were still close to each other's. It felt to Devon that he would never be able to stop kissing her, but he wanted to get out of this town whilst it seemed no vampire was watching, or listening.

When he heard where she was staying, he broke into a huge smile.

"That's where I'm staying tonight," he told her, and she smiled too.

"I'll follow you there in my car," he said, waving towards a Landrover nearby, and Bliss looked around.

"The Landrover?" She asked surprised, and as he nodded, she told him. "I parked next to that car today. Devon we missed each other then. How lucky you found me in the market square."

Devon smiled. "I know, but I was searching for you. I guessed and hoped you would be there, and you were, eventually." He held her close, and she put her arms up around his neck as they hugged, cheek to cheek.

Devon waited for her to unlock her car and she found the note he'd written. She read it under her Jeep's interior light and as he stood at the open door, she turned to him.

"I'm so glad you found me."

He smiled and closed her door saying, "Don't lose sight of my car in the rear view mirror. Don't drive on alone. Don't get out if you stop, and keep the doors locked and the headlights on."

She frowned slightly. "Devon, what's the story? Do you think we are in some kind of danger?"

He shook his head so as not to alarm her and in truth, he felt that Drew had decided not to bother about them. There was nothing, no scent, no presence, no stirring in the vicinity, no vampires around at all. There was a dog fox in the trees beyond the grassy bank, and a cat under one of the parked cars.

They drove to the hotel, one car behind the other. The roads were clear. Everyone was still enjoying the evening's entertainment in the market town.

### Chapter Seventeen

Drew dismissed the meeting with Devon and had just about gotten over his annoyance at losing that tasty morsel Bliss. He had latched onto an almost intoxicated young woman of about nineteen. He bit her as he nuzzled her neck. She didn't know he was feeding himself, and working himself up into the fury that would be unleashed upon her later that night. He gave her more alcohol to drink She was leaning on him, her shirt open to the waist when he decided to take her. He rushed her in a great burst of speed to the far end of the town, where he tore her clothes, and bit her all over before he drained her blood. Afterwards, he felt disgust at her now ugly body. He liked beauty. He picked it up and took it to the place the vampires used to dispose of their victims, an old factory building right on the outskirts of the town. It had a ' _For sale_ ' sign up. Drew knew it had been up for at least two years. Some of the windows were broken, chiefly those on the ground floor. Inside was a working foundry oven, once used for melting metal. Now the vampires used it to get rid of the evidence of their activities, if they were imprudent enough to kill on their home turf.

He knew a friend of his had fired it up that morning and he tossed the body in there.

He went home carefree, he didn't think about Devon or Bliss. That would come later.

****

Devon was with Bliss in her hotel room. They had made coffee, and sat close to each other at the little table on the small bucket chairs provided.

Devon held her hand. "I'm so happy to be with you. I was in despair when I couldn't find you. How do you feel about all this? I mean really feel? Do you think we're moving too fast and that I'm rushing you...asking too much? I can take the truth Bliss."

She put her cup down and thought for only a moment.

"No Devon, you're what I hoped to find. I've been lonely for a long time."

She thought she'd just roll with this situation. She'd take all the love Devon would give her and hope that it wouldn't end. Right then she was willing to chance it. She needed this. She needed the kisses and the closeness. If anything happened to end it, she would cross that bridge when she came to it. The note he'd left in her car door handle had clinched it all for her. No one did that unless they were sincere, and there had been innocent hope in the words of that note.

"Devon, that's such a great name," she told him, and then asked, "Were you born there, is that how you got the name?"

He smiled. "My mother and father loved the place they lived in so much by the sea in Devon, that when I was born they named me after the county that had come to mean so much to them. How did you come by your name, Bliss?" He asked her.

Bliss shrugged. "I'm not sure, my sister is called Blessing. I think my mother and father were just happy to have children. I've secretly hoped it meant they felt bliss with each other when they were conceiving me." She smiled slightly, but her eyes held some sadness. Devon took hold of her other hand then. He held them both to his lips and kissed the knuckles.

Bliss looked into his eyes. They were very dark blue she thought. She leaned forward to kiss him. Devon met her, letting go of her hands to hold her head to his. They kissed each other until Bliss felt dizzy with longing.

Devon was feeling something that made him afraid. He checked himself. Was this the terrible bloodlust back again? He was craving something. More kisses? He felt her nose against his as they stopped kissing to breathe. He searched his mind. Was he about to drink her blood? He felt terror then, but he wanted to protect her, and he loved her. Devon stopped his fearful thoughts. He loved her that was it. It wasn't bloodlust he was feeling, but a different kind of lust altogether. He sighed in relief as he kissed her cheek. He let himself kiss down her neck and shoulder where the strap of the dress had fallen as they cuddled. He smiled at her as he brought his head up and looked into her eyes.

"You look great in this dress by the way. It suits you. You look good enough to eat," and then he laughed at himself, and at his choice of words. He might tell Tara about this because it was funny.

Bliss liked to see him laugh. He lit up. Already lovely, he was charming when he laughed. She smilingly thanked him for the compliment and then she grew serious.

"I'd like to tell you about this morning when I met Drew. I feel now as if there was something strange about it. I want you to know that I responded to him because I felt such loss when I thought there'd be nothing between you and me."

Devon nodded in answer, and the expression in his eyes grew serious. He listened intently, just in case there was a clue to Drew's intentions within what had happened. Bliss told him what Drew said about her name, and Devon almost winced as he realized what Drew meant.

She told him about how, although she'd found Drew attractive, there was a little voice within her that was warning her. When she responded to him, it was almost as if she couldn't help herself. She told Devon this, and he nodded again quietly. By the time she'd told him all she wanted, he was frowning and had a hand up to his mouth pressing his knuckles to his lips as if in thought.

Devon shook his head and stood up. He walked to the window and back. He had found Bliss just in time for sure he thought. Drew was going to string her along for fun, maybe for a few days, and then she would be his cocktail one evening in some dark place.

Devon sat back down opposite Bliss and she saw he was upset. She thought that maybe it was because she'd found Drew attractive, but there could be no denying he was. It was just that he was also strange.

"What do you know about Drew? How did you meet him?" Bliss asked Devon as he sat down.

Devon didn't want to tell her. He wanted to forget Drew and yet this was a weird thing to have happened. A girl comes to where he is living, he falls in love with her, he lets her drive off, and of all people she meets Drew. It had been twenty years since he'd seen Drew. The last time had been when Drew disappeared into the night with most of the vampire community. There was something strange in this. Maybe the Elders would make sense of it in one way or another. He looked into her pretty, blue-gray eyes right now searching his face for answers and he sighed.

"Drew and I, we grew up in the same town, we worked together for a while, and then, he just disappeared. I never thought I'd see him again. He's mostly a dangerous type, prone to violence shall we say, devious, very selfish. I wish you'd never met him." Devon spoke softly.

Bliss reached out to take his hand.

He watched her take his hand in both of hers and then closed his eyes for a few seconds. Her touch felt so good.

Bliss leaned forward as she saw him close his eyes and kissed his lips quickly, and softly. He opened his eyes as she leaned back from him and smiled at her.

Bliss smiled back. "The thing is though, if I hadn't met Drew, I wouldn't have been in that market town and you wouldn't have found me tonight. Isn't that weird?"

Devon shook his head. He didn't want to give Drew any credit for this. "I would have found you without him. I'm sure of it." Right then Devon believed that.

Bliss picked up her cup and sipped at her now cold coffee. Devon watched and suddenly realized she wouldn't have eaten that night because she was to have dinner with Drew.

"Bliss, I'm sorry I should have asked sooner, are you hungry, you missed dinner."

Bliss shook her head. "No I'm okay. I had a sandwich at the bar before you came along, but what about you, shall we go down to the restaurant so you can eat?"

Devon thought fast. He still didn't eat. He could drink more or less anything, except milk. He lived off a concoction made for him by the _beings_. He didn't know what it was. It tasted of many things, and he called it his health shake. He only needed to drink it twice a day and it fed him. At first, it could taste of blood and then he changed, and it could taste of other things, and recently he just accepted it as it was. He was a little hungry, and he knew he needed to drink that food soon, but tomorrow would do. One of the Elders administered his medicine once a week. He didn't need that for three days. He looked towards the tray containing sachets of coffee and the electric kettle. A few tea bags in colorful packets were on the tray too. "I'd like a real cup of coffee, and maybe some fruit juice. Do you think we could get that at the restaurant?"

Bliss smiled. "I think so. Let's go down before it gets any later."

In the restaurant, they ordered coffee. Devon ordered orange and pineapple juice, and they got a couple of small bottles of spring water too since they could get it cold. Devon sighed as he sat opposite Bliss and he looked at her thoughtfully. He could hardly believe she'd responded to him the way she had. He remembered the well of loneliness he'd felt as he shook her hand and he hoped he could take that away for her. He didn't want to think about what might happen when her holiday was over. As far as he knew he couldn't leave the Elders, not if he wanted to remain free of his vampirism.

Bliss looked at him and thought how good looking he was. She thought the combination of his blonde hair and strange dark eyes was what attracted her, but it was his air of intelligence, and gentleness too. She looked at his lips, and then at his perfectly shaped nose. She was studying him and he smiled realizing this.

"You don't have to find a hotel. You could stay in Marguerite's house. She has a large place and the whole top floor has been made into a guest area over the years. It has its own sitting room and bathroom, and there's a tiny kitchen and a big bedroom with a balcony. I'm sure you would like it." He didn't yet add that he lived in a house with a similar set up.

Bliss looked worried. She put her hand across the table to touch Devon's hand as she said, "Devon, I don't want to appear ungrateful, but I would feel uncomfortable in Marguerite's house. I know she didn't like that we'd met."

"I understand and you're right. I do know other people who have rooms. I have a big house too, and you're welcome to stay if you feel comfortable about that." He worried about her being somewhere he couldn't take care of her and protect her if need be. The thought of Drew finding her was uppermost in his mind right then.

Bliss smiled at him. "That would be kind of you, but I could stay in the hotel nearby, it's only a five minute drive."

Devon smiled at her but he didn't feel happy.

"Bliss, if you want to stay with me, I promise you're safe and I have a suite of rooms you can use. It will be private for you. You can choose if and when you see me." He stopped talking, thinking it sounded as if he was trying to persuade her to do something she didn't want to do. He frowned a little in desperation at his perceived ineptitude in interacting with her.

Bliss saw the frown, but also the sincerity in his eyes. She decided to put the decision off about her accommodations until they were back in the town. The temptation immediately to say yes she would stay with Devon was great, but she needed to make sure it was okay. He seemed sincere and true, but to stay in a stranger's house right away, she couldn't let herself do that.

Devon saw the indecision on her face and he realized it would be better to say nothing more. Tomorrow would do. He thought about later that night, and how he might not be able to stop worrying about Drew. He might have to sit outside her room and make sure she was safe. Although, he would never feel she was truly safe now she'd met Drew. He sighed and then he realized Bliss was watching him with a look on her face that made him feel she cared for him.

"Let's exchange phone numbers," he said, getting his cell phone out of the breast pocket of his shirt. Bliss took hers from her little bag and they took each other's number. Devon started to smile again. He was so happy to be with her and he wondered how he could stretch the rest of the night out with her.

Bliss wondered the same thing. She asked herself if it would seem too clingy or needy to keep him with her after they left the restaurant. It would be nice to talk some more, maybe even cuddle up on the big bed in her room. There might be a movie on TV.

They both started to speak at the same time. Devon stopped, and smiling gestured for her to continue. This made Bliss feel self-conscious. It was nearly ten at night and was dark. Devon glanced out of the big window nearby at the garden area beyond. There were lights out there, but he didn't need them. He could see beyond into the darkness, and the flowering shrubs that bordered the garden. He wanted to ask Bliss if they could spend some more time together, but he didn't know how. Bliss decided she had nothing to lose.

"If you have nothing planned, I'd love to spend a little more time with you, talk about what we're doing tomorrow, just be together really." She looked at him with her eyes full of hope and he smiled.

"I'd really like that."

They paid the bill and left the restaurant. They had to cross a little of the garden area to get to the rooms and Devon once again used every sense he had to detect any threats. There was nothing. _Maybe I'm overreacting,_ he thought.

Talking about where she would stay had brought some kind of shyness between them, and Bliss wanted back that open affection Devon had shown her earlier. She turned to him as they got through her room door, and put her arms around him.

"I've noticed you seem to be wary as we walk around outside, are you still worried about Drew, or is there something else?"

Devon was surprised she'd noticed and equated it with Drew. He hoped she wouldn't. He shook his head, better not to tell her more about Drew or himself, so he shook his head again and put his arms around her. The moment they felt each other close, they immediately relaxed. Bliss kissed his cheek and then his lips. He kissed her too, holding her close.

When Bliss said, "Let's sit on the bed, the chairs are not that comfy, let's talk about tomorrow." Devon was happy to do that and they sat together, leaning on the headboard, holding hands and talking about how Devon would follow her in his car the next day.

### Chapter Eighteen

As Devon and Bliss happily planned their morning, a distance away in the town where Drew lived, Annabelle looked through Drew's pockets. She always did it. It was a habit. She was very jealous of any female that Drew associated with, and she could smell the human ones on him and his clothes. She looked in his pockets to gauge if he would be seeing them again. Once, she'd been able to dispose of a girl that Drew was interested in keeping around when she found her phone number on a table napkin. It was written in black kohl eye pencil.

Tonight she found the piece of filmy fabric, the point of the triangle that Drew had torn from the dress Bliss had been wearing. It reeked of that girl who was in the café that morning. Annabelle was furious, deciding she would remember that smell. She wanted to get rid of the bit of fabric. Was it a memento, is that why he had it in the breast pocket of his shirt?

She couldn't get rid of it. Drew would kill her, or at the least leave her, throw her out, if he discovered she'd done that. She'd hide it somewhere safe so that she could get it out again if he remembered he used to have it, and began looking for it.

Annabelle had a strange gift. Since she was about ten years old, she had the uncanny knack of sometimes bringing together the threads of coincidence, and touching upon a hidden reality. She did this as she went to the big library in the house they lived in, and after climbing up the steps, she took out a very thick and rare book on architecture from the top shelf. It had black and white photographs within it called _plates_ she noticed. They had a crackly page in front of them that was almost transparent, a protective page for the photograph. Annabelle opened the book randomly, and placed the triangle of fabric on top of one of these protective pages. She closed the book, and replaced it on the shelf. Climbing down the steps, she smiled to herself. Drew wouldn't find it there, it was safe, and if need be she could get it back into a pocket of his without him knowing.

The photograph that Annabelle placed the fabric next to, on top of its protective page, was of an abbey, a Norman abbey. It featured the beautiful Norman tomb canopies. It could have been any abbey, but it was the one Bliss visited in the town where Devon lived and was about to take Bliss home to.

****

Devon was taking great care not to spook Bliss. He could wait a long time for her he told himself as they leaned close to each other and planned the journey home. He wanted her to know she was safe with him. He tried to tell her something of himself, but he knew it was a sanitized version of his life. He told her he had a few business interests and a few property interests. He told her he belonged to a group of friends he thought the world of, and felt he could never leave. That his life was idyllic apart from having someone to love, and who loved him. Bliss was impressed, especially with his ability to say he wanted someone to love and be loved by, that was remarkable in her opinion.

She was holding his hand and brought it to her lips kissing his knuckles quickly and softly. Devon was very touched. In his whole life, no one had done that. He'd kissed a lady's hand, but this was new to him. He felt a mixture of confusion and love.

He thanked her and Bliss laughed. "You're welcome Devon the kiss was in response to your honesty about wanting to be loved."

Devon felt bad. He might have told the truth about that, but so far, most of what he'd said to Bliss was censored, and he sighed.

Bliss was taking chances. She wanted to get to know Devon fast. Her holiday was three days old, and here was a man who seemed unbelievably great. She turned to face him and put her free hand up against his cool cheek. She moved in and kissed his lips.

Devon was very heartened, he was also very turned on. He kissed Bliss in return but gently, resisting the urge to push her back against the pillows.

He sighed as she moved away. "It's late I should leave you to get some sleep, text me in the morning when you're ready to leave."

She looked disappointed. He thought, _she likes me, a lot, that's good news_ , and he smiled. "We could watch TV for a while," he said, picking up the remote from the bedside table, and giving it to her, "If you want to."

Bliss took the remote happily and flicked on the TV. There was already a movie playing. She leaned against Devon who felt like he'd done the right thing. Bliss didn't want him to go, he didn't want to go, and then there was always Drew to worry about, he told himself.

****

Drew was at home in his study, he didn't actually do any academic or even business work in there but he liked the notion of a study. He was playing Grand Theft Auto four. He loved this game he thought to himself, but then Annabelle knocked on the door asking if she would see him that night. He knew what that meant. She was getting clingy again. It was a nuisance. He liked her but not enough, not the way she wanted him to like her.

He sighed. "Maybe, maybe not, Annabelle. I feel sometimes we see too much of each other what with you working in the café as well as living here." He knew it was cruel, even he knew it.

Her face fell. He didn't care. He couldn't care. It was enough he gave her a home, and she knew she didn't have to work if she chose not to. Annabelle had chosen to in order, she'd said, to pay him back for giving her a home. In four years she'd come to rely on that café work to keep an eye on him. She couldn't bear the thought of not being with Drew. When they met, she'd been homeless for a long time. She didn't want to go back to that. Drew had shown her how to deal with things better, but even so, she shook her head in despair as she left the study, closing the door on Drew.

He took his lovely house through the murder of its owner many years ago. He'd told her of the way he'd befriended the old man who lived there, eventually just killing him one night. His blood drained away as Drew bit him in his bath and left him to die. The old man had a son who came looking for his father. Drew killed him too. This time enjoying the feed, and he simply took possession of everything available.

He found many thousands of pounds in the safe, not even locked, but hidden behind a painting in the old man's bedroom, a painting of a girl in a ballet dress. Drew looked at the painting and thought it might be worth something. When he'd found the money, he put the painting back on the wall. In the safe were the deeds to the big Georgian house and to another property in a nearby town. The deeds were for a business and that's how he got the café. He simply fed on the people there. His old friend Greta had gone there with him and they had a wild time. The newspaper reports of people going missing trickled on, but as with all complete disappearances that had no evidence, the missing people faded from memory.

Twenty years had passed since he took the places. He told Annabelle this story to impress upon her that she was powerful and need not be the poor wretch hiding in sewers that she was when he found her.

Drew turned back to his game as she left. He didn't give her another thought until about four in the morning when he decided he would visit her room after all. He was bored.

### Chapter Nineteen

Bliss had fallen asleep against Devon and he'd gently shuffled down the bed with her in his arms. He sighed and reached for the remote that she'd placed on the bed next to her. He switched off the TV, and closed his eyes against the light coming from the bedside lamp that he couldn't reach without disturbing her. He listened to her breathing, and he could smell the light perfume of whatever shampoo she used. She must trust him to fall asleep like that. This worried him. She should be more careful, he could be anybody, and in truth if 'anybody' was alluding to a dangerous person, then he had been.

He still wanted to make love to her, but that could wait. He'd been alone so long in that way, it was easy to wait until she knew he was serious about her. He thought about how she might have trusted Drew like this and he felt a pain where his heart was. He needed to know what was going on with Drew, but not at the risk of attracting attention to where he lived and where he hoped Bliss would live with him.

At least he knew that Drew lived in the market town, and had a café a few miles away in another bigger town. It struck Devon as bizarre how short a distance they'd both traveled from the manor the vampire community had lived in all those years ago.

The manor was his of course, but he'd neglected its maintenance for many years when the community lived there. This kept people and especially authorities away. You had to have some privacy, and feeding on anyone arriving at the place had become risky after about nineteen fifty. Devon thought about those days. He'd divided his time between that house and the big family estate that belonged to his father in the county of Devon. There was a community of vampires down there too. One of his sworn friends lived there as a sort of leader and actually looked after the place a bit.

When Devon left that life behind, he and Marguerite sent a letter down there, ' _get out, or be killed'_ it said. Then a few weeks later, they visited and found that the community had actually gone, all but the good friend. Devon said it was time to part ways, things had changed, and that Robert must go. Mercifully, he had gone. Devon was relieved. He didn't want to kill Robert. Somewhere then, those community members and the ones who left with Drew twenty years ago, were roaming about being vampires, killers. Perhaps he should have disposed of them all as Marguerite requested.

Devon had rescued the two properties. As the _beings_ healed him, he'd been able to deal with humans and rent the places out. A huge music company rented the manor and his old family estate was presently housing an advertising company, a law firm, and a 'not for profit organization' that Devon refused to take rent from. There were cottages on the estate. They were rented out for holidays because they were so close to the sea. There was an office down there, and a live-in couple who occupied the gatehouse. They more or less maintained the grounds, and cleaned the places. The listed buildings used as offices had been updated inside with minimum disruption to the lovely interiors, but the cottages had been completely refurbished. Devon thought about how this enterprise led to his buying three more houses, one of which he currently lived in. The other two in different counties were rented out. They were big places, the same as his home, and one of them was constantly being used as a set for films and drama programs.

Devon had been born wealthy, but even so, he'd never taken that for granted. It had broken his heart when he inherited the estates because both his mother and father were lost on a sea journey in sixteen hundred and eleven. He loved his parents dearly. Devon sighed. Life was so strange. He'd lost his parents and his own humanity in the same year. If he'd not been grieving maybe he wouldn't have been vulnerable, and where he was, in order to be turned. He sighed again. Better not to think about any of that now. The _beings_ had saved him and Marguerite, that was all that mattered now, and he was changed forever, yet again. If only Drew hadn't vanished into the night with that group of followers, maybe he too could have been helped and have a different life.

Devon felt Bliss move a little. She snuggled up against him, and he savored the feel of her body against his. When she moved her arm to circle his waist he was bathed in pleasure. He smiled. This was more than he could ever have hoped for to find this girl, and for her to like him. It must be fate. She'd come out of the blue. He was so happy about it he smiled again in the pale light of the table lamp. His thoughts turned to the _beings_. They were odd creatures. They helped him with meeting humans, and sorting out his estates. Their calm manner helped negotiations although never joined in. They were just there in the background keeping an eye on him in reality, but because of that, inadvertently helping. It was odd the way these last few years they'd grown much more cautious again, after a few years of being less so. It was fear of having the spotlight turned upon them that did it, and he knew how that went.

He did want to ask Tara what really led to the entrapment of those _beings_ in the barn twenty years ago. He decided that as soon as it seemed opportune he would ask. Why were they suddenly more afraid of discovery again? Was something happening that he didn't know about? Devon felt himself drifting a little, his thoughts jumbled, and he knew that meant he might sleep for a few minutes. It would be good to sleep a little with this lovely girl's arm around him.

Bliss opened her eyes, and saw Devon. Her head was on his shoulder, and she held him around the waist with one arm. Her other arm, crushed a little between the bed and her own body, woke her up with discomfort. Devon had his eyes closed, but as soon as she stirred, he opened them and looked at her with an expression of kindness and affection.

"Devon, sorry to wake you, I just wanted to move my other arm," Bliss told him as she turned onto her back, and then found his hand to hold. She cast a glance at the TV and saw the time. "Oh, it's three am. I'm so sorry. You must want to go to your room. You should have woken me."

Devon smiled. "It's okay. I fell asleep for a while. Do you want me to go? Or we could simply stay here now and I'll go to my room in the morning to have a shower before we leave." He picked up a few strands of her hair that were across her cheek and wound them around his finger. The softness of her hair and her skin as his fingers touched against her cheek sent little sparks of pleasure through him.

He bent his head to kiss her cheek and put the hair along her head, smoothing it down and holding her head there for just a few seconds as he transferred his kiss to her lips. She hadn't answered, but now she gave the slightest nod and whispered, "Okay, stay until morning."

Devon whispered, "Thank you. I just want to stay here next to you. Go back to sleep."

Bliss wanted another kiss before she went back to sleep and she moved her face to his again, in a gesture that meant kiss me. Devon kissed her and then settled down beside her. He held her hand and as Bliss closed her eyes so did he. He was as close to pure happiness as he'd ever felt.

The light of morning came early. Although Devon was awake he left Bliss sleeping until the sun was out from behind an early morning cloud cover, and the smell of coffee was drifting in through their open window from the restaurant across the little courtyard. He moved a fraction and a sunbeam fell across her face. It woke Bliss up, and Devon smiled at her as he stood up.

"I'll go to my room, shower and get my things then come back. We could go get coffee before we leave. Will that be okay?" Bliss sat up smiling at him, and nodding.

"That will be great."

In his own room, Devon moved at speed to shower and change. He stuffed his used things in the plastic bag he brought and then sat on the bed. He stood up and walked to the window, to look around. Nothing strange out there. Nothing had happened in the night. Maybe Drew wasn't interested in Bliss after all. He decided to relax a little, after all Drew had backed down very quickly last night. Maybe Drew couldn't be bothered with it all anymore. It had been many years since they'd seen each other, so maybe Drew was changed.

Devon decided to mess the sheets on his bed up a little so that it looked slept in, and he grinned as he did this, why did he care? He looked at the digital clock on the TV base, and thought Bliss wouldn't have long enough to get showered and changed yet. He made some coffee with the little electric kettle and the packets of granules that were on a tray by the TV. It wasn't the best coffee he'd tasted, but it filled in a few minutes. Then he cleaned his teeth and picked up his stuff, deciding he would wait outside her room for five minutes before texting to check if she was ready.

He stood there outside her room door, and a chambermaid asked if he'd locked himself out as she passed with a trolley load of clean towels, and linen. He said no he was waiting for a friend, and she gave him a look of puzzlement, but continued on her way to the rooms at the end of the corridor.

Devon heard his cell phone play the few bars of the song that told him he'd received a text. He took it from his pocket and was happy to see it was Bliss. He turned and knocked on her door. Bliss opened the door with her phone in her hand and smiled, but looked surprised.

"Devon, you got here quickly. Anyone would think you were waiting outside my room. Was your room next door or something?" He noticed her hair was wet, and she wore no make-up at all. He closed the door for her.

"I was outside your room," he said, deciding to tell her. "I was ready, but didn't want to disturb you if you were still in the shower."

Bliss grinned at him, and continued putting things in her hold all. She smoothed some pale makeup onto her face with a sponge applicator and then took a kohl pencil from her supplies and drew a line under each eye. Devon watched her dry her hair. She dried it quickly and wound it up in a clip. Her hair, which was straight, but quite thick immediately started to escape from the clip and Bliss ignored it. Devon smiled. He loved the way she moved around doing these simple things. She finished packing, picked up her bag, her computer, and then looked around the room to check she'd left nothing.

"Okay let's go and put our things in the cars, and then get some coffee." She smiled at him, and Devon nodded in agreement. He opened the hotel room door and they left.

They were opposite each other in the restaurant and Devon was drinking orange juice before his coffee. Bliss ordered a croissant and tried to get him to have one too, but he knew he couldn't eat it. He said he was happier with coffee and orange juice in the mornings. In a way it was true, and thinking this made him feel better.

### Chapter Twenty

They drove away in their respective vehicles only twenty minutes later, and made good time on the roads. Devon hummed happily to his music as they reached the town where he lived. As they'd arranged, Bliss followed in her Jeep all the way to his driveway and onto the big paved area at the front of the house, as he drove down the side into the carport. He shut off the engine quickly and sped up the drive to Bliss who was just getting out of her car.

On the journey, she reasoned that having spent the night with Devon in his arms in safety she might stay with him after all, in this massive house of his. She parked under a cherry tree. Paving had been laid around its trunk, leaving space for flowers to be planted at the base. Bliss could smell their perfume as she closed the door of her car and headed for Devon, who was almost sprinting to her from the carport.

Bliss grinned at him as he took her hand, and brought her with him to the porch, where he took a key from his jeans pocket to unlock his front door.

"Devon, sorry but is there a bathroom I can use right away? I should really have stopped on the journey."

Devon opened the second door down the hall and Bliss looked into it.

"I'll be in the kitchen at the end of the hall when you're ready," he told her.

The room was a complete bathroom. It had a shower, a double shower too she noticed, a toilet and washbasin. There was a window that was covered on the outside with ivy. On a wooden shelf were stacks of white towels and a bowl of white roses. Bliss closed the door and slipped the little catch along to lock it. When she was washing her hands, she bent and smelled the perfect roses, surprised to find they were real. She took a small rolled towel from a pyramid of them that was on the shelf and dried her hands. Bliss was impressed. She didn't know how old the house was, it had looked old on the outside, but this bathroom was very modern and cool, she thought. She started down the hall to the kitchen and passed more closed doors. Bliss could see the kitchen at the end of the hall, and it seemed to be very bright down there. She could hear Devon talking so maybe someone had come around to see him. As she got close, she heard him clearly.

"It's going to be fine. I think she may stay here. Yes Tara, it will be okay. I'm doing fine. I need to talk with you, Erik, and Jon. It's complicated. I do need to see you soon. Tonight? Sure, that's great, around seven. I'll see you then. Thanks Tara for everything."

Bliss was in the kitchen doorway. Devon put his cell phone down next to a stubby square glass of some thick looking, frothy lemon liquid on the big rectangular wooden table. Bliss smiled at him as he looked up at her and Devon walked to her. "Bliss, let me get you coffee, or tea, or would you like juice. Sorry, I have nothing to offer you for lunch. I didn't do any grocery shopping before I left to find you. Have coffee, and then we'll go out to the café and eat."

He walked to the sink area and Bliss followed saying she would love a cup of tea, but her eyes were on the massive expanse of glass that was the back 'wall' of the kitchen. She could see a patio beyond, with a small metalwork table and chairs surrounded by blue plant pots full of all kinds of purple, blue, and red flowers, just spilling over the sides. Beyond that small lawns with wide borders of flowers, stretching down a long way.

"Wow, that's lovely, a whole wall of glass. What a great garden how long is it?" Bliss was at the windows now looking out and Devon went to stand near her.

"A hundred and fifty feet, cool huh, and then the fields kick in, and then the woods. It was one of the things that sold me on the place."

She turned to him. "Devon, did you plant all those flowers? They look gorgeous, so many different blues and purples."

He smiled at her. "I had help from friends, but I did lots of it. You like it?"

Bliss nodded. "I do, and this wall of glass, it's amazing."

Devon was happy. "Yes, it is a window though. You can slide it open. All the rooms on this side of the house have these windows floor to ceiling. My bedroom does, and what could be your bedroom if you wanted to stay here after all."

Devon went over to the kettle and made Bliss a cup of tea. She followed him to the table where he put the tea and watched him as he picked up the glass of what he was drinking. He finished the drink, rinsed the glass, put it in the dishwasher, and came back to Bliss who was sitting watching him. She liked the way he moved. He was elegant, strong, and so sexy. She smiled at her thoughts and at Devon as he came to sit next to her.

"I was just calling a friend, Tara, to let her know I was back. She and Jon her partner want us to go over for dinner this evening Will that be okay with you Bliss?"

Devon hoped Bliss would stay with him, but he had to ask her what her preference would be, that was only right. "I think if you want a hotel we should maybe book one soon, so that you have somewhere to go tonight."

Bliss drank some of her tea as she was thinking how she might say she would stay at his house. She decided it was okay. _He's normal. There was nothing hidden, and I'll meet some of his friends later._

"I was thinking on the drive over, maybe I will take you up on your offer to stay with you here, if that's still okay?" She thought it might be, since he mentioned a room that could be her bedroom.

Devon was relieved, he wanted to keep her safe, but he was happy too and it showed in his smile. He couldn't shake the idea that Drew might seek them out. If he didn't in the next few weeks then Devon might consider forgetting their encounter, but not yet. Drew was devious. Devon couldn't forget that.

Bliss felt hungry and it was after one o'clock. "Maybe we can go and get some lunch then do a little shopping, if I'm staying, if that's okay?

Devon agreed with a smile. "Yes, let's get lunch, and shopping, and yes you are staying. I'm so happy you decided to. Would you like to see your rooms now or when we get back?"

They decided it would be when they got back, and Bliss brought her hold all and other belongings into the house putting them on the big table in the kitchen.

They walked hand in hand to the café. Devon showed Bliss the little alleyways that led down to the main street to shorten the journey.

At the café, Chris was waiting tables and grinned broadly at them both. Bliss ordered a chicken salad and some French bread. She was shocked when Devon just wanted coffee and questioned him about that.

"Surely you're hungry, Devon. You didn't eat last night or this morning."

"I drank a huge glass of my health drink when we arrived home, so I'm no longer hungry."

Bliss frowned. She thought it odd, but she'd seen that glass of frothy stuff and maybe it was a protein drink or something, so she sighed and accepted what he said. When her food arrived, she asked him again if he was going to eat, but he drank some of his coffee and told her to go ahead, eat her lunch, he was fine.

Over the road Devon's sister Marguerite was standing outside her shop, she saw Devon and Bliss walking down to the lane to the café and felt worried. She texted Saffron about it. A message came back, _'it will be okay Tara has it all under control'._

### Chapter Twenty-One

About a hundred miles away, Drew was at home. He didn't feel like going into the café that morning. It wasn't a priority at all for him, ever, in fact. Today Annabelle could deal with it. She had two other vampire helpers who showed up most days, and she liked it, liked the semblance of real life the café work gave her. Drew sighed, it was necessary to blend in, to seem normal, that way what was his reality, his real world, could carry on.

He was in his conservatory drinking his coffee, and looking out at the lovely day. The windows had a special black tint on them, so that he could see out, but no one could see in, and more to the point, the sun couldn't penetrate. He called his breakfast drink coffee, but it wasn't. It was blood in a coffee cup. He just liked the notion of calling it his morning coffee. He chuckled. It was neither morning nor coffee.

He stared out of the window at the garden, at a blackbird on the lawn. It flew away and Drew suddenly envied it. He was tired of the sameness of the life he led. Not much was exciting any more for him. He sighed. What was wrong with him? He had friends, and powers that meant he didn't ever have to worry about anything. He had that silly girl Annabelle, wealth, property, although not the property he craved, he could get any woman he wanted.

He took a mental breath. Then tried to remember when this unwelcome boredom had set in. He shrugged. Maybe it had just crept up on him. He'd been around a long time, and twenty years in the same place were enough to bore anybody he thought. He turned around to the laptop on the table and checked his email, no new invitations to parties and hunting sprees. Perhaps he should take a holiday. He had friends in just about every country in the world, but it had become very hard to travel recently, what with all the security systems and whatnot. Plus he didn't like to travel unless it was easy. He could visit Suzanna in Ireland maybe. It was very often overcast and raining where she lived, nice and cold. He needed some diversion from the bore of the café, the whine of Annabelle. He turned up his shirt collar, and put on his Oakleys deciding he would go and see Greta. She usually cheered him up. He could reach his car without being in the sunlight as his garage was underground and integral. He forfeited the basement of the place to get that facility. Greta had the same facility around the back of her restaurant.

Greta was in her usual place in the office where she watched what was happening and decided if anyone triggered her appetite. She also read. She read everything and anything she could get. Now there were e-books it was great, she could read without the cumbersome amount of texts that went with her hobby. She loved the internet, as there was always something to read. She subscribed to hundreds of blogs and online magazines. She had a computer in every room, and a Kindle. She had netbooks, and iPads, any gadget that could go online, or enable her to read. She saw Drew arrive via her close circuit TV setup that monitored the carports. She went to her little office fridge and took out a bottle of red. That's what she called it. Some very expensive crystal glasses were on a little table in the corner along with a coffee percolator and cups. She had some human business contacts, and she was a keen businesswoman.

Drew took the glass she offered him, smiling at Greta. He sat down in the leather easy chair pushed up against the end wall of the office.

"Greta, I'm so bored, cheer me up." His blue eyes were serious she noticed. He hadn't always had blue eyes. He'd gotten those after that brush with those creatures twenty years ago. His eyes used to be dark brown. Greta had liked them that color. Not that this blue wasn't very pretty, she reasoned. She smiled at him. He was so attractive. Pity he was only interested in her as a friend. She'd had a secret desire for him for fifty years. She shrugged, thinking to herself that it was too bad.

"What happened with that girl you were looking for last night, did you find her? Was she boring?" Greta couldn't help herself.

Drew frowned. He hadn't thought about Bliss last night. Now it was Devon he thought of, and not Bliss, as Greta asked the question. Greta saw the frown and raised her eyebrows. Drew wasn't pleased about something.

Drew shook his head. "She was boring, I don't want to talk about her, but what I will talk about is Devon. He was with her when I found her. Devon, after all these years suddenly there in front of me, it was weird Greta."

Greta widened her eyes. "Devon, really?" She sat down opposite Drew in surprise.

"So she became Devon's snack, sorry Drew." Greta naturally assumed Devon was still a true vampire.

Drew shook his head once more. "I don't know if she did or not. He seemed interested in keeping her for himself so maybe he intended something else besides the eventual feed." Drew grinned then because hadn't he also had that intention.

Greta grinned back at Drew. "Well he was always that way Drew, more often than not, he did love the ladies." She also once upon a time hoped for Devon's attention, but he really was out of her reach. Greta shrugged and took a drink.

Drew followed suit but he'd started to think now about Bliss. If she was still around, and Devon was hoping for a pleasant time with the girl for a few days before his meal, then Drew could definitely lift his boredom with a game or two. He grinned again at Greta, his lovely eyes lighting up. "Hey Greta you do still know that tracker, what was her name, Pearl was it? I have a job for her." Drew already knew the answer but was having fun.

Greta did still know the tracker, and as luck would have it, she was expected that afternoon in the restaurant. She shared Greta's passion for reading and they met every week to swap information about what they had read, as well as other things. Greta gave a nod of affirmation, although she was sorry now that she'd directed Drew's attention back to that girl. Then she perked up, the reality was, Drew would never see her as anything other than a good friend, and that was better than nothing.

****

Pearl Pearson was already on her way to Greta's place. She was driving her sports car, a chili red Crossfire, with extra tint on the windows, hard top and very cool. She'd acquired it from an old girlfriend. Someone whom she started out feeling love for, so much so, that she never saw her as a meal. When they had met in a Casino in London the girl was twenty, only a year older than Pearl's age at the time she was turned. Nine months of companionship and very hot sex had followed the meeting, but then Libby had looked at another girl who lived nearby once too often. Pearl finally enjoyed the feed and then felt nothing as she dumped Libby's body in the Thames that night. It was only fitting she end up where they'd started Pearl thought, even though Libby really came from Yorkshire where her mother and father had a thriving chain of wine bars. They'd met and cautioned Libby against Pearl, but never stopped her generous allowance. Even now, Pearl had availed herself of it at the cash machine in the high street before leaving town and driving to Greta's place. Canterbury had been busy with tourists, and Pearl cursed them as she waited to use the cash machine, her wide-brimmed, straw hat only just shading her face and neck from the sun.

Pearl had been turned in a speakeasy in nineteen twenty-five in New York. She'd sailed for England after the Second World War with a group of vampires that she befriended since they were wealthy and travelled in style.

Her lover of the time, Sabrina, persuaded her to go, and she'd never regretted it. The plentiful supply of girls to seduce and feed on was excellent.

Pearl loved Greta, but Greta love both men and women, and Pearl wanted exclusivity, not in a relationship, but in the fundamental sexual preference of her lovers. She'd never analyzed this she just knew it. So whilst she and Greta met every week, read and talked, fed and had some wild sex they would never live together.

When Pearl drove into the carport of Greta's restaurant, both Greta and Drew watched her get out of her car and after locking it, saunter along to appear at the back door. She kissed Greta hello and stared at Drew. Her expression wasn't hostile, but it did hold some form of warning.

Drew smirked at her. He knew about Greta's trysts with Pearl and others. He also knew Greta had a soft spot for him, but he'd never wanted her in that way. She was a good friend and that was what he wanted. Maybe Pearl was worried that he'd made a move on Greta. He put her out of any misery she might be in by announcing he had a job for her, if she still went in for the tracking business.

"Pearl, I want this girl found as quickly as you can manage it. I have a piece of her dress. I think you'll find it holds her scent magnificently." Drew smiled then at the thought of how he'd taken the corner of fabric from the dress Bliss was wearing, right under the nose of that self-satisfied Devon. "If you're available I'll bring it around tonight to the restaurant and you may name your payment."

It was Pearl's turn to smile.

"Sure Drew, I'm available both for the job and this evening, unless Greta has anything planned that entails leaving here before she closes."

Greta knew Pearl would be spending the night with her so it was fine for Drew to come back for a while that evening. She nodded in acceptance first at Drew then at Pearl.

They all had a drink together before Drew took himself off to get the fabric and gloat over his anticipated triumph.

Pearl was an excellent tracker. She seemed to have been born with a sixth sense in navigation and certainly had an extraordinary sense of smell even before she was turned. Her sense of smell as a vampire was phenomenal. Sometimes she had to disengage from it because it became a nuisance to her.

More recently, she'd turned to technology to help these attributes when she was employed as a tracker, which wasn't very often. Your common or garden human could stalk anyone they wanted, if they knew how. Drew's age and affluence allowed him the luxury of employing Pearl.

### Chapter Twenty-Two

Drew wandered through his house looking for the shirt he'd worn the night he'd seen Bliss with Drew. He checked the laundry. Had that silly Annabelle taken it to wash in the hope that it pleased him? Yes there it was. He felt inside the top pocket where he knew he'd put the fabric. It wasn't there. He held the shirt pocket to his face. He could still smell Bliss. She was so potent the scent had permeated the pocket. Could he have lost the fabric when he was with that other girl later in the evening? Drew thought not, he pursed his lovely lips, and then shook his head. It was Annabelle of course. He rang her, and demanded to know where the fabric was.

"Annabelle, don't deny it, you've taken the thing. It has to be you. I want it back Annabelle. You'd better leave the evening shift and locking up to Samantha and Jake. I want you back here with the fabric you stole from me by five or else." He rang off and threw his cell phone down on the couch as he passed it snorting in anger. Annabelle was becoming a real bore he thought, it was time he looked around for a more entertaining companion.

He sat down to consider what he would ask Pearl to do, he could ask her to bring Bliss to him he knew that, but somehow he rather fancied the idea of finding out where she was and going there himself. Providing it wasn't too far away naturally. He went back to his computer game and spent the couple of hours until Annabelle arrived playing it.

Annabelle was scared. She didn't want to show Drew her hiding place. How could she get in the house, and then get the fabric for him, then pretend it had fallen out onto the laundry floor, she asked herself. She thought if she sneaked in very fast, she might achieve it if he was in his study. She was fast on her feet, it was one of her best attributes, speed, but Drew had excellent hearing. He heard everything so she wouldn't have much time before he knew she was there. He may not sense nor smell her if he was in his study and she was moving fast at her top speed, but he would hear her.

When Drew heard Annabelle, it was when she was on her way to the library. He stormed out of his study and caught her by her wrist. "Where are you off to Annabelle? Have you got my little triangle of fabric that I asked for?"

Annabelle quaked and looked down from his piercing blue eyes.

"Sorry Drew, I don't know where it is. Perhaps it fell out of your pocket when I put the shirt in the laundry."

Drew twisted her wrist around until Annabelle's face was close to his.

"I didn't mention a shirt, only the fabric triangle, so you did take it, Annabelle...get it now." He looked very fierce and Annabelle was afraid.

She shrank away from him. "Let me go and I will get it. Drew, it was just a bit of fabric. I noticed it when I put your shirt to be washed. It smells so bad, the whole shirt reeks. I threw it in a waste paper basket in the living room...let me get it?" She was still hoping to hold onto her hiding place. The library had served her well in the past.

Drew let her go, but he followed her. She went to the living room and the waste paper basket that was next to the little antique desk in the corner near the window. She picked up the basket and knowing there was only a small sheet of newspaper and a screwed up label in there, she attempted to appear as if she was searching the basket.

Drew sighed. "Annabelle, you're lying, it's not in there, and you know it."

Annabelle turned to him. "I only do it because I love you...I do love you so much, and it hurts when I think you might fall in love with another girl."

Drew sighed again. "She was to be a meal, and a bit of fun, because you're so boring. Also for me to 'fall in love with another girl' as you put it, would imply I love you, and I don't Annabelle. I don't love you and I never have. Where's the fabric, get it now and then get your things and get out. Take the car I got you...there's money in the desk drawer in my study, take what you want...take all of it, but out you go Annabelle, tonight, before I do something I may regret."

He moved aside so that Annabelle rushed away, she knew better than to do anything other than what he told her. He'd killed other vampires before now, and he'd looked over at the array of swords displayed on the fireplace wall of the living room as he spoke. She knew the swords were exceptionally sharp, because one of them had been used in front of her own eyes to behead a vampire Drew was, in his words, 'sick, and tired of'. Not long ago either and she'd been required to clean up the mess.

Drew waited in the living room, sitting on the couch with his feet on the coffee table. He considered if he'd been hasty. Would he miss Annabelle? No he would ask that cute Maryanne to move in with him. She was younger than Annabelle anyway, and much more compliant, not as intelligent, but whatever.

Annabelle went into Drew's study and took all the money out of the desk drawer. She was surprised at the amount, at least a couple of thousand. She got her things together quickly and stuffed them in pillowcases, and then leaving her makeshift luggage on the landing, she ran to the library and got the fabric out of the book. She took her things and the fabric to the living room where Drew stood up coming to her with a smile.

"There we are Annabelle, see how easy that was. Take a drink before you go, and leave your house keys on the kitchen table."

Annabelle took a chance. "Drew, I'm going yes, but please kiss me before I go. I'm so sad to lose you. I'll never forget you." Drew looked at her sad pleading expression, she was pretty, her eyes in sadness a lovely sight. He was glad she was leaving, because he couldn't love her, he knew he'd never love her. Drew stepped forward and took the triangle of fabric. It was pungent. He put it in the back pocket of his jeans, and then he held Annabelle by the shoulders and kissed her. He kissed her tenderly considering the times they had spent together, and because she loved him, he was kind. He kissed her again, holding her face, and then said softly.

"Bodie likes you. I'd say he has a crush on you, Annabelle. I don't want you at the café after tonight, but go back there now and tell Bodie I've tossed you out. I'm willing to bet he offers you a place to go."

Annabelle was relieved that Drew had been kind. He could have killed her. He could have thrown her out with nothing and not even the information about Bodie. She'd been moved by those kisses and she turned away as she thanked Drew for all his kindness in the past.

She drove back to the café, and going in there, she sat despondently at a table. As usual, there were only a couple of customers. Jake approached her.

"You look grim Annabelle, what's up?" He asked.

She broke down then, the tears though not flowing, were in her expression and voice as she told Jake about what had happened. Samantha brought her a drink in one of the tall black mugs the staff used only for themselves, so that no one could really tell what the contents were. Bodie came down from the kitchen, his eyes already full of hope just because Annabelle had come back to work.

When he heard the story, he sat down close to her and commiserated.

"This is awful Annabelle, where will you go?"

Annabelle shrugged. "I don't know. I have nowhere as you all know. I was wondering if anyone knows of a room I could rent."

Jake smiled. "Hey, don't worry, come back to my place. I've got heaps of space since Pippa and I split up...heaps."

Annabelle looked at Jake. His brown eyes were kind. He was pleasant looking, and only a couple of years older than Drew. He might like her. Bodie had been quiet about a place to stay. She glanced at Bodie then and saw him frowning slightly, he was still quiet, and so Annabelle answered Jake.

"Jake, that's so kind, I'll take you up on the offer. I can't face leaving this town. It's become my home. That's so kind. I'll wait here until we close up." Jake smiled, he liked Annabelle, she was very pretty and she was intelligent, he liked that. Just because they were vamps didn't mean they had to be idiots.

Samantha had left the table to serve an old man and woman who came into the café. Jake grinned at Annabelle and Bodie as he left to get the coffees he already knew the couple wanted, having simply listened in to their order. Bodie remained at the table.

"Annabelle, I didn't want to just move in on you right away, but I have to say I've always liked you. If you feel up to it I was thinking maybe you'd like to come back to the studio and spend the time with me until Jake closes up?"

Bodie had a potter's studio at the end of the high street. He only came around to the café in the afternoon to chatter, leaving his sister Grace to look after any tourists who came into the studio. They were unusual pots, and were something tourists bought on their way along the quaint Tudor high street. His hazel eyes were hopeful and he pushed his dark brown hair from his forehead in a nervous gesture. Annabelle was pleased, Bodie and Jake. She would still have a home after all, the lack of which had worried her most.

She smiled at Bodie. "I'd love that Bodie."

****

Drew put the fabric in his pocket and strolled to his car, he called Maryanne as he opened his car door and asked her to dinner. Would she be free about eleven thirty, was she happy to come to his house. Her answers were in the affirmative and Drew smiled as he ended the call.

When Pearl took the fabric from Drew, she wrinkled her nose.

"Hell Drew, this is going to be easy, if she is still alive, assuming Devon didn't feed on her yet. I'm sure I'll find her quickly."

Pearl had been given all the details. She placed what was to her refined nose, an offensive triangle of fabric, in a zipper part of her bag. Drew had asked her to locate Bliss and report to him. It wasn't going to be costly. She would leave the following day after all it was unfair to ask her to give up her night with Greta.

Drew left the restaurant after dark and drove home. Everything was falling into place he thought. He would soon have Bliss, he'd gotten rid of Annabelle, and he was going to have that scrumptious Maryanne tonight.

There was a young man in his trunk who had been beguiled by Drew in the restaurant and stupid enough to go into the back room with him. Drew had promptly bit him and drained his blood into a carafe that Greta obligingly handed to him. The young man would be dumped into the foundry oven and Drew could be home, showered, and looking gorgeous for when Maryanne arrived.

The carafe had a stopper and was in an ice bucket on the passenger seat beside him. Maryanne would get a kick out of the fact that he had obtained the meal especially for her without the unpleasant task of disposing of the body. He pulled into the old foundry car park. He noticed a van belonging to Nathan, another member of the vampire community who had left with him the night twenty years ago when Drew had split from the manor. They spent a few minutes talking about business as they disposed of the bodies they both had in their vehicles.

### Chapter Twenty-Three

Devon and Bliss walked back to his place after lunch. Devon held her hand and felt so relieved to have Bliss with him. He told her about Tara and Jon, about how they were his good friends, and how it would be great to introduce her to them. He had a little present for Tara that he found on his travels, a little blue patterned pot that he thought could be antique and told Bliss about this too. Tara loved and owned many old objects he went on, and smiled at Bliss. She was so happy to be with Devon. It felt lovely to be holding his hand and already he was including her in his life.

"Devon, will it be formal? I don't have anything but jeans to wear since I slept in my only dress, and it needs laundering," she asked, as they turned into his driveway.

He grinned.

"No. I don't know how many people she's invited, but it's not formal. Jeans will be fine. I'll be wearing jeans."

Inside the house, he took her up to the third floor, the whole of which was where she would stay. It had a bedroom and en suite bathroom, a balcony on one side of the little sitting room and floor to ceiling windows on another. Devon showed her around and in the sitting room he opened the double folding doors of what Bliss thought might be a cupboard, and showed her a little kitchen. It had a sink, two cupboards, and a bench with a kettle, and some crockery, and a microwave. It was compact, neat, immaculate and all in white.

"You can use the kitchen downstairs of course, but here are the facilities for you to have some privacy too," he said, showing her a little fridge that was situated in one of the cupboards on the wall of the kitchen. He looked inside and then having satisfied himself it was okay, he switched it on at the wall switch and turned to Bliss who was standing there with an expression of what could have been affection on her lovely face.

"This whole place is great. It seems unused. Everything is new. I noticed the bathroom, and everything is pristine," she smiled at him.

He was pleased with her delight.

"Yes it is unused. I hope you enjoy it. I'll get you linen. Sorry the bed needs making up." He watched her go to the big windows and then turn around to him.

"The view is just lovely...everything is just so lovely. Thank you for letting me stay here."

He walked over to her.

"I can't think of anything I would want more than you here in this house. I'll show you how the blinds work should you want to close them, but there's never anyone out there at night. He gave her a remote and when she pressed a triangle on it some pale blue blinds rolled down the massive windows, the opposite facing triangle made the blinds roll back.

"I'll leave you to unpack and go get the linen."

Bliss put down the remote on the coffee table by the pretty fabric sofa. She went to Devon and put her arms around him. He put his arms around her too, and they smiled at each other. He bent his head to her and kissed her gently. Bliss kissed him, making the kiss last longer as she pressed up against him. Devon was charmed. He held her close and kissed her again until he felt he had to let her go or make love to her.

He went down to his own floor and along the hall to the linen press, taking out a rolled up quilt, pillows, covers, and a fitted sheet for the mattress. Then he remembered towels and picked some up. Everything was white, because he liked that. He liked the clean feeling of white. Taking the linens back to Bliss, he approached the bedroom calling out to her to ask if it was okay to come in.

She called back it was fine and he found her hanging her dress on the bathroom door on a hanger. He put the linen on her bed, glancing in the wardrobe as he passed he saw she had hardly anything hanging there.

"Bliss, you don't have much. Do you need to do some laundry? I'll show you where things are. The dress will wash I know." He smiled at her as she turned to him.

"I'm so cross. A little piece at the end of one of the floaty bits has been torn off somehow. I only just noticed it as I hung the dress up." Devon went to her side to look, the tear was precise almost as if it had been cut, and he felt a sudden wave of fear for her. Drew must have done it. He knew that Drew could have done it with a fingernail at high speed. His fingernails might be sharpened too knowing Drew.

He picked up the floaty piece and looked at it. He looked more closely hoping to pick up a scent of Drew, but his sense of smell wasn't quite as good as it used to be that day. He got no scent of another vampire from the fabric. If he could hold it closer, take a deep breath of it maybe, but he couldn't hold it at the distance he needed to, or he'd alert Bliss that something was wrong. He looked at Bliss. "It's okay Bliss we can get it fixed, there's some of the fabric in my work room downstairs, but you know it's hardly noticeable. It could just be hemmed again if you wanted." Bliss was interested.

"Your work room Devon, what do you mean?"

Devon grinned. "I designed this dress and have some fabric swatches in my work room for it. Come on I'll show you."

He took her hand and they went down to the ground floor of the house. Along the hall, Devon showed Bliss into a large room. On one long desk were computers, and then a drawing desk was set up at the end of the room by the windows. There were designs on there, with fabric samples pinned to them, and it looked as if Devon was in the middle of a design, as paper was attached to the angled drawing area.

"I design some of the clothes for Marguerite's shop and I have some real estate and some internet business too, so I work from home mostly."

Bliss raised her eyebrows.

"Wow, that's very cool, Devon, so you designed that dress I chose?"

He nodded slightly and then shrugged his shoulders. He didn't want to make a big deal of anything.

Bliss looked at some of the designs. They were great dresses, all very feminine and designed to flatter a woman's figure. Bliss smiled as she turned back to Devon. Here was someone who liked women, she thought.

Devon wanted to get away from himself as a subject.

"I can make us a cup of tea, Bliss, would you like one?"

"Sure, I will have tea." Devon led her down to the kitchen.

"We need to get supplies. I'll show you the supermarket on the edge of town when you've finished your tea."

The fridge had double doors, and as he opened one side of it to check supplies, Bliss saw there was nothing in there except a few bottles of water. He didn't open the other side of the fridge and she assumed that must be the freezer part. "It's good you don't take sugar or milk in tea," he smiled, as he turned to her.

### Chapter Twenty-Four

They were finished quickly at the supermarket because Devon hardly wanted anything. He chose some fruit juices and coffee, telling Bliss to get anything at all she felt she might want or need.

At home again, Devon put the fresh supplies in the fridge, and smilingly said for Bliss to take anything she wanted up to her rooms. To make things easier he would put his stuff in the other side of this fridge that way she could feel at home.

She smiled at this consideration and at Devon. He moved on quickly from the subject of the fridge and showed her the laundry room next to the downstairs bathroom. He left her to decide about her laundry and went to his workroom.

Bliss put the T-shirts and underwear she'd used so far on her trip into the machine to wash. She walked out onto the paved area at the back of the kitchen, where she noticed Devon was standing looking down the length of the garden.

He had a faraway expression as she approached him. He was thinking about Drew having a piece of the dress Bliss was wearing when he'd found her. _Maybe Drew did it to annoy or scare Bliss, or me,_ Devon thought. _Why else would he want it_? Drew was hardly the sentimental type, and then an unpleasant thought occurred to him, _what if Drew wanted it for something else, to be able to find Bliss again?_ He sighed and turned just as Bliss reached him.

She took his hand and looked happily into his eyes. He would protect her with his life he thought and he would ask the _beings_ for their advice and help as soon as possible. _Maybe because I'm in love with Bliss I'm thinking the worst._

He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, and then kissed her lips, holding her head to his. She responded to him lovingly. He felt loved. He held her close.

"I'm so happy I met you."

They hugged each other closer, both wanting to tell the other they were in love, and both thinking it might be too soon and they would frighten the other away.

Bliss kissed Devon until she felt she would accidentally tell him she loved him.

Devon traced his fingers gently along her face, as he kissed her. He put his hands in her hair fallen from the clip she wore, and kissed along her cheek, and ear, then down her neck. He heard her sigh and she moved her head to find his lips with hers. Devon thought his heart would burst with the longing he felt for Bliss and so he suggested they get ready to go out to Tara's place.

"I guess we need to think about going out this evening. I'll take a shower before we go." He inserted the word 'cold' in his thoughts and it made him smile.

They went indoors, both going off to their respective bathrooms to cool down.

When Bliss came down to the kitchen again, Devon wasn't around. She was in jeans and another T-shirt, a fuchsia pink ballet style, and she'd put some aqua blue beads around her wrist to dress it up a little. It was her last clean shirt. She went to the fridge remembering the cold water in there and quite by accident opened the wrong side. There was nothing on the bottom shelves, but on the top shelf were a few stainless steel containers, reminiscent of cocktail shakers. Bliss looked at them and intrigued picked one up. She looked over her shoulder, suddenly aware this was snooping, and then tried the stopper on the container, but she couldn't move it at all. Bliss put the container back from where she'd taken it and closed the fridge door. She felt strange. She felt as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have, but she couldn't identify why. This was probably just the health shake Devon drank. She quickly took a bottle of spring water from the correct side of the fridge and went out onto the paved area of the garden through the open window.

Devon was in his room and talking on his cell phone to Marguerite. He told her that Tara had given her blessing for him to find Bliss, and that he was happier than he could have imagined when he was with Bliss. Couldn't Marguerite just wish him well and trust that the Elders knew that things were okay? He was almost desperate for her understanding. Devon sat down on the chair he used to look out on the night. He looked out now as he listened to Marguerite and her viewpoint that this human girl would never accept him. That if he ever let Bliss know what he was, she'd think him mad and leave, and then what, a broken heart was what. Devon didn't want to think like that, he replied that Bliss may not ever need to know what he was and anyway it was what he used to be that was the bad thing. Surely Marguerite could understand he wanted to be loved, hadn't she ever wanted that?

Marguerite sniffed. "I've given up on it."

Devon was sad for her, but he didn't reply, he asked her if she was going to dinner at Tara's place that evening and finding she was, he ended the call saying he would see her there. He got up and walked closer to his window. Looking down he could see Bliss at the beginning of the first border of flowers, he felt a surge of love for her. It would all be okay. It had to be, he told himself.

Bliss turned as she heard Devon come from the kitchen to stand beside her. He found her hand and held it.

"Bliss, Marguerite will be at the dinner tonight. I hope she doesn't make you feel awkward at all. She's only being protective of me. She doesn't want me with a broken heart." He smiled a little. He shrugged and continued with, "She just told me that on the phone. Will you ignore it if she seems frosty towards you, please?" His eyes held a loving expression and Bliss nodded.

"I will Devon, but also I'll try to make friends with her if possible."

### Chapter Twenty-Five

They drove to Tara's place in Devon's dark blue Landrover, and as they pulled up in front of the house, Bliss could hardly believe her eyes. It was one of those thatched roofed, manor house type places, wide enough to take up the space three modern build semi-detached houses might take up. The garage was in what must have once been a coach house. There was ivy climbing up the front of the house and roses twined with that around the front porch. A lamplight was on in the porch, despite it was still daylight and the sun had only just begun to sink a little. The area in front of the house was full of cars. The street too had a number of cars parked on it between tall pine trees that grew with wide trunks from the grass verge. Some of their roots were close to the surface and they broke up the verge so that flowers grew in the cracks. Bliss sat looking at the place and Devon started to grin.

"It's a nice house, old too. Tara likes old things."

He got out of the car and Bliss started to get out from the passenger side. Devon came around and helped her, she was carrying the little pot he had found for Tara, and now she gave it to him. He took it in his left hand, and after locking his car and putting his keys in his jeans pocket he took Bliss by the hand as they walked up to Tara's front door. Bliss held his hand tightly. She felt nervous. She instinctively knew she was here for Tara's approval and she fervently hoped she would get it.

Devon let go of her hand to ring the bell, and as the door opened, a dog came bounding out to greet them. It was a happy dog, with an auburn coat, long for a dog, his ears flapping about, and his nose pointing into the hand that Devon put out to pat him.

"Hello Barnaby, hello old chap," Devon said, and the dog wagged his tail more. Barnaby suddenly became aware that Bliss was there and he turned his attention on her. He liked Bliss and fussed around her as his owner called him in again. Bliss stroked the dog and smiled at the lovely woman who was there at the door, telling Barnaby to come in now and let her visitors through it.

Tara was very pleased with her first insight into Bliss. She scanned Bliss quickly with her extraordinary senses and felt a girl who was honest, strong, and intelligent. Tara put out her arm and brought Bliss into the hall. Devon closed the door behind them and watched as Tara took Bliss up the hall. He smiled to himself. Tara liked Bliss. He could tell that already from the way she held her. If she didn't like someone, she wouldn't touch them because she could feel so much through touch.

Devon was shocked to see so many members of the community in Tara's place. The drawing room was full, and people were spilling out onto the patio and garden where Tara had set up a long table. There were candles in glass containers circled by garlands of flowers in a line down the middle of the table, and it was set for dinner.

Devon doubted everyone would fit around that table so maybe they weren't all staying to eat. People began to greet him and as Tara introduced Bliss to the _beings_ , Devon could see them assess her. Saffron came along with Marguerite in tow and she smiled at Bliss and Devon. Then Saffron turned her smile on Marguerite, and Devon thought there was a silent communication in that smile.

Bliss could feel everyone's intensity. They were friendly and welcoming, but she felt as if some of them could see into her soul with their beautiful eyes. The worst were Tara, Jon, Saffron, and Erik so far. Not in a nasty sense, but in the way they seemed to be reading her soul. Bliss at this stage naturally thought they were ordinary people except that they were all very attractive.

She was looking around her as Saffron spoke to Devon. Bliss had broken eye contact with Saffron whose dark brown eyes seemed to be sucking the life out of her. It seemed to Bliss that every single person in the room was glowing. There was something completely beautiful about them all. The night was falling and the house was lit with candles inside and out. A number of people were leaving and coming over to say goodnight. It seemed that these people had been there for cocktails and not dinner. What Bliss didn't know was that they'd been there to see her. If she hadn't passed their tests, she would be dismissed as soon as dinner was over, and Devon would be gently encouraged to forget her. As it was, she'd only one more crucial being to meet and that person was ringing the doorbell right then.

Barnaby dashed to the door as Tara went down the hall to answer it. She let Elise in.

"Hi Elise, it's okay, Bliss is lovely. I think you'll like her."

Elise came down the hall to where Devon was still talking with Saffron and Marguerite. Bliss was on the periphery of this conversation. It was about expanding the design business. Devon knew Bliss must feel left out of this conversation, but he didn't know how to stop it. He felt that Marguerite might be doing it on purpose and Saffron was somehow in on the plan. He wanted to hold Bliss or something to show her he cared about her, and then Elise arrived.

Bliss noticed her eyes immediately. They were the same extraordinary kingfisher blue color as Drew's eyes, and she couldn't help but stare at Elise as Tara introduced them.

Elise smiled as she shook Bliss's hand, and glanced at Devon who gave her a welcoming smile. "Hi, Devon." She knew Bliss was staring at her and smiled again at the girl. She didn't care about the staring. Bliss had to be overwhelmed by the scrutiny she'd been under so far that evening.

During dinner, they weren't sitting near Marguerite or Saffron, and Devon was glad of that. He held Bliss by the hand. She leaned near to him.

"Elise is very beautiful. Her ears are strange and lovely, her eyes are gorgeous, and, Devon, haven't you ever noticed how she has the exact same color eyes as Drew?"

Tara, who was sitting close by, heard and was immediately on the alert.

Seth, who was sitting to the left of Bliss, started to talk animatedly to her about computers.

Tara took the chance to talk softly to Devon about Drew.

"I heard Bliss mention Drew. Tell me." Devon opened his mind to her as she touched his hand and most of what he needed to say she took from his mind.

"Don't worry until something happens. Maybe Drew won't bother us, but if he does we can deal with him," she whispered.

Devon sighed. "Tara, you were duped before by vampires. I've come to wonder how that happened."

Tara didn't want to tell him the detail, but she told him one of them had mistakenly trusted Drew and that would never happen again.

Devon wasn't convinced. What had changed since that night twenty years ago? Only that they knew now what Drew was, but only he knew just how devious and unrelenting Drew could be. Devon sighed again and as Tara let go of his hand he picked up his coffee cup and drank.

Bliss and Seth had exhausted their common ground, and Seth began talking across the end of the table with another man that Bliss was introduced to earlier. It hadn't escaped her notice that Devon only ate the soup and then the juice out of the fruit salad. He hadn't even been served the meat and vegetable dish between, but seemed to have the soup topped up, and now he was deep in conversation with Tara who was holding his hand.

Bliss, irrationally she realized, hoped this didn't indicate any unacknowledged love between them, _let's face it that sometimes happens_ , she thought. Her presence would be the catalyst for their realization. She pushed the fruit salad around in her dessert dish and then stopped. Placing her fork on her side plate, she felt suddenly very much a stranger in a strange land.

Tara knew and stood up. She asked Bliss if she would like coffee now, and breezed off. Devon turned to Bliss.

"I just talked with Tara about Drew, because some years ago one or two of my friends here had a little run in with him. I thought I'd just let them know I'd bumped into him again." He wanted Bliss to know something, but he couldn't very well tell her the whole truth. He'd also begun to wonder why Drew did have the same color eyes as Elise. Odd, it had been a long time, but he was almost sure Drew had brown eyes, and then he dismissed it, maybe he was mistaken.

Bliss watched Devon and it seemed to her he was thinking about something as he told her this. She wanted to know more, but it seemed rude to ask.

"Devon, your friends are all so nice, that sounds bad."

Devon nodded. "Somewhat," he said.

Tara came back with coffee for both of them. Then she filled her own cup and went over to talk to people on the other side of the table.

Devon took Bliss by the hand. "I'm sorry about Marguerite and Saffron they spent too long on business talk. I didn't know how to stop them."

Bliss smiled at Devon. The touch of his hand was calming, and connected her with her intense feelings for him.

"It's really okay, Devon, I think they wanted to talk, but at the same time maybe let me know I'm an outsider, and that's okay, because I am."

Devon felt a sudden allegiance to Bliss. She was his love and his future.

"Not for long though Bliss. Everyone really likes you." He smiled at her because he had very nearly ended with, and I love you, but had managed to stop himself. Bliss nodded and looked at him with obvious affection. She was thinking even if they hadn't liked her it would make no difference to how she felt about him. They couldn't stop her loving him.

On the other side of the table, Tara picked up her thoughts and smiled. This was okay. The girl was okay, and maybe eventually they could bring her into the community, but for now, let Devon have this love. The girl's holiday would end soon and that would be the test of it all. Tara already knew that fundamentally they were breaking all the rules by having her meet them at all. It was different this time with Bliss. Maybe it was because she was by Devon's side.

When Devon and Bliss left her house that evening some of the other _beings_ came to Tara with their opinion, and it was generally agreed that as long as nothing was said about who and what they were, then Bliss's presence in Devon's life was acceptable. They would never have punished him anyway, that had been a concept entirely of Devon's own making. Tara considered how he'd come by this notion. She concluded that he didn't really know what would happen to him if he didn't receive his food and medications from them. He didn't know they would never withdraw their help. It would always be his choice. She sighed a little as she cleared up. Jon her partner, came to her to help, and asked her how she'd enjoyed the evening.

****

That night in his bedroom Devon sat looking out of his window at the trees in the distance. He'd kissed Bliss goodnight and yearned for more. She was up there above him in her room and he ached for her. It was a new experience.

Even before he'd been turned, he hadn't romantically loved a woman. He'd liked them very much, and made love to a number of them, well that was a euphemism for sex, he thought, but never loved one in this way. He sighed over this, thinking horrible how when he was turned, his regard for women had become his weakness. Horrible how he had fed almost exclusively on them, he told himself, and his thoughts strayed to when he was turned.

His perpetual chasing of women had led him to this. He'd been at the court of King James. It was the first of November in sixteen-eleven. In the Palace of Whitehall, a theatre had been set up, and the play by William Shakespeare had been performed. Devon remembered that well, ' _The Tempest'_ , performed by ' _The King's Men'_ , a new play for James, who was well known to have an interest in witchcraft. Devon at twenty-four, had found a willing girl to be with after the play in the grounds of the palace, leaving Marguerite alone in the crowd of courtiers and hangers on. He'd been turned after the sex by the girl who laughingly told him she'd been looking for a companion, and he would do nicely. It turned out that her vampire friends had fallen upon Marguerite and two others in the party that night. Out of the four of them, three survived as vampires to be included in a family of them that were acquainted with European royalty and nobles across the world. They'd been unstoppable for a year until a fire wiped out his companion, her brother, and henchmen. Then Devon set up his own community, finally going home and claiming his estates.

It had been a long life. Born in fifteen eighty-seven Devon was really four hundred and twenty four years old. Marguerite, two years older, and Drew that devious character, two years younger than her.

Devon sighed again, some vampires did form love relationships with others, either vamps or humans, but it wasn't what you'd call real love and he'd never had it. He couldn't imagine how it could happen when despite extra sensory abilities what you felt was devoid of real feeling. To smell the rose with heightened sense but not to actually recognize the beauty of the fragrance, what good was that? Devon asked himself. No pleasure except for the smell and consumption of human blood, even the sensations of sex were detached. He remembered comparing it in the first few months of being a vampire, only paired with drinking blood was there any real feeling.

Since the _beings_ had been looking after him he'd lost some of those heightened senses, smell was one that had diminished. His hearing wasn't what it used to be either. In compensation, an ability to sense things in people's mind or attitude, and sense their presence, grew in him. His extraordinary speed, agility, and strength were only slightly reduced, he could see in the dark and for a fair distance too, which was great, he thought. This was the best of both worlds Devon considered, not to be a vampire but have some of the powers that went with it, plus the added bonus of becoming more human, to feel in reality, and actually walk in the sun. He sighed again, what were the _beings_ , who were they and why did they have the powers they had. He wanted to know now more than ever. He knew they were old, but like vampires, they didn't show their age, nor become sick. They seemed human but they were not. Some of them did have the elven shaped ears like Elise, but not that many. Animals loved them, trusted them, even wild creatures, birds, it was uncanny. Devon mused on this for a moment. He wondered if the _beings_ really would be able to handle Drew. He got up from his chair and stood close to his window. There was a cat down there on the lawn. It was walking along intent on its destination.

****

A hundred miles away, Drew and Maryanne had enjoyed a leisurely meal and then each other for a couple of hours, it gave them their appetite back, and they decided to cruise the nearby city nightclubs. They went to one of Drew's favorites. Drew was so attractive and in the club lighting, his eyes seemed silver. They caught people's attention and he enjoyed that. He and Maryanne agreed to split up and then meet in the nearby public garden. A place that was well known for couples meeting in the club to go and get to know each other better.

They would each bring a snack was the plan, and should one of them not get lucky that night, they would share. Maryanne thought it enormous fun and especially since Drew paraded a couple of girls past her, all the while giving her mirthful looks. Drew thought how much fun Maryanne was, Annabelle would never have agreed to play this game.

Just after one in the morning, he took a girl down to the garden and found Maryanne already down there up against a tree with a young man whose jeans were around his knees. His shirt was off too, and Maryanne looked at Drew over the young man's shoulder with a smile of satisfaction. Drew didn't want the girl he'd brought down to the garden any more, he liked the idea of surprising the young man as this unfortunate thrust his hips against Maryanne.

Drew turned to the girl and took her by the shoulders. He pushed her along and into the doorway of the club.

"I'm going home. You'll be thankful in the morning for your lucky escape."

The confused girl was disappointed because Drew was so hot. Having had this rather firm rejection, she climbed the stairs to the dance floor thinking about the blond boy, who had shown an interest in her before Drew captured her attention.

Drew was swiftly behind the young man who was still up against Maryanne. Swooping on him, Drew bit into his throat with such ferocity it tore a large lump of flesh from him, and exposed veins. Maryanne covered his mouth with hers as the young man tried to cry out. Drew's attack was the cue for Maryanne to use her extremely sharp fingernails on the chest of this now panicking young man. She cut deep almost to his heart and she held her free hand over his mouth with her extreme strength smothering his cries of fear and pain. He didn't last long. They drained him rapidly as mercifully he fainted from the pain in his chest, when Maryanne sank her teeth into his aorta. They moved with incredible speed to push his body into the trunk of Drew's car where the tarpaulin he had there was already gory from the earlier body.

When they disposed of the young man's body, they threw the tarpaulin in the oven as well. Drew wanted a new one. A cat sat over on the far wall of the deserted foundry, it watched from a distance instinctively knowing these creatures meant danger. As they went into the foundry with their package, the cat ran along the high wall and jumped down into the ferns. It ran until it reached the edge of the nearby churchyard where it lived in the vicarage and it went through the flap in the back door.

Drew and Maryanne went home, they laughed about the girl Drew had pushed back into the club. Maryanne told him that the girl would have been _'so disappointed as Drew was so very sexy'_ and Drew listened with a faint unease. What was that note in Maryanne's voice, it somehow reminded him of Annabelle, and then as they entered his house he forgot it, in favor of flipping on the TV. An old movie was playing, and he sat down with his feet on the coffee table. Maryanne sat next to him. She fell silent. She slept sometimes and now was one of those times.

### Chapter Twenty-Six

Devon was in the kitchen when Bliss came downstairs the morning after the dinner party. He was drinking a glass of that frothy stuff she'd seen him drink before as he stood looking out of the window. The day was bright and just starting to be warm. He smiled at Bliss and then quickly finished his drink, rinsing and putting the glass in the dishwasher again. Bliss watched with interest. He was tidy for sure there were no dishes around. No evidence that he had even eaten a piece of toast.

He came back to her having put water in the kettle to boil.

"Did you sleep well? Would you like a cup of tea or coffee, I'm just about to make some?"

Bliss nodded. "Coffee please and yes I did sleep well, thank you, when I got to sleep. It took a while, strange bed and all that." The truth was that she was remembering the night before and sleeping in Devon's arms. She was acutely aware he was in the rooms below and almost desperate to be with him.

Right now, she wanted to kiss him. It was almost unbearable, and she finally gave in and approached him, holding her arms out. Devon hugged her to him, and as she looked up to kiss him, he closed his eyes and kissed her lovingly. They held each for a moment with their heads together and then the kettle had boiled. Devon looked around at it and back at Bliss who smiled. They made coffee.

"Do you have a toaster I could use?" Bliss asked Devon.

He took one from a cupboard and put in onto the work surface for Bliss, where he plugged it into the electrical socket. As Bliss put some bread in the toaster, she felt sure the appliance was new and unused. She left the toaster to work and took her coffee out to the little table on the paved area of the garden.

Devon had taken his coffee out there and now he brought a chair up close to his for her. "What are your plans today, Bliss? Do you want to go somewhere? There's a castle ruin not far away, if you'd like to see that. It's actually a Norman Keep inside the walls of a Roman fort, amazing how much of the Roman walls are still standing, you'll like it. Do you want to go?" He didn't want to stop the holiday she was supposed to be having.

Bliss heard the toaster pop up.

"I'd love to go there. I'll just get my toast."

Devon drank some coffee and Bliss ate her toast, the sun was warming up and Bliss could smell the perfume of the nearby flowers. She looked at Devon as he drank his coffee, and thought how lovely he was and how glad she was to have met him.

It was exactly what he was thinking about her. They were still edging around each other even though their feelings were intense. It was as if they were playing house, trying to get to know each other. She put down her coffee cup and leaned towards Devon. She put her hand up against his cheek and kissed him.

Devon was very touched by this, and put his own hand over hers pressing it against his face, and then bringing it around to kiss her palm. He looked into her eyes. He was sure she felt love for him. He could sense it and her kisses were so giving. ' _She must love me'_ he thought and then he thought ' _please let her love me'._

Bliss wanted to tell him she loved him, but every experience in her past told her not to. She questioned did she know the difference in how a man behaved when he loved someone, and when he just felt sexual attraction. Bliss didn't want another broken heart. She needed to protect herself a little bit. Devon sensed the change in her emotions and asked himself what might be happening, but he couldn't ask Bliss, what would he say?

They spent the afternoon at the castle and came home in the evening.

"Let's go down to the café for something to eat it's such a lovely evening we can sit by the river."

Bliss liked the idea and they walked to the café hand in hand. Chris wasn't at work that evening and a young woman came to take their order. Bliss ordered and insisted that Devon order food besides coffee as he was about to only order coffee again. She shook her head. "Devon, I didn't see you eat breakfast, and we didn't have lunch. You must eat this evening."

Devon knew he couldn't, but he ordered a salad and fruit juice just because Bliss was concerned about him.

As Bliss ate, he drank the juice and pushed the salad around the plate, managing to make it look as if he'd eaten a little. He drank coffee and they talked about summer, the ducks on the stream nearby, the lovely evening. They edged closer to each other and finally Devon put his arm around Bliss and kissed her. Bliss closed her eyes in pleasure. They needed to cement their love and move forward but they each had a good reason why they were afraid to do so.

****

Pearl Pearson had found it easy to pick up the scent she was after. Bliss and someone else. A faint, strange, smell, even familiar in a way, but she'd dismissed that and concentrated on Bliss. The scent was still strong in the bar Bliss stopped in for her sandwich the evening Devon had found her. It was strong all the way to the car park and the hotel. Pearl with enormous self-assurance went into the hotel and found the room Bliss had used. She didn't need to go into it, she could smell Bliss from outside the door, and that faint trace of someone else was there too. Then the two smells diverged in the car park and Pearl found the direction Bliss had driven in, but then the trail started to go cold. Pearl used her common sense and Google to guess where Bliss might have headed.

She hadn't stopped properly anywhere. When there had been services Pearl got out of her Crossfire and rapidly sniffed about...result, nothing. Pearl kept going only because of the absence of the scent, rather than the presence of it, but now in the evening she'd reached a town where she was obliged to travel more slowly.

On the shady side of the road over a bridge, she had to stop at some traffic lights to allow oncoming cars to get over the bridge. Pearl let her window down a little. The evening was cooling thank heaven, and she felt as if she'd failed in this task Drew set her. She took a breath of the cool evening air, and as the breeze stirred the trees by the side of the road, she caught the scent she'd been searching for. _Damn,_ she thought happily, _I've found her. Bliss is somewhere nearby._ When Pearl had taken her turn to cross the bridge, she drove on a little to where she could see a parking space outside a clothes shop, and she parked there.

The sun was still up, but she had her protective shirt and straw hat. She looked elegant as she exited her sporty car, like someone from a nineteen fifties movie, and an old man walking with a small rough-coated dog on a lead looked at her with interest. A very pretty young woman, blond hair, and wide brimmed hat, red lipstick, her modest buttoned up shirt still showing she had a great figure. Just his type, when he was young of course.

Pearl stood in the shade of the clothes shop awning, she was confused because that other faint scent was here too, but as she moved away from the shop, that scent disappeared. She thought she might have been mistaken. It was time she fed, and she thought about her vacuum flask in the car. The air conditioning had been on all day too, so her meal would be fine. She crossed the street, and as she did, the scent got stronger. It took seconds for Pearl to identify Bliss, and then she sat down at a table in the shade of an umbrella. The girl who came to take her order was way too thin Pearl thought, as she ordered coffee in her need to appear normal.

Bliss was with Devon. Pearl, who knew Devon from years ago, was surprised at how he looked. He was at ease in the sun and it looked as if he had eaten dinner. He was very into Bliss and kissed her, with what looked to Pearl like a very good show of genuine emotion. Pearl was puzzled. She couldn't sense Devon. She should be able to sense him she thought. _How was he doing this stuff sitting there like a human?_ Pearl was fed up with it all after ten minutes of watching them kissing and smiling at each other. He was going overboard with this one if all he wanted was fun and a feed, and then she considered what Drew had not. Maybe Devon really did like this girl, in the way she'd liked her last lover, the one whose money was still in her purse from the cash machine visit the previous day. Devon hadn't recognized Pearl, and she hadn't expected him to. She'd been a minor player in the vampire community, well away from the gaze of its illustrious leader.

When Devon and Bliss left the café first hand in hand and then with their arms around each other, Pearl followed at a safe distance. They were much too engrossed in each other to notice her anyway and she was good at masking her thoughts, and so her presence. She watched as they walked down the drive of a large attractive house, and then she turned and using her extreme speed, went back to her car. Pearl drank some of her meal before she called Drew on her cell phone.

Drew was very pleased. Pearl had her netbook open and caught a wireless signal. She found a Google map of the town and then a street view of Devon's house.

"Drew, it will be a piece of cake for you to come and get Bliss. I'll drive back now. Having ended the call, Pearl drank the rest of her meal, and turned her car to go back to the market town where Drew lived. It wouldn't take long to get back now she had found Bliss. She needn't mess about. She could open the throttle and get back in an hour. Greta would be happy to have her stay for another night.

### Chapter Twenty-Seven

Devon and Bliss were sitting close together on a small sofa that was at one end of the large kitchen. It looked out onto the garden. Bliss guessed Devon used this end of the kitchen as a sitting area instead of his living room because it had those fabulous windows. There was a small TV up on a shelf and a little table by the sofa.

Bliss took Devon's hand in hers and leaned against him.

"Devon, I've been thinking, you know I'm on holiday, at the moment, but I like it here in this town, in this area. I was thinking, maybe I would look for work, so as not to go back to my old job. What do you think?" Bliss hoped he would think it was a good idea. She hoped that it would tell him she was serious about him. She did like it there very much. She thought that even if she and Devon just became friends, this whole place suited her. She might make friends amongst the group who were at the dinner party too, although she really wanted Devon to love her.

Devon held her face to kiss her He lingered over the kiss. Kissing Bliss was addictive for him. He felt as if he would like to leave his lips against hers always.

He drew back a little to answer her.

"That's great, but you can stay here as long as you like. You don't need to rush into work or think you can only stay if you find work. I'd like you to stay as long as you want, and I hoped you knew that. I came looking for you because I feel so much for you, Bliss. I love having you here."

Bliss thought he was going to say he loved her and she looked into his eyes longingly. She noticed his eyes were that dark shade of blue again. Earlier they were dark gray.

He was smiling at her now. "You could always help me. I have heaps of work. It would be good to hand some of it over."

Bliss didn't answer, thinking she would look for work. She valued her independence. She thought right then maybe mixing a new relationship and work might not be a good idea.

Devon kissed her again. He was trying to take their relationship slowly because he needed her to know it was real. _Maybe I'm taking it all too slowly_ , he thought, but then again, he didn't really know. He kissed Bliss until he felt as if his heart would break if he didn't tell her how much he loved her and Bliss kissed him back. She was sure he loved her. She loved him. She would tell him soon. She would tell him tomorrow. Her thoughts were rapid as she started to need Devon's body against hers. She felt her panties damp with her need and wished Devon would make a move on her. She would make one on him very soon if not.

They went to their respective rooms again around eleven. Bliss stood in her shower wishing she was with Devon. Her body actually ached for him. Her breasts seemed full and she sighed, thinking about what it would be like to have his mouth on them.

Devon stood at his bedroom window. He wanted to make love to Bliss more than he could stand. He went quietly and swiftly downstairs and started to pace up and down his garden, occasionally glancing up at the windows of the top floor rooms. There were no lights to see. _Bliss must have gone to bed,_ he thought.

Bliss was wrapped in a bath towel, and she was sitting to one side of the window so as not to be seen. The garden lights and the huge moon out there lit the garden for a short distance, and she knew Devon was down there walking up and down.

****

Meanwhile Pearl had arrived back at Greta's restaurant. Drew was so pleased with Pearl when she told him what had happened that he promised her an extra five hundred dollars in payment, and was making plans to take off before sunrise to where Bliss was staying. He found it hilarious that Devon still kept her alive, and that Pearl saw him fawning all over her. That would make his game so much more enjoyable. He left Pearl and Greta to their lovemaking and went home.

As he drove, he thought about what he would do to Bliss. He'd like to do it in front of Devon, but he didn't know how he'd achieve that.

Maryanne was playing one of his computer games when he got in. He was a bit put out to find she'd reached a higher level in the game than he had.

"Maryanne, I'm going over to another town tomorrow. I'll probably be back in the evening, but should I not be, I don't want anyone around here. Do you understand? No mess," he said rather unpleasantly. Maryanne nodded, _I'll go somewhere else then,_ she thought.

### Chapter Twenty-Eight

Bliss watched Devon for fifteen minutes as he walked up and down the length of his garden. He seemed to be able to do it very quickly, unless he turned and came back as he was in the dark part, where the garden lights didn't reach. _What's he doing out there,_ she thought and then she decided to go down to him. She wanted to be with him. She'd come looking for love, and she thought she'd found it. She was dilly-dallying around for no good reason. She pulled on the T-shirt she'd worn that evening, and her jeans. She put her feet into her canvas shoes, and combed her wet hair. She went down to the kitchen to find the massive window only open by a meter. She went through it and waited for when Devon reached her.

Devon knew she was there even before he exited the dark area of the garden. He slowed down a little and concentrated on sensing her presence. Sometimes after he drank his health shake, he felt more in command of sensing a person's emotions. She was definitely in love with him. She wanted him. He sighed in relief.

As Devon came out of the gloom, Bliss walked towards him. She put her arms around him. He clasped her to his body. He felt her hair midway down her back still damp, and he held it in his hands savoring the softness.

"What are you doing down here? Is something wrong?" He asked her because he didn't know what else to say. She shook her head. She moved her arms around his neck, and kissed him. She molded her body hard against his.

She kissed him until she felt that overwhelming urge to tell him she loved him and then she did. "I love you...I have to tell you...I need you to know."

Then he was kissing her again and smiling. Then kissing her, and as he held her very tightly he whispered, "I love you too." Bliss smiled before she kissed Devon again, and they stood close together holding each other's face and kissing each other tenderly.

Bliss began to unbutton the shirt Devon was wearing. She moved her hands across his smooth skin along the muscles of his chest. He felt cool and strong. She traced around his body with her fingertips. Devon kissed down her neck and shoulder.

Bliss moved so that she could kiss his mouth. She whispered close to his lips, "Come back inside. Let's go to bed Devon. I want to make love with you."

Devon was captivated by this. He smiled and kissed her. "I want to be with you too Bliss."

Holding hands, they went inside and Devon locked the window. He was thinking about his bed. _Was it actually made up?_ He couldn't remember the last time he'd lain in it. He generally slept for short periods in his chair or sometimes on the lawn.

As they went upstairs and he put his arm around her waist, Bliss felt very happy. It was the right thing to do, to tell him she loved him, it seemed to her that he'd been waiting to know how she felt about him.

Devon decided that if his bed wasn't made up he'd tell Bliss he was about to change the linen and forgotten to finish the job. _This isn't good_ he thought. He didn't want to lie to her right then.

When they went into Devon's bedroom Bliss was struck by how empty it seemed. There was a bed on the side opposite the huge windows, and she noticed a chair set up so that Devon could sit and look out of them. Devon's bed was made up with white linen that looked ironed. His quilt, also in a white cover was rolled at the bottom of his bed as if he didn't use it.

Devon held her face and kissed her so lovingly she felt like liquid. They undressed and held each other close, suddenly desperate to feel each other's body closer, as their kisses became more urgent.

Devon ran his fingertips along her skin and cupped her breasts in his hands. Bliss arched to him as he took a nipple into his mouth, and a little moan escaped her, it felt so good. She reached down to feel his erection in both hands and almost sighed with relief at finally being able to hold him like that. Devon groaned and found her lips with his. His kiss was hungry and he held her then around her hips to raise her as he put a finger into her moistness.

She gasped with pleasure and moved on his finger until Devon put another finger into her wet pussy. His tongue was in her mouth. She was grasping him tightly and then stroking his erection wanting him inside her.

He laid her down on the cool bed and moved over her. Bliss put her arms up around him to press him to her body as she opened her legs wide for his entrance. She whispered her need to him. "Push into me now, I need it so much."

Devon wanted to give her what she asked for. He surged into her and they moved together as if they'd always known each other, as if they were made to fit together, and it felt so good they were both softly moaning.

Devon told Bliss he loved her so much as he made love with her. Bliss was carried along in a wave of pleasure. She sought out his lips if he moved them from hers to her cheek or shoulders. They whispered to each other and groaned into each other's mouth as the sensations overwhelmed them.

They didn't let go of each other for a long time. Devon felt that he couldn't let Bliss go. He needed her in his arms close against him. Bliss wanted that too, and she moved so that her face was against his, and so that she could kiss him as they whispered to each other.

They made love again. This time in a rush of lust and then snuggled against each other. Devon held Bliss very close until she was asleep, and then he closed his eye. He wanted Bliss with him always. It had to be fate that brought her to him. She'd told him how she set out to find love or something that would change her life, and arrived at the café. It was meant to be he decided. He kissed her and gently traced a breast with his fingertip. In her sleep, Bliss moved towards him, wanting him. He moved his hand to rest gently on her lower stomach, his fingertips against the moistness of her pussy and he sighed. Everything felt so good.

He was surprised to find he slept.

There was light creeping back as the night receded. He needed to go for his medications that morning. He always went to Tara's house. It wasn't always Tara who meditated with him after he took the infusion of medicine. Today it would be Erik. He tried not to disturb Bliss. He managed to leave the bed, and then the house a half hour later without Bliss waking.

He left her a note on the small pine bedside table. _"I love you. I have to meet with Erik this morning early, so please wait for me. We'll go somewhere pretty for coffee. I'll be back about ten. I miss you already. I can't wait to hold you, and feel your lips against mine. I'm so glad you love me."_

When Devon arrived at Tara's house, he found she was there with Erik, and Saffron was there too. They sat down together to talk and Tara brought Devon his medicine.

### Chapter Twenty-Nine

Drew left his home as the first light started to bloom in the sky. It was overcast where he lived, clouds coming in from the west, which would eventually reach Devon's part of the country. Drew liked it. He thought he could smell rain. He turned up his shirt collar, and pulled its cuffs over his hands. He had a flask of blood on the passenger seat of his Mercedes sports car, and a straw hat of the type called a _boater._ It suited Drew to be classic as well as safe, and he looked good in the hat. He also had an overcoat just to be prepared. What if he had to leave his car with its tinted windows for any length of time, he reasoned, he would need more protection from the UV even in overcast weather. Drew saw little point in travelling until first light. He wanted to catch Bliss out and about. He made good time and was outside the house only ten minutes after Devon walked through the door at Tara's place.

He parked under the shade of one of the huge trees that lined the street where Devon lived. They had blossom all over them. Drew could smell the stuff through the car, but he couldn't enjoy the smell he just knew it was there. He watched as a large cloud obscured the watery sun that greeted him when he was about ten miles from Devon's hometown. As the sun was covered by the cloud, he got out of his car, locking it with the electronic key, as he walked swiftly away to the carport that ran the length of the side of the house.

Under the cover of the carport, Drew looked at the two vehicles there, an old off-white truck of some description and a four-wheel drive thing, black with a soft top. He knew he'd passed the car Bliss drove as he walked quickly to the carport. He could smell her. She was everywhere and there was a strange scent here too, a mix of scents, vaguely familiar. Odd, he couldn't find Devon's presence, and yet these vehicles had to be his. Drew shrugged. That was okay. He wanted Bliss to be either dead or missing when Devon came back. Drew looked at the space where another vehicle might have been parked and decided Devon was out in whatever would have occupied this space.

He turned around and tried the door that he thought must lead into the house from this carport. The door was locked, but who cares Drew thought, as he twisted the door handle in its opposite direction and right off the door. It opened for him as he broke the entire mechanism. He went into the house. There was a little hall into a utility room and then a door into the kitchen. It was massive and to Drew's horror, one entire wall was windows. He could imagine the way it heated up the room with sunlight. He paused, why did Devon have such a thing? It wasn't even tinted. Drew was disgusted.

Maybe this was the wrong house, and he looked at the note on his smart phone memo pad. No this was right. Perhaps it was for show, for humans Devon brought here, and Devon lived somewhere underground out of the heat. Drew poked around in the fridge, not one blood bag, no food at all as far as he could see, this was spooky he thought. Then Drew went to the table, and it was there he felt the most surprise. A chair was reeking of Bliss. It was wooden with a blue and white print cushion, but the surprise was the other distinct scent. Drew smelt Elise. He would never forget that scent. It was here on the chair. He moved to the small sofa at the end of the kitchen. It was there too. How was that possible?

Drew sat down on the sofa. He thought about Elise. He loved her, he was sure of it. The pain he felt when he lost her had been severe. He was shocked. The pain started when he left the manor that night more than twenty years ago.

He'd met Elise one night in the woods that bordered the manor. She had been a vision, and her scent had nearly driven him mad, but it wasn't in response to a desire to drink from her. He met secretly with her for a few weeks. He'd fallen in love with her. He knew that now, and she had loved him, she'd told him so.

One night when they made love, he bit and drank from her just the tiniest amount. It was nothing in his mind, but he felt so good afterwards. He felt as if his existing powers were even greater. He let himself think of Elise as he sat there in Devon's house, her pale creamy skin, her long legs, her hair the color of leaves in autumn, but changing as she walked, from pale gold to fiery red. If a vampire such as Drew could fall in love, then he had. Drew was amazed that Elise didn't know what he was.

When a couple of vampires from the manor came upon others of her kind and fed on them, Drew realized that she wasn't human either, and that she must have powers. He questioned her and she decided to let him meet with some of her people. They were traveling west, and had found a place to live nearby for a while, until the others caught up with this advance party. She wanted Drew to live with them. Drew wanted the beings' powers just as the other rogue vampires had. He had taken the tiniest bite more from Elise, tasting blood as he sucked the base of her neck one day with a love bite. It was just enough blood to turn his brown eyes to the same blue as Elise's eyes.

Drew wanted to have Elise forever and have her powers. He found himself almost able to control other vampire's thoughts the morning after he'd sucked that little blood from Elise. He would turn her, gain her powers in the process, and have her with him forever. He arranged the meeting with her people to be admitted into their circle, and he arranged for the rogue vampires to be there too. Devon had stopped it all. Drew very nearly spat out Devon's name as he remembered the scene. Now here was Devon with Elise and Bliss, at least that's how it seemed. Devon had to know Elise. She'd been there recently. The sofa was a haven of her scent, and Drew breathed it in.

Drew stood up and walked around. There were other smells here too, similar to Elise but not her. How typical of Devon. He'd taken Elise from Drew that night in the barn, but she wasn't turned, and now he had Bliss. It was all too bizarre for Drew. He walked back to the table and rested his hands on the bent wooden back of the chair that both Bliss and Elise had recently used. He looked down at the pale wooden expanse of the big rectangular table. He questioned the whole scenario. Maybe this wasn't Devon's home. Could it be Elise lived here and Bliss had been invited to stay, but then Devon lived in the town, and was seen with Bliss coming here, so he still knew Elise whatever the scenario was.

It was there that Bliss, coming down to the kitchen quietly in her bare feet, found him leaning on his hands on the chair she would have sat on to drink her morning coffee. He was looking straight out into the flower beds.

Drew uncharacteristically nostalgic, totally lost in thoughts of Elise, surprisingly didn't know she was there until she spoke.

"Drew, what are you doing here? How did you get in?" Bliss was a little afraid.

Drew turned around. Bliss once again saw how attractive he was. His blue eyes were dreamy, his dark hair falling a little over his forehead and the blue shirt he wore again with ruffled cuffs gave him an air of some storybook character. He seemed casual and calm. He was exuding charm and sexuality. Quietly he answered her.

"Sorry Bliss...I was looking for Devon. The door was open. I came in. Is he home?" Drew smiled his lovely smile.

Bliss stepped forward a little nearer to him. He was okay. It was just Drew, and Devon knew him.

"No, but he'll be back maybe around ten."

Drew grinned. He moved swiftly. He had her by the shoulders before she knew what was happening, and then he kissed her. Bliss was confounded by this. She didn't return the kiss, but it felt good all the same, and then Drew stepped back.

"Sorry, that was just something I hoped to do when we met for dinner, the night Devon stole you from me, but okay...I forgive you both. I do want to see Devon though, on another matter. Do you have his cell phone number?"

Bliss was disarmed. She reached into the back pocket of her jeans and read off the number to Drew, who expertly and rather quickly Bliss thought, put the number into his phone.

He smiled again. "Bliss, I'll go now. I can't stay until Devon comes home. I'll call him." He turned as if to go and Bliss, her manners kicking in, went ahead of him, and showed him out of the front door into a shaft of bright sunlight.

As she closed the door behind him, Drew took the chance and shot to his car. He had the door unlocked and was sitting within the safety of the black tint in seconds. He drank some of the blood he'd brought with him thankfully, and grinned to himself.

He'd come for Bliss, but now, well he didn't want her. He wanted Elise. The lovely creature who would still be that, fresh for him, as Devon, the idiot, hadn't turned her. Drew shook his head perplexed. He knew what Elise was. She told him. It had been a surprise, but acceptable, after all he was a vampire. He couldn't think why Devon hadn't either killed Bliss or turned her, and that went the same for Elise too. Drew considered the other scents he'd encountered as he drove away. Could those scents belong to others amongst the group Elise associated with? As he drove over the bridge and back the way he'd come he smiled again, this was going to be a better and more intriguing game than he'd first thought.

Then his mood darkened slightly. The rain had passed and the sky was cloudless. What a pain, the sun was starting to shine in earnest. Drew cursed. It was his only limitation. That myth about having to be invited into a house was just that, a myth, and then there was sleeping in wet earth, coffins, or freezers, neither true. He iced himself sometimes because of the sunlight, but he could sleep anywhere he wanted. He grinned again. He didn't need much sleep. He liked it cool and short, air conditioning, and cotton sheets.

He was thinking about Elise again and very nearly ran a red light, but screeched to a halt in time. He was next to a car with a pretty girl driving it. She looked across at him as he halted the Mercedes. She couldn't see much through the window tint. Drew let the window down slightly so that he could dazzle her with his beauty, and she widened her eyes at him. He wanted her. _How can I get her_? he thought, and as the lights turned green, he moved his vehicle into her lane and started to follow her car.

### Chapter Thirty

Bliss made coffee and decided to put a few things to wash when she saw the broken door as she went into the utility room. She was shocked, and threw the dress and a couple of T-shirts into the machine. Turning quickly, she went to the table where she'd left her cell phone by her coffee cup. She looked at the time. It was nine thirty. She didn't want to disturb Devon, but she felt she had to. Either someone had broken in during the night or Drew had done that. It didn't look like anything was missing but how could she really know, especially in the rest of the house, she couldn't know. She texted Devon, _'Where are you, can you come home at all sooner, please do if possible'._

Devon was just finishing up with Erik. His medicine administered, his meditations over, he was putting the containers of his health shake that Saffron had brought over for him in a black plastic bag. He could put them unobtrusively into his fridge as soon as Bliss wasn't in the kitchen. His cell phone dinged in his pocket. He saw it was Bliss and frowned slightly. Something made him afraid.

He read the text and sent back a message, _'on my way'_.

He told Erik he had to rush off, but would call back later and thanked him for his help and guidance. Saffron had left earlier and Tara too. Erik asked if everything was all right.

"I'm not sure...it's Bliss...she texted...I'll get back to you.

Devon drove home as fast as legally possible. He got out of the Landrover in the carport and instantly knew Drew had been there. He could sense Drew. He could almost hear Drew's echo. It was weird, but then he'd just had his medicine he reasoned as he strode swiftly to the side door. Bliss heard his arrival and was coming through the utility room to him. He saw the broken lock and ruined door handle. He was so relieved to see Bliss. He held out his arms to her. He'd instantly thought Drew might have hurt her, and he felt then that he would kill Drew for that, even if it meant his own end. Bliss was in his arms.

"Drew was here, but I don't know if he did this or if it was done in the night. If you left by the front door you wouldn't have seen it," she said in a rush.

Devon nodded.

"It was okay when I left. Drew must have done it. Tell me what he did here, what he said, has he hurt you, threatened you?"

Devon could feel, sense, and almost smell Drew on Bliss. He held her face, and kissed her. He knew Drew had kissed her. Devon backed away. "Drew kissed you?"

Bliss shook her head. "He did. He did it so quickly I didn't realize. I didn't kiss him back."

She moved towards Devon who had a hurt expression on his face. She told Devon what Drew said about the night she'd met Devon in the market square, and how Drew wanted Devon's phone number.

Devon realized this was some new game Drew was playing. He put his arms back around Bliss. "Sorry Bliss, I was hurt to think he kissed you, that maybe you both kissed. I should have known better. I love you so much it hurt to think of you kissing him. I love you." He kissed her, hugged her tight, and then looked at her. He concentrated slightly to sense her thoughts. She loved him. She was so pleased to have him home. He felt like a fool and hugged her again.

Bliss put her hands up to his face, and traced gently down to his neck with her fingertips. He moved his head to her hand it was so good to feel her touch. She kissed him and then whispered, "I love you. I do love you so much." They kissed each other and then Bliss remembered the door.

"Devon, what about the door and why would Drew do that? Why not knock on the door? It's baffling, and he did say he found the door open. Could it have been done by someone in the interim period after you left and before he arrived?"

Devon knew it was Drew, but he kissed Bliss on the side of her mouth and said,

"Maybe."

To make her happy they went around the house to check if things had been stolen and he was sure nothing was missing. He was just thinking that he needed to let Tara know what had happened when his cell phone rang. It was Erik. He asked if everything was okay, and if Devon was coming back for his supplies. Devon had left the new supply of his food at Tara's place when he had rushed over to Bliss.

"Erik, there's been a break in. I need to fix the door lock. I'll take Bliss with me to the local home hardware store for a new lock. If you dropped by that will be great."

Erik understood the message in what Devon was saying, and replied that he'd call by in ten minutes.

Devon asked Bliss to come with him to the store. "Bliss, I don't want to leave you here, come with me. Erik is coming over to be in the house." He gave Bliss an imploring look and Bliss smiled.

"I'll come with you, Devon, naturally, but shouldn't we wait for Erik to arrive before leaving the house with no lock?"

Devon shook his head. "He'll be here minutes after we leave. I think it'll be okay, and Bliss, I guess you didn't get Drew's phone number did you?" Devon asked her gently, but Bliss realized that was something she should have thought of and apologized for not doing so.

"It just never entered my head. It was all so strange and after he kissed me I just wanted him to leave."

Devon put his arms around her and gave her a hug. "No don't apologize Drew is a tricky customer at the best of times," he told her, thinking that was an understatement.

Bliss slipped on her canvas shoes and Devon drove them out to the big home hardware store on the road leading out of town, in the opposite direction from the one Drew drove in.

****

Meanwhile, Drew had followed the girl in the car to a shopping mall, and was wondering how he could approach her without being in the sunlight. The parking lot was all outside on large flat areas of ground.

The girl knew Drew had followed her and was parking behind her. She was pleasantly surprised by how attractive he was. She was flattered that he followed her. It didn't enter her head that he might be a danger in his expensive, opulent car. She waited for him to get out of his car and perhaps introduce himself, but nothing happened. He remained parked behind her. Maybe he was on the phone she reasoned, and then she got out of her own car and walked to his.

Drew put down the electric window, not fully, but enough to talk to her, for her to see how attractive he was again. Drew turned on his charm. His ability to convince was extraordinary and he asked her to sit in his car for a few moments, they could exchange numbers, meet later for a drink. The girl walked around to the passenger side as another car pulled into a car parking space next to them. She opened the door and slid onto the leather seat where Drew quickly made space for her, his hat and coat thrown onto the back seat. Drew smiled at her as she closed the door so that the adjacent car driver could open their door. Once inside the window tint masked virtually everything to someone outside of the car, and anyway the other shopper was in a hurry, and didn't even glance at them.

Drew reached over her to the glove compartment saying he would give her his card and the girl enjoyed this closeness. Drew was extremely handsome she was thinking, when he turned, and kissed her, his hand on her neck deceptively gentle. He kissed her again, his hand straying to her breast, stroking her nipple through the thin fabric of her top. The girl felt a wave of desire and as she returned his kiss, he felt the overwhelming need to taste her blood. He moved back from her and gave her a smoldering look with his blue eyes and then he smiled first, before he bit into her neck. His hand was now covering her mouth as she tried to scream, his extreme strength snapping her collarbone as he drained her. Drew left her limp, and lifeless body slumped in his passenger seat as he drove away.

He had only a vague idea of how far he'd deviated from his route home and followed a road, which seemed to him to be heading the right way. The road narrowed as it exited the built up area of the town and trees grew on each side shading the road and forming an arch over it. Drew enjoyed this immensely and opened his window a little to breathe in the cool tree air.

When the road opened out again it was alongside a ditch. Drew stopped his car on the gravel roadside by the ditch. He set his satellite navigation unit for home finding he'd hardly strayed from the route. He leaned over the body, and opened the passenger door, and then after a large truck had passed at high speed, he unceremoniously pushed the body into the ditch. Drew watched as the body was received by high weeds and poppies growing wild in the ditch. It seemed there might be some kind of stream down there. Drew could smell water. He closed his car door and took out some paper towel to wipe up the drops of blood remaining. Drew always had paper towel pushed under the seat of the passenger side for just such jobs as this.

He drove off without a backward glance. He needed to get petrol soon and he hoped that the stupid sun would go in or the next service station was well covered.

He cruised into the service area of the next set of ring roads and was pleased to find that the whole two rows of petrol pumps were completely covered by a big sail shaped roof.

He hated getting petrol but filled the tank standing with his face away from the fumes, and then went into the shop area to pay. As he passed the CCTV cameras pointed at the customers both outside on the forecourt and inside, he smiled. If his car happened to be caught on camera, the authorities would never be able to trace it. The vampire community had that covered. They owned garages where cars were fitted with false number plates, spray-painted, and generally made invisible to law and order.

Drew got back into his vehicle and drove off. He passed through a small town and saw an old house being re-thatched. On the outskirts of the town was a big house. For some reason it caught Drew's eye, and he slowed to take a better look at it. He sighed thinking it was harder these days to simply feed off the owners and take places over, but he would ask Maryanne, and maybe Ryan, one of his old friends, to go on a spree with him one night. He rather fancied that house. Drew was close to home and put his foot down. He was tired of the journey now and wanted to be at home in his study to think about how to get Elise.

### Chapter Thirty-One

Erik had put Devon's containers of food in his fridge having opened both sides and found one side empty except for a container, which must have been the last of Devon's supply. He sat outside on the paved area enjoying the flowers and the intermittent sunshine as clouds scudded across the sky. He heard Devon's car arrive and stood up to greet Bliss and Devon at the side door.

Erik could read minds, but he didn't need to as he watched Bliss and Devon together for just a moment or two. Anyone could see they loved each other. He wanted to know about the break in. Erik greeted them and smiled broadly at Bliss, and then he asked straight out what Devon thought had happened there.

"Devon, so do you have any suspicions as to who did this, has anything been taken?"

Devon shook his head. "Nothing Erik, I think it was Drew. You do remember how I ran across him a couple of days ago? Well I think he came looking for me. At least that was the message he gave Bliss."

Erik frowned. "He's been here? Bliss saw him?" Then he stopped talking and gave Devon a message in his mind, which amounted to how he hadn't sensed Drew himself, that in twenty years he'd erased Drew, now he wished he hadn't as Drew was dangerous.

Devon simply nodded and said, "Yes" as if in answer to the spoken question.

Bliss realized something wasn't being revealed. She saw an emotion flicker across Devon's face as if he was considering more than what Erik had said. She wondered if they needed time to talk alone, and she decided to give it to them.

"Devon, I have to deal with my laundry and also I want to phone my dad so I'll leave you and Erik to it for a little while if that's okay." She smiled at him, and Devon felt like kissing her, but he only smiled back and nodded.

"Of course Bliss."

Bliss put a few laundered items in the dryer and left it to dry. She walked out of the side door and down the path until she came to a gate, which led to the lawns and flowerbeds. She took her cell phone from her back pocket and called her dad.

Bliss asked how her dad was and he told her he was fine. She smiled as she said, "Are you sure Dad, everything is okay? You're not worrying at all about Blessing, or overworking?"

"Bliss, you'll never guess, Blessing actually has a permanent job she likes, and says she's found her niche."

"Where is it Dad?" Bliss asked surprised, but pleased.

"Real estate, she's working in a local office and training as a property manager. She loves it. How about that? But what about you, are you having a good holiday? It's going quickly, so I hope so."

Her dad had voiced her own thoughts. She didn't want to say anything yet about Devon, so she simply said her holiday was fantastic so far. Bliss had no idea that was precisely what her holiday really was.

They chatted for another couple of minutes about how nice the weather was and about her dad's work and then they ended the call. Bliss had walked to the very bottom of the garden and now looked out at the short distance to the woods covered in a wild field of grass and poppies. She stared at the woods. They were lush with foliage and looked beautiful. Bliss noticed a path leading into them, which ran alongside the field. It looked used, maybe walkers used it, or maybe it was a bridle path. She turned and walked back up to the house thinking that Devon and Erik would have talked privately by now.

Devon was standing by the windows and saw Bliss approaching. He went over to the work surface where he'd made Erik and himself coffee and started to make her a cup.

Erik grinned at him, "I can see Bliss means a lot to you. Has she indicated how she feels about you?"

Devon knew Erik asked out of care for him and nodded.

"She has and its good news Erik."

Whilst Bliss walked, they had talked about how Drew's reappearance was a concern. Erik told Devon that he and the other Elders had some ancient knowledge. They could make a potion that they would sprinkle around the outside of the house and Drew wouldn't be able to enter it in the future. He would find himself immobile, unable to go on, as he encountered the potion and would naturally step away again.

Devon asked if it would also have an effect on him, and Erik laughed aloud and said "Certainly not." They decided to go ahead with this option as Devon was worried now for Bliss. Erik also said that he would like to have something Drew had touched, so that the Elders could try to sense him in the future. Devon looked around and realized he could sense Drew on a cushion, which was on the little sofa. Erik put that in his car and returned to the kitchen.

Bliss came into the kitchen through the back window opening and Devon offered her the coffee he'd made. She thought he seemed less worried than he'd been. Perhaps talking with Erik had calmed his worries over Drew or the break in.

Erik decided it was time he left. Both Devon and Bliss went out to his car with him to see him off. As he drove away, Devon took Bliss by the hand. Once inside the house he turned to her and kissed her. Bliss kissed him back holding him close, and then they went down to the kitchen.

"I'll fix that lock and then is there anything you would like to do?"

Bliss had been thinking, she'd washed her dress and left it to dry on a hanger in the shade. Her few other items had finished drying, but she needed a couple of things.

"I'm thinking of going to Marguerite's shop. I need maybe another dress or shirt, something else to wear." Bliss watched Devon take out the tools he needed from a cupboard in the utility room.

He looked across at her, thinking again how pretty she was and how lucky he was that she'd fallen in love with him. He really wanted her to like the town as much as he did, but after Drew's strange visit, he hoped she'd not been put off staying.

"There's a fete and a dance on in town this week. The fun begins tomorrow night with a firework opening of the fete. We do it every year, sort of summer celebrations and tourists like it too. The fete runs for two days and then there's the dance on the last night. We can go, if you want to."

He was looking hopefully at her and Bliss smiled. She went over to him.

"It sounds great. I should definitely get a dress then." She kissed him. "I'll go off shopping. I'll have my phone with me of course."

Devon worried slightly as Bliss left the house, but he could hardly keep Bliss with him all the time, although he'd like to. He wondered if he should follow at a distance to make sure she was safe, but reasoned that Drew had left her alone when he could have killed her. These thoughts led Devon to question what exactly Drew was up to and he couldn't imagine. He concluded it had to be one of Drew's games and finished fixing the lock on the door.

When Erik left Devon's house he went straight to Tara's house where both Saffron and Tara agreed with Erik about the magic potion for Devon's place. They texted the other Elders to come to a meeting held that evening in Saffron's place. It seemed to them that Drew's reappearance was going to spell some kind of trouble, and they all three laughed at the pun.

### Chapter Thirty-Two

Bliss drove out to the retail park again because she'd noticed a branch of a clothes store where she sometimes shopped. She'd seen it when she and Devon were there at the home hardware store earlier and decided to check it out before looking in Marguerite's boutique.

She did this for two reasons, the clothes in the boutique were expensive, and she wasn't looking forward to seeing Marguerite again. Bliss went into the store and made straight for her usual T-shirts and jeans. She picked up a plain blue T-shirt and a white T-shirt with a lace yoke. She couldn't find anything else she liked and after trying them on, she bought both, and then drove back into town. She parked at the back of a small grocery outlet, in order to walk down to the high street and go into Marguerite's boutique.

The young girl assistant was in the shop serving another customer, but she looked across at Bliss. She obviously recognized her, and smiled before continuing to process the payment for the sale she'd just made.

Bliss was trying to remember her name, and then as she looked along the rails of quite lovely dresses she remembered it was Anita. Bliss was looking for dresses with the label, _'An off the Rails Original_ ' because she thought it must denote the dresses Devon designed.

She saw a brightly colored dress, the bodice cut like a sundress from the fifties. The skirt, a pencil style with a split up the back, and the cutest feature was a frill around the lower waist. She liked it. The black fabric covered in orange, yellow, lime, and fuchsia roses, but she wondered if she could pull off such a bright colored fabric and if the frill would make her hips look big.

Anita saw Bliss looking at the lovely patterned dress and went over to help her make a decision, "Bliss, hello again. That dress would look good on you what with your dark hair and slim figure. Why not try it on. I'll put it in a changing room for you," and she expertly took the dress from Bliss smiling again.

Bliss let it happen she felt like trying the dress and decided to ask Anita to show her any other dresses that were from the same designer.

Anita was in her element. She gathered up a dark blue dress that shimmered with a dark green sheen as it caught the light, scoop necked, and wedge shaped with a back kick pleat, the dress was elegant. Then she found a pale pink dress, it was almost the same design as the one Bliss already owned except it didn't have the floaty triangles and had three quarter sleeves. Bliss took a deep breath and told Anita she'd try them too.

Inside the fitting room, Bliss tried on the dress she was, in her own mind calling the gaudy one. Anita called through the door, "Why not come out and look in the large mirror, walk up and down in the dresses to see how they feel."

Bliss zipped up the side zip, and came out to look at herself in the large mirror on the wall. She was surprised into smiling at herself, the dress far from looking gaudy looked good. Anita hovered.

"That looks really good on you, seriously, I'm jealous. I'd love to wear something like that, but it just doesn't suit me."

Bliss looked at the girl. She could tell that Anita meant what she said. It wasn't just a sales pitch. Bliss smiled again.

"I'm surprised too. I'll try the others, but I like this very much."

The dark blue dress was just as successful and Bliss shook her head. She loved that one too, but there was no way she could buy two dresses. The pink one was the last one she tried on and just as Anita was gushing about how that one looked great too, Marguerite came along.

She greeted Bliss politely, but wasn't too friendly.

Anita turned to her.

"Bliss tried three dresses and every single one looks great, don't they?" She finished, turning to Bliss.

Bliss sighed and smiled. "I do love all of them, but really I can't be that indulgent, so I think I will take the dark blue one, it may be better to wear to the town ball."

Marguerite looked at the dresses on their hangers as Bliss came out of the change rooms, and she suddenly broke into a smile. It was because the blue one was her design and the other two were Devon's designs. Marguerite enjoyed it when anyone liked, and bought her work, and she decided on the spot that maybe Bliss was no threat. It'd been a few days now and Devon was so happy. She could perhaps try to be friendlier to Bliss.

Bliss could tell that Marguerite had changed her attitude somehow, and waited to find out what she might say next. Marguerite took the dresses and put the two Bliss wasn't buying onto a rail just outside the fitting rooms. Then she led Bliss to the counter island and proceeded to fold and wrap the blue dress Bliss had chosen. "How's your holiday going so far, do you intend spending all of it here?"

Bliss looked intently at Marguerite, was she being unpleasant, and was this some kind of probe because she was hopeful that Bliss was going to leave soon.

Marguerite seemed friendly.

"I think I will. I feel very happy here and I'm thinking of actually trying to find work here too or in the surrounding area." Bliss didn't know why she opened up like that, except that she did want to get to know Devon's sister and to show her she cared for him. Marguerite handed Bliss the pink paper bag with her dress in it and the credit card Bliss had given her to pay for it, she sighed but then she smiled again.

"That's interesting Bliss. When you see him will you mention to Devon that I expected him to call today?"

Bliss nodded and left the shop, it had been on the tip of her tongue to tell Marguerite about the break in, and then she had decided against it.

Bliss wandered down the high street, looked into a shoe store, and thought she better check on how the dress looked with her existing shoes. Maybe she needed to buy shoes too. She sighed, wandered in, and picked up a strappy sandal in green leather, the heel just high enough to be smart. The young man in the store found her size and Bliss tried the shoes on. They were remarkably comfortable and Bliss bought them thinking this had to be her last spending spree. She went into the bakery next door and bought a sinful looking fruit flan. It was just big enough for two and would be good to have with coffee when she got back to Devon's place. He could take a break in fixing the door that would be nice, she thought, picturing his lovely face.

Bliss drove onto the area of paving in front of Devon's house and parked there. She'd gone around for her shopping in the back of the Jeep, and Devon came out of the house to meet her. He was helping her as Bliss told him about Marguerite's message.

He grinned. "Yes I will call her, she's just checking up on me."

Bliss glanced at him as they headed for the kitchen where she placed her purchases on the table and then turned to him. She put her arms around him. He bent his head to hers and kissed her lovingly. Bliss let herself sigh with pleasure.

She asked about the lock. "How did you go fixing the door lock?" Her thoughts strayed to how the damage was done and whoever had done it, especially if it was Drew. What might he have used?

Devon was still holding her. "It's all fixed."

At the same time, he thought to himself, _just as soon as Erik gets back with that potion tonight,_ and he hugged Bliss closer. She put her hand along his jaw and kissed him. She nudged her nose alongside his in affection, but still needed answers.

"Devon, if you think it was Drew why would he have done it and also how? There was nothing to say he used a crowbar or whatever, and he was empty handed when he was in the house. I don't really get it."

Devon wanted to drop the subject so he said, "I don't know. Let's forget it, and when he calls me, I'll just ask him. What did you buy? Show me."

Bliss hugged him tightly. She knew he wanted to stop talking about Drew and she held his hands to her heart. "Okay," she said.

She showed him the dress and held it up against her, and he smiled when she told him about the other two dresses. He of course recognized that they were his designs. He told her the one she bought would look lovely on her. As Bliss talked she went to the kettle to make coffee, telling Devon she'd found a lovely bakery and bought them something nice to have with their coffee.

Devon's heart fell. He didn't know what to do about the fact he couldn't eat. He thought about it as Bliss made them both coffee and split the fruit flan into two pieces. He decided to lie to her. It was natural that she would buy things and expect to see him eat. He didn't like lying, but there it was.

"I've been meaning to tell you, I have a condition at the moment, and I've been given an exclusion diet to follow, you know, just until it's sorted out. It's so thoughtful of you to think of me, but I wouldn't be able to eat it." He gave her back the plate of food she had handed him and Bliss frowned slightly, but she took the plate and put it in the fridge. Devon didn't realize he hadn't really lied. He was on an exclusion diet. It excluded human blood.

"I'm sorry Devon. You will be okay though?" She was now concerned for his health.

Devon was so disappointed to have to lie. He nodded saying, "I will," as he helped Bliss carry the coffee to the little table outside.

Bliss gave him a look and pulled him close. "I hope so because I love you now so much that I couldn't have anything happen to you." Devon kissed her, his worry about lying evaporating for that moment. As they sat down together, he smiled at Bliss.

"So was Marguerite still a little frosty?"

****

Marguerite folded the two dresses that Bliss hadn't bought into tissue paper and put them in one of her bright pink carrier bags. She knew Devon would want Bliss to have them and she had decided that the best way to look after Devon was to make friends with Bliss. She would check out her intentions, and watch how Devon was with Bliss for any signs at all that he was slipping backwards.

Saffron told her there was no danger of Devon slipping backwards as long as he was on his medication. The whole idea was in his mind, that he hadn't understood what would really happen to both himself and Marguerite if they stopped using the food, and medications that the Elders provided.

Marguerite knew the consequences. It wasn't something she'd clarified with Devon though. She wanted him to make certain he no longer wanted the life that they'd left behind twenty years ago. They both had special abilities. They both had a great life now. They would only age as fast as the _beings_ , but if they stopped using the food and medication they would die, not revert. Unless, and this was her big worry, another vampire bit them. Unless they then drank human blood. Devon was better off not knowing this stuff. Let him live in peace she thought.

Saffron had spelled it out for Marguerite because she asked so many questions, and that was because she never wanted to go back to being a vampire. She would die first, and she thought if Devon made assumptions that were good for him then that was fine. The 'what if' scenes she conjured up in her mind were vivid. What if Drew was still out there? What if Devon grew tired of hanging out with the _beings_? It could feel restrictive, even she sometimes felt it would be nice to travel more, but the _beings_ had their own reasons for isolation and seclusion, and she respected them.

Marguerite was going to pop around to Devon's place later, but right then she wanted to sort out the T-shirts, and silk scarves she was going to put on her stall at the town fete the next day. She and Ffion one of the _beings_ had become good friends. Ffion was very creative and they both got together to produce lovely tie-dyed silk scarves and T-shirts. Ffion was right at that moment, coming through the shop door, and Marguerite looked up from the box she was unpacking and smiled.

They had only been working for ten minutes putting little labels on the items that were for sale, and talking about what time to meet at the big playing fields designated for the fete, when Saffron arrived.

Saffron was one of the Elders, Ffion wasn't, but there were no secrets between the _beings_. They were only a tiny community in their eyes and committed to each other's safety. Saffron was smiling, but her message was serious.

"The Elders are meeting tonight Marguerite, and they've asked if you'll join them. Can you make it, Tara's place about seven?"

Marguerite looked quizzically at Saffron, but said, "Yes, of course I'll be there." Of course, none of them knew it was about Drew.

The three of them then started talking about the fete, the fireworks, and the ball. They exchanged information about what they were wearing for the ball and Marguerite felt happy. It was as if she had sisters.

### Chapter Thirty-Three

At his café miles away, Drew was giving his employees a talking to, he'd found them all in the kitchen, chattering. There were no customers. Bodie was round there as usual and what annoyed Drew the most, was that Annabelle was there too, holding hands with Bodie. Nathan had been apologetic, but also stood up for himself.

"Drew, there are no customers. Jake should be working but he's not needed. People pass us by. We look dingy, maybe we should think about doing the same as Greta and opening up a bit more. Have a lighter tint on the window or something." Samantha was nodding.

Drew shrugged. He'd not been there himself since Bliss arrived in the café, and he shrugged again.

"Maybe, but Annabelle, didn't I tell you not to come here again?" He wanted to win some part of the argument.

Annabelle looked crestfallen, and moved slightly behind Bodie, who gave Drew a stare because he'd already begun to appreciate Annabelle's loving ways. He knew he couldn't beat Drew in a fight, but he felt he had to look as if he would protect her.

Drew decided he couldn't be bothered and getting himself a drink from the blood bottles in the fridge, he asked if anyone had seen Ryan, as he wasn't answering his cell phone. Bodie pursed his lips slightly. Ryan had started seeing his sister Grace and been avoiding trouble since. Drew could only be looking for him to engage Ryan in something more unpleasant than usual.

No one spoke. Drew drank the remainder of blood in his glass. He put it empty onto the counter with a click and turned on his heel dramatically.

"I'm going to look for Ryan. I want to catch up with him about a trip I'm planning. I'll catch you lot later, and Nathan go ahead and plan what this place might look like 'less dingy'." He gestured in the air to indicate commas around 'less dingy' as he said all this and made his way through the café and out the door. His car was parked out front and he got into it quickly.

Drew drove to the bar the vampires frequented on the edge of the town. It was odd that they engaged in this kind of socializing, but they did try to appear ordinary. It was the best way to avoid detection. A member of the vampire community owned the bar. The back bar was only accessible through a door that had a pin numbered lock on it. It was where the vampires collected. At odd times night and day, there might be four or five of them in there. There was no access from the rest of the bar, so that customers had no idea what was there. _Just as well really_ , reasoned Drew, as he punched in the pin number, and walked into the bar. He looked around and saw Ryan right away with Grace and Lance the waiter from Greta's bar. They saw Drew and Ryan grinned at him. Drew generally meant trouble but also fun, a break from the ducking and diving.

Drew approached them. "How's things? Ryan, what's up with your phone? I've been calling you all day."

Ryan grimaced. "It's busted, I mean to get a new one but you know what it's like, things get busy."

Grace shuffled slightly away as Drew slid alongside her on the bench seat. Her movement wasn't lost on him and he laughed aloud, pressing up against her and pushing his face up to hers.

"Don't fret Grace, I won't bite," and then he laughed again at his silly joke.

Ryan smiled and Lance who always felt as if he had to keep on Drew's good side laughed too, just so Drew knew he was with him.

Drew wasn't interested in anyone except Ryan. "Ryan, over at the bar with me for a couple of minutes, I need to talk with you." He got up and made a big show of brushing his clothing free of anything he might have picked up from being so close to Grace, and then walked to the bar.

The whole thing was an honor system, take a glass of blood from the fridge, and put a coin in the tin on top. There was booze, there was even a coffee percolator, but few vampires used it, one or two had the ability to absorb a little alcohol, most couldn't. Surprisingly the honor system worked and the older vampire who ran the bar, and had run pubs for a couple of hundred years, enjoyed the friendship of the whole vampire community. He was to be found in the front bar appearing human to his staff and customers.

At the back bar Ryan stood with his back to Grace. He didn't want to see her face as he talked to Drew. Drew didn't beat about the bush. "Ryan, there's a property I fancy a few miles off. I need your company to take it from the owners. It would be a fun outing. Maryanne will come too. It's a while since we had some fun together, what do you say?"

Ryan didn't want to put Drew offside and a little part of him wanted the fun too, it was hard work fitting into society despite the benefits of doing so. He nodded and thought at the same time. Drew could see Ryan's mind work and he knew already that Ryan would say yes. Ryan did say yes and they arranged to go out the next night on their little 'takeover bid' as Drew started to call it.

Drew and Maryanne had a little fun later that night thinking about it, and picking up a foreign tourist in the market town. The only thing left of him by morning was his expensive, high-tech camcorder.

### Chapter Thirty-Four

Marguerite called in on Devon on her way to Tara's house where the Elders were meeting. She didn't need to ring the bell she had a key. She used her key to get in and quickly put the carrier bag of dresses on the nearest desk in Devon's workroom. Then she called down the corridor with the front door open as if she hadn't yet entered the house.

"Devon, its Marguerite, are you busy?" She made a lot of noise closing the door and calling out as she went down the hall. She didn't want to find Devon and Bliss kissing or anything like that, and this was her way of making sure.

Devon came to the edge of the kitchen door and smiled. "Hey Marguerite, what's going on? I was about to call you."

He had intended to call her, but wanted to wait until Bliss wasn't around and right then Bliss had decided to sort out her shopping, which was on the table since she arrived home. They had walked the length of his garden together and then to the edge of the woodland, arms around each other they were enjoying each other's closeness.

Bliss upstairs in her rooms hung up her dress and the laundered things. She tried her shoes on again and tidied things up a little. She was thinking about dinner. It was nearly seven and she felt a little hungry. She didn't quite know how to deal with the fact that Devon was on an exclusion diet. _That meant you weren't supposed to eat certain things_ , she thought. _He must have allergies or something._ She brushed her hair and changed her T-shirt.

Downstairs Marguerite quickly told Devon about the dresses and the meeting she was off to. Devon thought it must be about Drew, but couldn't bring himself to second-guess what the Elders might be going to say.

He gave his sister a hug because of her thoughtfulness in bringing the dresses for Bliss. It was nothing to him financially, and he would have given Bliss the ones she bought except for the implication in that gesture. To him it might have been an insult so soon into their relationship.

Marguerite smiled at his hug. "Why not tell Bliss they're a present from me, and ask her if she would like to do a couple of hours on my stall at the fete tomorrow afternoon, you know, to help out." She was trying to be friendly, and Devon guessed this and smiled. She left then and went to Tara's house.

The Elders were already in Tara's living room, Saffron, Erik, Jon, Elise, Seth, Arthur, and Angharad. They were sitting around her long table with coffee, tea, and cake, and were talking about gardening. It wasn't their way to panic, but Erik had started to worry a little, and he wanted to talk before Marguerite came along. Saffron wanted her involved because it was Drew. Marguerite had always impressed upon Saffron how much of a threat Drew might be to both Devon and herself. Erik called the meeting to order, and he quickly outlined what had happened at Devon's house. He noticed Elise become rigid and pale a little. He continued and sent her calming thoughts.

"We need to produce a repellent for Devon's house, that's the easy part. The hard part is becoming aware of him again, but we have something he used recently. We can concentrate our thoughts and try to gather up his presence so that when he is in town we'll know."

Elise spoke up. "I still feel bad about the incident even though it was so long ago." Tara walked around the table and put her arm around Elise's shoulders.

"We all make mistakes," she told her.

Elise wasn't thinking straight. Her jumbled thoughts affected the potion they were meditating on. Tara compensated for her and resolved to talk with her later. They'd dealt with the potion when Marguerite arrived. Smiling hello she accepted coffee and sat down near Seth who held a chair out for her.

When Erik told her about Drew having been in their town, and having broken into Devon's house, she frowned in annoyance, and shook her head.

"I've just seen Devon and he never said a word. What's going to happen? Do you think Drew will be back?"

Marguerite was surprised that Drew had found them at all. She knew he couldn't smell Devon or her because of their food and medicine. They were rendered hidden to him and other vampires, their presence masked into vagueness. She also wondered what Drew wanted after all these years and then it dawned upon her, he had come after Bliss, that had to be it, but then he had left without her.

Erik was soothing. "We're not going to panic. Drew left town and nothing seems to have been harmed except Devon's side door." He smiled around the table and then he told Marguerite about the repelling potion. She knew it would be a powerful spell. She knew what the _beings_ were, and she took a deep breath.

"Do you think I need one for the shop, that Elise needs one for her home?" She voiced what Saffron, and Elise who was masking her thoughts, had wanted to say.

Erik smiled. "I don't think so. I think its Devon or Bliss that Drew is interested in, and there's just a chance we might not see him again."

Marguerite felt no sense of relief. She loved the _beings_. She believed in their power, but she thought from what she knew of them that they had a gigantic flaw, their optimism, and inability to hurt or to kill. They suffered persecution in past decades and they lived hidden now. Not venturing very far, they feared anyone getting remotely close to them and though they lived normally in the town, no one really knew them very well. They couldn't defend themselves with any kind of physical violence. Marguerite, though no longer a vampire, had lived long enough to know that it was a violent world. She couldn't advocate violence now, but she thought sometimes the only way forward was to fight, and she hated that.

By the end of the meeting Saffron and Marguerite left together, not convinced things would be okay. Marguerite had told Saffron many times just how tricky Drew was. Erik and Tara, along with Jon were going to sprinkle the potion and spell the boundary of Devon's house at dawn the next day. They felt there would be less chance of being seen then, and they needed the dawn to draw energy from the new light. They could also disappear into it if they needed to.

Seth took Angharad and Elise home because they'd walked to Tara's house in the evening sun happily neither knowing what was coming. Angharad hadn't been in on the incident twenty years ago and so had nowhere near the anxiety Elise had. Elise smiled and waved goodbye to her as she got out of Seth's car, but inside Elise was churning.

Seth asked Elise if she was okay when he dropped her at her cottage on the other side of town. Her house was close to the big playing field area that would be used for the fete. People were there setting up under the lights that were used for nighttime games by the local football, baseball, hockey, and track teams. He looked out of his open window.

She smiled and told him fine, but he shook his head at her.

"Elise, I know you're masking your thoughts. I hope you'll come to me if you need to talk to someone perhaps not quite as high up as Tara or Erik. I know what happened back in the barn twenty years ago, and I only have one question Elise. Why didn't you know what Drew was?"

Elise was sad, her expression pitiful.

"I was blinded by love, Seth, that's my only answer." Seth got out of his car and went around to where she was standing sadly on the grass and daisies that bordered the sidewalk. He put his arms around her.

"And you still are. Is that it Elise?"

Elise wasn't about to say yes, she was confused. She shook her head and thanking Seth for his concern she went into her cottage.

Seth watched her. If he knew anything, he thought to himself, he knew she was still in love with this Drew. Hopefully the shady character would stay away.

Seth had no idea who they were dealing with.

Marguerite called Devon as soon as she was home. He sounded contrite as he answered her when she asked why he hadn't told her about the break-in, but said he didn't want to worry her and that he was sure she was safe from Drew.

Devon took his cell phone into the garden, telling Bliss the call was business and now he walked a little further onto the lawn as he told Marguerite to go on normally, not to panic. They ended the call, with Marguerite not that happy, but knowing there was no other way than to go about life as she normally would. She decided to keep her eyes open and her ear to the ground.

Earlier Bliss had asked Devon what he might want to do about dinner that night. He said that maybe she could just fix anything she wanted, and he would have a glass of his health shake. Bliss had raised her eyebrows, and asked him how he coped. He seemed to eat so little. Devon was sad inside when he told her that the health shake was really filling and what with fruit juice as well, he never felt hungry.

They sat together in the evening sun and Bliss ate the meal she made and watched Devon with his juice and health shake. He did seem to enjoy the drink and he did look very well on it, so she decided not to make too big a deal out of it.

Devon told Bliss about Marguerite asking if she would help on the stall at the fete the next afternoon. Bliss was thrilled, thinking this must mean his sister liked her after all. She would love to she told him.

As they had coffee together, Bliss put her hand out to hold his and Devon moved closer and kissed her. Bliss kissed him back, and as she did, she thought how much she loved him, and hoped he loved her as much too.

Devon could sense this. He could almost hear it. His health shake had spiked his senses again, and he felt very peaceful and strong. "I love you very much Bliss," he told her.

****

That night when the moon was high in the sky and stars were sprinkled across the blackness, Drew was playing a video game on his PS3.

Maryanne was out somewhere, but had agreed happily to go on the spree the next night with Drew and Ryan.

Ryan was with Grace who was trying in vain to convince him not to go with Drew the next night.

****

Marguerite was sitting in her studio at the back of her house drawing. It soothed her. She had a glass of her health shake next to her, though she called it a 'smoothie' and music playing on her stereo.

Saffron was at home writing. She was freelance for a New Age magazine and she was engrossed in a report about a crop circle.

Tara sat with Jon on their balcony, their dog at their feet. They felt hopeful that nothing unpleasant was going to happen.

Erik was on the phone to Seth checking to find out how Seth thought Elise was when he dropped her home.

Elise was sitting up in bed with a book. She had read the same page more than twice and still didn't know what had happened in the story. Her thoughts straying to the memory twenty years ago of Drew and his kisses, and the way he made love to her. The memory was still fresh enough for her to make her sigh.

****

Devon kissed Bliss until she felt she was about to melt, she kissed him back and he was desperate to make love to her. He held her close, his face against hers. "Bliss, it's about halfway through your holiday I have to ask. I have to, because I love you, really love you, more than I can say," he said, moving back so that he could see her expressions. "Do you think you'll stay? Do you think you could make a home here with me?"

Bliss nodded, and then she held his face to hers and kissed him.

"I want that, I really do, so much so that I'm thinking of emailing my resignation in the next couple of days. It's a big step for me. I have my lease to think of and everything, but nothing seems worth giving up the chance to be with you. Devon, I'll take the chance because I love you too. If you're sure, if you're sure we're not just two people who have been alone so long that anything would feel like love."

Devon closed his eyes tight, and then opened them. He looked into her eyes. Bliss felt he was telling the complete truth.

"I love you. I know that because I've never loved anyone before. Well apart from family and that's a different love, but I want you as my family now too. I know I love you. I do. It came out of the blue for me, but it's real."

Bliss smiled and kissed him. "I feel that way too."

She felt his love as he kissed down her neck to her breasts and nuzzled there, his hand straying down her hip to stroke her thigh.

### Chapter Thirty-Five

The fete started well. Marguerite and Ffion had sold more scarves than they expected. Bliss arrived with coffees in a cardboard tray and a brown paper bag of mixed Danish pastries. They welcomed her. Bliss felt happy. She had fun selling the scarves and T-shirts, and listening to the chatter of people at the fete. The atmosphere grew festive as the late afternoon approached and people sat at the tables and chairs provided by the refreshment stalls.

Ffion made short work of the Danish pastries, and was now a couple of hours later, saying she felt hungry, and would Bliss like to come with her for coffee and a sandwich. Marguerite encouraged. "It's okay I'll be fine on the stall alone. People have turned their attention to food, drink, and to the band." She nodded her head to where the band was set up at one end of the field.

As they sat together in the sun at the open café, Ffion quizzed Bliss about her life. Bliss opened up to her, telling Ffion that she came along looking for something else in her life, that she hoped to find love, and had found Devon. It was remarkable, and she was so happy. Ffion watched Bliss, she felt the truth of what Bliss told her, and smiled. It was nice to think about Devon and Bliss in love.

Devon had worked that afternoon on some of his business interests and now was wandering down the field towards where he knew Marguerite's stall would be. He saw Ffion and Bliss at a table next to the striped café tent, and headed over to them. Bliss saw him and stood up to kiss him as he reached them. Devon hugged her and sat close to her. Ffion decided she would get everyone coffee and left them alone.

Devon kissed Bliss again, and they smiled at each other.

"It's been such fun this afternoon with Ffion and Marguerite."

"I'm glad. I've got through a lot of work so I thought I'd join you all."

They held hands to kiss each other. The noise of the fete went on around them and the warmth of the late sun on their backs was gentle. Ffion came back with coffee and said she was taking a cup over to Marguerite. She walked off with her cardboard tray telling Bliss she needn't worry about coming back to the stall.

Bliss was smiling because she knew Ffion said that so she could have time with Devon. "I'll come back to say thanks to Marguerite when we've finished coffee."

Devon grinned at this. He was happy that things were working out with his sister and Bliss. He kissed her again. Bliss put her arms around his neck and kept him near to kiss him back. They lost themselves in the kiss and it was a minute before they moved apart both breathless with emotion.

As the sun set and the stalls were packed up for the night, people gathered to watch the fireworks. Devon and Bliss stood with their arms around each other and watched too. Marguerite was at a small distance with Ffion. After Bliss thanked her for the lovely afternoon helping on the stall, they decided to pack up for the night, and watch the fireworks too. The brilliant colors and patterns of the fireworks lit up the sky.

Later, when no one remained at the fête ground...

Bliss and Devon were cuddled together in bed. They held each other's face, and kissed each other, their lovemaking slow and gentle.

Marguerite, over in her house was in her bed too. She felt she might sleep a little. It had been a good day.

### Chapter Thirty-Six

Over in the market town where Drew lived, Ryan and he were waiting for Maryanne to show up. Drew was about to lose patience, when she arrived, and without further delay they got into Drew's fast car. They were on their way to check out the inhabitants of the big house that Drew 'rather fancied', as he put it. Driving there, they planned their assault. It was easy for them to break in. They would do it quietly though. Surprise was always the best strategy for attack.

Drew parked his car about a hundred yards down from the front of the house on a gravel road edge, and they grinned at each other. Drew said, "Race you," and they burned over to the front porch of the house.

Silent and yet mirthful they all three got there at the same time, although Ryan was careful to be just the smallest step behind Drew. The porch wasn't lit. The only light was a glow coming through the diamond shaped set of glass windows inlaid in the heavy oak front door. Drew sent Ryan around the back via the garden to check what the entry or exit points were. Ryan moved fast and the very tall Hollyhocks that bordered the edge of the house shook as he passed through them. They were taller than Ryan and their stalks thick, but the force of his arm as he brushed past one or two, simply snapped them, and the six-foot flowers were halved in size.

The back gardens were not secured. There was no fence or gate, and the gardens seemed to stretch on into the darkness. Ryan looked through it to see a brick wall at the very back. It was in poor repair, the brick at the top crumbling and moss eating into half of it. The wall enclosed the back and sides of the house, but there were no neighbors and so the gates had been left to rust, and one was hanging from its hinges surrounded by large spiky weeds.

Ryan looked through the nearest window into a large kitchen, where a table was strewn with dishes and a large stack of newspapers at the far end. A smaller table was by an Aga with a dark wooden chair left half pulled out. On this was a small bowl with apples in it.

Drew had the front door open, and both he and Maryanne were in the hallway. They could hear music. Something classical and full of violins was being played in a room at the back. Ryan met them as he came from the kitchen where he found the back door completely unlocked. Maryanne was the first into the drawing room where the music was coming from, and she took in the dim surroundings quickly. An elderly man was sitting in an armchair in front of an empty fire grate. The room was stuffy and Maryanne could smell mothballs. She had no reaction. She just knew they were there. The man was asleep. A small table near the arm of his chair held a glass and a tiny amount of brandy was in it.

Drew had been upstairs, and found that there was only one room out of the five being used, and it housed a single bed, a set of drawers, and a built in clothes cupboard. Drew looked quickly into each of the other rooms. They were totally empty. There was a very large bathroom, but it looked unused. There was a shower room between two of the other bedrooms and it looked as if the owner of the house used that. There was a plastic chair in the cubicle, and a shelf with soap, and a bottle of shampoo on there, at what would be hand height if you were sitting on the chair. Drew checked another room, which had a smaller staircase leading to it. It was full of boxes, as if the old man had boxed up his life and stored it there. Everything was musty and some paint was peeling.

Drew caught Maryanne by the elbow. He wasn't hungry, and neither should his companions be. He'd come for the house, but somehow the interior of the house repelled him. He couldn't imagine living in this place. He glanced at the elderly man. It was beneath him to feed on this person. Surprised at his own revulsion to human decay _and_ ability to reject a kill, he shook his head as he glanced at Ryan over Maryanne's shoulder.

In a flash, he took Ryan's arm too, and by a small pressure instructed them both out into the hall. Ryan raised his eyebrows and his mouth turned down slightly at the corners. It was his expression of questioning. Drew shook his head and walked down to the front door and through it. The other two vampires followed him.

On the front path Drew sniffed. "I've gone completely off the idea of this house. It's not for me after all. Let's go."

Maryanne snorted slightly. "What, we are just leaving, no fun at all."

Ryan was silent he knew better than to question Drew's decisions.

Maryanne persisted. "Drew, we came out to have some fun."

Drew pushed her into the passenger seat of his car as they reached it.

"But it's not fun drinking some old blood from a decrepit old guy. We're not hungry, and we have fresh food at home. We can pick up a meal in town as easy as pie in tourist season, particularly in warm weather like this. I wanted the house, if it had been nice inside, and maybe there had been a couple of younger people to have fun with. Then I might have stayed. No, I've made up my mind. I don't want it."

Ryan got into the back seat of the car silently. He could see Drew's point. Vampire or not the thought of draining the old blood from the inhabitant of the house was unpalatable. He could take a drink of young, fresh stuff any day. He had been there for Drew, and now he couldn't care less.

Drew drove away and Maryanne looked out of the window at the night. After a couple of minutes, she put her hand on Drew's thigh and closed her eyes. _Who cares,_ she thought.

They were in the market town quickly, and Drew drove into Greta's underground car park.

"I'd like to call in on friends, Ryan, if you don't mind. I can drop you home after or you can make your own way, whatever."

Ryan nodded and then followed it up with, "No sweat Drew, I'll call in on Lance."

Greta saw Drew pull into the car park on her monitor, and she got two glasses out ready to entertain.

When Drew and Maryanne were sitting in her office sipping a very tasty 'red', Drew decided to reveal his plans for Elise.

"I have a job for Pearl," he announced, waving his elegant hand around as if Pearl was there next to him. The frilled cuff fell down to reveal his fine, pale skin.

Greta looked quizzically at him. "You do? And are you in the mood to say what it is?" She smiled. She liked Drew no matter what.

Maryanne was interested, and angled her body towards Drew ready to hang from his every word. Drew smiled, holding court.

"It's a kidnap. I want her to take Bliss from Devon and bring her down to the festival, to the farm down there. If she says yes, there'll be a good reward, money, and Bliss in fact." He laughed aloud at this revelation.

Maryanne was quick to question.

"What's this all about then, Drew?"

Greta too had questions. She looked intently at Drew. She wasn't too keen on Pearl being given Bliss, and would try to get Pearl to negotiate for only money in payment.

"Well it's like this" Drew began. He smiled again, wanting to keep them riveted as long as he could. Using hand gestures to emphasize his words, he continued.

"I don't actually want Bliss, not any more. I'm going to use her as leverage to get someone who I lost out on years ago. A woman from whom I can gain very special powers and the only way I will be able to get her is by offering an exchange. Bliss for her. It will happen. The group the woman hangs out with is totally unable to refuse to save lives." He laughed again and watched Greta's face. Greta now knew what this was all about.

Maryanne still didn't. "Nah I don't get it Drew. Why not just take this woman straight out?" She thought it seemed odd. She didn't really care that Drew was after a woman. The fact was she'd caught on quickly that Drew wouldn't be in their relationship for the long haul. When she'd been out the night before she found a new man, a vampire from Bodie's arty crowd, and she liked him. She enjoyed the luxury of Drew's house, but she was looking around for a new pad.

Drew gave her a withering look.

"The people she hangs out with are all witches of a very high order, some ancient race, high kings, and queens from ancient times. Well perhaps not all of them. Some are descendants of ones who've eventually gone west." He amended and giggled at this, then sipped his drink. He continued, "They will know I'm around now. Whilst they can't kill me, because they are unable to owing to their code, their powers are such that they will be able to control me, now they know what I am. These are not ordinary witches, not like the ones in fairy stories. These witches are a species."

He drank the remainder of his glass of blood, and Greta ever the attentive host got up, refilled it, and commented.

"Drew, is this wise? You have a good life, why bother to tangle with them?"

Drew half groaned. "One, Devon will lose Bliss, and I want that. Two, I get Elise, that's the woman's name." He turned to Maryanne at that point, and then continued. "Three, the witches will know I'm someone to be reckoned with after all, because the last time we had a run in, Devon the gallant, let them all go. Four, I get some of their fabulous powers and I get to turn Elise and keep her forever." He smiled at both Greta and Maryanne.

"So you need Pearl because she's an unknown quantity is that right?" Greta asked still not convinced any of this was worth it.

Drew nodded. "As soon as I have Elise I whisk her away, and Pearl simply kills Bliss before anyone has the chance to stop her. Pearl will be able to handle that. Devon will be broken hearted, and the witches will have lost an esteemed member of their group to me, and I will have that esteemed member's powers." He couldn't resist saying it all again, it felt so good. He was certain the witches wouldn't come after him and Elise. They had never done one thing about the death of their other group members, all those years ago, whereas he would have wreaked revenge if it had been the other way around. He told himself that, forgetting he had left the manor that night, telling himself the best action was taking the leader's position from Devon.

Greta shook her head. "What's the story with Devon anyway, does he hang out with them? And how is that possible? I'm a bit confused."

Drew nodded. "He must, I don't know the story there. I'm going to call him and ask."

Greta burst out laughing. "When Drew, before or after Pearl grabs Bliss for you?"

Maryanne had lost interest and she got up silently indicating her intention to get herself another glass of blood. Greta nodded her consent, and then looked back at Drew.

Drew put his head on one side. He had an innocent look on his face, his blue eyes sparkling. Greta sighed inwardly thinking he was so gorgeous. "When I have Bliss, right now, I'm going to call Pearl."

Greta liked it, and she chuckled. "No need, she's over at my place, you can go and see her. I'll leave the staff to lock up we're not busy. Let's go."

### Chapter Thirty-Seven

The next day of the fete dawned bright and sunny, and it was warm even early in the morning. Bliss and Devon had coffee on the patio. They could hardly stop touching each other. They would stop talking or drinking their coffee and kiss each other, or touch a cheek, an arm, a hand, with gentle loving touches. Their eyes were full of love when they looked at each other. Devon drank his health shake in front of Bliss, and she'd seen him pour it from one of the stainless steel containers. She looked at it now, the bottom of the glass frothy with bubbles a pale vanilla color this time.

"Devon, I haven't seen you eat anything for a long time, how can you possibly cope? I want you to have a real meal with me this lunchtime. There must be other things you can eat. I just feel so concerned for you." She took his hand and leaned in kissing his cheek.

Devon felt sad again. He wanted to tell her things. He felt as if he was tricking her, gaining her love under false pretenses, and he started to tell the truth. "Bliss, I can't eat," and then he stopped. He didn't know what to say. He would have to talk with the Elders. He couldn't just come out with it.

Bliss saw his hesitation and was sorry she'd pressed him. "Sorry Devon that was insensitive of me."

He felt miserable. "No Bliss, don't apologize your questions are natural. Sorry, let's have lunch today, yes." He was thinking a thin soup, push a salad around his plate, drink fruit juice, and coffee.

Bliss smiled at him. "It's fine, really," but she was thinking that she would ask Marguerite about this exclusion diet.

The day flew by. Bliss insisted on helping Marguerite a little again. She asked about Devon's diet when there was a lull in the flow of customers, and Marguerite glossed over the issue, saying Devon was very healthy since he'd been on the diet. Bliss decided to drop the subject. After all, she'd only known him a little while, and perhaps this was the length of time he'd been on the diet. She decided that if he was still on it after another week she would try to find out more, and she had a good time for the rest of the afternoon helping sell the scarves and T-shirts.

As the evening approached, and the fete wound down, they packed up the stall, and left the grounds along with many other stallholders.

Bliss got ready to go to the ball with Devon. She showered, and put on her blue dress. She had her new shoes on, and her hair dried straight down her back, and was considering what to do about a bag for the evening, when Devon knocked on the bedroom door.

Bliss opened it and taking one look at Devon she smiled. "Devon, you look great, seriously great, wow." She thought he was about the sexiest man she'd ever seen. His hair was a mix of blond shades, slightly spiked up, it highlighted his lovely eyes, a shade of very dark blue today, so dark and yet so sparkling. His slim strong body enticing in his dark blue dress pants and pale blue shirt, he hadn't buttoned it fully yet, and Bliss wanted to kiss the top of his smooth chest that was visible.

Devon moved forward to her feeling her affection, and thinking she looked so lovely, he put his face to hers, his nose gently alongside hers, he kissed her lips softly. Bliss felt her body respond to him, she would have forgone the ball, and just about anything else right then to simply stay and make love with him all night.

Devon knew he was expected at the ball, business contacts were there, and the _beings_ would all mostly be there for once. It was one night when almost all the business owners and local people got together, traditional stuff, although of course some people didn't go, preferring to meet up in the pubs after the fete. Some stallholders weren't into the ball, but they would be at the business meetings in the weeks afterward to discuss how things had gone.

Devon sighed as he took his lips from hers and moved his face slightly away. "I love you so much Bliss. I can hardly believe this has happened it's so great."

Bliss nodded just slightly and put her arms around his neck, she wanted his kisses and his love. She kissed him until they both could hardly stand the longing that was quickening their breathing and forcing them to press their bodies against each other's. Then Devon took her face in his hands and smiled as he pulled away from her. "Bliss, we're expected, otherwise I'd suggest we stay home."

Bliss smiled too. "I know."

He let her go and they grinned at each other.

Devon had gone down to his room to finish dressing and Bliss patted a little matt face powder on, she put on pale pink lip gloss, and lined her eyes with gray-blue kohl. She brushed on some lash lengthening mascara and then brushed her hair again. She didn't know what to do about a bag, but she wanted her credit card, phone, lip-gloss, and a comb. She collected them in a scarf she had and took it downstairs with her. She was standing by the big window when Devon came in. He had his shirt buttoned and his black tie around the collar of it ready to tie up. His jacket was in his hand and he walked over to Bliss.

"I don't know what to do about a bag for my few things. I have them in my scarf but it's not ideal. I guess they will not go in your pockets?" She asked him, holding up the scarf she was using.

Devon grinned at her. "Well no, hey I have an idea, hang on." He went down the hall to the workroom and came back with a little blue velvet drawstring bag. "This is a prototype for a free gift bag we're going to do around Christmas time, use this Bliss. It's not too sturdy, but it should last the night." Bliss thanked Devon and was surprised to find that even her smart phone fit in there, it looked like a real evening bag as she held it.

Devon smiled. "Success," he said.

Devon drove them to the big hall that was the venue for the ball. He parked across the street in the designated area, and holding Bliss by the hand as he said good evening to various people, they walked to the entrance of the hall.

Inside the place was decorated with glittery branches and flowers, the lighting subdued, the music soft as people arrived. Devon introduced Bliss to everyone he greeted as Bliss, with no qualification as to who she was, and Bliss liked that.

****

Pearl Pearson had arrived not so long after Bliss and Devon. She looked gorgeous. Her long blond hair was in a chignon. Her short evening dress was black velvet, cut low in the bust, but with long sleeves that tapered like a medieval dress over the back of her hands. She was in very high spiked heels and her stockings had seams up the back. Pearl had long ago perfected the art of keeping them straight and didn't ever bother to check them once she had them on. She had a little sequin encrusted evening bag on a small link, metal strap. It was an original Paris haute couture item from the fifties.

A man was trying his best to engage Pearl in a conversation. Pearl had her eye on a lovely delicate looking young woman in a short, pale green, lacy dress that hugged her figure and ended mid-thigh. Pearl liked how the young woman's legs looked in her high-heeled shoes. They were strappy shoes and showed off her pretty feet and toenails that were painted with a glittery lacquer, green to match her dress. Pearl hadn't heard a word the man said, she'd taken a glass he handed to her with no intention of drinking what was in it, and now she walked away from him without a word. The man looked surprised and a little annoyed as he watched her walk off.

Pearl located Bliss and was thinking about how to get her alone and thus to her car and to Drew. They had agreed on a price and drinking from Bliss wasn't part of it, but Pearl was prepared to snap Bliss's neck when Drew wanted rid of her. Greta had negotiated the deal and Pearl was happier with money than with a stupid girl to have to deal with. The fact she could have fed on Bliss was immaterial to Pearl. She was sophisticated, liked money, and was picky. She considered the lovely girl in the green dress, pity she hadn't time to get to know this lovely creature.

Pearl moved towards the buffet table where she watched Bliss and Devon talking with another couple, very good-looking people. They seemed engaged in a conversation they all found amusing.

Pearl heard a voice behind her.

"Hello, I've not seen you around town, certainly not at any of the town celebrations, have you just moved here?"

Pearl turned and to her pleasure found the voice belonged to the lovely girl in the green lace dress. Pearl couldn't hide the pleasure she felt and her gaze was loaded as she answered the question.

"I'm passing through, but thought it would be fun to come tonight. My name is Pearl, pleased to meet you." She looked questioningly at the girl.

"Miriam, and it's lovely to meet you, Pearl." She extended her hand towards Pearl, who took it gently. The handshake served to bring them closer, and Miriam gave Pearl a look that only meant one thing, she was interested in Pearl. She was gay too.

Pearl smiled. She was enchanted by this lovely girl, who was even lovelier close up. Her skin without makeup, clear, and fine, her eyes enhanced with only a little makeup were a lovely chocolate brown, and her hair, so pretty, cut in an asymmetrical bob. The natural blonde highlighted with platinum streaks. Pearl breathed her in, and the girl's eyes sparkled at Pearl.

"May I get you something to drink Pearl?" she asked.

Pearl felt a different kind of smile come to her lips and squashed it. "I was about to seek out a glass of iced water, what about you?"

Miriam nodded. "Me too." Miriam actually took Pearl by the hand, a hand she found very cool and far from cautioning Miriam, she found the coolness of Pearl's skin sexy.

Pearl was instantly in love with Miriam. She'd hardly ever been taken by the hand like that so soon, in the open, at a public event by a lovely girl. It usually took her at least a couple of weeks.

They spent half an hour talking to each other. Miriam drank her iced water. Pearl left hers on the table in favor of periodically touching Miriam's arm, and taking her hand. They both touched each other lots. Pearl thought fleetingly of Bliss and the fact that she was supposed to kidnap her. She decided she could get Bliss any time she wanted. She'd found Bliss hadn't she. If Drew said anything, she would tell him to ' _kiss her ass.'_ He'd get Bliss tonight or tomorrow night.

Miriam suddenly put her face closer to Pearl's and whispered, "Pearl, I know a place we can have a little privacy, if that's okay with you?" She took Pearl by the hand leading her along.

They reached a double swing door, each side had a round frosted glass window in it like a porthole. Miriam pushed a side open and led Pearl through into a short corridor. She turned to the right at the end and went through another swing door into a gleaming kitchen. The lights were not on, but there were two skylight windows, and a whole row of windows on one side. The moon high in the sky and lit the place with the help of the reflective white tiles and surfaces. The garden outside the window had two old-fashioned lantern shaped streetlights positioned by rose beds, and the dim light they shed gave a pale glow through the windows.

Miriam turned to Pearl as they stood just inside the entrance of the kitchen. She put her hands up to hold Pearl's face and kissed her softly, lingering and sighing as she enjoyed the kiss. Pearl felt herself falling deeper in love. She dropped her evening bag to the floor and put her arms around Miriam's waist holding her close, and then as Miriam continued to kiss her, she felt for the zipper at the back of Miriam's dress. Miriam undid the side zip on Pearl's black velvet dress and pushed the bodice down to kiss her breasts. Pearl couldn't find a zipper and began to pull the lace dress up Miriam's thighs. The dress, already very short, was easy to gather around Miriam's hips. With both Bliss and Drew gone completely from her mind, Pearl brought Miriam's face up to kiss her lips. She used her other hand to move aside the lace leg of Miriam's French underwear.

****

Drew was in his large dining room, he had guests, a few friends from the vampire community. They were discussing their annual trip to a music festival in an adjoining county. This was where they would find easy pickings and have fun without worrying it was on their own doorstep. They went every year and stayed at a farm, which one of them owned down there. It was a secluded place and yet close enough to the festival fields to mean they needn't drive to them, but could walk there at extreme speed. As Drew was telling them about his plan for Bliss and Devon, he laughed and joked about Devon.

****

Devon and Bliss were dancing close together, the music predominantly promoting this and Devon was happy with it. They were cheek to cheek, and once or twice, he kissed her ear or her neck and told her he loved her.

Bliss held him a little tighter. "This is lovely Devon. It's such a long time since I danced with anyone, especially like this."

Devon had networked all he wanted, and now what he wanted was to make love to Bliss. He also wanted her to be happy and if she was happy dancing, then that's what they would do.

At the end of the tune, the band announced a break and some couples left the floor, as the music that replaced them was a modern club track.

Bliss took Devon by the hand and left the dance floor. "Let's find something to drink. I actually wouldn't mind having coffee. What about you Devon?"

He grinned at her. "I'd love some" he said, and meant it.

They found coffee at the other end of the big hall where an urn was set up and rows of white china cups and saucers. The coffee was in larger percolator jugs and the urn seemed to be for tea. Little teapots were available with tea bags inside and you could fill the little pot and take it and your cup away to one of the small round cane tables that were set up at this end of the hall. Bliss and Devon got themselves coffee, and Bliss diluted hers slightly with hot water from the urn. They found a table and sat close together there. The area was lit by twig lights in plant pots, and one small disco ball light fitting, which Bliss found hugely funny.

As they talked, they looked around at the people there. Bliss asked Devon if Marguerite had anyone special in her life, as her eyes alighted on Devon's sister standing talking with the person Bliss knew as Saffron, from the dinner party. Devon shook his head.

"No and that's sad I think, especially since I found you."

****

Miriam responded to Pearl so completely that they had both been left surprised by the encounter. When they were straightening themselves up, Pearl helped with her dress as Miriam asked Pearl how long she was in town for, and could they meet again. Pearl was kissing Miriam's throat, and then looked up into those lovely brown eyes.

"I have to go out of town tomorrow on business, but I will be back the day after. I could call you, if you would like that? We can exchange numbers now, if you have your phone."

Miriam had placed her clutch purse on the white tiled counter as they entered the kitchen and now as Pearl retrieved her bag from the floor she went over there and picked it up. They both took out their phones and exchanged numbers. Then Pearl kissed Miriam gently, lovingly and whispered, "I will call you, and you better want to see me because I think I've fallen in love with you." Pearl said this in a way that was very sexy, and Miriam felt a shiver of pleasure go through her.

Miriam nodded. "I will be waiting for your call and if doesn't come then I will call you, because Pearl, I think I've fallen in love with you too."

### Chapter Thirty-Eight

Pearl decided she must look for Bliss, and telling Miriam she'd like a drink, led her out of the kitchens and down the little corridor to the main hall. Once there she looked around for Bliss, no sign of her, but Devon was at the other end of the hall sitting alone with a cup of something in front of him. Pearl felt a strand or two of her hair falling over her face and there was some escaped onto her neck too. She thought her perfect lipstick would be off her lips.

"Miriam I need to find the ladies room?"

Miriam showed her swing doors on the other side of the room, where once she was through them, signs were visible for both gentlemen and ladies restrooms.

Miriam didn't go there with Pearl instead she was getting their drinks, champagne in fact. Miriam's makeup was minimal and she combed her short bob in the kitchen when she put her cell phone back in her clutch purse. She looked good. She always looked good, besides which, she would rather visit the restroom alone.

Pearl had only just put on her lipstick when Bliss came out of a cubicle and stood alongside Pearl to wash her hands. Pearl was surprised. _This is very cool_ she thought. _I have a perfectly heavenly sexual encounter with a gorgeous girl, and now this nitwit Bliss is delivered into my hands._ Pearl thought quickly, how could she get Bliss to her car? She'd noticed a fire exit in the short corridor from the main hall to these restrooms. She could go that way. It may set off an alarm, but they would find the door open and nothing more. To hell with it, she would take Bliss now. She moved her bag across her shoulder and with her incredible speed took Bliss to her car in seconds.

She heard nothing, there was no alarm, and she thought, maybe they weren't activated because of the celebrations going on inside the hall. She moved her hand away from Bliss's mouth because Bliss had passed out, and she checked to find out if she had accidentally suffocated Bliss. Drew would be a tad annoyed if so, but no, _the girl's fainted,_ thought Pearl. Now she had a dilemma, she wanted to go back and explain to Miriam that she had to leave, but suppose Bliss woke up. She'd brought bookbinding tape, and now she bound the hands and ankles of her captive. Bliss was coming around and Pearl expertly slugged her, which thought Pearl, would leave a bruise, but it was for the best.

Pearl went back into the venue the way she'd exited and straight into the ladies restroom to fix her hair. When she was satisfied with it, she sought Miriam out, and told her she had to leave. "It's the business I mentioned...they've asked me to meet them very early in the morning. I really need to get going."

Miriam was visibly disappointed, but Pearl reassured her.

"I'll call you later tonight. I hate to leave, but I'll be back tomorrow night, really I will." She kissed Miriam on the cheek and then she left because she wanted rid of Bliss now. When she'd delivered her to Drew that was it, she was coming back over here to see Miriam.

Devon had started to fret about Bliss and he went over to Marguerite who was in conversation with Saffron.

"Could I ask you a favor? Will you go into the ladies room and check on Bliss? She seems to have been in there for a long time. I feel worried."

Marguerite raised her eyebrows slightly at both Devon and Saffron. Both women went to the ladies room. They found no one in there, but then as they were about to exit, Saffron noticed a little blue velvet bag under the row of sinks. It had been thrown there by the speed of Pearl's attack. Marguerite followed Saffron's gaze, and they looked at one another in concern before Saffron bent and picked it up. The little bag was wet on one side where water had splashed down onto the floor as people washed their hands.

Marguerite and Saffron took the bag to Devon. He sat back down at the little cane table in case Bliss should come back. Now he stood up to take the bag from them.

Already pale, he seemed to become completely white as he saw it.

"No, not Bliss," he said, and he slumped down on the chair with it in his hands.

Marguerite had never seen Devon so pale nor as overcome as he was at that moment, and she put a hand out to his shoulder.

Saffron asked, "Devon, what might be going on? Would she leave you this way or has she been taken?"

Saffron was thinking. _So much for protecting the house Devon and Bliss lived in. We haven't been diligent enough, and now Drew must have taken the girl. He'd a found a way. How had none of them sensed him? They felt sure they would know when he came back to town. When Erik, Jon, and Tara find out, they will be devastated_.

Devon felt despair. He knew in his heart Drew must have taken Bliss, but he didn't know how it could have happened. Tara told him categorically that the _beings_ would know if Drew came back to town. He felt weird, as if he would cry. He hadn't felt that since his parents died. He didn't think he could cry any more, but maybe he could. Maybe the _beings_ had restored that to him too.

Devon sat silently and Saffron looked over his head at Marguerite who shrugged at his silence. He was thinking.

Why didn't I know Drew was here? I can sense Drew. Why didn't I?

He suddenly sighed. "Drew must have her. I'll kill him if he hurts her. I will kill him, I swear. What is he up to? This will be about me. He's doing this to get at me. I know the town he lives in and I know exactly the address where his business is. I'm going down there now and I'll kill all of them, because there will be more of them. Marguerite, are you with me? You still have most of your strength and speed like me. Will you help me?"

Saffron had her phone in her hand, she was calling Tara, who would alert Jon and Erik and the others. Marguerite was about to tell Devon she would go with him when Saffron intervened. Seth was still at the ball and came over to them. Ffion was with him. It seemed news travelled fast because they voiced their concern. Saffron's main worry was about Devon

"Devon, please don't just go charging down there to Drew. It could be just what he wants, a trap even, for you. Wait and we'll all talk about this."

Devon was holding the little bag that Bliss used and now he opened it and took out her phone. He held it gently as if it was her hand. An overwhelming sadness washed over him, and he put the phone back into the bag. "I will listen to you for a few minutes and then I'm going after her. Drew might kill her right away. There may be no time to lose. You don't know him the way I do. He's a nasty piece of work. He always was, even before he was a vampire."

Marguerite cleared her throat and Devon stopped talking. He looked up at them all surrounding the little table, at their concerned faces. The little disco ball that Bliss had found amusing caught the light, directing little diamond and triangle shapes onto them.

Marguerite, who came to the celebrations in Ffion's car, drove Devon's Landrover. He was so upset he just let her take his keys. They were on their way to Tara's place and he held the little velvet bag. He had wet eyelashes. He felt weird, and he thought he could be crying but he wasn't sure, nothing came down his cheeks. He got out of the car at Tara's place and followed Marguerite into the house. He was giving them fifteen minutes, and he didn't want to do that because he knew how dangerous Drew was.

### Chapter Thirty-Nine

Drew answered his cell phone as one of his guests poured more blood into the glasses. They were still laughing, having been highly amused by the tale Drew told them about Devon. How it seemed he hung out with a crew of witches, and hadn't fed on Bliss, or turned her. Nathan especially found this a sign of what he always suspected of Devon, that he wasn't really leadership stuff. He'd never liked having to follow Devon. He'd always encouraged Drew to seek leadership, and when he finally stepped up it had been with great pleasure that Nathan followed Drew.

This witch stuff was the lid on the can for Nathan, because wasn't it a witch that turned Devon? Not that Nathan was sorry about being a vampire himself, that wasn't his point, and the longer he lived, the longer he wanted to remain living. He simply thought it was weak to hang out with someone who was the same as the one who originally betrayed you. _I asked to be turned_.

Pearl called Drew from her hands free car phone. She told him she had Bliss and was on her way, traffic was light, and she'd be there in about an hour.

Bliss woke up again, and though groggy valiantly struggled until the tape, which was thick, and wound around her wrists tightly, hurt her badly.

Pearl sighed. "Bliss, don't struggle, you already look dreadful. There's a nasty bruise on your chin, and that tape will mark your arms. Just accept it. Drew wanted you, and now he will have you."

Bliss was stunned. "What do mean? Who are you?"

Pearl sighed again. "Shut up or I'll stop the car and put that tape over your mouth. You're lucky I haven't done that already. The only reason being that I was worried you might choke or something, and die before I checked that I've been paid."

Bliss didn't want the tape over her mouth. She fell silent, but was thinking about Drew. If he was behind this, then Devon was right when he originally told her that Drew was a bad character. Devon would come after her. She felt sure of that. She was relieved now. She'd told Devon all about the café that Drew owned. She would wait and see what happened next. It was all she could do.

****

Devon was desperate to come after her.

Tara had everyone around her big table with coffee, except for Elise who was on her way. She spoke up. "I don't want anyone else involved. The situation is bad enough. I apologize from the bottom of my heart Devon. I have no idea why we didn't know Drew was in town, except that maybe he wasn't. My theory is he sent someone or something else to get Bliss."

There were nods of agreement.

Devon sighed. "It's my fault. I should have taken better care of her. Somehow, I failed to take the threat of Drew as seriously as I should have. I don't know what I was thinking of. I can't wait much longer. I have to go after her very soon."

Erik nodded. "We'll all go, although not Tara, not this time. Tara, I think you need to be here for the others, as a precaution." Jon nodded in agreement, and Seth sighed.

Devon felt it vibrate before he heard his cell phone ring. He looked at the number, it was unknown, but something told him to answer. It was Drew.

"Devon, I have Bliss, as you probably guessed. I'll trade her. I don't know why you haven't turned or fed upon her, unless it's because you like her. A friend of mine has seen you together and she thinks that's it. Whatever. We all have our weaknesses. I'll trade you Bliss for Elise. I know you have her too, or know of her whereabouts. She is my weakness. I haven't blocked my number. Call me when you have Elise with you."

Devon had turned on his speaker and everyone heard it, including Elise who just arrived, and was at the kitchen bench making coffee.

She stopped and turned around to see everyone looking at her.

"If Drew wants to trade me for Bliss, then I must go. I have to, besides which, I do have a history with Drew. Maybe it can all be worked out."

She was remembering how she loved him and had thought he loved her too. Maybe he did, maybe he still did, and this was the only way he could think of to see her again.

Ffion spoke up. "No Elise, it's way too dangerous. I'll go. You know my powers. I can make him think he sees you, then he lets Bliss go and..."

She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence because Devon interjected.

"He'll kill you. He'll find out because how long can you keep it up? A day, and then what? If you don't escape, and frankly I don't see you being able to, he'll kill you."

Marguerite joined in. "He will Ffion, but he will not kill me. You could make him think I was Elise. How long could you do that for?"

"No Marguerite, I have to go," Elise said again, and looked to Tara for help. Tara shook her head.

"I don't think so Elise, especially with your history. No it's a better idea to make him think he has you, we get Bliss, and then we'll deal with what comes next."

"Damnation no one gets traded. I'm going down there and kill him. It's not pleasant, but there it is." Devon was so upset his voice cracked towards the end of his speech.

Marguerite stood up from her chair and went to him. She put her hand on his shoulder. "Devon, let's be careful. Drew will not kill me. I'm sure of it. We'll keep Elise out of the equation. Ffion will use her powers on Drew. He will think I'm Elise for long enough for you all to get away, and then I'll deal with him."

"Alone? How will that happen?" Devon turned to face her. "Look all this negotiation and peaceful behavior will lead to trouble. We need to get in there and rescue Bliss, no trade." Devon stood up now, but Jon went to his side.

"Devon, we have the power to get Bliss back without violence, and without you doing anything rash, such as facing off with Drew. Call him and ask him where he wants to make the trade that Elise has agreed to it."

Devon sighed. Marguerite was looking at him with an expression on her face that meant she was determined, and it might be true, Drew might not kill her.

He called Drew.

Drew hadn't actually received Bliss yet. Pearl wasn't far away, but hadn't arrived. He was standing holding a glass of blood by his window, which looked out onto the street. He hoped to see Pearl's car pull up in front of his house very soon.

Maryanne was sent out with another friend of his, to the foundry with the bodies for disposal. Maryanne had been on the prowl in a lovers hang out, a field where people went and parked their cars. She brought a couple back, having broken their necks. She brought them to his door like a cat with a mouse. The others laughed and said she was considerate, that the kill was fresh enough and they set the bodies up like kegs of beer.

His cell phone rang. It was Devon.

"Drew, I've spoken with Elise, she'll do it, which I guess is what you expected. When and where?"

Drew smiled and turned from the window as he answered.

"Bring Elise, and only her, to the farm, before dawn. Call me when you're outside it. You remember the farm don't you Devon?"

Devon remembered it and shuddered. He was so far from what he used to be.

"No Drew, not the farm. I don't want to travel that far, and we will not be alone. I'll bring another friend to take care of Bliss. Your café is only an hour or so away, why not there?"

"Devon, you seem to forget I'm the one with the power right now, so if you want to see Bliss alive you need to stop your demands."

Devon had thought the whole thing was some sordid little plot by Drew to get at him. This solidified that notion for him.

"Drew, think about it. The farm is just not okay for Elise to come to."

Drew did think about it, and the old feelings he had for Elise sprang up inside him. He wanted Elise forever, he wanted her powers to add to his own, and he wanted her.

"Perhaps you're right about Elise. Okay the café, but because I've given you that no one else comes along, it's you and Elise." He snapped out the address and added, "Get here before dawn."

Drew was sure he would have the upper hand. Pearl could be watching from her car. Then when Devon and Bliss came out of the café and were in Devon's car, she could snatch Bliss from the passenger seat and kill her. Nathan had volunteered to kill Devon earlier, but that was when he thought they would all be at the farm. Drew needed to contact Nathan and tell him plans had changed. Then he turned to his window again as he heard a car engine. He called Nathan as he watched Pearl turn her Crossfire into his integral garage, which he had left open on purpose for her return.

Nathan wasn't answering, and Drew left a message. He cursed... _they must be already on their way to the farm or creating mayhem somewhere._ He really hoped Nathan would get the message, but just in case, he called Greta and asked her if she was up for a little fun. Perhaps she could kill Devon, she was close to his age, and that's what it needed, in strength and speed. Greta wasn't too pleased, but thought it would be fun to work with Pearl. She negotiated a price, which made Drew a little annoyed, but he agreed to it.

Greta smiled to herself as she put down the phone, she'd talk with Pearl before she took any money, before she actually confirmed she'd join the fray. She looked back at the book she was reading on her kindle, and then found she couldn't go on reading. It occurred to her that she might not be able to kill Devon. He was a formidable enemy, and it would take a true surprise attack. She remembered him now and she started to wonder if Drew really knew what he was doing. Had he really thought this out, she asked herself.

****

Devon and Marguerite went to her house so that she could change her clothes. They would meet with Jon and Ffion at Tara's house as soon as they could.

On the way there, Devon felt strange. "Marguerite, I keep having these strange feelings as if I'm going to cry. Do you remember crying? Do you ever feel deeply now? Do you think we may be nearly cured of vampirism?"

Marguerite sighed. "Do you feel cured?"

Devon wasn't quite sure what to make of this, and decided it was more important to go over the plan they had decided upon, in readiness for when meeting with Drew.

"I just need to make sure we know what we're doing. It's crucial." Devon went over how they would be in two cars. Ffion and Jon would park at a short distance from the café. Devon and Marguerite would go into the café and Bliss would be freed. Ffion and Jon would wait and watch where Drew took Marguerite who he would think was Elise. They would stay as long as they could to keep the mental trickery going. Then Devon having got Bliss safely away to Tara would come back and they would somehow rescue Marguerite. They couldn't plan any further than this because they didn't know what Drew would do. The _beings_ had potions and powers, but they needed to know which to use.

Marguerite sighed again as Devon counted off the steps of the plan. "I know, Devon, don't worry."

### Chapter Forty

Drew went down to his garage. Pearl got out of her car, leaving Bliss in there.

"Well I've got her for you. What next Drew? I'd like this whole thing over soon. There's somewhere I have to be."

Drew gave Pearl a surprised look. "Pearl I thought I was paying you to kill her, when I get Elise of course. Anyway, it will be over soon because Devon already knows I have Bliss and is on his way with Elise. As I expected she was unable to refuse to exchange herself for Bliss. These witches, they're so bizarre."

****

Elise left Tara's house saying she was going home to get away from the horrible business in hand. Somehow, the others believed she wanted nothing to do with the plan and Drew. She tried very hard to mask her feelings from the others. In their worry over Devon and Bliss, as well as their focus upon the hastily made plans, they let her go home, believing her.

Elise was going to follow Devon and Marguerite. She was determined to see Drew. He'd sparked something within her by these actions to get to her. It had been a long time, but she could still remember the kisses, and the times spent with Drew when all she thought him to be was a rather eccentric young man. Even though now she knew he was a vampire, and perhaps dangerous, she wondered if she could get him to change, the way Devon had. He must still have feelings for her or why would he go to these lengths to see her, it was odd. She couldn't believe as Devon did that it was all to get at him.

She changed out of her evening dress and got into her car. She would have to follow Jon and Ffion, because she knew Devon would be the first vehicle in their little convoy. She didn't need to get too close. She could follow about a quarter of a mile away, and without difficulty know what they were thinking and doing. They wouldn't be expecting this. She felt a pang of guilt at deceiving them, but she'd never loved anyone as she loved Drew, and she couldn't imagine feeling that way again. She had to see him. She had to know if he loved her still, because she believed all those years ago that he truly loved her. That scene in the barn twenty years ago was the other vampires doing, she felt sure of it.

Anyone watching the cars leaving the town that night using the road over the medieval bridge, would have seen a dark blue Landrover closely followed by a silver gray Ford, and five minutes later a white station wagon. It was already very late and most people had gone home from the ball, so the town was almost deserted. Miriam had left half an hour after Pearl, the shine having gone from the celebrations for her with Pearl's departure.

****

Pearl drove Drew and Bliss to his café in the next town. The café was in darkness as they approached, with no customers to speak of during the day, it certainly didn't open late at night. Drew's employees were long gone. Drew carried Bliss into the café and placed her on a chair close to the entrance. He wasn't going to unbind either her wrists or ankles. If Devon had to carry her out that would keep him busy.

Greta came over. She stood with Pearl in the kitchen area as Drew told them his plans.

"It's simple. Devon takes Bliss to his car, as he puts her on the seat to unbind her, you Greta will stake him. He falls to the ground, and Pearl snaps the girl's neck. Then either one of you can finish Devon off, should the stake be insufficient, however I don't think it will be if it's through the heart."

Pearl looked at Drew with a faint expression of disdain. She wasn't impressed. "And this is to be done out there in the street in full view of anyone passing by. There's a street camera on the roof across the square. I know it's dark and late, but that's just asking for trouble, and I for one don't want any. I think I'll simply follow them out of town and then do the deed." Pearl was looking at Greta over Drew's shoulder. She was looking for support. She just wanted out of the whole deal.

Greta registered two things. One, Pearl smelt like Bliss, and two, she had another human's smell about her. It had a pungent mix of expensive perfume within it, but definitely, Pearl had been with a human woman that night. Greta knew Pearl wasn't exclusively hers, but she hated to come across it like this.

She muttered, "Pearl has a point. Let's get them as they leave the town. The country road there is dark and narrow. Pearl could go ahead and wait, maybe feign a car breakdown in their way, and I'll be behind to help with the kill. It's a bit uninspired, but that would work, especially if Pearl was waving for help." She glanced appreciatively at Pearl's breasts pushed up in the bodice of her dress. Who wouldn't want to stop to help Pearl?

She was suddenly aware that Drew wasn't participating much in his plan. All the dirty work was being done for him as usual. She sighed inwardly. Sometimes she got a little tired of his lordship acting as if the rest of the community were peasants.

Pearl was thinking the same thought and went over to the fridge to get a glass of 'O' negative. She was thinking about Miriam, and wishing she hadn't become involved in the last part of the plan. She'd found Bliss, snatched, and brought her to Drew, and now she decided that should've been all she did.

Drew's cell phone rang, and it was Nathan. He'd already gone down to the farm. _'No he wasn't interested in coming back, it was well over an hour's journey, and they'd already found a party. A whole tent full of groupies high on life and the band they were waiting to see the next day. Young and gullible, he and another vamp had already convinced them they were musicians, and that the rest of their band would be arriving at the festival the next day. Too easy'_ , he told Drew and ended the call.

Drew was high on the fact he'd be getting Elise, and for once held no grudge against one of his henchmen refusing a request. He watched Pearl drink and glanced over at Bliss. Pity she had to be killed, he could've had some fun with her first, but then again, he'd have Elise. She was the prize in all of this, her powers and her presence.

All the same, he wandered out to look at Bliss. He went close to her, and took advantage of the fact she was tied hand and foot to kiss her. Bliss moved her face quickly, but he jerked it back and kissed her lips.

"Bliss, you're lovely. I'm sorry it had to be like this, but as they say, all's fair in love and war, and this is about a love and a war."

Bliss closed her eyes against his stare, and Drew laughed. He pulled up a chair and began to talk to her.

Greta approached Pearl as soon as Drew left the kitchen.

"After this is over tonight Pearl, come home with me, we can spend the rest of the night together, no need to think about driving home." She hoped Pearl would say yes and Pearl seemed to be considering her proposal.

She decided Greta was becoming clingy again. Greta periodically did this, and yet she had given her no promises, not ever, they were supposed to be friends and casual lovers. Time to step back from her again, thought Pearl. Greta came close, took her free hand, and kissed her by the side of the mouth. Pearl didn't want it, and as Greta was about to kiss her lips she moved. The memory of Miriam was fresh in Pearl's mind, the taste of Miriam, and she wasn't going to let that go.

Greta had to let go of Pearl and the idea of a kiss, as Pearl shrugged her off, and headed out to the table where Drew was talking to Bliss. Greta watched and for solace turned to the fridge, pouring herself a glass of the blood available in there.

Drew shocked Bliss. He told her Devon wasn't what he seemed, not even human, and that's why he didn't eat. Not to tell him she hadn't noticed...hadn't she realized Devon was weird, and as for that crowd of people he seemed to hang out with, 'witches,' he said. For effect, he put up his hands palms out in a gesture of revelation as he said the word, witches.

Bliss started to think he was insane. She looked hard at his face as he talked. _The spookiest thing is_ , she thought, _he actually looks as if he believes this stuff._ She sighed. Well he would if he was a madman she told herself.

Drew could see she didn't believe what he was saying about Devon. "It's the truth, he's not human, think about it, he's a vampire. The people he hangs out with are witches. Have you met Elise?"

Bliss was looking at him not just skeptically, but sympathetically. He didn't like it, and he shook her hard.

She whispered, "I have met Elise...she's lovely." Bliss thought he might get violent if she didn't answer. Her jaw hurt, her ankles, and wrists hurt. She was afraid.

Drew gave a little nod of his head. "She is lovely, a lovely witch, and who else have you met?"

Bliss swallowed, should she answer? What harm could it do she only knew first names anyway?

Drew was looking dark, his frown back.

"I've met Tara and Erik, mmm, Jon and Saffron."

Drew interrupted her. "All the usual then, that's interesting, so Devon hangs out with them all. Are they all his friends or what?"

Bliss nodded, she didn't know if she should be saying anything anymore.

"They're all witches. He hangs out with witches. I wonder why?" Drew smiled sardonically.

Then Drew held Bliss by the chin and he looked sincerely into her eyes.

"Have you seen him eat? Tell me."

The place where Pearl had hit Bliss hurt more.

Bliss mouthed the word no. Her soundless reply amused Drew, and he let go of her chin, and then very gently ran his fingers along her face.

"Sorry to hurt, Bliss," he said, and that seemed sincere too.

Right then Pearl walked over to them. Drew turned to her. "Pearl I was just telling Bliss that she is hanging out with vampires and witches, in short that Devon is a vampire. Tell her it's true. I can tell by the look on her face she doesn't believe me."

Pearl looked at Bliss with slightly raised eyebrows, and her eyes widened a little. "It's true as far as I know. Devon is a vampire." She smiled slightly, and then turned her attention to Drew. "When do you expect him to arrive?"

Bliss felt worried, she was in the company of mad people, and then a little voice inside her said, _but Devon doesn't eat,_ and then, _but vampires don't exist_ , and finally, _what's the matter with me_? She wondered if the stress was getting to her. She wouldn't think about what they were saying.

Drew stood up and took Pearl by the arm. They went up to the kitchen again.

Bliss watched them. Greta watched them. Bliss thought about what Pearl had said. They must expect Devon to come after her, so could this be a trap?

Once in the kitchen, Drew let go of Pearl.

"Devon should be here soon, and I think it could be a good idea to go and get stationed on the country road. Naturally don't let them see you as they drive in. He's supposed to call me as he enters town."

Greta went to stand next to Pearl. She tried to get close, to have her arm against Pearl's arm. Pearl let it happen for a moment and then she moved. She picked up her bag.

"Drew, I hope my money has been transferred to my bank account," she said, as she got out her cell phone. She took a moment to check her bank balance on the vibrant touch screen. Satisfied she put her phone back in her bag.

"I think you're right Drew. I'll go and hang out in one of the parking areas towards the end of town. Text me when Devon leaves with Bliss."

Greta nodded at Drew. "I'll go too." She wanted to try to make sure Pearl was coming back to her place to stay the night.

Pearl, who had started to leave, stopped and turned around. "You should stay here for five more minutes. I need you to come up behind Devon's car when I have him stopped on the road." She felt Greta's urgency and guessed that she'd be harassing that they spend the night together after.

Drew innocently fell into this idea.

"Yes, Greta, stay here for five minutes." He grinned. "I'm so looking forward to it all, to having Elise, to knowing Devon is dead. You will make sure to dispose of the body, or bodies in the foundry Pearl?" His tone told her it wasn't a question.

Pearl didn't answer. She left the café, and got into her Crossfire. She swung it around to get on the road out of town. Greta tried one more time to catch her eye and arm as she left. Pearl felt some kind of exasperation as she put her foot down and roared out of town.

Greta was disappointed. She'd really wanted to be with Pearl out there in the dark waiting for the kill. It would have been good to kiss her too.

Drew thought it was high time Devon got into town.

****

Devon, Jon and Ffion, were held up at road works. They were waiting for the green light to take their turn to use the wrong side of the highway as the oncoming traffic was stopped.

Behind them three vehicles away, Elise masked her presence. She knew they were close to their destination because she read Devon's thoughts. He was the easiest naturally, as right then she had a special connection with him through his new supply of food. She waited patiently with the other cars, hoping that they wouldn't turn off the road to reveal her. She was too close and Jon might recognize her car.

The traffic moved on and a large van took the chance to join them at a junction so that there were four vehicles now in front of Elise and she felt better.

****

Pearl drove straight out of town. She didn't intend to complete the task now. She wanted to go back to Miriam. She didn't want Greta hanging onto her at the kill. She didn't want to spend a further half hour after that disposing of the bodies, hell she was still in her evening dress. Pearl was a tough customer, she decided the hell with it all, she would decide on a fair amount of money to transfer back to Drew for not killing Devon and Bliss. How could it matter anyway? Drew would have his beloved Elise, and wasn't that the most important thing to him? She decided it was an added extra for Drew to have Devon killed. She hit the highway, her crossfire at top speed, leaving the designated country road kill-site behind.

### Chapter Forty-One

Ffion and Jon followed Devon around a corner, onto a side road just past the café they knew to belong to Drew. Marguerite called Ffion and told her. They parked on the side road. It was easy, since there were no shops or cafés open there at that time. Devon having done a U-turn cruised past them. He waved slightly as he turned back onto the high street and pulled up outside Drew's café.

Greta had only just left having picked up the stake with which to kill Devon from the kitchen sink area. She parked in the space allocated for buses at the edge of the town. She would be able to see Devon leave, then follow and help Pearl. _It's good this is a small town with only one major route out to connect with the highway_ she thought as she settled to wait. She took out her phone and considered calling Pearl, but then decided against it. Maybe that would seem clingy she told herself.

Devon got out of his car and Marguerite followed, despite she knew how powerful Ffion was she couldn't help but wonder if Drew would see her, and not the illusion of Elise. Devon had no doubts, but he was on edge for another reason, he was hoping he would be able to stop himself from striking Drew down.

Devon saw Bliss sitting at the front of the café immediately he pushed open the door, and he saw she was bound up. He was incensed and strode towards her intent on taking the tape from her wrists and ankles. Drew appeared like a flash from the kitchen, where he'd been sending a text to Pearl and Greta that Devon had arrived.

He was in front of Devon immediately. Bliss seeing his speed frowned, _how did Drew do that?_ Then she looked up at Devon. His eyes were dark. He looked at her with an expression of love and sorrow. She smiled at him. It was so good to see him, and she felt tears prick her eyes.

Drew was speaking. "Elise, it's so good to see you. It's been so long."

Marguerite was by the door. She wore a sleeveless top and a shirt over it that belonged to Elise. The _beings_ hoped that this would do to confuse Drew's senses as well as the illusion sent to his mind by Ffion. Marguerite wouldn't yet get close. Not until Devon and Bliss drove away.

Devon felt like tearing Drew's head off, and he shook his own head trying to clear it of this almost overwhelming desire. He looked around, was Drew alone here? He was suspicious. There had to be other vampires around keeping an eye on Drew's safety. He sighed thinking it was a shame his sensing other vampires seemed dimmed right then. His abilities seemed to ebb and flow.

"I'm taking Bliss now. I'd better not be stopped outside by any of your friends, or I'm warning you there will be hell to pay," he told Drew, his voice full of anger.

Drew looked innocently at him. "Go ahead, that was the deal," he said.

Devon picked Bliss up and carried her to his car. He put her into the passenger seat then took a pocketknife from the glove compartment. Bliss let Devon cut through the tape to separate her hands, and then she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She'd been silent, but now she whispered, "Devon, Devon," and as he kissed her, then moved to cut the tape on her ankles she continued in a rush. "Drew has to be mad...really ill...the things he's said...to have done this. What about Marguerite? We can't leave her there. Why does Drew think she's Elise?"

Devon didn't pull the tape from her skin. He knew that would hurt, and he couldn't bring himself to do it. He ran around to the driver side and leapt into his car. He started the engine, and was on his way out of town when he answered Bliss.

"He's definitely excelled himself with these actions. I didn't realize he was quite so stupid. This is outrageous behavior. I'm so sorry Bliss. This is my fault. I should have protected you from him properly. Then no one would be in this predicament." He was shaking his head and thinking how he could perhaps go back there right away and rescue Marguerite. If he only knew how many other vampires were hidden in the back of that café waiting to kill him and take Bliss back. He made a sound that was almost a groan.

Bliss was slowly trying to get the tape from her skin and she glanced across at Devon.

"No it's not your fault. How were you to know he's quite as mad as this? Why does he think Marguerite is Elise?" She asked again.

Devon wanted to avoid telling her anything. He glanced at her as they joined the highway. There was no traffic, the moon was high in the sky, and he looked ahead.

"He's mad I guess." Devon almost winced at having to lie.

"He is. He told me you're a vampire and that all your friends are witches, that Elise is a witch. He said that's why you don't eat Devon. How does he know you don't eat?"

Devon went cold at this, what was he to say? He thought about it for a split second.

"I'm not a vampire, and my friends are not witches."

_What are they? I've never really asked or found out. If Drew said they are witches, perhaps he knew that. My dear friends, those beings that saved me that love me. Maybe they are witches. What does it matter? I don't care what they are. I've never cared. I just know they're special and I'm not a vampire anymore._ His thoughts were consuming.

He was speeding and suddenly he realized it, so he slowed the car down a little because he was making good time. He wondered how Marguerite was faring.

Bliss sensed his pre-occupation and didn't know what to say.

****

Back at the café, Drew watched Devon go out of the door carrying Bliss. He approached 'Elise'. Marguerite stepped away slightly. She wasn't convinced Drew would be taken in by the illusion if he got close. Surely, his vampire senses would detect she didn't smell quite right. Wouldn't he know her voice wasn't Elise's voice? She prepared for attack.

Drew could see Elise. She seemed either afraid of him, or not that pleased to be there. He went towards her with his arms out. "Elise, my love, I'm so pleased to see you. When I found out Devon knew you, I had to do this, had to see you. I love you still Elise. We can be together forever. Tell me you still love me. You look so lovely Elise, unchanged, as lovely as ever."

Marguerite stood her ground as he approached. She was surprised at what he said. Maybe he did love Elise. Maybe he wasn't as evil as they all thought. Drew took her in his arms. He hugged her, moved back to look at her and then began to kiss her lips. It was horrendous for Marguerite, and she moved back from him, pushing him away. Not being very much older than him and slightly weakened from the cures she'd undertaken, she knew she couldn't win in a prolonged fight against him. She hadn't thought about this, about how there would be affectionate advances, but she didn't need to start worrying. Drew instantly knew it wasn't Elise as he kissed her. It was a short kiss because 'Elise' had pushed him away, but it was enough to tell him whoever this was looked like Elise, but wasn't.

He decided to play it cool. He moved away from Marguerite.

"I'm sorry was that too soon? It's just that I love you. I'll give you space. Let me get you a drink. I'll make you coffee Elise my love." He took Marguerite's hand and she had no choice but to go into the kitchen with him. As he started to make coffee, he took his cell phone from his pocket and messaged Maryanne, Jake and Bodie. He knew they weren't going to the farm. Maryanne was supposed to be coming over anyway She was probably on her way. It was only a fifteen-minute drive from the town they lived in at this hour. No one would be on the roads. He texted a simple, _'call me now'_.

He hadn't even handed Marguerite the cup of coffee, when his cell rang. It was Maryanne, and she was on her way. She was hanging out with the other vampire who helped her get rid of the bodies. She told Drew this adding, ' _What's up_?'

Drew didn't want to spook whoever this was pretending to be Elise, so he merely said, "Come round....have you heard from Jake and Bodie? Call them to check...bring them too." He didn't want to say any more. It might give the game away.

Maryanne actually wanted to go and be with her new lover, but she daren't ignore Drew's message, not yet. She listened to Drew. He was not himself that was for sure, and she called Jake and Bodie. They reluctantly left home to come over to the café. It was no distance, but it meant trouble they just knew it.

****

Greta had watched Devon drive past and had followed, but to her amazement, they had reached the junction onto the highway with no trouble. Pearl hadn't waylaid Devon. There was no pretend accident. They were on the highway heading eventually, Greta realized, for Devon's hometown. She slowed down as Devon speeded up. There was an exit off the highway and she took it, doubling back to get on the road back to the café. She had no idea what had happened. As she reached the outskirts of town, she swung over to the side of the road and called Pearl. There was no answer, so she called Drew, and he picked up.

Drew expected it to be Bodie or Jake, and when it was Greta he was then expecting her to tell him Devon and Bliss were slain, but no what was she babbling, there was no killing? Pearl had disappeared. Devon and Bliss were even now on their way home. Drew simply said, "Well come back then."

He watched Elise closely now. She was jumpy, too jumpy, he thought, because Elise was serene, always. How whoever this was thought they were doing a good job of being Elise, was a mystery, he thought vaguely. He heard the door of the café open. It was Maryanne and she came up to the kitchen looking first at Drew and then at Marguerite. She didn't know Elise and it could be her for all she knew, but this wasn't what Maryanne expected Elise to look like. She might ask Drew later what the attraction was. This woman, though fair enough to look at, wasn't the great beauty Drew had described.

She glanced back at him. "Well Drew, aren't you going to introduce me?"

Marguerite was starting to worry. She could sense the change in Drew's attitude, and he was looking at her speculatively now. Could he have guessed she wasn't Elise?

Drew introduced her as Elise to Maryanne. She nodded at her unable to speak. The café door opened again. It was Bodie and Jake.

They sauntered up to the kitchen calling out, "Hey Drew?"

He stepped out to them and having quickly filled them in on the situation, they looked at each other and then at him. Bodie spoke.

"Well why do you want us here? I mean really what's it got to do with us? Are you sure it's not her? You haven't seen her for twenty years."

Drew frowned. "She looks exactly the same as when I met her. This is some kind of mind game and I bet that's another of the witches masquerading as Elise."

This was too much for Bodie. He laughed aloud. "But why?"

"To retrieve Bliss without giving me Elise. This will be some treachery on Devon's part no doubt, and it appears he may have gotten to Pearl too. Greta just called and said Pearl has disappeared."

Jake snorted. "Pearl, not a chance, she's as sharp as a knife and tough."

Drew was starting to be angry, very angry. "Whatever," he almost growled and then continued more calmly. "I want you with me, there's trouble looming and I need help." They both nodded.

Drew took out his cell phone and called Greta.

"Greta, I'm going home, don't bother coming to the café. Go home too. Call me if you hear from Pearl." Greta was passing her restaurant as she took the call. She turned around and went back the couple of streets to her house. She had no idea what to make of events but was thankful Drew dismissed her.

Drew told Bodie and Jake to follow him in their car to make sure he wasn't hijacked. They grinned slightly at the word, but made no comment. Maryanne was to drive him and Elise to his house. "Go and start your car," he told her. She left giving the silent Marguerite a quick knowing look on her way out.

Jon and Ffion watched them drive past the end of the street where they were parked. They didn't know who Maryanne was, but they did know it was Drew and Marguerite in the back seats. As Jon started the engine to follow, another car passed. I looked to Jon that the car was in convoy with the one Drew was in. He waited a few seconds then turned after them.

Elise, in her white station wagon, watched the comings and goings from behind a screen of flowering bushes. They served as a fence for a small group of offices on the other side of the road, across the small square from Drew's café. She followed now very carefully, and at a good distance. It was the middle of the night and only one other car had come from the other direction as she waited. She couldn't let anyone detect her now.

****

Devon was nearly home with Bliss. He hadn't been delayed by the roadwork. This time the traffic light was in his favor. He glanced at the men working as he passed, knowing that they chose the night so as not to disrupt the daytime business traffic.

He told Bliss once more that he wasn't a vampire that his not eating was an exclusion diet, but he felt sad. She put her hand on his leg as he drove and told him she was so very glad to be with him again, but they hadn't spoken that much. Bliss sensed that there was more trouble ahead.

****

Pearl messaged Miriam that she'd be in town the next night. Could they meet? Miriam had been watching late night TV and eating chocolate. She saw her cell phone light up as the text came in. She rang Pearl who was stopped at an all-night service station, and they arranged to meet at a particular up-market hotel restaurant the next night. Pearl was humming to herself as she carried on driving to her own home. She would bathe, pack, have breakfast, and then book a room in the hotel for a week. It was another hour's drive to her home and she'd hit the biggest highway east. There were many trucks and other cars on this highway even so she might get home before dawn she thought happily.

****

Drew held Marguerite's hand on the short drive to his home. He wanted to feel her reactions, and he was slightly spooked when he sensed a familiarity about the hand and whoever this was. He let go as they arrived. Maryanne parked next to one of his own cars, as Jake and Bodie drove in behind. After they were out of the car, Drew flipped the close button on the remote that was fixed to the wall. He had another portable remote inside, which he always forgot to take with him when he went out. Bodie, Jake, and Maryanne headed into the kitchen and stood around drinking blood from coffee cups. Drew took Marguerite into the drawing room and asked her to sit down.

Jon and Ffion parked a few yards away from the big Georgian house, and they looked at one another because Jon was to call Devon with the address. Ffion was concentrating on the illusion she was throwing into Drew's mind. Jon left the task for a minute or so, and then he stepped out of the vehicle to do it.

Devon had just arrived at Tara's house. He was telling Bliss that he needed to go back to get Marguerite, and he would feel better if she was with Tara, for safety. He put his arm around her as they walked up the drive and answered his cell with his other hand. Jon told him the address Marguerite had been taken.

Bliss looked at Devon's face in the moonlight and a tear slid down her face. "Devon, what's going on? Please tell me," she asked, and her voice shook a little.

Devon held her close, and smoothed her hair. He held her face and kissed her softly and lovingly. "I love you so much. You mean the world to me. I hope you believe that."

Bliss kissed him and nodded, but she asked again, "Devon, what's really going on?"

Tara came out of the house and now she beckoned them inside. Barnaby was leaping around them, excited at this late night activity. The sky had lightened slightly, and Bliss suddenly felt very tired.

Inside she leaned on Devon as he had his arm around her. He was telling Tara 'things were on track, as far as he knew.' Tara made tea and Devon got warm water to soak the tape from Bliss's wrists. As he did, he told Tara what Drew had said to Bliss that Devon was a vampire, and that they, his friends, were witches.

Tara cast a gentle look at him as she put tea down in front of Bliss. She took some kind of cake from a tin and put it on a plate bringing that to Bliss with a fork. "Bliss, eat that, it will help to eat something."

She brought Devon a tall mug. Then she handed Bliss a small towel to dry her hands and wrists. Tara noticed the cuts and marks on her wrists and thought when Devon had gone she would help Bliss with the tape on her ankles, let her shower, and then put some salve on the cuts and grazes.

Devon knew it wasn't coffee or tea in his mug. It was some of the liquid food the _beings_ made for him. He drank it down and took the mug to the sink rinsing it out. Bliss having dried her hands took a sip of the tea. She looked at the cake, but couldn't bring herself to eat. She was worried now for Devon and Marguerite, and she didn't know what to think about the situation. For instance why hadn't they called the police, after all she'd been kidnapped. They had left Marguerite with a possible psychopath.

Devon felt his senses heightened. The drink was stronger than usual, and he shook his head slightly. He felt he could hear what Bliss was thinking. He glanced at Tara, and she smiled slightly. Devon needed to leave and go back to Marguerite, but he heard the despair in the thoughts Bliss was having.

He sat down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Bliss, I have to go back for Marguerite. Don't worry she'll be okay. She knows Drew. It will all be okay." He tried to reassure her, but Bliss wasn't convinced.

She looked sadly at him. "I feel that you're not quite telling me the truth, Devon, and I never expected that. If you're doing it to protect me, I would rather know the truth."

Tara left them alone. She went to find something for Bliss to change into after her shower. She'd already made up a bed in one her spare rooms.

Devon sat back slightly from Bliss and he held her face in his hands. "Bliss, please let me go to get Marguerite, and then I promise I will tell you everything...the whole story. I do want you to believe now though, that I love you, do you believe that?"

Bliss sighed. "I do believe that Devon and I love you too," she answered.

Devon kissed her and then he got up. "I have to go. I'm so sorry Bliss. Tara will look after you, stay with her until I get back, please." There was a question in his tone of voice

Bliss nodded. "Okay Devon."

Tara returned and she went down the hall with Devon. Bliss stayed where she was. She didn't want to see Devon drive away.

### Chapter Forty-Two

Drew sat in an armchair facing Marguerite. He looked at her, his expression one of disappointment. "You're not Elise. I think you need to drop the façade now, and we can discuss how you're going to get me the real Elise, or I can kill you now, right now." He stood as he finished speaking and took a sword from the display on the wall. "I don't need this to kill you actually, but it will give me pleasure to use it." He swung it around over Marguerite's head. "It's so simple, if you die, it doesn't matter. I can easily get Bliss again, and start the deal over, speak up, or it's over for you."

Marguerite knew she had to tell Drew now. He'd discovered her more quickly than the _beings_ had hoped.

"I need to make a phone call to be able to drop the façade."

Drew had taken her shoulder bag from her and now he looked inside it, and threw her cell phone at her. As she called Jon, he continued to look in her bag. It contained ordinary possessions. Then he opened her wallet, but before he looked at the driver's license that was at the front, he glanced at the woman who he knew wasn't Elise, and there in front of him was Marguerite.

Drew was surprised into flipping the wallet closed and dropping it into the bag, as he sat down in the armchair again.

"Marguerite, what the devil is going on? How did you do that? No, tell me first why you did that?" His voice was full of disbelief. He remembered the kiss and felt a wave of what he assumed was regret. Marguerite slipped the phone into her shirt pocket. She favored a little flip phone because it could be put into small spaces. Now she hoped Drew was too stunned to notice her pocket the phone.

"I didn't do it. A friend did it, someone close to Elise who didn't want her falling into your clutches." Marguerite spoke quietly, and glanced towards the door wondering where the other three vampires had gone.

Drew caught her glance. "Oh they are not far away. So this was to prevent me from reuniting with the woman I love was it? What about Devon, was it also to make sure Devon once more held the winning hand? I'm surprised at you Marguerite I thought you might have a little more regard for me than this." His voice took on a sulky tone and he gave her one of his little boy looks. He wanted to win her over, and she could be useful to him too.

Marguerite was remembering him as a boy, before they had grown up, before they had been turned. His look was one he'd often used back then to get his way, to convince her to take his side against Devon.

She felt a moment of total sorrow. How strange life was that they had come to this. How bizarre that a few streets away people were innocently asleep not knowing what the next day would bring them. Just as she and Drew had gone off with their friends to the theatre that fateful day, when life had suddenly handed them a surprise.

Her expression held affection for Drew. He'd always been jealous of Devon, although there was never a reason for it in her opinion. She took a deep breath. "Drew, it's not about you. We just wanted Bliss back and Elise to be safe. How can she be safe with you? How can you expect us to believe she would be safe? What are your plans for her? We know you betrayed her at the barn all those years ago, Drew. You took the other vampires there. You wanted her powers. Elise was taken in by you. Why do you want her now?" Marguerite wasn't going to play any more games with Drew.

Drew considered Marguerite's question and the look on her face. There was something not right here, he couldn't smell nor sense vampire on her. He couldn't sense much in fact. No doubt the witches that cast the illusion she was Elise, also masked her scent. He was suddenly tired of it all. It wasn't a game anymore, not fun, and if the truth was told, he'd very much looked forward to seeing, and holding Elise.

He got up and went through to his kitchen where the others were sitting at the table there with full glasses, whispering to each other. His presence stopped them and the silence that ensued was more laden than if they had simply continued with their whispering. Drew frowned and his bottom lip turned down slightly, he felt vulnerable. "What's going on here?" He asked in as fierce a voice as he could muster.

Jake cleared his throat. "Drew, we need to know what's going on. We can't help but think this isn't a good idea any more, tangling with Devon, with the witches, with the past. Maryanne just got through telling us what you told her happened last time. Nathan has mentioned it once or twice when we have been talking about Devon recently. You know all this has raked up some memories that were maybe best forgotten. What's it all for anyway? Not to be too disloyal, but we can't help thinking it's nothing to do with us. We weren't part of the original incident. Devon's nothing to us really." Jake stopped talking seeing Drew's expression grow even fiercer, and his eyes harden with menace.

Bodie for once wasn't going to back down and he took up the conversation.

"Drew, you can't be angry, it's true, we were nothing to do with what happened. We've never even met Devon. We don't feel like trouble to be honest. We like the quiet life we have now. No running and hiding, we feed, we're careful, we have a good time. We've got it all, Drew. Why do you want to do this?" Privately he was also thinking about the girl in the living room. She was pretty enough, but not the fantastic beauty that Drew had led them to believe and she showed no signs of special powers. Not so far anyway. He watched Drew's face.

Maryanne was bored with it all. She wanted to go to her new lover. Drew was rich and leader of their community, but it was growing tedious this obsession with Devon. Not only that, he was in love with someone else. How secure was she then? How long before he tossed her out? Her new lover had already asked her to live with him. He was nowhere near as rich as Drew, but he was good looking, and he obviously cared for her. Whereas it seemed to her now, that Drew didn't.

Bodie was on the verge of not caring any more that Drew was their leader. Drew only appeared when he wanted something. Otherwise, he led his high life. They were so much more independent of him than a few years ago when they first joined the growing vampire community in this part of the country. Maybe if they stuck together they could be as menacing as he was. They weren't planning a coup. Let him keep his leadership status if it made him happy, but a few of them now were a little past being his lackeys. Nathan seemed the most loyal to Drew, but even he was away having a good time right now, and they were the suckers hauled into this trouble Drew was brewing for himself.

Marguerite was surprised Drew had left her in the room alone, and she considered trying to make a break for it. She had no idea where the front door was. She stood up as quietly as she could and approached the door on the other side of the room. It seemed to her that there was another hall somewhere, which would lead to the front door of the house. She was brought through an empty room, which led from the integral garage and up some stairs to where she was now.

She crept to the door and quietly turned the handle.

In the hall Marguerite stopped, there was a staircase up and down, but no door leading to the street on this floor. She went down.

As she ran down the stairs, she got out her cell phone and called Ffion, telling her to ask Jon to drive up to the house because she was escaping, she hoped. Jon was on the phone with Erik discussing what to do next, and now he ended the call excitedly. He hadn't wanted to go ahead with what they planned next, especially since Devon wasn't back yet.

Drew stood by the table looking at the three vampires who now had their faces turned to him with expressions of speculation. Drew recognized betrayal. He'd done enough of it. He saw not three vampires who would blindly follow his orders, but three vampires who were suddenly in a bond against him. He was about to dish out some punishment when his doorbell echoed through the house.

It startled everyone. It hadn't rung in the last year to the best of Drew's knowledge. They all looked at each other. Drew glared at Jake, but turned and left the kitchen to answer the doorbell. The big Georgian house had four entrances, and the front one was down a short hall from the kitchen.

### Chapter Forty-Three

Marguerite had somehow reached the garage. She closed the door to the staircase she came down with great care, aware she was having incredible luck in her escape. She didn't want to open the carport because she thought Drew would be bound to hear it, but it was her only way out. So she hit the button on the wall once, and then when the door was up about a meter, she hit it again to stop it mid-opening. The door made a huge scrunching noise as it stopped. She stooped low and got out of the garage.

Elise couldn't have timed her arrival at Drew's house better. The front door was on a main street of town. The garage door was on a side street. Drew had positioned it there when he refurbished the place so that his garage wasn't only integral, but also semi underground.

As Drew opened the door and saw Elise, Marguerite was getting into Jon's car and Ffion was ringing the rest of the Elders to say they had Marguerite and were coming home.

Devon wasn't far from the outskirts of the town when he received the message. He had his cell phone on hands free and could hardly believe it as he heard Ffion's happy voice giving him the news. He'd driven as fast as he could after being held up slightly getting petrol from services on the highway. He'd gone in there thinking it would be quick and easy, only to be shocked by how busy the place was. It was full of people getting coffee and sandwiches, buying books and newspapers, browsing the trinkets and merchandise in the big brightly lit place.

He pulled over to one side of the country road. Dawn was lightening the sky. He felt elated, but apprehensive. He hadn't expected things to be this easy. It was too easy, he thought. He waited there knowing Jon, Ffion, and Marguerite would come this way on their journey home. The wait was too much for him after two minutes and he continued towards the town thinking the phone call might have been a decoy. Perhaps Drew had captured them and forced Ffion to make the call.

****

Back at her house, Tara urged Bliss to take just a couple of bites of the cake in front of her and to drink the tea. Bliss looked into Tara's kind eyes and sipped the tea then took a little of the cake on the fork provided and put it in her mouth. The cake melted on her tongue. It was like honey and lemon, and she swallowed, not wanting more, but at the same time feeling almost instantly a little stronger. Tara bathed the tape away from her ankles, noticing how grazed the skin was and that it had made big sores in places where Bliss had struggled to get it off. Tara could cure this. She said, "One more bite of cake Bliss and then go up, have a shower, and I'll give you some cream I have for those cuts and for that bruise on your face. I can guarantee almost instant healing."

This made Bliss smile and she ate one more bite of the cake, then asked, "Tara, do you know what's really going on? I'm so worried about Devon. Drew seems to have gone completely mad he's saying the most alarming things."

Tara shook her head. "Devon wants to tell you himself, and don't worry I feel sure everything will be okay." She took Bliss up to shower and change, showing her the room made ready for her. Bliss felt confused. She knew that Tara was making light of everything, and it frustrated her. When Tara left the room, she showered and put on the long dress that Tara had left for her. It was flimsy, but strangely warm. She slipped her feet into the slippers Tara had given her and went back down the wide staircase to find her.

Tara had the salve ready for Bliss. It was a potion that would cure the grazes and cuts on Bliss within a day. She could have made it to heal faster, but then that might have aroused Bliss's suspicion. Tara already felt that things were going to have to be explained, not just to Bliss, but to Devon too. It was probably time to tell him everything.

She put the potion onto the cuts and grazes, and then onto the bruise along Bliss's jaw, and cheek. Bliss asked if she might have another cup of tea because she was feeling so much better now. Tara smiled...so the cake had worked its magic. She made tea and they sat down at the table. Barnaby came and flopped down near to Bliss. Tara started to talk. She talked about the places she'd been and then asked Bliss about her decision to try to find some other place to live. She asked Bliss about her teaching job. They talked through two cups of tea and then Bliss went up to the room made ready for her. Barnaby followed her and sat down next to the bed. When Bliss fell asleep, he got up onto the bed and lay down just close enough not to wake her up.

Bliss hadn't long been upstairs when Tara's cell phone rang. She answered fast expecting some kind of trouble, but no, everyone was on their way home. Things had somehow worked out.

****

Devon saw Jon's car coming in the opposite direction. The sky was growing light, birds were stirring, and a flock of small birds flew noisily overhead as he slowed down and waved out of his window at the car. Jon naturally knew it was Devon as soon as he saw the big, dark blue Landrover. He slowed, and they spoke through the windows. Devon turned and started to follow Jon home. He was expecting to see Drew behind them at any moment because he couldn't imagine that Drew would let this pass. The road soon had more traffic, and as they passed by a couple of larger towns, they were joined on the road by more and more cars.

The sun was up and shining when they reached Tara's place. Devon had been surprised. There'd been no irate phone calls from Drew, no sign of anyone following. It was too quiet in his opinion, he was wondering what was going to happen. They parked and went into Tara's house. Bliss was still asleep, but Tara, not needing that much sleep herself, had stayed up. She hugged everyone in turn, and Erik alerted to their arrival by phone, was round there with Seth. They'd decided to await information before they too became involved. More because they might need to gather potions and other helpers before they joined the rescue mission, than anything else.

They sat around the table with coffee. Devon drank a little and then pushed it aside in favor of considering the situation. Erik checked how Marguerite was after Devon had hugged her, and they were quiet now, each thinking their separate thoughts as they drank the coffee.

Saffron arriving a little later went straight to Marguerite and hugged her around the shoulders. She sparked the conversation again as she said, "Well what's going on then? How did you escape Marguerite? Why is everyone so quiet?"

Marguerite started to tell her story, and then Ffion, and Jon. Everyone began to talk almost at once. Tara let everyone talk for a few minutes until she asked during the smallest lull in the conversation, "Do we think Drew will try again?"

Silence greeted her and then Devon spoke up.

"I do. I simply can't see him giving up this easy. I'm thinking of going back there to ask him what it is that will make him stop this stuff. I feel responsible in so many ways for what's happening now." He stopped talking as everyone stared at him.

Jon talked softly. "That's not true, and I for one don't want you going back there. I think we should wait. Let's put a potion around everyone's house and business. It's easy to do, and we'll give you a potion to protect Bliss not just from Drew, but also from any vampire, which is what I believe we have to start concentrating on. We've been concentrating on knowing when Drew comes to town and not on just being aware of any of them. Tara has already made the potions, but we need to sprinkle them at dawn or twilight, so today we need to be extra vigilant until twilight."

Devon groaned slightly. He couldn't help thinking it might be better for him to hunt Drew down and kill him. Something not desirable, well radical, but maybe that was the only way to stop this nonsense. Or maybe he could buy him off. That had worked with other things. He covered his thoughts by asking how he'd administer a potion to Bliss.

Erik smiled. "She doesn't need to eat or drink it. She needs to wear it. I think maybe a gift from you, a necklace, or a bracelet. Something she will always want to wear. We infuse it with a potion, and there you are. She will stop any vampire in their tracks."

Devon widened his eyes slightly and silently nodded. What else could they do these _beings_? He was beginning to think there was way more to them than he knew. They surprised him sometimes. Their powers were more than he knew, and yet they didn't seem to use them or even talk about them, unless they simply had to. He felt something close to irritation, but sighed in resignation. They were too dear to him to question.

As the morning sun grew warmer, Barnaby left Bliss and ran down to the kitchen and his water bowl. Bliss woke up, and thought immediately of Devon. She got up and went into the adjoining bathroom, washed her face and rinsed her mouth out with the Plax there on the shelf. Wishing she had a toothbrush, she rinsed twice.

She got her comb from her little velvet bag that Tara had thoughtfully brought up to her the previous night, and combed her hair. She picked up her clothes from the night before and her bag, she would go down to Tara, and ask her for a lift home. She needed to go home to think straight.

Downstairs everyone except Saffron and Devon had gone. Tara and Jon had left to go to work for the morning, but Saffron stayed with Devon. They drank more coffee and waited for Bliss to wake up.

### Chapter Forty-Five

When Elise had rung the bell at Drew's house, she knew she couldn't be seen by Ffion and Jon. They were in a car on a side road again. She'd parked at the end of the main street, walked swiftly down to Drew's house, and rung the bell. If she hadn't then Marguerite might not have made her escape.

Drew opened the front door, and when he saw Elise at first didn't believe it was her. It immediately sprang to his mind that here was one of the witches trying to trick him again.

Then Elise spoke. "Drew, I've come to you without anyone else's knowledge. Let me in. I need to know why you went to these lengths to see me. I still have feelings for you."

Drew opened his door wider and held out his hand to her. As soon as he touched her, he knew it really was Elise.

Vampire though he was, somehow Elise still loved him. He pulled her gently towards him, and then they kissed each other. Drew could really feel Elise in his arms, and her lips on his. The sensations were incredible. He felt more with her than with any of the other women that he had ever known. These were real feelings that stirred him. Maybe that was part of why he loved her, who knows, but it was love he felt for Elise. Even now, even though his baser side wanted her powers and his vampire side wanted to turn her and keep her forever, part of that was about love. It wasn't easy to understand. He didn't understand it.

He held her face to his and kissed her softly, whispering, "Elise, my love. I still love you and that's why I had Bliss snatched. Let me tell you how it all came about." Elise kissed him. She wanted to hear. Drew led her into the kitchen where Bodie, Maryanne, and Jake still sat. They looked up when he came in and the two male vampires stared at Elise with obvious admiration.

Maryanne on the other hand frowned, and stood up.

"Drew, I may go back to my friends for the night now. You obviously have company."

Drew, who felt totally complete now Elise was with him nodded at her. "Okay Maryanne, off you go."

He introduced Bodie and Jake, and then asked them politely if they didn't have somewhere they needed to be. They looked at each other, got up, and hastily went to the garage. They discovered Marguerite had gone and the garage door was partly open. They reported to Drew right away, but he was unconcerned. Nothing mattered now he had Elise.

They drove off, pleased that the night had ended without further confrontation with Drew. They passed Maryanne, who was travelling at great speed on foot. She'd left the car she was driving, which belonged to Drew anyway, in his garage. They stopped and picked her up. All three vampires were going back to the town where the café was, back to where they lived and worked, and in Maryanne's case where her new lover lived. On the way, they discussed their allegiance to Drew. All of them wanted to lessen their involvement with him, and Jake decided to look for other work.

### Chapter Forty-Six

When Bliss got downstairs to the kitchen, she found Devon and Saffron there. Devon stood up and went to hug her. Saffron announced she was taking Barnaby for a walk, and left the kitchen with Barnaby bouncing around her legs. He knew the word 'walk' when he heard it.

Bliss held Devon tightly and then began to kiss him. He kissed her gently and then whispered. "I love so much...are you okay? Let me see your wrists."

Bliss didn't want to stop kissing him. She held on to the kisses by holding his face to hers until he smiled, and then they both smiled, and hugged. Bliss showed Devon her wrists. They were very nearly completely healed. Bliss mentioned that Tara treated them and her ankles she said, lifting the hem of the long dress and checking them too.

Devon held her again. He hugged tightly and then held her face. He kissed her so lovingly Bliss was overwhelmed with emotion. They stayed with their faces close to each other, completely engrossed in their kisses and their love for a few minutes, and then Saffron returned.

It was the cue for them to go home.

Devon gave Saffron a loaded look as he said, "I guess I'll hear from Erik then?"

Saffron nodded replying, "Yes, quite soon."

At home, they each showered and changed. Bliss put her dress to one side. It was spoiled for her now. She wondered how it hadn't been torn, but there was blood on it where her cut wrists rested.

She found Devon downstairs sitting at the table with a laptop booted in front of him. He got up as she entered the kitchen and took her hands bringing her close.

"How are you feeling? Are you hungry? We could go out into the sunshine, and have breakfast at a café." Devon wanted to make things good for Bliss, to help her forget the horrible time she'd just experienced. He looked so sincere that Bliss was made tearful by it. She must be having a delayed stress reaction, she thought, as she wiped away a tear with the back of her hand.

Devon felt intense sadness swamp him. He put his arms around her.

"Sorry, so sorry Bliss. It's my fault you went through that horror. Maybe it's not a good idea to stay here. I can't take the thought of you being hurt any more. Drew is a loose cannon, as well as being dangerous. I just don't know what he'll get up to next."

He held Bliss, and felt her relax in his arms. She cuddled up close to him. Devon was torn between loving her, and thinking he should let her go back to her old, safe, life.

Bliss let herself take comfort from Devon before she answered.

"It's okay. The reason I cried was because you offered me something I so rarely have. You were trying to make me feel better, and it made me weepy. I've not had much care or affection from anyone other than my dad in recent years. Poor dad, he has his own sadness. I haven't told him how lonely I've been, so I think he just sees me as this strong person. The last thing I need now is for you to think I need to leave here. I don't know how this has happened, to love you as much as I do after such a short time, but I do love you. I'm not going anywhere, not unless you tell me you don't love me."

Bliss smiled a small and rather sad smile as she looked at Devon. She didn't want to let go of the promise of a different life, especially one that included Devon. The thought of going back to her old job, and her lonely life was awful. She felt she couldn't do it. She'd decided to send her resignation and it was her intention to do it that very day.

Devon watched her expressions as she talked. She was describing how she felt so honestly that his stomach churned with anxiety. It was an odd feeling. He didn't think that sort of thing could happen to him. It was because fundamentally he was telling her lies. He wasn't human like her. He was something else. He didn't know what, and as he thought that, he suddenly found it funny. This made him smile, and Bliss thought although the smile was for her, that it also held some other meaning.

"Devon, you did promise to tell me everything when Marguerite was home. I think it might be a good idea, because if I knew the whole story I might be able to protect myself better from Drew. Let's just stay here. We can sit outside with some coffee in amongst your beautiful flowers and talk."

She put her hands up around his face as she talked, in a gesture of love, and as she finished talking, she kissed his lips.

It felt so good to Devon that he held her head to his and kissed her more. He still had that weird churning in his stomach and he knew it was because he still had to tell her the truth.

They made coffee, and were now sitting together at the table outside amongst the pots of flowers. Devon reached for her hands. He held them and began to talk.

"Bliss, there is such a long story to tell you, and it's going to sound bizarre if not terrifying, but I have to ask if you will listen to everything before you make any decisions about me."

Bliss nodded, she tried not to think about what Drew said, that Devon was a vampire or a witch, after all here he was in the sun with her.

Devon sighed, and right then his cell phone rang. He looked at Bliss and raised his eyebrows slightly and apologetically. "I have to answer, sorry." He picked it up from where it was on the table and began walking down the garden a little.

The call was from Erik. The Elders were frantic. Seth had found a note when he went in search of Elise. She'd gone to Drew, to help free Marguerite. "By the looks of everything at her house she must have gone at the very same time that you, Jon, and Ffion left with Marguerite." Erik told him. Devon stopped in his tracks as he listened. He felt desperation, and took a deep breath.

"Erik, there's only one thing for it. I have to go after her, not you, not Jon, no one else, just me. I feel convinced of that." On the other end of the phone conversation Erik sighed, he didn't want anything to happen to Devon and he felt Elise shouldn't have gone.

"We've talked it over Devon, and we think we'll leave her for a couple of days. She's made this decision, knowing Drew is a danger. All of us feel we must give her time."

Devon balked at this. "Erik, she might get herself killed. I know you people have more powers than I have any idea of, but Drew's incredibly fast and strong. I could only just beat him since I'm not a true vampire. Who knows I might even need help. I might be able to reason with him, because of our history. I'm good with a sword even now, and Marguerite tells me he has plenty hanging on his walls. I should go after Elise."

Erik was philosophical. "She needs to finish what was started all those years ago. We'll talk about it again tomorrow night, meanwhile, the sprinkling of the potions starts at twilight, and I have a bracelet here for you to give to Bliss. Angharad will drop it off if you're at home. The story is that you had it made for Bliss. Sorry to ask you to lie Devon, but that's not so far from the truth anyway. Tara made it this morning after we talked, the shop wasn't busy, and you know what a wizard she is with precious metal."

Devon shook his head slightly. He didn't know that in reality. He knew she designed jewelry, and her shop had lovely things in it, but he thought Jon made some of the items. It wasn't such a lie he thought to himself, and told Erik he was at home.

He went to sit down again with Bliss. She hadn't heard any of the conversation as he had walked a fair way down the garden, and now strode back up to the paved area.

"Bliss, you'll be as alarmed as I am to hear that Elise has gone over to see Drew. She must think he still loves her." Devon stopped talking and drank some coffee. He sighed, and as Bliss watched him, he seemed to slump a little in his seat.

She got up and put her arms around his shoulders, resting her head on the top of his.

"I think he might still love her Devon. What's going to happen is anyone going after her?" Bliss kissed the top of his head and then unable to resist she kissed his cheek. Devon turned his face and clearly wanted another kiss. Bliss looked at his closed eyes. His lashes were long and dark. She kissed his lips. She wanted him to go back to telling her the whole story, which he had promised, but this news about Elise had upset him a lot. She watched him as she sat back down into her chair. His expression was unreadable. He seemed to be waiting for her to speak. Bliss decided not to. She waited for him to speak instead.

Devon was thinking. His mind was full of worry for Elise and questions about Drew. Could Drew actually love Elise? Devon who had fallen in love with Bliss after so many years alone suddenly gave Drew the benefit of the doubt. He voiced it out loud.

"Maybe Drew does love Elise. Erik says everyone thinks we should wait a day for her to work it out, but I don't know."

He looked young and tired Bliss thought, and her heart went out to him.

"Devon, are you planning to go after her as you did Marguerite?"

Devon shrugged. "I don't know, right now, at this very moment I honestly don't know. I'm going to call her. I don't know if Erik or any of the others have called her. Sometimes they seem to act strangely. After all these years I think I know them, but I don't totally know them."

Bliss gave him a sympathetic look. "Isn't that the same for many people with regard to friends and family too?"

Devon sighed again. He took out his cell phone and called Elise.

### Chapter Forty-Seven

Elise went with Drew into his kitchen and watched the other vampires leave quite happily. She turned to him. "Tell me truly why you've gone to such lengths to get me here?" For some reason Elise expected to hear the truth, and she watched Drew's face.

Drew turned to face her again. He held her hands against his cold heart and looked into her eyes. "I love you. I went looking for Devon. I broke into his house, and there you were. I knew you'd been there or lived there. I could sense you and suddenly I had to be with you again."

It looked to Elise that he was telling the truth, and he was. He had just missed out the part that wouldn't have been acceptable to Elise. He knew she believed what he just said. It was written all over her face that she wanted to believe him, and that she loved him. Drew actually breathed a sigh of relief.

Elise put her arms around him and her lips to his. She felt the coldness of his skin, and yet he was kissing her with love. After all these years, he did love her and she loved him. She let herself believe this.

They spent the rest of the night and early morning catching up with all the kisses and love they'd missed. If Drew had thought it would be easy to betray Elise, feed on her, turn her, he now realized it would take him a day or so to come around to it. He was captivated by her fingertips as she trailed them down his body. He pushed his fingers into her pussy to find her wet with need for him as he kissed her and held her to his body. Elise circled his cool erection with both hands and found as she felt his tongue against hers that she was desperate to have him inside her. They made love. It felt like love. It still felt like love.

He watched her move around his kitchen. It was late morning. He had supplies of coffee and tea in his kitchen, but he had nothing else. He asked her if she would like to go out to the bakery down the street and get croissants, milk, or something.

He added going to her and taking her in his arms, "I would go for you but the sun is out, you understand?"

Elise remembered when they always seemed to meet in the forest or in the dark of evening. She looked into his lovely blue eyes, and then she realized they were the same color as her own. The very same. Why had she only just noticed this? She asked herself?

Drew saw thoughts pass in her eyes and immediately asked her, "What are you thinking. You look surprised, or maybe you have a question. What is it Elise? Right now, you know what I am. So what is it?"

Elise looked away from him and he let her go. He watched her take her cup of black coffee to the window and look out. Waiting for her to answer him he experienced a horrible yearning to bite into her. He closed his eyes against the thought because he was surprised by it. _Not yet_ , he told himself.

Elise turned to him. "Drew, your eyes are the same color as mine. When did that happen? I don't remember you having blue eyes. I remember brown eyes, even on that last night in the barn."

Drew shook his head. "No Elise, they were already blue and had been for a couple of days. It happened to me after the last time we made love." He was surprising himself with his honesty. He frowned and walked over to her.

Elise didn't know what to make of this. He would only have been able to take on any of her attributes physical, or otherwise, if he'd fed on her, and she hadn't realized he had. Was she so naive, so blinkered twenty years ago? She must have been, but she was no longer. She loved Drew and she believed he loved her, but now she was different. She was no longer so easily fooled. She looked into his eyes and asked, "Drew, what are your plans for me? You do have some don't you?"

Drew shook his head. "I want you always. I do love you. I'm tired of my life. The thought of being able to spend it with you from now on is so seductive, I'm not thinking straight." Elise accepted that and she put her arms around him. Drew bent his head to hers and kissed her. He held her close, drinking in the feel of her lips and face against his

****

Devon was calling Elise. She'd left her cell phone in her bag, which was in Drew's bedroom and she missed the call.

Devon put his phone down on the table and looked at Bliss with an expression of resignation. "She's not answering."

Bliss shook her head. "That could mean anything."

He looked sadly at her. "It could mean she's dead."

The doorbell echoed down the hall. Devon went up there to answer it. He knew it would be Angharad. He invited her down to the garden and asked her if she would like coffee, but she shook her head. "I won't come in. Here's the spell. I need to get going. See you Devon." She passed him the box with the bracelet in it and left.

Devon took the box and went down to Bliss in the garden. He sat down and felt the churning in his stomach again. He gave Bliss the box. "Bliss, I have something for you." He sighed inwardly, because it seemed so contrived. He watched her open the box and look inside.

She smiled. "This is beautiful, thank you. Was it just delivered? It's really lovely." She took the bracelet from the box. It was a delicate gold chain of little leaves, all different, with tiny patterns, swirls, and shell shapes on them. Devon leaned over to look at it and was surprised at how lovely it was. She was putting it on and he helped with the clasp, and then she put her arms around his neck to kiss him.

He felt better when she was kissing him, but he knew that nothing was okay. She loved a lie. He was becoming very afraid that she would leave him when she discovered what he was.

"Why not just tell me the story? I can't imagine what would make me stop loving you. It's been so lovely to find you. I feel as if I could really change my life now with you. Besides which, Devon, has it occurred to you that saying things like, _Elise could be dead because she's with Drew,_ well it's not usual, not everyday conversation. Why don't you call the police?"

Devon was torn. He wanted to tell Bliss, and yet what if she decided against him? What if she thought he was insane? He shook his head. "Sorry, when you put it like that, it does seem outlandish. I'm glad you like the bracelet. Tara made it." He procrastinated, trying to think what to say.

Bliss considered his expression. She felt a wave of love for him then, as she watched him. She could tell he was trying not to go on with the story he said he would tell her.

"Devon, I love the bracelet, it's gorgeous, and I wish I had something for you." She moved to hold him again. He put his head against hers and whispered.

"Bliss, what if long ago I was a horrible character, and did horrendous things, but for many years now I've been changed. I'm as far from what I used to be as possible. What would you think?"

Bliss was surprised. She moved a fraction away from him frowning slightly.

"I can't believe that of you. You're so kind and loving, gentle. All your friends love you, I can tell that."

Devon sighed heavily and looked at her, his eyes full of sadness.

"Well they do now, because I changed."

Bliss put her arms around him. She smoothed the cotton of his shirt along his shoulders with her hands and then kissed him softly. She whispered, "Tell me the story."

He couldn't. He felt afraid, and he shook his head.

"That's it...that's more or less it...I was bad and I've changed." He kissed her and kept kissing her, trying to tell her he loved her and he was no longer a terrible creature through the kisses.

Bliss responded to him. She loved him and she wanted him too, in more ways than one. She wanted him in her life. She wanted him by her side and in her bed.

"Make love to me." She whispered holding his face.

Devon wanted to pick her up and carry her inside, but he thought it would seem affected. He stood up and put his arm around her shoulders, he kissed her cheek, gently, softly and they walked together inside. He wanted to make love to her so that she would know he was different. He loved her. He would die for her, and he determined to be so gentle so caring and loving that when she found out what he was, she would remember this, instead of thinking of him as a monster.

### Chapter Forty-Eight

A way off in the market town where Drew lived the same thing was happening with him and Elise. The difference was that Drew was still a monster, and Elise was trying to decide if she would stay with him or leave. It was going to be hard because she loved him. She didn't know why. She tried to analyze her feelings as she lay there in his arms after they made love to each other. She began to admit that she might be fooling herself. Drew seemed to love her, but he was a vampire, and she had the strangest feelings about him. She couldn't exactly read minds like Tara, but she could sense thoughts hazily. If she wanted to she could manipulate a person's thoughts, make them do things. She could also move objects by thought, and when she was with others of her kind, she could join with them in thought to achieve things.

She felt guilty as she thought of the others. She'd betrayed them again by coming here to Drew. At least no one else was in danger this time. She brought no one into this situation. As she continued to think this way, she gradually distanced herself mentally from Drew. She considered how if Bliss hadn't come on the scene, he might never have found her or even looked for her. There was a message in that. She decided to watch him for a while. It might only take the rest of the day. He would let slip his full intentions soon she thought.

She shook her head slightly. She was a little shocked. She'd come here, was making love to a vampire, and now she was doubting it all. A little voice inside her said she wanted to see him, kiss him, but somehow she couldn't forgive what she now knew had happened in the barn. She admitted to herself that he must have known the other vampires were there, even if he hadn't organized it. He could have come out to meet her, warn her off, and yet he hadn't. She realized now why her instinct, and the only one she'd heeded back then, was to tell him she was a witch, and not let him know what she really was. She wished now that she'd really talked it all over with someone. She'd never really grieved, nor worked through what had happened and that was why she was right now back where she'd left things twenty years ago. How ironic that someone so highly evolved and special in many ways, had fallen prey to this very human peculiarity. Elise opened her eyes. She'd feigned sleep in order to think, and now she saw Drew lying on his side looking at her.

He smiled. "Elise, were you dreaming? You seemed so sad. What can I do?"

This might have been charming to Elise a few hours ago, but now she suspected him. She smiled back. "I don't remember, maybe I was."

Drew twice had to stop himself from sinking his teeth into her as they made love this time. He loved her, terribly. He wanted her blood, her powers, and for her to be with him forever. Maybe she would let herself be turned for him, to stay with him forever. He considered taking the risk of asking her as he looked at her beautiful face.

Drew had become simplistic over the years. He didn't need to put much thought into anything. His vampire buddies did his bidding. He didn't need to earn a living. His life, even his killing was easy and risk free. He decided to ask. At least then he would know how to proceed over the next day or so. He would know if he had to force it on her.

"Elise, I love you. I'd like you to stay with me forever. If you were a vampire too, that would be possible. Could you ever think of becoming one, for me, because I love you?" His tone was soft and almost sad as he looked sincerely at her.

Elise stared at him. She concentrated hard on not showing her emotions. She could mask them easily as long as she was prepared, but this speech from Drew almost unnerved her.

She covered it. "Drew, I came to you because I thought you loved me. I think you do, but to ask me to become what you are, is a big ask, besides that, I won't grow old for many years, well hundreds in fact. Have you forgotten what I am? Do I seem changed in twenty years? I'm not human either." She skillfully avoided naming what she was. Let him continue in his erroneous belief, it might be important.

Drew frowned. It hadn't even entered his head that she would have a perfect reason for not being turned. It was unnecessary...maybe never would be...there was no rush. This was a problem, because he wanted her powers as much as he wanted her. He felt thwarted. He sniffed, and flopped flat on his back. He had no answer.

Elise persisted. "I can be with you for a very long time, maybe forever. We none of us know what might happen, but in a few hundred years maybe ask me again." It was on the tip of her tongue to offer him help the way they had helped Devon, but somehow that little voice inside her told her not to. It might be important too that Drew didn't know Devon wasn't a true vampire any more.

Strangely, Drew began to talk about Devon.

"I've been thinking, and I'd like to know what exactly the relationship is between you and Devon, the prince of darkness?" His tone was vitriolic as he said Devon's name and added the nickname he'd given Devon long ago.

Elise covered her nakedness with the sheet from the bottom of the bed and was sitting up. She took Drew's hand. He still appealed to her. She began to put that down to sheer sexual attraction. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but it was probable. One look at him and she was confused. Drew liked that she'd taken his hand, and he turned his head to look at her.

"Devon is just a friend. I helped him with his garden and I visit him, sure I do, but there's nothing else." Elise left out her part in Devon's treatment, because that would lead to unwanted questions. Drew hadn't said anything and so a few seconds later she added, "I hope you believe me, Drew. The truth is you're the only one I've ever loved and made love with." She let him know that because it was true, and she wanted some truth in their encounter.

Drew sat up to face her and began to kiss her. He nuzzled down her neck to the soft part of her shoulder and began to suck. Elise shivered with pleasure. He had done this to her last night too, and she knew that humans did this weird kissing. It felt good, but she put her hand to his head to bring his lips to hers. He kissed all the way up her neck and jaw to her lips.

Drew had taken a little blood from her last night and just then with his love bites. It was nothing in his mind. He sucked just the tiniest bit harder than a human would. He excused the action, but he could taste her blood. As he kissed her lips, he moved a hand down her body, and took away the sheet. He covered her body with his own. He would make love to her, that way the desire for more of her blood would subside.

Elise held him to her as he began to make love to her. It could be the last time she thought as she made a little sound of pleasure.

When Drew's lips reached hers, Elise registered the vaguest hint of honey. Then she was overtaken by the depth of feeling it gave her when Drew touched her body the way he did. He traced his fingertips along the inside of her thighs. He leaned back to suck her nipples as he reached the place soft and wet between her thighs and ran his palm across her pussy. Drew pushed his fingers into her and groaned with pleasure, his cock erect and leaking with the need to be sheathed. He whispered against her lips. "You're the only woman who makes me tingle all over. I need you now." He inched his cock into her wetness slowly until she was moaning and holding him tighter around his waist trying to have him all the way inside her.

Some time later, Drew held her close. He felt very calm. It was a good feeling. She's good for me he thought. Just being with her, it's so much better than I remember. He left his eyes closed, and he could hear a bird singing. He heard the leaves on the tree outside one of his windows rustle. He fancied he could smell the roses that were down there too, under the window in the small patch of garden. It was pleasant scent, one that stirred memories of his mother's garden.

Even though Elise enjoyed what they just shared, she thought about Drew. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life with him, he drank blood, and he would have to kill. Maybe she should leave before they were in deeper? She knew there was going to be trouble. Drew was sighing. He was happy. She could see a little smile coming and going on his lips as she raised herself up on her elbow to look at him.

Deciding she would manipulate him into going out to see a friend, thinking that this would give her a chance to leave without a scene, she concentrated her thoughts. She remembered one of the names from last night, Bodie, so she used that name in her manipulation. She expected Drew to sit up and announce he was going out to catch up with Bodie but he didn't, he opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Elise, it's late and you haven't eaten. Why don't we go out to get you something to eat? I can stand the sun in small doses if I'm well covered up. Let's do that."

She looked at him closely. He was somehow more sincere than before. That was real concern in his voice. Shocked that her powers hadn't worked, she nodded.

"Okay Drew, let's do that."

Elise had only brought a small overnight bag, and she went into the adjoining bathroom to shower quickly taking it with her. She was out of the shower and in clean underwear before she went to the mirror to comb her wet hair when she saw the love bites. Two of them close together. They were very red and a long oval shape. She touched them. This was how Drew had taken her blue eyes. He tasted her blood through these florid lesions when they made love years ago, and now he'd done it again. That was why he hadn't been manipulated into going out. He must have a little of her resistance to mind manipulation because he'd sucked her blood. Elise put her jeans and shirt back on. She combed her wet hair and left the bathroom to find Drew gone.

Drew had gone down the corridor to the other bathroom and showered. Now he happily came back along the corridor to his own room to get clean clothes. Elise was just coming out of his bedroom door. The sight of her made him so happy he grinned at her as he put his arms around her and kissed her cheek. Elise allowed herself to be brought back into his bedroom. She stood there by the door as he dressed talking to her the whole time about how she would need some clothes and things. They would go shopping. He would like to give her things. She waited for him to be ready and then when he was by her side she pointed at the love bites on her neck.

"Drew, I wish you wouldn't do this, it's unsightly." Elise used the only ploy she thought might work on Drew, vanity.

He looked into her eyes. "Nothing can detract from your beauty Elise, but I won't do it again if you don't want me to." Elise could sense he was telling the truth right then, but she also wondered how long it would last. Drew took her hand and they went down to the garage. Elise took note of the way there. The house was a little difficult to negotiate, especially if you might need to do it in a hurry.

She knew that the effects of her blood would wear off, but he had taken it undiluted and so it might take a day, maybe more, even though it could only amount to a few drops if measured. She hoped there was no permanence to his ability because he'd taken her blue eyes immutably. As they left the house, Elise thought fleetingly of her home and her dear friends. She glanced quickly at her phone before she put her bag over her shoulder. She saw Devon had tried to contact her.

### Chapter Forty-Nine

Right then Bliss was kissing Devon. She held his face to hers, she told him she loved him, and he answered that he loved her too, so very much. They finally got out of bed and Bliss was hungry. She looked into the fridge and without thinking about it she said, "Devon, let's go out to eat. It would be nice to sit by the river with you."

He agreed with a smile, and so they were at the café by the river and Chris was taking their order when Devon's cell phone rang. It was Elise.

She told Drew she would like to do some shopping for a few things on her own, and they just happened to be close to Greta's restaurant. Drew was in a euphoric state from sucking her blood, and decided to wait in the restaurant as Elise shopped two doors down in a large department store. She was going to come to him when she'd bought a couple of things, and have a meal there. Once in the department store, Elise made sure that Drew hadn't after all followed her, and then she called Devon.

Devon was instantly concerned. He looked at Bliss across the table as he spoke, so that she would know what was going on. She nodded looking concerned.

"Elise, for heaven's sake...how are you? Are you okay? What's happening?"

Devon was shaking his head as he listened, and then he started to speak.

"Elise, you must leave him as soon as you can. Why not do it now? Just go to your car and leave. Don't go to the restaurant. It's foolishness. You can't mean that...you owe him nothing. He hasn't changed he's still a...well a danger." Devon stopped himself saying 'vampire' because Bliss was listening, and making eyes at him to offer support and concern.

When the call ended, Devon shuffled his chair around the table to be close to Bliss.

"Elise has spent the night and today so far unharmed, and actually loved by Drew. She says he does love her even though his methods of seeing her were dubious. She could walk away right now and come back here, but no, she thinks she owes it to him to tell him she's leaving, because, and I don't believe a word of this, but because he seems to have changed now he's with her. She feels he'll let her go because he loves her." He sighed.

Chris brought coffee and melted cheese sandwiches. Devon drank some coffee. Bliss put her hand over his as he put his cup down. She gave him a look of love and understanding.

"Devon, we have to trust she knows what she's doing, after all it's not unlike you and me. If I'd told anyone I was staying with a man I'd only just met and meant to stay for the rest of my life, then maybe they would doubt my wisdom." She saw emotion in his eyes, happiness, hope, and then it changed to worry and he shook his head again.

"It's not like you and me Bliss. Drew can't be trusted. I do like the sound of you staying with me for the rest of your life though that sounds like the best news I've had all week." He smiled a little and Bliss, because she was hungry, cut up her melted cheese sandwich and ate.

Devon watched her and drank his coffee. He leaned over, and kissed her by her ear.

"It's good to see you eat," he said. His overwhelming love for her drowned out the worry he felt for Elise for a few moments, and then he picked up his cell phone and called Erik.

Bliss listened to Devon tell Erik what Elise had said as she finished her sandwich. She noticed Devon wasn't eating again, and realized she hadn't seen him have any of his health shake either that day.

Devon finished talking to Erik and saw Bliss watching.

"Bliss, are you still hungry? I can't face eating my sandwich." He smiled at her. He only ordered it so that she didn't worry.

Bliss shook her head. "No and you need to eat. When did you last eat?"

Devon smiled. "Early this morning at Tara's I had breakfast, I'm fine." He hadn't, but he wanted Bliss to stop worrying. He remembered that tomorrow he needed his medicine. Once again, he considered telling Bliss the whole story. Instead, he asked, "Did you resign from your job Bliss? Are you really going to?"

Bliss was. She was going to do it as soon as they were home again, and she nodded.

"I am, and as soon as we get home." They grinned at each other.

Devon started to think about finding out what Marguerite thought of Elise's call. He also wanted to check in with her, and see if she was okay after her night's ordeal. "Let's go over and see Marguerite when you're ready. I'd like to know that she's none the worse for her escapade."

"Yes let's do that. We can go now if you've finished your coffee." Bliss paid the bill and they walked off across the road to see Marguerite.

### Chapter Fifty

As Elise put her phone away in her bag, she considered doing what Devon said. She ought to walk away now with no goodbye to Drew, but she wanted to finish it gracefully, and hopefully amicably. That might be possible with Drew in this good mood since he had her calming blood within him. As for manipulating him into it, she couldn't do that until her blood wore off. It was a dilemma because either way he might come after her and they would have a battle on their hands. Perhaps it was better to try to end it now whilst he was still influenced by her blood.

She walked to the restaurant having bought underwear in a hurry just to prove her whereabouts. As soon as she was through the door, she realized it was a vampire establishment. She just sensed it, and she sat down at a table near the door because Drew wasn't to be seen. Lance brought her the menu. She looked at it thinking that if Drew didn't materialize in a few minutes she would leave.

Drew was with Greta in her office. He'd drunk two large glasses of the excellent blood she had on offer and was feeling less than calm now. In fact, he felt edgy, ready for more blood, his appetite piqued, he looked through the two-way mirror and saw Elise sitting at a table by the door. He smiled one of his devastating smiles at Greta and left her office, making for Elise at speed.

When he sat next to her, she was surprised. He had appeared from nowhere. He smiled at her, but his smile was duplicitous. Elise knew her blood had worn off or maybe he had drunk it off. Being true to his vampire hunger and drinking human blood would have done it she thought. She wished then she'd driven out of town instead of coming into the restaurant.

He took her hand, and when Lance came to take her order, Drew ordered for her and she felt a little spear of fear go through her heart, because his manner was proprietary and almost menacing. Drew wasn't even as nice as he'd been the night before when she'd first arrived, so what was going on, she asked herself.

Drew held on to Elise. He felt her blood pounding in the pulse of her thumb. He breathed in the scent of her body, and he knew his baser self, had won. He must have lost his grip for a few minutes back at his house he told himself. When she'd eaten, he would take her home, and turn her. He couldn't think why he hadn't done it already.

Elise ate slowly picking at the plate of food. She hadn't eaten since late afternoon the previous day and she was hungry, but each mouthful actually made her feel sick. She put down her fork and tried to find that loving person within Drew she'd known only half an hour ago. She guessed correctly that he'd drunk so much blood a weird chemical reaction was going on within him. Her blood was powerful stuff. Mixed incorrectly it could be dangerous. Maybe he'd calm down later.

Drew was in a hurry now. He showed his impatience, tapping his fingers on the table, and Elise decided to try to escape him. She asked where the restrooms were, and walked in the general direction as Drew stood up and went back to Greta's office. His intention was to have another drink. His thirst was raging sitting opposite the exquisite Elise.

Elise was in a corridor where the doors for both the male and female restrooms were signposted, but also the door to the underground car park was there. It was marked ' _private staff car park'_ , because the corridor and stairs were full of wiring for the closed circuit TV that Greta installed down there, and around the restaurant. The public rarely used her car park and if they did, they had to walk around the outside of her building to come into the restaurant. Elise took the door and ran down the steps. She saw the wiring and junction boxes, but thought it must be simple electricity supplies.

Once in the car park, she started to run along towards the ramp that would lead out to the street. Drew and Greta saw her on the monitors banked along one wall of the office, and Drew sighed. He shook his head at Greta in exasperation. This looked as if Elise had changed her mind about loving him, and he was in no mood to let her. He drained the glass of blood he had in his hand and was after her at top speed. She hadn't even reached the ramp when he caught hold of her.

He hurt her with his vice like grip and she cried out. Drew looked at her unconcerned. She'd brought this on herself in his opinion. "Elise, where are you going? You didn't even finish your food and didn't even say goodbye."

This gave Elise hope that he was about to let her go if she said goodbye, and she tried to speak gently and calmly. "Drew, I was feeling unwell. I just wanted some air. I saw the door and thought it led to outside."

Drew considered this. He looked into her eyes, and it seemed true. He wanted her home now, whatever the reason for her flight, and so he was gentler. He put his arm around her. "I'll take you home if you're unwell."

They had parked Drew's car only a few yards from the restaurant and the store. He'd been nonchalant about parking in a loading bay. He walked her very quickly to the car, almost lifting Elise from her feet a couple of times. He wasn't gentle when he put her in the passenger seat and locked the door, but it took him a split second to be in the driver's seat anyway. So she would have had no chance of escape even if she'd tried to, but Elise had decided to escape another way. When Drew was off guard in his house, she would manipulate his thoughts. There was every chance that would work now he'd filled himself with other blood.

Once in his house with Elise sitting quietly in his kitchen, Drew felt better about everything. She made a cup of tea and was sipping it looking down at the table, her lovely hair falling forward covering her expression. He looked at her delicate hands, with those perfect oval nails. She was lovely, and he suddenly wanted to kiss her again, to have her under his thumb. He knew she liked the way he made love to her. He remembered her sighs of pleasure. His vanity tripped him up and he went to sit by her. "Elise, I'm sorry, we have a misunderstanding. I thought you were leaving me, and I love you so I couldn't bear that." He tried to make things right, just so that it would be easier to trick her into being turned.

Elise looked at him as she put her cup down. She looked kindly at him, and held out her hand to be taken in his. She was also looking for peace between them. "Drew, I told you I love you and I do, it's not changed," _and I fear it never will_ , she added in her mind. Even now when he'd showed his menacing side again, she looked at him and saw a man she felt huge attraction to. His looks excited her. She wanted to kiss him. She saw a man who'd been gentle, loving, and kind to her that morning and she sighed inwardly because it was just an illusion.

Drew leaned over and kissed her. She held his head to hers and kissed him back. It was no hardship. It felt like heaven. For a few seconds she thought about staying with him forever. She banished the thought from her mind with a question, _what did he really want?_

Drew's blood intoxication was wearing off slightly. He wondered if Greta had slipped him something, or if there'd been something wrong with the blood she gave him. At that moment, feeling Elise against his lips, he was saddened that he'd hurt her. Confusion was playing havoc with his intentions and he pulled away from Elise. He stood up. "Elise, I'm going to see some friends. I hope you'll be here when I get back."

Elise had started to manipulate his thoughts, and when she heard him repeat her projected thoughts back to her, she was thankful that it worked this time. He walked to the door and then he shook his head slightly as if clearing his thoughts, and turned to her.

"Just in case you feel the need to leave, I'm sorry, I have to put you somewhere you'll have no choice but to wait for me." He was by her side and carrying her up the stairs at great speed. She saw bookshelves, and then a wall of them swung open and she was deposited quite gently on a sofa in a long thin room. Drew actually kissed her forehead with care and was gone, the wall of books closing behind him.

Elise was at first shocked and then she began to look around. She took her cross body purse, where she kept her small things, from across her body and put it on the sofa. There were no windows. There was a square meshed metal door high up in the wall, and she thought she could feel air coming through it. The sofa was the only thing in the room except for a few stacks of old books in one corner. There seemed to be no way of opening the wall of books that had swung shut, and on closer inspection she found they were false books and the shelf a heavy oak door. It didn't even seem to have a handle or keyhole. She could only imagine how it opened and closed. There must be a remote somewhere. She pushed hard on the door in various spots to try to shift it somehow, but it wouldn't budge. She was imprisoned.

Drew had felt compelled to go and see friends. He was making for Ryan's place when he questioned why he wanted to see him. Instead he turned his car and went to the pub, where after parking, he punched in the pin number to get into the back bar. He looked around as he entered. There were a few familiar faces, and he went to sit with a group of vampires he knew. He would clear his head and then go back to Elise.

Elise sat on the sofa. It was remarkably comfortable and she picked up her bag. She would try to call Devon. She didn't expect to get a signal in the room but to her surprise and joy, she did.

### Chapter Fifty-One

Marguerite saw Devon and Bliss hand in hand crossing the road and now they were coming into her shop. She smiled at them. Devon walked to her and hugged her. He still felt horror at what she'd done even though he'd gone along with it. Bliss followed suit and Marguerite was touched by this. They asked her how she was feeling and she replied truthfully that she was fine, but that she'd heard about Elise and was dismayed by the news.

"I know I feel that way too." Devon had only just told her this when his cell rang again. He widened his eyes at both Bliss and Marguerite as he said, "Hi Elise, what's happening? What?"

After Elise told Devon what happened he said immediately he would come for her. To sit tight, not to anger Drew, try to keep him occupied he advised her.

Bliss took Devon's hand as he pocketed his phone, and glancing at Marguerite with a concerned look she said, "Devon, what's going on, and if you are going after Drew, then I'm coming too. You can't go alone. Marguerite don't you agree?" She glanced at Devon's sister again for support.

Devon sighed. "No Bliss. I go alone this time. If there's no one else in danger then I can get the job done, but when I have to think about others, I can't do the things that need doing. Marguerite, I forbid you to involve yourself this time. Please don't encourage Bliss to either." He was stern. Bliss felt hurt, she only wanted to help him, and she frowned with a silent question in her expression to Marguerite.

Marguerite took up the frown and aimed it at her brother. "Devon, it's natural for us to want to help, and frankly I think you'll need it. I'm convinced I only escaped because Elise must have arrived. That's the only explanation for Drew not charging after me. Also, he's not alone. He has heaps of friends. How do you propose to deal with a whole group of them?" She knew things would be different from what they were twenty years ago when Devon was at the height of his powers.

Bliss took her cell phone out of her bag. "I think it's time to involve the police. I was kidnapped, and now it sounds as if Elise is in danger. I'm calling the police." Bliss had got to the stage any normal person would. Without a full explanation of the situation, who wouldn't decide to involve the law? She thought to herself, _what if Elise is killed or injured. How would it feel to live with that on your conscience?_

Devon snatched her cell phone from her hand and it jarred her wrist, and scared her. She looked at Devon with an expression of surprise, emotional, and physical pain. Marguerite gasped, and then followed that up with, "Devon," in a shocked tone.

Devon was surprised at himself. He was ashamed to have hurt Bliss, and to have reacted as he had, but at the same time he thought, _what else could I do? She can't be allowed to involve the police._

He spoke. "I'm sorry, but it's not a police matter. It's a family matter if the truth was out in the open, and it's not just your average fight. Drew is different. We can't bring the authorities' attention to him, Tara, Jon, and the others, or to me. Marguerite, I forbid you to follow me and, Bliss, you too. I have to say this, if you feel you need to alert the police then you can't be involved with me. Perhaps you should leave here and forget everything about us, about me."

Bliss was shocked and hurt. Tears came to her eyes and she turned away from Devon. Marguerite looked at him with an expression of dismay and anger.

Devon put the cell phone he'd taken away from Bliss onto the counter. He left the shop quickly before he relented, before he took Bliss in his arms and begged forgiveness, before he broke down and asked for help.

Bliss went to Marguerite in tears. Marguerite put her arms around her. "Bliss, I want you to know, he does love you, it's out of concern he did this. I think I'll tell you the whole story and then you can choose what you'll do, but I do have to ask you that if I tell you the story you will absolutely promise never to repeat it to anyone."

****

Devon had tears in his eyes as he drove away. He knew Marguerite would help Bliss, but he felt as if he'd left his heart in that shop. He could picture Bliss, her surprise and the tears in her eyes. He had to go alone and sort this out with Drew.

Drew was after all his brother. He'd been a thorn in Devon's side since Drew realized that, as the youngest twin by only twenty minutes, he was considered by his father, not as an heir to the huge Ruthin estates, but as someone who might become a professional of some kind, or clergy perhaps.

It had happened when they were about eight years old. Marguerite, their older sister by two years had always tried to broker peace between the brothers. It was useless because Drew didn't want peace he wanted retribution. Devon never offered anything other than equality to Drew, but as they grew up, he became increasingly aware that Drew was out for his demise. Drew wanted the estates not equally shared, but as his own, because somehow he'd allowed his bitterness to twist his moral compass. He wanted Devon out of the way.

When they were cornered, outwitted, and physically outnumbered at the theatre, waking up as vampires, he blamed Devon. Devon had as usual been after some girl and this is what had happened.

Devon knew it was true. He had been after a girl. He loved girls. He loved everything about them. He loved his sister and his mother, and to him all women were lovely. They were lovely, warm, intelligent, and there for him. He was very attractive, and because he loved women, they loved him. He treated them well, although he never promised anything, although he didn't stay faithful, and yet they still loved him.

Drew as handsome, and perhaps even more so with his long dark hair and dashing manners, still couldn't compete. His bitterness gave him an air of arrogance and entitlement, and often he was ignored. It made things worse.

Devon made sure his brother was given a fair share as soon as he could. Drew was given half of the land and houses. He had money, but funnily enough, it made no difference. Drew wanted what Devon had, and in fact, Drew wanted to be Devon.

Devon filled up his car at the petrol station on the outskirts of his hometown and headed out to the market town where Drew lived. He wiped a tear from his cheek that had trickled down as he pictured Bliss again in the shop when he snatched her phone. It didn't register that he could cry now.

****

Marguerite took Bliss across the road to the café and they sat down for tea. Like Devon, she could drink certain liquids.

She looked at Bliss intently. "Do you promise not to repeat anything I say should you decide against staying with us Bliss? It's a matter of life and death, Devon's life and death." She added this to make certain Bliss had a stake in keeping the secret.

Bliss realized then the situation was worse than she already thought it was. She would never want anything other than safety for Devon, and she took a deep breath before she answered.

"Marguerite, although I was hurt by Devon snatching my phone, it was really nothing. He didn't hurt me on purpose. His fingers never touched mine, just the phone. The shock came because we were only just wrapped around each other making love, and he seemed to change so suddenly into a harsh person I had no idea about. I know he loves me. I want to help him. I will never do anything to hurt or put him in danger, but you're right I have to know what's going on. I promise not a word will come out of my mouth to anyone else ever."

Marguerite knew that Bliss meant this. She could see it in her expression, and she began to tell her the story. Bliss heard that the circle of friends surrounding Devon were ancient people. Descendants of even more ancient people, and some kind of relatives of a magical people she knew nothing about, Tuatha, Marguerite called them. With knowledge of magic, possessing powers, but unable to kill, sworn to heal what they could, and how they helped Devon. Not witches, as Drew thought, but more like demi-gods. Bliss was astounded. When Marguerite told her how she and Devon had become and used to be vampires. She felt as if she might be dreaming. She kept listening without a word, except that here and there she would gasp, or murmur an 'oh' sound. Marguerite got to the part about Drew still being a vampire and Bliss had to hold onto her hand. Marguerite stopped in her story and asked Bliss if she was okay.

Bliss nodded. "I am. It's just such an incredible tale and suddenly everything makes sense. You know though, Marguerite, it's what I came looking for. A special relationship. Someone who loves me. Something out of the ordinary, like in the books I read."

Marguerite ordered more tea from Chris who was hovering nearby and then went on with the story.

### Chapter Fifty-Two

Drew was in the back bar of the pub and as he sat there he considered what had happened to him. He couldn't remember why he wanted to come out here to see friends when he had Elise at home. It was weird. He hadn't taken a drink because he was no longer hungry. He stood up and took his leave of the group. When he was out in the late afternoon sun, he walked pensively to his car, and drove home to her, feeling a little burnt.

Elise sat in the long thin room. She'd tried all the walls and nothing would shift. She picked up one of the old books off the stack and started to look through it. It was a book about the history of the town. There were old photographs of the town, which were fascinating for Elise. She looked at these pictures, but stopped after a few minutes. The thought that now she'd brought Devon into danger made her sigh. She felt sick again. What had she been thinking of? Now she regretted everything. She started to plan what she could do to influence Drew the next time he opened the door to this room.

Drew did not intend to open the door, and when he got home, he went to his study and started playing a video game.

****

Bliss had heard what was close to their whole story from Marguerite, and was sitting thinking about it drinking another cup of tea. She considered two things, she loved Devon no matter what he was, and the other, he was driving into danger. She looked at Marguerite and thought _my god I'm sitting with a former vampire. I have been making love with a former vampire. I was kidnapped by a real vampire. Is this real, or did I fall asleep reading that book and am about to wake up any minute?_ The tea in front of her was hot. She took a drink of it, and it burned her mouth. It shook her up. This wasn't a dream and Devon was in danger. How was he going to fight a real vampire when he wasn't one any longer? Bliss could picture Devon looking at her with love. She could almost feel his kiss, and she wanted him with her.

"Marguerite, we have to go after Devon and help him. Don't you agree? We can't let him do this alone. Maybe we should go to the Elders, Tara, Jon, Erik, whoever, and ask them for help." Bliss looked desperately at Marguerite, but Marguerite was shaking her head.

"Not yet Bliss, we have to give him a chance to sort it out. He'll be furious if we put ourselves in danger."

Bliss frowned. "I can't believe that people as powerful as the Elders, some ancient race of demi-gods, are so calm when one of their own members, Elise, is in danger. They have these extensive rules and can't hurt or kill, and yet what they don't do could lead to that, could lead to someone being hurt or killed." Bliss couldn't find enough words to describe what she thought and felt.

Marguerite understood. "I know what you're trying to say. The thing is Bliss they have to let people make their own choices too, even their own people to a certain extent. They do have rules and I know they sometimes doubt themselves, but they need to stay hidden. They need to let the world go on around them. They say their time has passed and all they can do is avert trouble when it comes to them. Saffron told me that once upon a time they were part of big trouble, warfare, taking over lands and people, in the belief that their religion was the best, their philosophy, their rule. They don't want to go back to that even if it was in ancient times."

Bliss accepted what Marguerite said, but put a caveat on it. "Please Marguerite, if we don't hear from Devon that's things are okay in a couple of hours, let's go after him, you and I, without bringing the Elders into it."

Marguerite nodded. "I want you to know two other things. Devon doesn't know exactly what the Elders are. He thinks he will revert to being a vampire without their medicines. The truth is he will die, unless another vampire turns him back," and she hesitated continuing more softly, "Into a vampire again."

Bliss frowned. "Why do the Elders keep it a secret that they're demi-gods? Why haven't they told him the truth about what would happen to him?" She was mystified. What possible difference could it make to Devon what they were?

Marguerite sighed. "They don't tell anyone what they are unless asked directly. I asked. He didn't. I asked about what would happen if we stopped having the medicine. Devon didn't. He was just so intent on not being a vampire ever again. Which is interesting since it was me who set us on that path to begin with twenty years ago. I think Devon loves the Elders and all their community so much that he doesn't want to question them. It's surprising what we do for love, and to belong somewhere, to feel as if somewhere and amongst some people we are let's say, at home. I didn't tell him what I discovered because I didn't want him to know about how he might become a vampire again, not because I don't trust him, it's just, well I thought the less he knew, the better. He seemed so happy with what he did know and has made a good life here. I wanted that to continue for him. I didn't want him in danger. What if he decided he needed to go off and eradicate all vampires just in case one came along, and turned him back? It's not inconceivable."

Bliss was still frowning. How complex this all was, and yet what a classic example of the predicaments people got themselves into for love, for companionship, for that sense of belonging. She thought about the Greek myths and other legends she'd studied in university. They were full of stories detailing the gods falling from grace. There was some sort of parallel here, but she didn't know what. She drank the remains of her cup of tea.

"Devon hasn't eaten since dawn, and now he's gone off to face Drew, who is a vampire and the only creature that might wreck Devon's life. Does that sound like a scene from a movie because it sure sounds like one to me? This is the part where the lovely Devon gets turned back into the thing he dreads. To hell with all of it. I'm going to Tara. I know she loves Devon. I want a magic spell or something against Drew, or I'm going after Devon. I love him. He's what I want. I was desperate for love when I met him and I can't go back to that desperation in much the same way as he can't go back to being a vampire."

Marguerite shook her head and looked down at her own tea, cold now in the cup, she picked it up and swirled it around a little. Bliss realized Marguerite might be considering joining her and she asked, "Marguerite the lands and estates that belong to the Ruthin family, were they extensive? Is that why Drew calls Devon the 'prince of darkness,' are you all some old royalty?"

Marguerite suddenly smiled and then laughed a little.

"Not royalty, but aristocracy of the time, well still, yes the estates are extensive. Drew calls Devon the 'prince of darkness' because he was a terrible vampire, an extraordinary killer. He was the leader of the community of vampires, and he was deadly. He also did it as a taunt because of Devon's title, Lord Devon Raphael Ruthin, as he's an earl, not that Drew doesn't have a title and me too, I have one."

Bliss looked quizzically at Marguerite. "You know they're nothing alike. I guess they are fraternal twins."

Marguerite nodded. "Devon looks like our mother, and Drew looks like our father. Well...when they were alive."

Bliss looked away from Marguerite to the small river running past them, and the bridge. She watched the traffic stop at the lights for the oncoming cars to drive over it. She remembered how Devon had been at the lights in the old truck. She thought about him pacing in his garden the night they first made love and she pictured his dark eyes, gray or blue.

"Marguerite, what color are Devon's eyes?" she asked, turning back to Devon's sister. Marguerite gave the slightest shrug.

"They change. It's about his food the Elders make for him and for me. Sometimes we get extra abilities from it. For instance, I have the ability to move small objects with my mind sometimes. Other times I feel as if I can actually know what a person is thinking. It's never totally clear. It's the food though I do know that."

Bliss was intrigued. "What's it made from? Magical potions?"

Marguerite found the amusing side of the wide-eyed look on Bliss's face. She grinned. "I think so. It's instead of blood you know. Sorry about keeping up the pretense about Devon having an exclusion diet."

Bliss was nodding then shook her head. "But that's what it is, Marguerite, it excludes human blood."

They looked at each other and a strong bond formed between them. Marguerite took Bliss by the hand. "I know Devon loves you. Is it going to be okay? You do still love him as much as ever? He was afraid to tell you about himself, sorrowful, and afraid you would leave him." Bliss looked tearfully at Marguerite then because of Devon's sadness. He'd changed from being a true vampire, and that in itself was remarkable.

She picked up her bag and took out her cell phone. It was six o'clock. Devon might not have reached the town where Drew lived yet. He'd been gone nearly half an hour. She called him. His phone went to message, and she left him one. _'Devon I know what you were and it doesn't matter. I love you, and I'm coming after you'_.

She turned to Marguerite. "Will you take me back to Devon's place so I can collect my own car?"

Marguerite sighed. "I'm coming after him with you."

They only stopped for Bliss to get her car keys. Marguerite had keys to Devon's house, and Bliss grinned at this because she didn't, and hadn't thought about how she would get in. Bliss looked into the fridge and got the last container of Devon's food. They were on the road in minutes.

### Chapter Fifty-Three

Devon had just reached the edge of the town where Drew lived. He'd made good time and now slowed a little to keep within the speed limit. He felt a little light headed and put it down to stress. This was going to be a horrible business. He knew where Drew lived because the Elders had told him when they all sat around talking that morning. He found it easily and parked outside on the street where the front door was.

He thought there was nothing for it. He had to confront Drew. He got out of his car, took the few steps to the front door at a pace, and rang the bell.

Drew heard the bell. He'd heard the car stop too, but he didn't expect it to be Devon at the door. He was thinking it was probably Maryanne back for something. Probably to check if she was still allowed to live there, since now he had Elise. When he opened the door, he stood stock still looking at Devon in surprise.

"Hello Devon, to what do I owe this visit? Oh wait, let me guess, you've come for Elise. You just can't lose out to your little brother when it comes to a woman can you?" He opened the door wider to let Devon in and Devon walked in.

Devon noticed they were in a wide hall and followed Drew into a kitchen. Drew went to the fridge and took out a carafe of blood. He poured a glass, and then he began to pour one for Devon.

Devon spoke.

"Not for me Drew. I only just ate, on the way here." He wanted to keep up this civility until he knew where Elise was.

Drew looked speculatively at Devon. Something was wrong here. There was no smell, or sense of vampire from Devon.

"Did you come here expecting me to be out Devon? I think those witches you hang out with gave you some kind of potion to mask you from me?" He saw Devon frown slightly and there was just the tiniest shake of his head too.

Drew was a predator and he pounced on the slight hesitation.

"They do know you're here? Why do you hang out with them, is it the women? I know they're beautiful, but really Devon, consorting with witches just for sex."

Devon took no notice of the taunts.

"Yes Drew, it's the women," he said smiling. "But not Elise, she's just a friend and I came to find out if she's with you because she's disappeared, no one knows where. You answered that question for me anyway, so she's here then?"

Drew grinned. "She is, she loves me, and I love her. You've lost out to me this time."

"Could I just see her, Drew...check on her safety...that's all I ask."

Devon intended a surprise attack on Drew just as soon as he saw Elise and knew her to be safe. It was all he could think of to do.

Drew considered this request, looking at Devon's expression with a smile on his own face, he was thinking, this would be a great way of trapping Devon, but he would need to be quick about it. He also thought this might be some kind of trap for himself. A surprise attack by Devon, but at the same time, he thought that Devon was chancing it on his own. There was a good possibility he could be killed or injured. The funniest thing was they might kill each other. _A fight to the death, how noble,_ Drew thought _, and all for love_. Drew suddenly became bored with it, and he stopped smiling. "She's in the library. I'll take you there."

Drew was planning to open the door to the secret room and Devon would rush to Elise then he would close the door on them both. He realized it was a long shot and that Devon might not fall for this, but he was willing to give it a go. As he approached the library, he planned his moves.

Devon wasn't taken in by Drew's apparent compliance. He expected treachery from Drew at any second, and was watching for other vampires suddenly jumping him. When they reached the library unscathed, he was surprised. He followed Drew inside and looked around. It seemed to be just an ordinary library. There was no sign of Elise, and he asked, "Where is she Drew?"

Drew shook his head. "Patience brother, she's here in safety, in my little safe room." He went to what looked like a bookshelf to Devon and pressed one of the books inwards. The shelf began to move aside, and Drew pressed the book again to stop the mechanism. Not even a yard of space was there to get through, and despite his suspicions, Devon called out, "Elise," and looked into the room.

Elise got up from the sofa and was almost running to the end of the room where the gap had opened up. She called out "Devon," and Devon stepped into the gap, looking at Elise as she hurried towards him.

It was a foolish thing to do, and he regretted a second later, but he did it right then because Elise sounded frantic as she called his name. Drew gave him a colossal push and he fell through into the room, swiftly, with all that was left of his vampire speed, he was up and turning, but the bookshelf was already sliding closed. At first, he tried to stop it. He got through the gap because of his speed, but it closed before Elise could follow. She had her hand through, but retracted it as the shelf door closed.

Devon was furious. He turned to Drew. "Drew, what was that about? You have her captive don't you and you tried to get me too?" He advanced on Drew who was slightly faster than he was, and had disappeared out of the library. Devon got to the door and then realized he could try to free Elise from the secret room. He went back to the shelf and held several of the books trying to push them in as he had seen Drew do, but nothing happened. He had only taken seconds to do this, but in sheer frustration groaned as he thought about the time wasted, and where Drew would have got to by now.

He ran out of the library and down the stairs. He tried to hear Drew, but his vampire hearing wasn't so good that day, and he couldn't locate him. Devon stopped at the bottom of the last flight of stairs and tried to sense Drew. He could do this, and he realized Drew was behind the drawing room door. There must be some reason why Drew was standing still there. Devon guessed it was to surprise him as he walked in the room.

He called out. "Come on Drew, we're not boys anymore, let's talk about this whole thing. What's really going on? Is it about the estates again? I thought we were all squared on that? If it's about Elise, I came to check if she was safe. I'm not her lover if that's what you think. Is it money? We can talk about it. Drew, Drew, come on act like a grown up." Devon was starting to feel very annoyed. _Should he just storm through the door?_

Drew was hoping Devon would storm through the door. He had a sword in his hand, and he would behead Devon, that would solve all his problems.

****

Bliss and Marguerite were on their way to Drew's place. They were almost half an hour's journey away and had come alone, without telling the Elders. Bliss was speeding. Her Jeep was powerful and easy to handle, and the only problem would be traffic. Marguerite told Bliss more of their story as they drove along, about how she and Devon had slowly built up their lives with the _beings_ over the last twenty years. Bliss smiled. "That's what you call them? _The beings_."

Marguerite smiled too, but then said a little sadly, "Devon does."

****

In the town they were headed for, Drew answered Devon. "Okay we'll talk come and sit down with me."

Devon was irritated. This was like a childhood game Drew had often turned into something unpleasant. He couldn't trust him and he was tired of it. He ran with all his speed and strength at the door, slamming it back and into Drew. Drew was gripping the sword with his enormous vampire strength. It didn't shatter, nor was it driven back hilt first into him. It penetrated the door and went into Devon at lower chest height. The effect was bizarre as it pinned Devon there on the door like a butterfly in a collection.

Devon was stunned first by the pain, and then by the incident itself. He thought he could wrench himself free. Although Drew was thrown back by the door and slammed into the wall, he was old and fully vampire. He rebounded immediately. He saw the sword had gone through the door and would have pulled it back out to use on Devon had he not heard Devon's groan of pain. Drew ran around to see Devon pinned on the door and laughed aloud. He slapped Devon on the back. "Well done Devon."

The slap drove Devon a little further onto the sword and he felt weak. He was bleeding, and he vaguely noticed his blood smelt a little of honey. It reminded him of how his food sometimes smelled. He hadn't thought he would be so weakened already, but he was. Maybe it was because he hadn't eaten or because it was time for his medicine, but the wound had debilitated him. The sword had gone through his body, and he was in shock.

Drew laughed again. "What's happened to you? I expected you to put up more of a fight, and your strength, it's diminished over the years. I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with those witches you're hanging out with Devon."

Devon closed his eyes. He felt dreadful. Maybe the sword had got him near the heart. His mouth was dry and he slumped slightly even though it hurt as he did so. It made the wound wider. He tried to push himself back off the sword, but he didn't have the strength.

Drew watched. He sniffed. "I think you're done for brother. What a disappointment. I thought it would take more than this to finish you." Drew disappeared as Devon closed his eyes leaning against the door with the sword doing more damage, and more blood seeped from the wound.

Elise saw the shelf door opening again and went quickly to it. She was pushing through the gap, and Drew caught hold of her by the neck. He immediately bit her low on the soft part of her shoulder taking a good drink, and then stopped, leaning away with her blood in his mouth as he savored the taste. Elise was struggling, but he held her fast. He swallowed. It would take more than this to turn her, and he decided he would do that in peace away from Devon's death throes.

He picked her up, and they were down in his garage before she could think straight. The bite hurt and she knew her mind manipulation wouldn't work on Drew whilst he had her blood in him. He pushed her into his car. "Elise, Devon is dead, well almost. It will be best if you don't try to escape me. You have to know I could kill you in seconds if I wanted."

Elise crumpled in the passenger seat. Her heart was filled with sadness. Devon was near death? This was her fault. The others will be devastated. She'd caused his death. Her thoughts tumbled around. She was distraught. Drew was getting into his side of the car. He wasn't expecting trouble from Elise, and she wasn't going to give it. She was ashamed and thought only of Devon.

"Drew, I promise not to leave you. I'll come with you wherever you want, live here with you, but please let me just see Devon. It's just that I knew him for the last twenty years. Drew, please just let me say goodbye." She offered her face to him, and then her neck as if for a kiss, or to be bitten, and she could see Drew thinking. He was at first suspicious, and then because her blood was working in him just as it had in bed earlier that day, he became slightly kinder. He kissed her lips, and then put his mouth to where he'd bitten her and sucked a little.

He was smiling as he moved back from her. "I'm not a monster, Elise. I'm a gentleman. I'll let you say goodbye." He dragged her out of the car again and was inside the house in a flash. He felt good. It was the taste of her blood, he thought, and he decided against turning her right away after all. He would keep her the way she was for a while. A few weeks and have this lovely blood on tap he decided.

When Elise saw Devon pinned to the door, she was frantic.

"Drew, please get him down. He's dead or dying. Get him down please, Drew," and she looked at Drew with tears in her eyes. She put her hand up to his face, a gesture designed to make him think she loved him, and was begging too. Drew liked it. He effortlessly pulled Devon off the sword, and Devon bled freshly as he was almost tossed onto his back on the floor by Drew.

Elise bent over Devon. He was trying to speak, and he whispered _Bliss_. Elise put her fingers into the bite on her shoulder, and she felt her own blood there. As her long hair covered the action, she took blood from her shoulder wound, and smeared it onto Devon's lips. He felt the moisture on his lips, and because he was so thirsty, he licked the blood off, not knowing what it was. Elise wanted to make sure. She did it again, squeezing her own wound, and wiping the new finger full of blood across his lips. Devon licked it up.

Drew hadn't even been watching. He was taking money from a drawer in the bureau. He took out his cell phone and called Maryanne. "Maryanne, yes, I have a body here at home that I need you to dispose of. I'll pay you this time, after all, I've just doubled my wealth, and I'm feeling generous. I'll be gone for an hour, get over here and clean up the mess, a couple of hundred will be on the coffee table for you."

Elise stood, turned, and looked mournfully at Drew. "I think he's dead. Can we leave now, just go somewhere away from this carnage, and be together, Drew?"

Drew was pleased. He took her hand and led her at normal speed down to his car. He threw a wad of money on the coffee table as he passed.

As the house door closed behind him, he smiled at Elise. "There now, everything will be fine. I'm taking you over to Greta's place." He held the car door open for her and she got in. As she sat down he kissed her forehead and then he licked the remaining blood from her shoulder.

### Chapter Fifty-Four

Drew and Elise were on the way to Greta's place as Devon started to feel better.

Not rapidly, but little by little, his wound stopped bleeding. His pain was less, and he had started to breathe more normally. He opened his eyes. He was by no means healed, but he knew he was no longer dying. He looked at the sword still sticking out of the door where he'd been impaled and the blood on the door there. He lay there on the floor just trying to recuperate a little more.

It was only five minutes later that Bliss and Marguerite arrived at Drew's house. Marguerite, who knew the garage entrance, directed Bliss to park a little way down the road from it. They walked quickly back and Marguerite looked hopefully at Bliss. "Drew's favorite car has gone, perhaps he's not in. It's odd he hasn't closed the garage door."

They went into the garage. The heavy, oak, house door was closed, and Marguerite tried it. It was locked. She grimaced at Bliss. They were taking huge chances, but she looked around. There were some tools on hangers on the garage walls, but they looked flimsy. What she hoped for was a tire iron. She was in luck. A large, lethal looking tire iron was just to be seen shoved under an empty wine box. Marguerite knew that her remaining strength and that tool would get them through the door. She picked it up and levered the lock from the door. First the key lock, and then the dead lock, easy she thought. Bliss watched. "Wow Marguerite you are strong I wouldn't have been able to do that," she said, and then she opened her eyes wider. "Oh, it's because you still have some vampire strength."

They were in the house, and Marguerite was treading softly, but leading Bliss quickly along. She couldn't sense any vampires, but not trusting that she would be able to, she was scanning the stairs and listening as well as she could.

They reached the entrance to the drawing room through which Marguerite had previously escaped, and she carefully opened the door. Bliss was alongside her, and they both saw Devon lying there at the far end near the other door. Bliss was running forward to him and calling his name before Marguerite could do anything. Bliss cradled his head. She was about to cry, but Devon whispered.

"Bliss, I'm okay, I think. I need to try to stand. We need to go before Drew gets back...before any of his vampire friends get here." Devon hadn't heard Drew call Maryanne, but it stood to reason in his mind that one of them could front up at any time.

Marguerite was by his side. She took in the sight of the sword, and looked now at Devon's chest wound. It was bad, and she thought he was lucky not to be dead. She helped him up. He was unsteady on his feet, and they slowly made their way to the garage. They were only seconds from getting out onto the street. Maryanne, driving her new lover's station wagon, pulled into the garage, cutting off their easy access past the other vehicle parked in there. She was out of the car in a split second, and confronted the three.

"What's going on?" She was racing at them, and then suddenly she froze. She stood still, an expression of confusion on her face.

Marguerite took advantage of this and dragged Devon along past the other car. She couldn't risk simply picking him up and leaping with him. The idea of staying hidden was impressed upon her psyche by the _beings_. Bliss had to let go of Devon's body, but reached for his hand, her other arm held high with the little gold bracelet up there repelling Maryanne. Bliss didn't know this. All she knew was that they needed to get Devon to her car. They were on the street and nearly there. Devon was stumbling, but smiling. "I'm getting better," he said. Bliss pressed the unlock button on her key and Marguerite shoved Devon up onto the back seat. He let himself lie there, and then he saw the container of his food at eye level in one of the mid-section cup holders. He reached for it, and as Bliss started the engine, and drove away, he got the top off the flask and drank the food.

Marguerite who was in the passenger seat turned to see Devon drinking his food. She knew this would help him greatly.

"We did well bringing the food, it will help Devon, but what do you suppose stopped that vampire from getting closer? It was as if she was frozen there in the garage."

Bliss turned the corner of the street. She would have liked to drive away faster, but there was lots of traffic, and a road crossing now where she had to stop for pedestrians. "God only knows Marguerite, but I'm relieved she was frozen. Do you know who she is?"

Marguerite nodded as she said Maryanne's name. Devon was sitting up. He looked so much better that Bliss was shocked as she turned briefly, feeling his hand on her shoulder. He had his car keys in his hand. "Please stop just after the crossing and we can get my car. It's outside the front of Drew's place."

Marguerite burst out laughing. "You surely don't think you're driving home Devon. Can't it wait?"

Devon persisted. "No you drive it...come on, I don't want it left here."

Bliss grinned. Somehow, she understood. She brought the Jeep to a stop by Devon's car and Marguerite leapt out. She got into Devon's car and had it started quickly, driving away from the curb in front of Bliss with a squeal. A car behind Bliss tooted the horn, but Bliss was already moving, and they were on their way home.

****

Maryanne was now inside Drew's house considering what to do. She'd been surprised by her inability to move as she tried to confront the people in the garage, one of whom was Marguerite, but now she decided she didn't care. She looked around. There was no sign of a body. Drew hadn't said who the body had been, and she saw the mess in the drawing room. She also saw the wad of money on the coffee table and put that in her bag.

It took her three minutes at her top speed to wash everything down satisfactorily. She pulled the sword from the door and washed that. It had a place on the far wall, and she put it back there. She looked at the slight stain left on the parquet floor and the broken wood of the door. Maryanne considered leaving it, but she gave the wooden floor an extra vampire scrub. It lost its shine and color, but the blood was gone along with a top layer of wood. The door was another matter. She pressed the splinters in. Too bad, she thought, and left it. She put the cleaning materials away and went back down to the garage. The house door here was a mess too she thought, and pushed the locks back into place. They wouldn't work, but she could lock the garage and that would have to do. She used the spare remote to lock the garage and then walked around and posted it through Drew's mail slot in his front door.

Maryanne smiled a little to herself. There'd been five hundred dollars on the coffee table and she didn't have to go to the foundry after all. Perhaps Drew had dealt with the body, and he just wanted the place cleaned up. That sword in the door was hilarious she thought, as she took the turning back to the town where she now lived with her new lover. She was through with Drew. She probably would buy a new cell phone, that way he couldn't call her. She smiled again at this thought.

### Chapter Fifty-Five

Drew had Elise by the hand and was taking her into Greta's restaurant by the staff stairs. He stopped just before they pushed through the swing doors and kissed her. Elise tried to look happy and carefree. She was understandably neither. Her shoulder hurt, and she wished she'd brought a few things with her. She could make a lotion to help her shoulder if she had access to certain herbs and honey, but she had little hope of that happening. She looked down at her blood stained jeans and shirt. She felt desperation rising within her as Drew led her into Greta's office. It would be the worse for her if Drew drank human blood right now. The mix with her blood would cause him to turn nasty again.

Greta looked up from her kindle. She wasn't pleased to have to stop reading the book. It was science fiction one of her favorite genres. "Drew, what's up?" She asked, attempting a light tone, but failing, as she sounded displeased to Elise.

Drew didn't notice. He was feeling euphoric, and smiled at Greta.

"I'd like to borrow your house for an hour Greta. A cleaning job is going on in my own, and Elise needs to rest. Then I'm thinking of taking a few days down on the coast in my apartment. Elise and I can get to know each other afresh."

Greta would have liked to say that Elise needed a cleaning job too, but instead she walked over to her bag, and tossed Drew a bunch of keys.

"If you can drop them back, Drew, before midnight preferably."

Drew caught the keys and smiled again. He took Elise by the arm and walked her out of the office. Elise was thankful he hadn't been offered a drink by Greta, and meekly allowed herself to be maneuvered back out to the car park. Greta lived only a five-minute drive from her restaurant in a large, refurbished, period house. When they arrived and parked in the drive, Elise looked with surprise at the house. The vampires were certainly not impoverished she thought. Drew was around her side of the car and opening her door very quickly. He helped her out gallantly, acting like a lover. When he took her hand to walk to the front door, he kissed it. Elise found herself thinking that if Drew was always like this it might not be so bad living with him.

Inside the house was comfortable, and surprisingly cozy. There were fresh flowers in the hall and in the living room where Drew took her. The whole place was light and airy. The windows of the living room were large and opened onto a garden. They were tinted, but still allowed a lot of light in. Drew gently pressed Elise down into an armchair, which was covered in a cotton fabric with large pink roses twining around it.

Elise pushed her hair back from her face and sighed.

"I wish I'd brought more clothes, Drew. I feel a mess."

Drew looked at her as if he hadn't noticed the blood and the mess she was in before then. He frowned in sympathy. "Elise, you're always beautiful to me, but yes, let's find you some things. Greta has heaps of clothes, and I think Pearl's left some stuff stashed here too."

He took Elise upstairs to a large bedroom with a dressing room at one end and an en suite bathroom at the other. Opening the dressing room door he wandered in and started rifling through the clothes hanging on the rails. Elise didn't know if it was appropriate to take another woman's things, but she needed something. Drew brought her a simple shift dress in deep violet. It looked expensive and was surely too small for the very tall Greta. Maybe it belonged to this Pearl that Drew referred to.

He held it against Elise. "Yes, this one will be good," and he gave it to her, and then continued looking at the clothes. He brought a short red dress with long sleeves that had a skirt cut on the bias and swished as he brought it to her on the hanger. Then he brought a long white shirt and dark gray double-breasted coat.

He smiled clearly pleased with himself. "They won't miss these clothes. They're lovely, unworn and I think you'll make them lovelier." He took Elise in his arms and kissed her lovingly. Elise was surprised into responding, and to her mortification she started to enjoy the kiss, and held him too, with the clothes still in her hands.

He took them from her and laid them on the bed. He took her to the shower and started to undress her, it wasn't long before they were making love.

****

Bliss was driving fast behind Marguerite, who was breaking the speed limit in Devon's huge, dark blue, Landrover.

Devon was sitting up now and inspecting his wound.

"Unbelievably I seem to be healing...well the wound is looking better, the food helped me, but I can't believe it. I think I must retain some of the spontaneous healing powers I had. Though I'd have expected to have to ice the wound and go to Tara for some kind of dressing." He hadn't thought about Bliss knowing what he used to be, and he hadn't known about her message. So now he looked at her in the driving mirror alarmed at what he'd said because it bordered on total confession.

Bliss glanced at him, but only for a second.

"Devon, I know what you were, Marguerite, has told me everything, and I still love you, so don't be afraid you said too much."

Devon sighed deeply. "I wish I'd told you, but I was so afraid that you'd be shocked, scared, incredulous, and leave me. It's not an everyday story, but I wish I'd the courage to tell you myself. What must you think of me?" Devon sighed again, and wished he was in the seat next to Bliss.

He was thinking about Drew too. He didn't think Drew would come after him, but then again, maybe Drew would when he discovered that the body was gone. He thought about Elise whose face he'd seen hovering in front of his dying eyes. _What happened then that he started to get better? Could it have something to do with Elise? What was that idea Drew had about her being a witch? Could all the beings be witches?_ He leaned forward to Bliss now and touched her shoulder gently.

"Bliss, have you any idea why Drew calls, Elise, and her kind witches? It's just that I think she might have done something to save me, and it might have been magic." He knew Drew had told Bliss they were witches, and maybe Drew had said more.

Bliss sighed, she didn't know if she should be telling anyone what Marguerite had told her, not even Devon. What if those demi-god people just didn't want him to know? Was it her secret to tell? She cleared her throat and was silent for a minute. Devon kissed her cheek and leaned back. He put his seatbelt on.

Bliss came to a decision. "Marguerite knows what they are, Elise, and the rest, she told me and swore me to secrecy, and I have to ask you the same, never let anyone know."

Devon smiled wryly. "Bliss, I've lived with them, been saved by them for twenty years, how would I ever do them harm by telling their secret?"

"I know except that I had to say, because I swore never to tell anyone. You may or may not be amongst the 'anyone' Marguerite referred to. They aren't witches. They're some ancient relatives of even more ancient peoples, and they're demi-gods. They save you yes as long as you take their medicine and food, but if you stop, you will die. My best guess is that Elise told Drew she was a witch to hide what she really is. He knows about her powers. Marguerite told me all about the barn incident and the last twenty years you've both lived amongst the Elders. She's told me everything Devon. All about them, and how she sometimes has a few extra powers, as well as her remaining vampire powers, in the first few hours after eating, or having the medicine. Maybe Elise thought that Drew might be more likely to leave the Elders alone if he thought they were witches. Who knows? Drew is a strange person, er, I mean vampire."

Devon listened to what Bliss said and realized it all made sense. The pieces fit, except that Drew was disparaging of the Elders, in his belief they were witches. It was all speculation. He wanted to call Elise, ask her if she was okay, and ask where she was. He'd made a hash of rescuing her. He'd fallen into the trap of thinking about Drew as his brother and how they behaved growing up. Now he realized Drew was just out to get him, and had left him for dead. It wasn't a nice feeling. He'd always known Drew wasn't brotherly, but to want him dead? He hadn't really internalized that. Even when he'd threatened to kill Drew, he hadn't really meant it. He knew that now. He thought for another couple of minutes, and then told Bliss.

"I want to call Elise. I have to know how she is. I feel as if I've totally messed up this last day or so. I've not been thinking straight, and I realize too that maybe this twenty years has put me totally out of touch with Drew, you know the way he thinks and acts. I was shocked that he really did want me dead."

Bliss was saddened. She wanted to hug him, and she answered. "Devon, don't call Elise, call Marguerite, there are services in half a mile. I just saw the sign, let's stop and have coffee and regroup. I don't think Drew is chasing after you. He had gone Devon and left you dying."

Devon called Marguerite. Her cell went to message because she'd just hopped in the car and driven off without putting her phone on hands free. Now she glanced at the screen. It was a message. Maybe it was important she reasoned, and seeing the services signposted, she indicated, and drove onto the side road that led there.

Bliss knew Marguerite hadn't answered and quickly smiled through the driving mirror at him. "She's guessed," Bliss said.

### Chapter Fifty-Six

They followed Marguerite into the car park area, which was very full of travelers taking a break. Some were sitting next to their cars on the grassy areas eating sandwiches in the late evening sun before it went down. Others had left the car for the lure of hot food within the cafés and shops that made up the whole services complex.

Bliss got out of her Jeep and went to Marguerite who wound down her window.

"Devon tried to call you. We thought maybe we could get some coffee and talk quickly. He's asking to call Elise, but I'm not sure he should yet."

Marguerite nodded. "Okay, I agree." She got down from Devon's car and stretched her arms in the air. "I didn't get the seat close enough when I set off and now I feel achy. The whole thing, seeing Devon the way he was, I couldn't think straight."

They both went over to Devon who was sitting in the back of Bliss's car looking out of the window like a captive.

Bliss opened the door and smiled at him. "You look so much better." She put her arms around his neck and brought his head to hers, kissing his cheeks and lips.

Devon took the affection and then said, "I don't feel I can appear in public covered in blood."

Bliss looked down at the mess his clothes were in, and then at Marguerite. "Very often these places have shops that sell clothes, T-shirts at least. I'll go get you something. Marguerite how about you stay with Devon?"

Marguerite nodded, but then said, "Why not just get us some coffee and bring it out here. We'll skip going inside. I don't want to be too long away anyway. Let's get home and tell the others what happened."

Bliss nodded in agreement. She picked up her bag from the passenger seat. "Devon, will you sit beside me for the rest of the journey? I need to feel you closer to me."

Devon smiled at her. "I've been thinking that myself," he said softly.

When Bliss had walked off to get the coffee Marguerite looked intently at Devon.

"Are you really okay, is that wound healing?"

Devon grimaced. "Yes, I'm so lucky you came along, but I was telling Bliss I think somehow Elise did something for me before she went with Drew. I remember seeing her face close to mine."

Marguerite sighed. "That was horrible, Devon. I can't believe Drew actually tried to kill you. I really didn't expect that. I knew he was still jealous and unpleasant, but killing your brother?"

Devon shook his head. "Me neither, I was surprised. I thought he was likely to fight and try to get the better of me somehow, but not kill me. I still thought of when we were boys." Devon fell silent, and Marguerite was looking down at the ground. _So much for me telling the Elders I was safe from being killed by Drew, he might have killed me._

Devon put his hand on his sister's arm. "Sorry for the mess, Marguerite. I was thinking it would be like the old days, you know, Drew posturing, me giving him another sum of money. I wish I knew what was happening to Elise. He had her imprisoned when I got there, but must have let her out, or I couldn't have seen her as I was dying, well supposedly dying."

Marguerite nodded. "It's okay, but let's try to do things properly from now on, for instance don't call Elise, I will. Let's give Drew the impression that you're dead, at least for a little while, until we find out what's going on with Elise. I'm surprised she hasn't been able to make some kind of an escape attempt. She does have a few tricks up her sleeve, mind manipulation for instance."

Marguerite watched Devon's expression as he listened to this, and he looked as if he already knew. He nodded slightly. "Drew is certain she's a witch like the others, but none of them are. That's correct isn't it, Marguerite?"

"Elise told Drew that just to stop his questions, and that was years ago when they first started their relationship. She told me a few years ago when I was asking questions."

Marguerite didn't say any more, and Devon mindful of what Bliss said, answered

"Oh."

Bliss appeared. She had a cardboard tray of coffees in paper cups, and wedged under her arm, a cellophane packet. It held a T-shirt. "Just in case you did want to change after all, Devon," she told him, handing around the coffee.

Bliss looked at Marguerite as she sipped her coffee. "So what do you think, will Drew be coming after us?"

Devon answered. "I don't know. When he discovers my body has gone he will think I recuperated, and then maybe come after us."

Bliss sighed. "It would be good if we did hear from Elise because she might be able to throw some light on the question."

Bliss had no sooner said this than Marguerite's cell phone rang. It was in the pocket of her jeans and took it out with a frown on her face, but on seeing the screen, she started to smile.

Devon looked at her questioningly, and Bliss moved closer to him as he stood leaning against the passenger side of her car. She slipped her arm around his waist and Devon put his arm around her shoulders. They felt each other close and for both of them it was a huge comfort. Bliss had been so afraid when she'd found Devon so badly injured, but his rapid recovery had lessened the fear, and she'd been able to concentrate on driving them away from danger.

She was listening to Marguerite who seemed only to be saying, _really...really...no he's okay...well soon, maybe over halfway, see you then._

Marguerite put her phone in her pocket and told them. "That was Tara. Elise has just called her. She's decided to stay with Drew for a while, until she's worked some things out, and she said you're dead Devon. A vampire friend was to clear away the body." Marguerite sighed then. "Obviously Drew was around when she called. Let's hope he wasn't forcing her to say any of it. Tara seems to think not, that her tone of voice was an indication she was okay. I'll call her myself when we're home, damn it."

Devon looked forlorn and Bliss hugged him. "Maybe she has a plan Devon. Let's just get home shall we?" She threw the remainder of her coffee on the grassy bank next to the car and put the paper cup in the cup holder of her car. Marguerite nodded and went to Devon's car. They continued their drive. Devon was silent, but he finished his coffee and put the paper cup in the door cavity.

He occasionally touched Bliss on the arm and as they approached his hometown, he sighed and said. "I'm so sorry Bliss, you must be wondering what you've come to and if you decide to leave, go back to your job and home, I'll understand."

Devon meant it, but was hoping that she would stay. He wanted to make sure it was okay, and to find out if he needed to start preparing himself for her loss.

Bliss glanced at him. She was stopped at the traffic lights and said, "Devon, I've quit my job. I've given notice on my rental house. Although I haven't told dad the truth of it, I have told him I'm not coming home as expected Saturday. He was happy to think my holiday will continue for longer. When it's appropriate, I'll tell him the truth. That I've met someone I love dearly and that I'm staying with him forever. You're my home now." She was past the lights. Devon leaned over and kissed her cheek. He was very happy and looked out of the window smiling.

The two cars pulled into Devon's driveway and with a sigh of relief, Devon followed Marguerite into his house. She used her key as he was fumbling around not finding his keys.

He excused himself and went up to his bathroom to shower.

Marguerite looked into his fridge. "Oh good someone's replenished his food. I was worried about that. It might mean his wound regresses if he doesn't have the food the Elders make for him." She smiled a little and started to make coffee. Bliss stood by the window looking out. It was late now and the moon was up. She asked Marguerite if she would stay the night.

"I'll be fine at home. I'd rather go home," Marguerite answered, as she passed Bliss a cup of coffee.

Devon was soon down from his shower, looking good and as if nothing had happened to him. He picked up the coffee his sister made for him and sighed. "Bliss, thank you for coming after me, and you too, Marguerite, because if you'd just done as I asked in my mistaken belief I had to do things alone, then I think I'd be dead. I'm sorry I was so harsh before I left." He looked meaningfully at Bliss and his voice shook a little. He put his cup down and hugged each of them in turn.

Bliss kissed his cheek as he let go of her, and Marguerite said she would be off home and that they would catch up the next day.

"Let's all get some rest," she said.

Devon and Bliss followed her out to her car. After she drove away, Devon got his jacket from the back seat of his own car, where it had been since he threw it there when he had stormed off to find Elise. His house keys were in the pocket and he tossed them on the table as they went back into the house.

Bliss went to Devon and put her arms around him. She hugged him tight. "Devon, I never want to see you so injured again. I love you so much it was agony. I'm only just realizing how afraid of losing you I was right then when I found you." Devon started to kiss her and whisper to her how much he loved her. They held each other close kissing away the pain and worry.

### Chapter Fifty-Seven

Elise sat up in Greta's bed after making love with Drew. She said to him that she needed to tell Tara she was happy with him, that she wanted to stay with him, and she called Tara. The real reason was to let Devon know Drew thought him dead. Elise was counting on the girl vampire, who'd been tasked to dispose of Devon, saying nothing when she found no body. She must have been annoyed about Drew casting her off in favor of Elise.

Elise was prepared to stay for a time with Drew. She had a plan in mind. It was loosely formulated, but it would mean Drew left everyone alone, and he was so sweet when he had her blood in him. Elise slid down to kiss Drew after the phone call and Drew gladly took her into his arms.

****

Bliss and Devon were clinging to each other. They were sitting on the sofa and looked out at the moon. Devon had kissed Bliss a lot, and then he had called Erik. Erik expected Devon to come for his medication the next morning and Devon said he would be there especially since now it was overdue. Then both Bliss and Devon fell into a contemplative silence as they hugged each other. Bliss was the first to break it. "Devon, tell me more about yourself. I've heard stuff from Marguerite, but is there anything you want to add?"

Devon had expected more specific questioning, and he shook his head. "I was a horrible creature, and true to my nature killed, but I've become better, different. I would never go back. I love you. That's the best thing ever to happen to me, to have met you, to have your love."

Bliss smiled. "I love you. I only know you as a lovely gentle, caring, person. It's hard to think of you having been otherwise, so I think I'll leave the thought where it belongs, in the past."

Later when Bliss had showered, she went down to Devon's bedroom and found him sitting in his armchair looking at the night. He took her onto his lap and began to kiss her. It was no time at all before they were making love to each other, gently and carefully. Bliss because she'd nearly lost him and was savoring his presence, and Devon because he felt so much love for Bliss he thought he was about to explode with happiness.

****

Meanwhile Marguerite was on the phone with Tara explaining what had happened and how they'd found Devon. Finally, she told Tara that Drew was their brother, hers and Devon's.

Tara was silent for a moment and then said. "So that's why you thought he wouldn't kill you, but now we know better. I think that makes it doubly important we tread carefully. Let's see what Elise does next. She'll be thinking that by staying with Drew she's keeping the community here safe and that will be partly true. I'd like you to tell me more. Come over tomorrow when you've rested. We'll talk."

Marguerite wondered what more she could tell Tara. She took a book to bed with her and settled down to try to read and snooze if possible.

Over at Tara's house the Elders were sitting around the table. They talked about packing up and leaving the town, or about hunting Drew down and imprisoning him, about rescuing Elise, and finally about waiting to see what she did next. No one was surprised that Drew was Devon's brother, and most of them thought that family jealousy was what drove Drew to goad Devon, and finally to want him dead.

Erik sighed. "Nothing ever changes does it?" He asked, and the others nodded in agreement.

"Not much," Jon commented, and he got up to make more tea.

### Chapter Fifty-Eight

Maryanne told her new lover all about the business with Drew and they agreed it was best to keep away from him in future. He was losing authority across the community, and though he didn't yet know it, he'd just lost one of his staunchest allies. As Drew and Elise drove through the night to Drew's apartment on the south coast, Nathan had been up to high jinks with others of his kind at the music festival.

Drunk on massive amounts of blood, violence, and power, he'd stumbled as he leapt from an old window that had warped over the years. His companions watched in disbelief as he was impaled on a railing. It was a decorative railing with an arrowhead top. The fence surrounding the house, a series of these railings painted a dark green. As Nathan was a true vampire the impaling through the heart killed him, and he turned to dust, blowing away in front of his friends' eyes as a series of cars passed at high speed. No one thought to call and tell Drew. They turned to each other, but then, noticing a group of young women on the other side of the road, they smiled at each other in silent assent and ran across there.

When Drew reached his coastal apartment, he went around the place switching on all the lights. He flipped the switch for the refrigerator and Elise put her shopping in there. He'd stopped so that Elise could buy a few food items and toiletries at an all-night service station, bouncing in there with her, happy to be in the dark night and with Elise his beautiful girl.

They brought in her few items of clothing, and Drew put them into the wardrobe with his own clothing that was already there. He had the place set up so that duplicates of anything he might need or want were there. His garage held a freezer where blood bags were stored in readiness for his arrival. He didn't always kill for food because that might attract too much attention.

Elise watched him bring some blood-bags and put all but one in the fridge, that one he left on the table to warm up a little. She made herself coffee and a sandwich. Desperate to keep Drew in his great mood, she offered her neck to him to be bitten. Drew was so pleased with her he was extra gentle, and he caressed down her hips to pull her gently against him.

Elise decided to try to limit his human blood intake. Her loosely formulated plan began to crystallize. Before she ate her sandwich, she layered some honey on her bread with the meat, cheese, and salad. She would need to keep her strength up.

Shortly before dawn, she told Drew she needed to sleep. She rubbed honey into her bites, cleaned her teeth, and went to sleep on the bed that Drew had thrown clean linen onto from a press in the hall. She felt him approach and lie next to her, but she didn't stir. Drew who was feeling delighted with life took her hand and closed his eyes. If he slept that would be something extra he thought.

### Chapter Fifty-Nine

When Bliss woke up, she knew immediately that Devon was gone. She sat up alarmed for a moment. Then she saw the note he'd left on his side of the bed. He'd gone to Erik for his medicine and would be back as soon as he could. He asked her not to leave the house.

Devon had debated also writing on the note that the house was safe from vampires, but thought he would tell her later. It was a little hard explaining what the _beings_ could do. He looked at her as she slept. She was wearing her bracelet and he realized that was why Maryanne was unable to approach them in Drew's garage.

He was telling Erik the whole story and Erik nodded periodically. Jon was there with him for the meditation. As they remained silent afterwards for a few minutes, Devon thought about Elise.

"Erik, do you suppose Elise does know what she's doing? I wish she'd escaped too, but then I fear Drew and a parcel of other vamps would be hot on our heels

"We all think she has some plan. We hope she has a plan. We hope she keeps in touch. That's the worst thing, not having her contact us, besides other things of course." Both Erik and Jon sighed almost in unison.

Devon slumped a little. "I'm sorry. I feel as if this whole thing is my fault," he said apologetically.

The two men shook their heads. "No please don't, it isn't. It's just one of those things. Life throws up trouble now and again. That's the way it is. It's how we respond to it that's the key."

Devon nevertheless muttered his thanks for their understanding and as Seth arrived with Ffion, they began to make coffee. Devon left to go home to Bliss.

He was desperate to talk to Elise himself. When he'd kissed Bliss several times, hugging her, and telling her he loved her, he asked, "Bliss, would you call Elise? I need to hear from her that she is okay. I'll know if she isn't by her voice. If you call, then if Drew is listening it won't be me. He won't know I'm alive."

Bliss shook her head, she didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but Devon was so worried. She rang Elise having got her number from Devon's phone.

Elise was looking out over the ocean. She was on the balcony in the midmorning sun. Drew naturally was inside sitting on his bed with a laptop that had been in the living room desk drawer. He was laughing at something on the screen. Elise had her cell phone with her. To her delight, the sheath dress she'd put on had two side pockets, hidden by the seams and her phone was in one of them.

She took it out quickly and answered before Drew heard the vibration. As it was, he could hear anything she said, should he want to. She glanced inside the room. He was distracted by whatever was on his computer.

When Bliss asked, was she okay, and said if she wasn't alone they were to use a code.

Elise answered, "No it's fine. I'm okay. Drew is treating me well. I think he does love me."

Devon took the phone as Bliss held it out to him. "Please tell us if things are not okay. Elise please, I'm so worried about you. I'm so sorry I let you down."

Without using his name, Elise told Devon not to be worried that she was fine. Things would be okay. Things would work out. She was happy, and on a balcony in the sun by the ocean. Things were good. Devon thought she was telling the truth, and he realized she was also telling him where she was. Drew had an apartment on the coast. He knew that because he'd given it to Drew. Perhaps Elise did have a plan. She sounded fine, in control, and he rang off after telling her to call at the slightest hint things had changed for the worse again. Elise said she would.

Drew called from the room, "Elise, come in, are you talking to someone? What's going on?"

Elise slipped her cell phone away and went in to see Drew. She kissed him. Drew kissed her too, holding her head to his. He thought for a second that he could actually taste honey. He had a distant memory of the fragrant stuff on his toast. How would that be possible he thought? I can only really taste blood.

Elise sat beside him. She snuggled against him. Drew put his laptop on the bedside table. Turning to Elise, he bit her softly on the neck. The taste of her blood was what he needed. Elise realizing he hadn't had any human blood since they arrived, encouraged him to drink from her, leaning in towards his head and holding him close. He stopped after a few seconds having quenched his thirst. He didn't want to get carried away. He wanted this to last a long time, this pleasure with Elise. He felt euphoric and lay there for a few seconds watching the way the sunlight made patterns on the bedroom walls.

### Chapter Sixty

Devon kissed Bliss softly as he looked into her eyes. "Thank you, I had to talk with Elise. I think she's fine and she might have a plan. I'll wait now in a much happier frame of mind."

Bliss smiled at him. She was hungry and started to make toast, having waited for Devon to come home before having breakfast.

She glanced at him. "Devon, with the Elders giving you whatever medicine they do, maybe it's possible that in a few more years you might get to eat toast, you know simple things. What do you think?" She smiled happily at him and poured him a glass of his health shake.

Devon grinned. "Maybe, who knows?"

He drank the health shake and noticed it didn't smell nor taste of honey this time. It was sort of herby or minty. He didn't know which, but it was good for him.

He considered how Erik was surprised at how good his wounds looked as he put the ointment Tara had left for Devon on them. Erik had said 'this is more or less superfluous, but Tara's left it so we better use it.'

The night before Bliss had kissed Devon's almost healed wounds over the dressing, telling him she would kiss them better before they made love. Devon felt a wave of desire as he remembered this and took Bliss in his arms. He kissed her and they laughed together as Bliss held her toast as arm's length and kissed Devon back. They went to sit together in the garden looking down the length of the flowerbeds and Bliss considered all that she'd found out about Devon.

She asked, "Devon, you didn't know you'll die without the medicine and food that the Elders make for you did you?"

Devon shook his head smiling. "No, I thought I'd revert to being a full vampire...well one that drinks human blood, and now I think I prefer that I die. Yes, that would be better than becoming a vampire again."

He didn't seem worried by it, and Bliss questioned this.

"And it doesn't worry you at all that you'll have to stay around them forever now?"

Devon wondered if this was something Bliss didn't want to do. "No, but do you think you'll want to, go elsewhere, I mean?"

Bliss shook her head and leaned over to take his hand. "No way, I'll be wherever you are, but it won't be forever. I don't have the longevity that you and they have." It had only just occurred to her that she would age and die long before Devon and these special people. She sighed and looked away from him. It was a sad thought, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Devon hadn't thought of this either and now he couldn't bear the thought that he would lose her in his lifetime. He decided to ask Tara if there was anything that could be done. He sighed not wanting to make any comment, fearful of saying what he thought at all.

Instead, he moved to hold Bliss and kiss her over and over, desperate to lose the feeling of sadness this realization brought with it.

Bliss held Devon's head to hers, but between kisses she told him, she loved him. "Right now it doesn't matter about longevity. The truth is who knows how long anyone of us will last? Anything can happen."

Devon knew that was true. He could be dead now. His wounds could have killed him back there at Drew's house. He stopped thinking in favor of kissing Bliss. Very soon, they were happy again, wrapped up in love, and the feel of each other's body.

****

Down on the coast in his apartment, Drew was similarly happy, he was kissing Elise, and telling her, he loved her. That strangely she was all he wanted. He didn't seem to care about anything else. He wasn't hungry except for her love, he whispered to her, as he unzipped the sheath dress and pulled it down over her shoulders.

Elise smiled. She looked into his blue eyes that mirrored her own and savored his kiss. It was so good to feel his lips on hers and his hands on her body. She had a plan and it was underway, now she thought she might as well have some enjoyment from the situation. She put all the worry and doubts out of her mind and took the pleasure that she'd been missing for so many years.

****

It was late in the day when Bliss and Devon surfaced from their lovemaking. Devon's phone had rung and he had fished it out of his jeans that were on his bedroom floor to answer. He grinned at Bliss before he did and slid back under the sheet with her. It was Marguerite and she was asking them if they would like to come over to her place for dinner. Devon repeated the request to Bliss and she smiled as she said that it would be great.

As she showered and got ready to go out, Bliss thought about how to tell her dad she wasn't coming back to live in the same town and about what to do with her stuff at home. Fortunately, she didn't have too much and she decided to ask Devon if they could go over and meet her dad, dispose of some things, and collect others. She felt happy thinking about being here with Devon, happy that this would be her home. She hadn't done anything about a job, but she could do that soon. She brushed her hair and left it loose. She put on the dress that she originally bought in Marguerites shop, and looked briefly at the floaty triangle of fabric that was missing its tip. Her thoughts went straight to Drew and Elise. She thought about what might be happening to Elise and how she might be feeling. Bliss suddenly felt guilty about her own happiness and her own plans to move. Poor Elise was still with a vampire she frowned to herself.

She went downstairs to see Devon standing by the big picture windows looking at the garden. Clouds had appeared in the sky during their afternoon of lovemaking and now a fine rain was misting the flowers and leaves of the trees. She went to stand next to him and put her arm around him.

"I was just thinking about going home to see my dad, and about packing up the house I rent. Will you come with me? I was thinking about Elise too. I so hope things are okay with her and that she's not covering up for a really awful time she's having with Drew."

Devon sighed and looked into her lovely blue-gray eyes. "Bliss, that's exactly what I was just thinking, not about your house, but about Elise. It's hard to think of her with Drew, he's such an unpleasant character, but she sounded okay on the phone. It didn't seem like an act, not then." He sighed again, and wondered to himself if he was right, and then he put his arms around Bliss and kissed her.

"Let's go and see your dad and pack up your house. I'll call Tara. Let's go soon Bliss." He wanted Bliss with him always. He wanted it finalized, because he so desperately didn't want anything to go wrong. He took out his phone, and called Tara right then and asked if they could drop around to see her on the way to Marguerite's house. Bliss watched him lovingly, her arm still around his waist, she knew he loved her. It was the best feeling she'd ever experienced.

Later Devon took a container of his food out of the fridge to take with them to Marguerite's house. Bliss smiled at this. "Can't you eat the same food as Marguerite? Do you have to take your own?"

Devon grinned. "Yes I do. It's tailored to us individually, which I know sounds odd, but that's the way it is."

When they dropped in on Tara, she was happy to know Bliss wanted to make the commitment. "Maybe you should go over to your rental house tomorrow, and deal with things before any trouble looms from Drew again. Who knows when things will flare up?

She looked at Devon's wounds and smiled.

"Good as new...that's spectacular Devon...almost as if..." and she stopped with a quick frown. Bliss waited for her to finish the sentence and so did Devon. Tara sort of nodded, and continued, "As if you'd never been wounded at all."

Devon and Tara smiled at each other, and then he and Bliss left to see Marguerite.

They had a pleasant evening. It seemed that Marguerite had stopped worrying about Elise for the time being. She made a meal for Bliss. She and Devon ate their own liquid food, and they talked about her shop and Devon's designs. She asked if Bliss was happy with the dresses she'd dropped off. Devon had to admit that what with everything happening he hadn't even given them to Bliss and they smiled a lot. Marguerite was happy that Devon had met Bliss after all. As she waved them off home, she wondered if there might be someone out there for her.

Days went by. The house Bliss was renting was packed up. The meeting between her dad and Devon was a success. Everything seemed quiet and no one mentioned Elise for those few days.

### Chapter Sixty-One

The Elders were together at Seth's place and they commented on the peace and quiet they were enjoying.

"I wish Elise would call us," Ffion suddenly said. She'd taken her seat around the inner circle in place of Elise, and with a sigh, Angharad agreed. They looked at each other in commiseration. Elise had left a gap in the circle of Elders that was emotionally hard to fill.

"Should we call her? It's been a week, well eight days...maybe we should call her," Seth suggested. The Elders remarkably at a loss for once sat silently for a moment. They each knew what the other was thinking. Tara passed Angharad the little diamond blade lancet and the container. It was her turn to contribute. She made the tiniest incision in her little finger and dripped two drops of her blood into the container. She handed the blade and the container to Tara. Seth who had been making coffee gave Angharad a cup and a dampened tissue. She smiled at him. She wiped the place she'd cut on her little finger. It was already healing and then she drank some coffee. Seth preferred mint tea and the aroma drifted over to her.

Jon sighed again for all of them. "I think we'll give her one more day to call, and then we'll call her. It's so hard not knowing what's going on, don't you think?" They all nodded and then Erik started to tell them about how well his new herb garden was doing and they listened. Herbs were important for their own food and the medicines they made.

The object of their thoughts, Elise, was right then thinking of them. For the last two nights Drew had been going out around midnight when he thought she was asleep and coming back just before dawn. They were back at his house in the market town after three days in the coastal apartment. He'd been off human blood that long and was like an angel with Elise, but when they were back in the market town, and he started to associate with the other vampires, he was obviously feeding heavily again.

He'd been infuriated to see the broken back door, but as nothing was disturbed in his house, he soon forgot it and a vampire friend of his came around to fix it the next day. Surprisingly Drew left the door where Devon had been impaled holed and splintered as a trophy. He laughed as he passed it when they arrived home.

The interesting thing for Elise was that now Drew treated her well all the time. He'd become calm and loving in the days they were on the coast. Her blood made him sweet and pliable, but at the same time immune to her mind manipulation, and so she bided her time. She read the books in his library. He trusted her enough to let her go shopping, and it was delicious when they made love. He still fed from her in small amounts and usually well before he went out hunting at night. She assumed that the mix of blood, if it did have ill effects, had worn off by the time he came home. She watched him from across the room. He was intent on something on his laptop and frowned now and then. He was beautiful. She wished he wasn't a vampire, and she wished now that she hadn't encouraged him to feed from her regularly.

Suddenly it was in her mind to ask him if he'd ever wished he wasn't a vampire. She got up, put the book she was reading down and went to him. He looked up at her and his frown softened as she leaned over him and kissed his lips.

He kissed her back, and the thought came to him that maybe it was time to turn her. He would love her to go hunting with him at night. It would be thrilling to watch her drain the blood from some stupid human. He would kiss her lips with blood still on them. It was arousing to think of, and he held her head to his, to kiss her more.

Elise had chosen the wrong time to ask him the question, and she knew this instinctively, so she kissed him and unbuttoned his shirt to trail her fingernails across his chest. He let her do this for a moment and then he put his hand on hers and took it from his body.

"Elise, I was checking my shares and finances. You know I think it's time I went down to the family estates and claimed what's rightfully mine. I know there are properties down there that if sold would be worth a lot of money. I've been thinking it would be really nice to get a bigger house together, move from this area." He didn't add that his little empire there was crumbling, and maybe it no longer mattered that he lived there permanently.

Elise listened with a growing feeling of unease, but she smiled at Drew. "What do you mean by the family estates Drew?" She asked.

Drew grinned. "Don't you know Elise? Devon was my brother, my twin brother, older than me by twenty minutes, just enough to have been the chosen heir to the estates. Now he's dead, I can claim what is rightfully mine and do what I want with it. Lord Devon Raphael Ruthin is no more, and I'm finally getting my fair due."

Elise looked into his blue eyes, and she sighed.

"Drew, I didn't know, but you left him for dead, dead," she corrected hurriedly. She was thinking how dreadful it was he could happily kill his own brother. It was an alien concept to Elise. Her people killed, but never their own. Protect their 'own.' That idea was sacred to them

Drew grinned again, pushed his laptop away from him across the table, and pulled Elise around to sit on his lap.

"I did and he is. Isn't that great? I at least doubled my wealth, Elise, my love." He pulled the white shirt she was wearing down her shoulder and then bit into her. She held his head there, suddenly thinking, let him drink more. It was after all a good thing. She was mistaken to regret the plan she'd put into action. Elise thought about Tara as Drew drank from her, and she thought too that she really did need to ring the Elders soon.

He felt the rush he always got from her blood and stopped himself from taking more. He thought that just as soon as they'd been down to the big family estate he would turn her.

That afternoon another vampire visited Drew. Elise found him vaguely familiar but couldn't think why. They sat together in the dining room with blood in cut crystal glasses, and Elise sat close to the drawing room door where she read. She intended to listen to their conversation. Perhaps a big hunt was planned for that night and she would like to be prepared for any change in Drew's behavior towards her. She sat with her book on the armchair and listened. She had very good hearing and she considered that she might be able to manipulate this vampire's behavior if need be. What she heard chilled her.

Yes, they were going on a hunt, but that was the least shocking thing to her. The vampire asked Drew when he planned to turn Elise, because the smell of her was driving him nuts, adding, didn't Drew know that more than one of their vampire group had laughed behind his back. They were saying he was like that dead brother of his who had kept the human girl alive. It was weak. Drew had already lost credibility with many vampires in the community. It wasn't good for business.

Drew must have been smiling when he answered because Elise could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Just as soon as I've been and claimed my inheritance I'm turning her. I'm looking forward to it actually. It's been fun, but it's time now."

Elise shivered. She knew she couldn't be turned. He would gain all her powers, her healing, her mind manipulation, her kinesthetic abilities, and she would die. It was impossible to turn her or any others of her kind, not that she would want to be turned, she'd rather die, but then again she'd rather live.

She felt a kind of regret or maybe revulsion at how she'd valued the love making with Drew so much. She sighed thinking that now she must escalate the amount of blood he drank from her in the next few days, or make sure he'd been drinking it for eleven days. So she needed to make sure he drank for another two days, three would be better. She sighed and Drew heard her. He got up from the table and went next door to her. She had the book in her hands and looked up at him. Even a vampire sees sadness though it would generally not have any effect on them.

Drew bent to kiss her and then asked, "Is the book sad Elise? I heard you sigh."

Elise nodded. "A little," and she tried to smile.

That night Drew didn't go out hunting, he stayed close to Elise. He showered with her and held her tight against him as he bit into her neck and then her shoulder. It was getting harder to stop drinking from her. Only the feel of her breasts against his body, and her hands on his hips pulling him against her stopped him this time. He pushed his fingers into her pussy, wet for him, and sighed with pleasure. She kissed along his chest and he moved to suck her nipples. He was gentle about this and he traced the head of his erection against her stomach teasing her. He felt so much making love with Elise. He thought of it as lovemaking too, not sex. He moved his fingers in her knowing just how to bring her close to orgasm before he laid her down and thrust into her deep and slow. They made love for most of the night. Elise got him to drink from her again, even though she felt a little light headed and knew she would need to rest the next day. She still enjoyed the sex, even though that was what she now called it in her mind. She tried to measure the love she felt for Drew as just hunger for sex, for the feel of his body. Sometime before dawn she fell asleep thinking, _I don't love him I mistook lust for love._

Drew had gone when she woke up. Elise sat up quickly, and she dragged her jeans and shirt on thinking all the time about where Drew might be. She went down to the kitchen and then after putting coffee to percolate, she checked the garage to find out if Drew's preferred car had gone. She was hoping he hadn't gone off to the family estates he spoke of without her, because that would mean her plan wouldn't work. He'd taken his sports car and Elise and returned to the kitchen. Did he trust her so much that he would leave for a couple of days without taking her? Maybe not. It didn't fit. Drew would never trust her that much and she stood with her cup of coffee looking down onto the main street from Drew's bedroom. She looked across the street and saw the vampire that had visited the day before. He was bundled up in clothes, but it was him. He was just hanging about on the sidewalk, and yes, she decided, he was watching the house.

Elise was hungry. She never bought that much in supplies. After her coffee, she fixed her hair, and went out to the grocery store not far from Drew's house. Drew had given her a key, which had been a shock, but she'd been pleased with the gesture. She walked down the street. It had obviously been raining earlier, but now the sun was out and the puddles were shining. There were bunches of flowers for sale displayed outside the store when she arrived there, and she stopped to look at them. Elise loved flowers and she picked out a small bunch of yellow roses. She wanted them, and as she decided to buy them, she glanced up and noticed the vampire again. He was looking studiously in a window just two shops away. It was obvious he was following her. He would have looked suspicious to anyone in his long coat and wide brimmed hat.

She picked up her flowers and went into the store. After choosing a few provisions, she paid and went back onto the street. The vampire had gone, but halfway back to Drew's place she stopped walking to look into a shop window and check if he reappeared. He had, and was right then trying to cover his presence by standing looking away, as if he was about to cross the street.

Elise sighed, so much for the gesture of giving her a key. There was every chance Drew had always had her followed. His pretense at trust annoyed her, and she almost walked straight to her own car to leave. Her car was still parked in the place she left it when she first came to see Drew. She'd checked on it a couple of times. Right then she debated leaving Drew, but what if he followed with a pack of his vampire friends? She couldn't risk leading such a thing to her own town, her own people. So far, he was happy with her and the knowledge that Devon was dead, erroneous knowledge, though he was unaware of that.

She took a deep breath. She would go and eat, rest a little more, regain her strength, and then when Drew came back, she would feed him again. Only one more day and he would be beyond saving. She need only get him somewhere no one would find him and leave. She consoled herself with that as she let herself into the house. She put her supplies away, leaving out what she was going to eat, and put on more coffee. She took the honey out of the fridge, noticing a new carafe of blood had been placed in there. Elise ate two spoons of honey and put a further spoonful into her coffee. She ate the sandwiches she'd made, but she didn't really enjoy them. Suddenly she wanted to be home amongst her own kind. She felt sad and cross with herself for having ever loved Drew, and sad for having ever met him, but that was no good she finally admitted. She just had to keep going now with her plan that had been ambivalently made, but now was close to be being irredeemable.

She got up from the dining table and went back upstairs to clean her teeth. She was brushing her teeth, and idly walked over to the bedroom window. That vamp was down there on the other side of the street, now leaning against a wall by a bus stop. She went back into the bathroom. The vampire was either stupid or really couldn't care less because surely he realized she'd noticed him following her.

Elise went up to the library and moved the ladder along to climb up to the top shelf. There were books up there that were very old, with pictures of how places used to be. She enjoyed looking at them. Sometimes she even saw places that she knew and had been to in the year when the photograph was taken. Elise had been alive for a long time.

### Chapter Sixty-Two

Drew had been to see his lawyer, a vampire who had taken up the profession in the late seventeen hundreds and continued to enjoy a very good living from the law. He'd then gone to see Greta to tell her his plans. She was about his only vampire friend left who really cared what he did. He told her that he was going down to the biggest family estate to claim it, that his lawyer had provided letters, and he was simply going to take over whatever was going on down there. He invited Greta to join him.

She told him she couldn't get away for a couple of days, but would love to come down then. They arranged it and Drew, having drunk a glass of blood with her, drove off home, cursing that the rain had stopped and the sun was out. He stopped on the road to talk with the vampire who'd been tailing Elise, and to hand over the envelope of money that contained payment. He told the vamp not to bother with the job for a few days and drove around to his garage.

He listened for Elise as he entered the house. Her scent filled his brain, and he almost flew to the library where she was reading. As he appeared before her, she closed the book and stood up.

"Drew, I missed you," and she held out her arms. Drew went into them. He took her kisses and then as she held the neckline of her shirt aside, he took her blood. Elise tried to keep him there drinking for a few extra moments, but he had other ideas and began to unzip her jeans.

It was an hour before he told her that they were going down to claim his estates that evening. He said they would stay for a few days until everything was sorted out and that she could look online and book a hotel room for them. They'd gone to the bedroom and he handed her his laptop as he wandered off to his wardrobe and started looking through his clothes.

Elise found a hotel near to the address Drew had given her, it was expensive, but she thought he could afford it. She told him the price and said she would need a credit card. He smiled as he took one from his wallet, which had been in the pocket of his jeans thrown onto a chair by the wardrobe. He brought it to Elise and kissed her lips as he gave it to her.

She continued with the booking but also thought to herself how duplicitous Drew was, he smiled, he made love to her, told her he loved her, and all the while was planning to turn her. It made no sense. Why would he want that? She could live as long as he could. She'd saved a copy of the booking confirmation before it suddenly occurred to her he wanted her powers. That was what the episode in the barn twenty years ago had been about. Those vampires had wanted powers. She almost grimaced, as if they didn't have enough of an advantage over their victims.

She put the laptop on the bedside table and picked up her clothes. Drew had taken out a couple of things from his wardrobe and was now folding them into a bag. He was packing, and for some reason Elise found it funny. She smiled as she went past him to the shower. Drew told her she should pack a couple of things when she'd taken her shower, and Elise called, "Okay Drew."

As she showered, she calculated how much more of her blood she needed to make sure Drew consumed. She found to her joy it wasn't much, tonight and tomorrow just a couple of feeds and that would be that. It lifted her spirits and she put the red dress on to travel in. It was very effective against her spectacular autumnal hair color. She looked sensational and Drew was captivated. He did love her. He looked at her. She was so lovely. He went to her and held her close, moving her hair from her strangely pointed ears and kissing them.

"Whatever I am Elise, I love you," he told her. Elise looked into his eyes and saw he meant it. Why couldn't he just be satisfied with that? She kissed him to hide the disappointment and confusion she was feeling.

That evening when the sun had set, they drove off to the hotel. Drew had sent a couple of emails and then slipped his laptop into its case. He added that to their luggage. Elise packed her jar of honey in a plastic bag and her clothes into a hold all that Drew had thrown to her from his collection. He tossed a couple of vacuum flasks of blood onto the back seat, put his coat over them, and turned to Elise. He kissed her as he opened the passenger door for her and she offered her neck to him.

"For the journey," she whispered Drew felt a surge of desire as he sucked just a little blood from her. She was pressed against him. He almost took her back to bed, but then the lure of seeing the Ruthin estate, knowing it was finally his, stopped him. He kissed where he had bitten softly, and then went around to his side of the car.

They checked into the hotel. Drew was charming and the receptionist was left thinking what a gorgeous and courteous man he was as she watched them go up to their room. They'd forgone a porter as they had little luggage. Drew crowed a little as they walked along the corridor about the effect he had on the woman at the desk. Elise let him crow, and told him that it was because he was beautiful as well as a gentleman. Drew was so pathetically pleased with this that Elise almost felt sorry.

She made sure he drank her blood and not the blood he'd brought with him. Their room had a fridge at the far end where the stuff was stashed, and she led him away from it with kisses. The night proved to her advantage, away from his usual haunts Drew seemed even happier to drink from her than ever, and as dawn broke, she decided he was finally doomed. Today's later feed would be neither here nor there in his fate.

They drove out to the Ruthin estates that afternoon. It was an overcast day, and Drew was happy as he pulled into the drive of the big office that now fronted the estate. He parked directly outside the front door. He was businesslike as he announced who he was, saying Devon Ruthin was deceased and he was taking over.

There was a flurry of phone calls at this announcement and very soon, a tall man in a black business suit came out of an unseen office to tell Drew that Devon Ruthin wasn't deceased and he had just held a conversation with him. "Unfortunately," he continued, "Your claims to ownership are unsubstantiated and I advise you to leave the premises." Completely shocked and alone, he surveyed the office workers. Could he take them all out? It needed thinking about. A mass murder was hard to cover these days.

Drew was incensed. He stormed out of the office and immediately took out his cell phone. He rang Maryanne's number that was stored in his contacts, but there was no longer an answer except for a telephone company message saying that the phone was switched off, or no longer in service. Drew swore and grabbed at Elise. He held her around the waist against the side of his body as if she might disappear. He looked around as they walked to his car and he opened the door pressing Elise into the seat. He threw off the overcoat and turned down his shirt collar as he got into the car swiftly.

When he was in the driving seat, he sighed.

"How is that possible Elise? He was dead wasn't he, when we left him? You thought so too." He looked plaintively at her and Elise thought how young he seemed, how wrapped up in himself he was.

She nodded. "He might just have recuperated when we left, just as you would Drew." She was certainly not giving away the fact that Devon was no longer a vampire in the true sense of the word.

Drew was thoughtful, and then he shrugged.

"At least I have you Elise and I will get Devon yet. I'll need to think about it. I need a good plan. I need to get him away from those witches. Perhaps you can help me with that."

Elise stared at him. "Drew, they won't have anything to do with me now I've chosen you, and you know that." She perpetuated her lie.

Drew considered this and he leaned over to her. He held her face and kissed her.

"Thank you for choosing me. We'll go back to the hotel. I need to think." He broke the speed limit driving there and Elise looked out of the window thinking about her own plan.

### Chapter Sixty-Three

When Devon had hung up the phone after assuring his business manager that he was alive, he called Tara and let her know that Drew now knew he was alive and they would need to be vigilant once more. Tara told him not to do anything and that she was going to call Elise before they made any plans. Devon was in his workroom at the time of the call and he left it and walked down the garden to where Bliss was.

He hugged her tight and then kissed her.

"Drew has found out I'm alive. It was inevitable."

Bliss held Devon close. "Will he come after you, Devon, and try again? Does anyone know what's happening to Elise?"

Devon shook his head. "He might come after me and no we don't know about Elise, but Tara is calling her and then we'll make some plans. I feel that we've been too complacent recently, but it was what the Elders wanted. Sometimes it's hard for me to follow their lead. It was easier this time because all I wanted to do was be with you, and live the way we have this last week or so. I wanted to soak up all the love you give me and pretend everything was okay, but I knew deep down it wasn't, not while Drew is out there."

Bliss held Devon's face. "I do love you very much Devon and we will work it out." She kissed him and Devon kissed her too. It was still the only thing that helped block out worry. He hugged her closer, kissing her again. He thought, as he felt the surge of love that came with her kiss, _maybe everything will be okay._

****

Elise felt her cell phone go off in her pocket. She had it on vibrate and she didn't want to answer it. It would be Devon or one of the Elders. So she quickly pressed the reject option. They would know by now that Drew had discovered Devon was alive. She and Drew were back at the hotel. Drew was pacing the floor of their room. He stopped at the fridge and took out the blood bag. There were glasses and cups on the table next to it. Drew tore the bag and poured it into a glass. He drank some, and then poured the remains of the blood in the bag into the glass. He looked around before he tossed the blood bag into the waste bin nearby. Elise made a mental note to pick that back up and dispose of it elsewhere as she watched Drew sit down at the little desk in the room and open his laptop. He didn't do anything other than boot it and then stare at the screen. He put the glass down and turned to Elise.

"We'll go home, and once there you'll call Devon, and tell him he must come alone to meet me and you'll be set free. Tell him I've hurt you and you need his help. He'll come running."

Elise raised her eyebrows. "I've told everyone I love you, and I'm with you of my own choosing, which is true if you recall. He may deduce it's a trap."

Drew looked angry, and he glared at her.

"Not if you're tearful, in pain, and afraid," he stated. Elise looked away from him. She needed to get away soon she thought, because once they were at his house, in this mood he may imprison her again, and then her plan would go awry.

She got up from where she was sitting on the end of the bed and went to him.

"Drew, I know you love me, and that this is important to you. I can fake those things for you. Let's go to bed, and then we will make a plan. Let's not spoil the lovely time we're having together."

Drew's vampire temper was ignited and he finished the glass of blood, and then threw the glass at the wall. It smashed into lots of tiny rectangular chunks and scattered on the carpet by the fridge. Elise watched him as he turned to her, his face dark with rage and she knew he was going to take his anger out on her. She took a couple of steps backwards. He walked towards her, and then as suddenly as he had flared in anger, he became quiet. He looked forlorn. He opened his arms to hold her and Elise stepped into them. They held each other close.

*

A way off, Bliss and Drew were also holding each other close. They chased their fears away with kisses and finally made love to each other.

*

Tara had her cell phone on her desk next to her. She was sure that as soon as Elise realized she'd missed her call she'd text or return the call.

*

Marguerite had heard the news and was in her shop with Ffion and Angharad. They were discussing the whole situation calmly. They had a plan to trap and incarcerate Drew should he come to town, but they were keeping it to themselves until Elise had been contacted.

*

Seth, Erik, and Jon were drinking mint tea at his place and decided that contrary to all their policies, here was a creature they might have to kill after centuries of not killing. It went against their grain and they would pay for it. The one with blood on their hands would lose their special abilities. It was a high price, but worth it to be rid of Drew. Seth had volunteered to do the deed when the time came, saying his powers were replicated amongst the others, and so wouldn't be a huge loss to the community. Not only that, but as a warrior, he had to offer. It was his duty.

*

Drew, their intended victim, was lying in Elise's arms. He stared at the painting of the ocean on the wall of the hotel room. It was dark outside, and he wanted to go home soon. Elise seemed to be asleep and he liked her close. She was comforting. He felt like going out and killing, but he decided that could wait until the next night when he would let himself go wild, and rid himself of this storm of anger he could feel nagging at him. Then he would set the plan to get Devon in motion.

Elise wasn't asleep, she was thinking too. If Drew had none of her blood that night and the next day then he would start to weaken.

The night was easy, he wasn't hungry, and he was pre-occupied. They set off back to his house the next morning very early. The only thing that kept him in a relatively upbeat mood was the fact that it was overcast and raining.

They reached his house around lunchtime and Elise made sure she got him a drink from the carafe of blood in the fridge as she made her coffee. He was on the phone to Greta and gave her a smile as she put the glass in front of him. She heard him say he would go round that night about ten and she went to the bedroom to unpack.

Drew had convinced Greta to go out hunting with him that night. She was glad to have his attention, especially since Pearl hadn't been around, nor was returning her calls.

Drew found Elise reading as usual, and deciding he would look for Maryanne to answer some questions, he told her that he was out for the night and left the house.

Elise couldn't believe her luck. She waited for ten minutes to make sure he was gone and then she rang Tara.

Tara listened as Elise told her that they didn't need to worry about Drew. She had planned his demise, and it would only be a matter of days before he was dead. Tara was shocked by what she knew had been done. Elise could cure or kill with her blood, as they all could, it depended upon how pure and how much was ingested within a given time period. If Drew had drained Elise in one go, it wouldn't have been fatal. However, with this dosing for a period of eleven days, then on withdrawal of her blood, it would be over for him.

Tara sighed. It would have been one way or another, because Drew was an evil creature. If he had shown one second's indication of wanting to be helped as Devon had done, then things might be different. She rang Jon when Elise had ended the call and told him. He spread the word.

### Chapter Sixty-Four

Drew was unable to locate Maryanne and went off to Greta's place. When Drew and Greta drove out to the next town and went into one of the nightclubs, they attracted a couple of stares. Drew because he was so good looking and Greta because she was so tall. They stood at the bar for about ten minutes watching for likely victims. A couple, were drinking shots then decided to move on to another club. Drew and Greta followed them out to the street. The couple never got to the other club. Drew tossed their bodies over the low wall into the fast flowing river that was on the edge of the town, and then he and Greta went on to the other nightclub grinning at each other. It was going to be a fun night Drew thought.

Elise heard him come in just before dawn. He was swaying a little as he came towards the bed. Drew put his dizziness down to the pace of the carnage he and Greta had wreaked across three towns that night, plus he had been persuaded to take a slug of whisky by a particularly sexy girl. He flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes.

Elise waited until late morning before she got up. She didn't want Drew to suddenly awaken and feed from her. He had to go without her blood for just a couple of hours more and then that would be it. She went down to the kitchen and made coffee, and then she put her jeans and shirt on. She got her grip bag ready and put it on the table by the door. She looked in on Drew a couple of times, surprised he was asleep. He must already be suffering the effects of not consuming her blood.

A considerable time later, Drew woke up. He felt weird, weak, and strange, he had no strength. He saw Elise standing by the window drinking coffee. It was dark, but she stared out there, and he called to her. His voice came out in a whisper. Elise turned to him and smiled.

"Drew, I'll go and get you a drink, you must have had a good night. You seem tired for once. You've slept the whole day." Before he could answer, she went down to the kitchen and got him blood, a large glass. Let him drink all he wanted, if it wasn't from her, then it wouldn't help him.

Drew took the glass and drank. He didn't feel his strength return. It didn't help, and in fact, he felt worse. At first, he didn't know what was happening, and then he realized he was going to be sick. He rolled off the bed, and crawled to the bathroom. He didn't make it to the sink and vomited blood on his white tiled floor. He was disgusted, and sat up against the wall. The white wall tiles felt cool against his back and he realized he was hot. One of the human's last night must have been diseased, he would get over it he thought, and closed his eyes.

Elise left the house and walked quickly to her car. She didn't feel any remorse, or even loss. Drew was going to turn her. He'd wanted Devon dead more than he'd wanted anything else. He was a vampire. There'd been no spark of humanity to save, unlike Devon. She thought all this as she drove back to her own people.

****

The Elders were gathered at Tara's house. They knew Elise was on her way. They'd told Marguerite and she'd come to meet with them. Devon and Bliss were told 'everything was under control.' The Elders thought that it would be better for Bliss if Devon just told her things had been sorted out, but they told Devon that Elise had poisoned Drew. It had to be done...he would have caused nothing but trouble for all of them. Devon had been surprisingly saddened that it had worked out this way, and he sat with Bliss in his arms, and told her the news as he'd been asked to do.

****

Drew realized he'd fallen into a sleep again as he woke feeling very ill. He looked at the congealed blood on his bathroom floor, and he felt as if he was on fire. He found it difficult to think. He looked at his hands as they lay in his lap, and they seemed to be those of a very old man. His skin hurt, his eyes hurt, and he was so thirsty, but nauseous at the same time. He felt sure he was going to die. He rolled over and somehow dragged himself into the bedroom. His cell phone was on the floor. It had fallen there from his pocket, and he rang Greta. He whispered for help. "Greta, I need help..." and then collapsed.

Greta was shocked. She was about five minutes away and raced around in her car. The front door was unlocked, and she sped around the house calling Drew's name until she found him on the bedroom floor. He seemed to have expired. She looked at him. " _What the hell is wrong?_ " She said aloud to herself in despair. She knew he was hot and he was beginning to look as if he was withering. She thought about running to the fridge for ice and then she realized he was dead. Her vampire instincts kicked in. She bit down on her wrist, and whispering his name repeatedly, she fed him her blood.

****

The Ruthins (2)

Blood of Changes

 The Ruthin Pact

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