

A Steady Pulse

Published by Brenda Franklin at Smashwords

Copyright 2011 Brenda Franklin

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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 recipient. 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.

Cover image created by Jennifer Munswami

J.M Rising Horse Creations

Chapter One

Like clockwork Virgil Hart woke from his hibernated state as the fog began to drift through the canopy windows and into his room. He took in a deep breath bringing life back to his frozen lungs. Not often was he forced to be in such a trapped state to rest his body and mind, but due to his frequency outside under the sunlit sky he had no other choice. For a vampire, staying under the sun will surely burn them if not well rested and fed.

The edge of his protruding incisors a proof that he hadn't quenched his thirst when he laid down and that his daylight travels were starting to take a toll on him. Most of his kind rested during the day and traveled at night, but Virgil had held onto his sun. He was young and naive at ninety-three and new for sure that it would be many more years before he tired of the light.

But this morning he awoke with an icy chill not brought on by the raising fog. Whispers filled his mind as old memories tore at invisible scars. Cries and blood filled his mind.

Pushing the palm of his hand into his silver eyes, he forced the images back into his mind, locked away where they belong. He couldn't let the past continue to tear at him, nor let his family see his scars.

Virgil ran his long fingers through his dark-brown hair pulling out any knots that had woven together while he slept.

_Virgil?_ Garrison's voice echoed within Virgil's mind. Any normal person would think they were imagining it, but Virgil wasn't. Being a vampire, he held a special telepathic bond to the vampire who turned him, his master. In time, if Virgil wanted to, he could sever the telepathic bond between them, but most vampires kept the bond as a means of fast communication. The closer a vampire was to one another the stronger and faster the other could respond, but if a vampire wasn't strong enough they could only reach out a few dozen miles or so. This was another good reason to stay at their strongest.

_Yes?_ Virgil responded without moving. Everything slowed down around him. He focused on the voice and nothing else. He was drawn into a motionless world that had no exact time. The only thing that increased was the strength of the voice.

_Virgil, you need to feed. Please do so shortly._ Garrison whispered, sounding warm as always. Garrison was more than a master to Virgil. He was like a father to both Virgil and his elder sister Helena—who had been turned almost a century before.

Garrison always thought of what was best for them. Where they would live, their studies to partake in, and when it was time to move.

_You feed as well, Garrison._ Virgil felt his smile.

_Of course._ Garrison broke the connection bringing life back to the room around Virgil.

Virgil looked toward the dim rays of light peeking over the horizon. And like most days he inched closer to watch as it started its accession into the sky. He hoped he would ever let it go.

"Such human things for such inhuman creatures." He spoke as he felt the light's warmth for several long and pleasurable minutes.

Perhaps I will spend the day basking in its light? But first to do something about that smell.

He remembered he had been about all day the day before trekking through the woods searching for a man having gone missing in the northern side of the Piney Woods. The smell of the woods covering him, but more than that it was the man's smell. He had found a blooded shirt and one of the man's shoes next to a little stream of water that spilled out into Piney Woods Lake, but nothing else. The blood smell still clung to him. He reported in the upsetting findings to Garrison and then Garrison instructed him to head home. When Garrison took over there as no stopping, but Virgil really wanted to find the man alive. Now it didn't look good for the man, nor his family who waited at their vacation home on the lake for news of their loved one.

He looked disgustedly down at his clothes and began to peel them off. A shower was definitely top priority.

"Virgil?" Helena's singsong voice emerged out in the hall. She walked straight into his room without knocking. "Virgil!" she screamed out, "put some clothes on!"

Virgil just grinned at his sister's disgusted face. He had no reason to feel embarrassed; it wasn't like his family hadn't seen his naked body before. He had no shame in his physical appearance. Why be ashamed? The vampire blood sustained his body in peak form and condition.

She threw some of his freshly folded clothes on his bed. Her petite figure and perfect curves would arouse any normal man, but Virgil, according to Helena, wasn't normal. Which was an understatement, being that they were vampires, Virgil would state time and time again.

"You walked into my room. Why should I dress for the intruder?" He smirked, walking towards Helena. Her golden hair draped down her back in lushes waves. No matter how she tossed her hair about, it always seemed to remain in perfect form. Her silvery gray eyes rolled in disgust with Virgil's impolite nature.

"Intruder or not, you should dress yourself at all times!"

"I was dressed; I was just about to take a shower."

"You're room smells..." she paused looking from the open window to the messes bed and back to Virgil. Her eyes widened in a moment's terror at the human blood she could smell.

"I'm fine. It was the missing man's blood." Virgil answered instantly following it with comforting words since Helena looked worried that Virgil killed the man. She could have given him more credit than that, he hadn't killed a human in...

Virgil couldn't think about it. He shifted a little to hide his discomforting thoughts. "I couldn't find more than a bloodied shirt. Garrison switched with me so I could rest a bit."

Helena nodded understanding and her body relaxed. Her lips angled down and her nose crinkled up in an unpleasant manner. "God, Virgil. It's strong. How'd you sleep soundly with the air so thick?"

"I'm used to rolling in dead things." He remarked off handedly baiting her.

"Honestly, you are not an animal!" Helena raised her voice, tossed up her hands, and made an exaggerated noise of disgust.

"But we are, Helena," Virgil said, growling slightly with a large grin. She rolled her eyes again.

"Don't get me started. I know full well what we are, but that doesn't mean for us to act like barbarians."

"Whatever. I'm going to take a shower," he sighed, stretching purposely to force her faster out of the room. It worked like charm. Helena was part way to the door with her back to him when she spoke again.

"Will you go into town with me?"

"Why?" Virgil asked.

"I want the company and I think you need some time out side."

"I have been outside." He pointed towards the window.

"Not in the woods, I mean in a city environment. It'll be fun."

"You like cities, I'm not big on cities. I like the woods just fine." Virgil was already in the bathroom and planning a day without his sister, but she wouldn't take no for an answer and followed him in. "Get out Helena!" he ordered.

"Virgil, please go with me. You've been locked away in this house and these trees for weeks at a time. I'm worried you're going to go primal on me and run away for good or turn into Bigfoot."

"I'm not running away and I'm not even sure Bigfoot is real. I would think that our kind would know if such a creature was real or not."

"Well, you never know. There are things they don't tell us." Helena crossed her arms. That was so true. Some new so much more about the inner workings of the vampire world, such as the politics running the show to keep all generations of vampires following strict rules.

"Why do you really want me there?" He asked with a hint of irritation. His body angled away from her for modesty sake. His body was larger than Helena's. They were both well-toned and flawless, but Virgil's body showed more muscle. Even as he moved his shoulders flexed and his hands were always graceful. Helena never found herself drawn to Virgil, but she loved him. She wasn't too small. She did have to lean her head back to look up at him, but that was normal for a six foot man. She was a petite frame with a heck of a right hook and a killer pair of legs. Too many times people had tried to cop a feel and she wouldn't bat an eyelash to send them packing with a nasty kick that made Virgil cringe.

Though she looked like a Goddess to some, she was honestly a devil in disguise to anyone who got in her way of angered her, and that isn't excluding vampires such as Virgil. He'd been at the wrong end of Helena a time or two and paid in full and then some. But he would never stop loving her.

With a defeated sigh he looked back to Helena. She wasn't budging and her playfully narrowed eyes were making him smile more than panic. It was best to keep that to himself.

"Okay."

She squealed at his response.

"But I'm taking a shower first."

"Of course!" she rushed from the room.

"And thank you for the clothes!" He called after her remembering his manners.

She laughed lightly and turned to walk out. "You're welcome."

He smiled as he crawled into the shower finally. He loved spending time with her. She was a wonderful sister. Playful, full of life, beautiful—not to mention she would really hurt him if he didn't go.

She wasn't always begging for attention. She actually did very good giving him his space, but the past year she worked hard in trying to stay as connected as he would let her. It wasn't like the old days where they were running the streets of Paris all the time or traveling across Europe. Things had changed and now they found themselves beginning to settle. More like Helena was starting to move on and she was worried about Virgil. He felt it sometimes when she would get off the phone or come home after a trip. He could see her need to finally step away but her resistance. They hadn't talked about it, but one of these days he would. He would sit her down and tell her she didn't have to stay for him.

He was a man now, it wasn't when he was lost and in his fledging years, but he could handle things now.

The shower was short, but thorough washing any hint of him being out in the woods away and being rid of the blood and negative thoughts that accompanied it.

He quickly dressed, pausing at the window to enjoy the large array of the mixed pine forest that encompassed The Piney Woods Lake.

They had moved to The Piney Woods Lake back and forth since the late seventies, traveling wherever Garrison's job took him. He was a hunter with homes all over the place, the Piney Woods Lake being among his favorites. It had become more inhabited over the years, but there was a lingering charm that Garrison continued to treasure about the woods.

For Helena her love was the cities and all the chaotic disorder involved. She loved to explore old streets she had been too the century before and discover little treasures. One year she found one of her paintings in an auction being sold at a reasonably high price under her younger name Helen Forest. Needless to say, she bought it and now has the masterpiece hanging in her room.

While Helena took to the cities Virgil was far less social and caring of spending money he had earned and saved throughout the years. He involved himself with people watching, a hobby he had picked up when they first moved to the lake after discovering an old man on a small handmade wooden porch.

The old man sat there day after day, only moving to do the basic things in life. Never did he speak nor did many people seem to take interest in him, but Virgil could read his story. Virgil pushed into the man's mind, softly at first only scratching at the more recent memories but after a while he began to reach deeper into the old man's past. He watched day after day parts of this man that no one else knew. The good, the bad, and the truth. He was dying, and Virgil was the only person who was with him in his final moments. Though they had never spoken, Virgil felt as though he took a piece of the man with him before he left and he cherished it.

From that moment on, Virgil studied everyone. He wanted to know the details of people and cherished the things they loved, such as a lover, a child, a certain place. Virgil's patience to read the lives of others outdid most vampires his age. It wasn't something done overnight, but over several weeks of concentration, close range and visual contact. And he took pride knowing that he could make such a connection to people. It was a vampire gift but it made him feel the most human.

"Virgil? You ready?" Helena asked through the door this time.

"Yes," he responded, hearing the jingle of her keys. She was ready to go. He shut the window and left the room locating Helena in the kitchen with fresh blood poured for the drinking.

"Human?" Virgil could smell it. He had been cutting back on the intake of human blood for a while now being sustained by the blood of animals he had hunted. He had a container of deer's blood still in the fridge that he wished he could reach for, but his body wouldn't turn down what Helena was offering.

"You look like you could use some." She slid the glass in front of him. Of course Virgil took it and enjoyed every drop that entered his mouth but drinking it from a glass wasn't his favorite way of ingesting the thick, sweet nectar that sustained humans. He preferred from the blood bag directly. It was as close to biting into a human as he could get and unfortunately that was something he couldn't fight the pleasurable thought of as the blood slid down his throat.

"I don't know how you could have such a taste for animal blood," Helena spoke between sips of her glass. "There is an earthy and bitter flavor when ingesting it. It's like drinking a diet soda and not the real thing. It just doesn't do the trick."

"I've come to enjoy it." He finished and proceeded to wash out the glass.

"Yeah, but with animal blood you have to feed more often to fight the cravings. I don't know how you can so easily do it?"

It hadn't been easy when he started. Garrison supported Virgil and kept close watch over him as he started to wean himself off of human blood. He didn't completely remove human blood from his diet, but now he could coherently make the choice between the two if poured in a glass side by side, but having a glass here or there of regular blood was a nice pick me up. There's just something about the strength you are given from human blood that you cannot get anywhere else.

Virgil followed Helena into the Garage and to her flashy yellow Porsche. He really didn't like the vehicle; it was too much of an attention grabber.

"You really should get rid of this car-" he remarked pointing back over his shoulder to the truck behind him. "-this works so much better for the roads out here."

"But I love my little baby and I'm not getting rid of her," Helena pouted.

"Okay, but when she gets car jacked or blows something on these roads I'll be the one to say I told you so."

"Whatever. Just get in."

Virgil picked up a heavy black binder form the passenger seat. "What's this?" he flipped through the pages. There were hand drawings, notes, red marks along pages of text he couldn't catch a word off of before Helena snatched it away from him.

"That is Laurence's." Helena said possessively. "I'm so glad you pointed it out. We can drop that off before we go into town."

"Really? That's so far away." Virgil sighed sliding down into the low seat and securing his seatbelt. Vampire or not, if Helena was driving it was a requirement. "And didn't you just see him yesterday? You should have given it to him then."

"Yeah, but I didn't get it back until this morning before Garrison left."

"What is it?"

"Research material. Garrison volunteered some of his notes and knowledge about London when he was traveling through. Back in my early years," she sighed probably focusing on her human life. "I also contributed a little and mostly went through and played butcher to the grammar or any inconsistencies I found that didn't match up with the time period. Like usage in terms or the little details of the shops." Helena licked her lips. "I can still smell the bakery that managed to beat out the wretched order of the street on some mornings."

Laurence Jones, the vampire that his sister had fallen head over heels for, was once a professor of European history, now worked at home as a writer of several text books and an array of nonfiction, informative books—recalling his travels across Europe and their cultures. He always used pen names, never revealing his true identity.

As a human, Laurence was born without sight. He grew up in a time when the plague spread wild across Europe, claiming the lives of many including his own family, leaving him an orphan. It wasn't long before starvation took him. He laid waiting for death in a dark alley one night when a vampire couple came upon him and took him in.

Once he was old enough they turned him, giving him the gift of sight, but not in the sense that the average person would consider normal. He could see the echoes of the world around him and as they vibrated he could make out, with great detail, what that object was. It was because of this lack of true sight that he learned to read Braille. He gained his writing companion, Lyon Wallace the Third, to assist him in transferring what was in his mind onto the pages of the computer.

Lyon was younger and had never experienced London in the nineteenth century as much as Laurence or Helena. So giving Laurence details of certain streets and about the people with a first person account wasn't easy for Lyon. He tracked down vampires until one day he came across Helena and Garrison. It was a match made in heaven after the two of them meant and a heck of a head ache for Virgil since, but as long as his sister was happy he would grin and bear it. It wasn't hard to bear, but it was hard to see any man worthy enough for his sister. A natural response for any brother he was assured by Garrison early one morning when she didn't come home. Grown woman or not, she should have called. He was still a little testy about that.

They acted as though they hadn't seen each other in weeks. Helena almost forgot to put the car in park before flying out of the car, across the yard, and into the man's arms. Thankfully Virgil was there to reach over and take the keys from the ignition and pick up the binder she had left behind. Cleary nothing was more important when Laurence was in front of her.

"Helena, how are you?" Laurence spoke lovingly. His words dripping in his English accent, which made Helena, or any other woman in the vicinity, dissolve.

Virgil rolled his eyes at Helena's overly dramatic reaction to Laurence. _I wonder if I can get a girl to react like that,_ Virgil thought getting out of the car. Laurence tucked Helena under his left arm and met Virgil part way from his house.

"Good to see you Virgil," Laurence reached out to shake his hand.

Virgil took it with a smile, "Same here Laurence."

"So what's Garrison up to today?" Laurence asked.

"Busy as always. He hasn't spoken much to us about it, but there has been an increase of vampire activity. We can tell. He keeps looking through a stack of papers in his room. When he does come out, it is usually to feed or to meet up with someone for another hunt." Virgil sighed. His concern for Garrison was growing. As much as he wanted to push for answers, he knew Garrison would speak about what was happening when the time was right. But until then they could only wait.

Laurence nodded. "I'm surprised and very grateful that he made time to review my manuscript, and thank you for being so patient with me." Laurence leaned down and kissed Helena's forehead after taking the binder from Virgil.

"Of course!" she responded. He rubbed their noses together. Helena let out a playful giggle. "I love to relive my younger years. There were so many people and I had so many friends." Helena had given up being sad about her old life and for all the people that were now passed away, but she stilled loved to walk to streets of London in the footsteps of old flames and buried memories.

Watching Laurence nuzzle his face against her Virgil new the man was right for her and a blessing.

"So what are you up to today?" Virgil asked. Laurence kissed Helena's cheek and turned his attention back to Virgil.

"I'm meeting a couple of gentlemen in town later today—about a section in one of my books they state to be inaccurate information. I highly doubt that since not only have I lived the experience, I also have had Lyon double check all of my work using different resources. But it gets me out of the house," he stated.

"I bet you'll show up and find out they are complete idiots, and all they really wanted was an autograph," Helena laughed.

Laurence nodded with laugh. "That would be something better than arguing about the fact. Lyon and I have a bet about this."

"Oh yeah?" Virgil asked curiously.

"Yeah, he bets their sources are incorrect, and about ten minutes in I'll be hearing an apology. I think it could take longer than that to convince people who truly believe I am wrong."

"Doesn't it bother you that they will know who you are?" Helena asked.

"I am going as my pen name, Alexander Winchester, not Laurence Jones," he pointed out.

"Which is still not your correct last name," Helena chimed in, squeezing his arm with a smile. "I don't like the name Jones for you. It doesn't really fit."

Virgil was intrigued by the comment. He hadn't been aware that Laurence's last name was something other than Jones.

"Another man in another life. My adoptive family was Jones and thus I am such," he stated, rubbing her cheek longingly.

"Laurence!" A voice cut across the lawn behind them. "Oh sorry, I didn't realize we had guests." Lyon stepped out farther to wave towards Virgil and Helena.

"Hi, Lyon!" Helena called back with a wave.

The vampire seemed more than happy to take a break and join in the conversation. He was a muscular man with small eyes and a buzz cut. Quite an odd looking vampire to Virgil, but he had seen weirder.

"How ya been, Helena?" He asked, tucking the papers he was holding under one arm and extending his hand out to Virgil. "Been a while since I saw you, Virgil. Everything doing well?"

"We're good. Came to drop off a binder of work for you," and on that note Laurence passed the binder into his hands. "and we were listening to him telling us about a couple of people he has to see today."

"Ah! Yes. We've got bets placed on what will happen." Lyon's face lit up.

"We've heard," Helena laughed.

"You in?" He asked with a grin.

"What's on the table?" Virgil asked.

"If I win, Laurence has to be the lead performer to the play _The Man behind the Mask_ , which is a vampiric reinterpretation of _The Phantom of the Opera_. If I lose, I have to take part at the art gallery in Venice, where Milady Charlotte and her husband Xavier are presenting pieces of their collection—one of which is the human body. I would have to wear a white mask and pose with nothing but air as my clothes, with a wall at my back." Lyon laughed.

"I think I'll sit this one out. The price is a little too high for my blood," Helena laughed, shaking her head.

"Me too," Virgil admitted. He didn't want to take part in betting, knowing full well that Lyon or Helena would come up with something twisted if he lost.

"That's all right. I understand. Don't want to risk your lives on a simple bet." Lyon sighed, but neither of them took the bait.

"Well, it looks like you have work to do. I don't want to keep you much longer." Helena kissed Laurence lightly on the lips. "But you are always welcomed to come over."

"Why don't you stay a while?" he asked, holding her face close. She smiled, catching his intent, but pulled away.

"A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. I wanted to go shopping with Virgil today, maybe get him into something other than a pair of jeans. You know, a nice button-up shirt and some slacks," she said.

"Wait! I thought we were going shopping for you?" Virgil said, stepping closer.

Helena smiled guiltily at him. "Partly, but I think you could do with a little more clothes. A little variety won't kill you."

"Yeah, but you will," Virgil groaned.

"She wouldn't do this if she didn't love you," Laurence pointed out, kissing her hand. "I'll see you later my dear Helena," he promised with a slight bow.

"I can't wait," she smiled.

"Isn't he sweet?" Helena asked Virgil as she slid back behind the wheel to the Porsche.

Laurence and Lyon proceeded to walk back towards the house pausing to wave her off. She waved at Laurence before giving Virgil an accomplished smile. She was met with his, not-so-happy face.

"What?" she asked trying to sound innocent.

"So when were you going to tell me that the shopping we were doing was for me?" Virgil asked.

"It's not _all_ for you," she stated. "Just relax."

Virgil rubbed his face. This was going to be a long day. At least they didn't take his truck; with his she would probably buy the store.

"Maybe we should have brought you're truck?" She whispered as he laughed to himself and then let out a long breath. "It's not like it's the end of the world. Besides, a few new outfits would be kind of nice and refreshing, don't you think?" she batted her eyes towards him.

Virgil thought about it. He hadn't spent money on himself in a while and he was wearing down the clothes he had. After a few seconds of deliberation he turned to Helena with his finger extended out. "I'll go along so long as you let me have the final say on what we buy. Okay?"

"Okay, but I will say something if I hate it. Oh! And I was hoping to pick up a new suit for Laurence. You look about his size so you'll have to be my model," she mumbled examining the width of Virgil's shoulders and visually comparing.

"This is going to be a long day. This definitely must be a girl thing," Virgil mumbled.

"Just wait until you get the right girl one day. You'll be singing a different tune," Helena smiled confidently.

"I hope not all woman act like you, all faint and light on your feet anytime Laurence is anywhere in the area." He muttered under his breath

"I heard that," her tone became threatening.

"Yes. And what _will_ you do about it?"

"I _shall_ take pictures of you sleeping naked and sell them to the nearest nude agency around and then sign you up for a lifetime membership," Helena grinned evilly. Virgil slowly turned to look at her.

"You wouldn't." He stated, but the look in her eyes said differently. He had seen this before and could only hope she was bluffing.

"Watch me," Helena said, pulling her attention back towards the road.

The air grew tense between them as Virgil grew worried about the evil smile playing across Helena's face while she drove. In all his time spent with her, the one thing he shouldn't question was her threats. He was concerned he may have screwed himself over with his last comment and his next question was how could he buy himself out of it?

I wish I brought my truck.

Chapter Two

Vacation.

That is what Elizabeth Parks needed. A vacation to help her relax and try and put herself back together after her father, Samuel Parks', passing a few weeks ago.

She was a strong-willed woman with the beauty of a mother she had never known. She had waves of chestnut hair which lightly fell layered against her back, a strong jaw line, a pair of muscular legs she received from the track, and hazel eyes behind a pair of red glasses.

Many people would crack under the pressure of having to help their father maintain his house while putting themselves through college, and opening a business—but not Elizabeth. Up until this point in her life she had been through times of hardships and struggles managing to keep it together thanks to her father. Now, the world was a sudden roller-coaster ride of emotions and she wanted off.

In her absence, her and her father's store, E-Z treats, was being managed by her dear friend, and almost sister, Bethany Jean. The spunky woman followed Elizabeth a year later out of college with her own Associates Degree in Business Administration and tossed around the idea of one day going back for a culinary degree. Beth was instantly welcomed to the Parks' family business.

The whole experience had been perfect. From the moment Elizabeth stepped out of college things seemed to go their way.

First, her father had received a call from an old friend who owned a small shopping square right on MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, Louisiana, not too far from her father's home, with the news that he had a spot open for rent. It was their lucky break.

Samuel borrowed money to help Elizabeth open the store of her dreams with the help of her aunts and a few cousins. They worked recipes she had found and adapted into her own from her mother's old notebook, written while her mother was in culinary school. She favored the sweet food cooking had to offer and loved to bake above all else.

Unfortunately Elizabeth never had the pleasure of meeting her mother, Annette, due to birthing complications. Elizabeth felt opening E-Z Treats was a way of accomplishing all of their dreams—but two years after accomplishing them her fairy tale story became a nightmare and her father passed away.

Her one greatest treasure in life was suddenly gone.

She intended to spend the next week at her father's old cabin at The Piney Woods Lake getting herself refocused and emotionally put back together. She needed to.

She used to spend summer months in the cabin with her father and her grandmother, Edith Parks. Right after Elizabeth graduated from high school, her grandmother passed away with cancer, leaving the cabin to Elizabeth and her father. Now she was the sole owner of the old cabin.

But as happy as she was to be heading to the cabin she could feel the anxiety building in her chest. The memories of her father rested heavy on her shoulders with every passing minute and intake of breath.

Even though she had lost her father, she tried to keep it together for her employees, her family, and for herself. She had to keep getting up every morning knowing that her father wouldn't be waiting for her at the store, or that he wouldn't greet her with his black-coffee breath.

She smiled at the memory teasing him about it all the time. She would give anything for him to give her one last breath of that coffee-filled air.

She pulled herself together noticing the slowing traffic ahead. Keeping a tight grip on her sanity, she moved a small strand of her hair from her glasses propped low on her face. She had a bit of a librarian or bookkeeper look about her, but neither job sounded appealing. She preferred to be hiding away in a kitchen, cooking several kinds of desserts, or sleeping away in her soft queen-sized bed which she recently splurged on herself.

Again she smiled at the memory.

Her father had been really sweet about her splurge on the bed, helping her get it set up and put away in her new apartment. She released a light laugh remembering how hard it had been to get the bed into her room since she was on the second floor.

Her face reddened and tears swelled behind her eyes but froze as she felt a duel trimmer ease into her chest. It was an abnormal sensation which pulsed through her body growing stronger as traffic caught up to her. Had she really been going that slowly? This pulse was more than just the car vibrating against her hands. It had life behind it of a different caliber to what she normally endured.

The pulse drummed strongly through her palms, tingling from her fingertips to her chest. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her glasses farther up the bridge of her nose and looked around for the cause of the sensation building within her, prickling her lungs with every breath.

Since childhood she occasionally felt what she could only describe as a pulse. It radiated deep within her body, affecting her blood. Like tapping a wind chime, the resonance vibrated through her hand, up the arm, until the sensation worked its way into her chest cavity with a steady pulse.

Out of concern for Elizabeth, her father had her examined as a small child. After a few tests, they concluded she was healthy with no physical signs of problems. Since then she has remained quiet about her ability. It had grown with her and became a second sensory she could use to her advantage.

With such an unusual gift, games like hide-and-go-seek was easy to play, while other things like surprise birthday parties or a friend playing a joke was ruined early on by her innate ability to feel the people before she entered a room.

Every so often she would get a little surprise with her gift. She would run across a different pulse, which in the end would always disappear before she could locate its source. The pulse ran on a different frequency than all the other normal people around her. She craved so badly to chase after each pulse with this abnormality and here was her chance. She filtered quickly through the static of all the other pulses around her like tinkering with a radio station. It was hard to focus on an exact location for the pulse while staying in her own lane with the fast moving traffic, but Elizabeth was determined.

_There!_ She instantly caught sight of a car sliding in and out of traffic behind her. _One...no! Two!_

She gasped as the yellow convertible weaved in and out of traffic dangerously fast, barely missing each car. There was no sign of it slowing as it continued to catch up. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel as the pulses increased.

She was so close to seeing the source of the odd pulse causing her to frantically hug the window to get a better look.

The convertible slid into the lane next to her. The normal pulses around her were all but gone with the arrival of the people in this car—their pulses outweighed everyone else's.

And just as quickly as the car slid in beside her it moved forward and away.

I need to get a better look at them!

Elizabeth tried to speed up, but traffic was just too tight of a fit and she didn't want to risk getting into an accident just for a look at them, no matter how much her body ached for a peek.

_I know I'm not crazy. I can feel them. They're different!_ She cried out in her mind, so close to getting a good look at them and yet so far.

Virgil could hear the sound of Elizabeth's voice loud and clear, as though she sat beside him. But it was Helena who sat in the passenger seat, unaware by the sudden intrusion into Virgil's thoughts.

He scanned the area quickly and found the blue BMW hugging the pickup truck in front of it. In a last second decision Virgil changed the course of the convertible, pulling back in beside the BMW.

_What?_ Elizabeth looked into the car at Virgil, who looked back at her with curious eyes. She admired the two people. His dark-brown hair was a nice contrast to the woman sitting beside him, whose golden hair was neatly braided and held firm against the sharp incline of her shoulder.

They both had an eerie beauty with pale skin, slender builds, and an intelligent look about them. They could pass for royalty in Elizabeth's mind, although the man seemed wilder. His eyes were inviting and full of curiosity, but behind that something dark stirred.

They truly were not what she had expected to find emitting the vibrant pulse within her.

_It's them._ No question. She felt shear certainty, astonishment, and excitement.

But why?

She leaned closer into the window. She wished his eyes would unlock the answers she so dearly wanted to ask.

Virgil stared at her, confused himself by what he was hearing. He pushed into her mind, picking up on her shock and excitement. He pushed aside her thoughts of flattery and fought through the bombardment of questions, memories still fresh in her mind, and raw emotions he could see almost boiling over within her. And if things couldn't get even more confusing, to his astonishment, she was aware of him within the confines of her mind even if she wasn't yet sure of it herself

Elizabeth could feel a pressure in her head behind her eyes like a building headache; yet she was too distracted by Virgil to really know what he was up to. She was frozen in the moment, staring in awe of him as he collected small details of who she was. She was hoping that by some miracle he could answer some of her questions and perhaps solve a riddle that she had been holding since a child, but he was just a good looking young man.

The thought saddened her a little bit.

Elizabeth didn't have the time to stare at him when vehicles were still moving around her. She forced her eyes to check the road and realigned her driving.

Helena finally caught wind of Virgil's distraction and lightly touched his shoulder.

Virgil quickly mumbled what he was feeling and hearing from Elizabeth to Helena. She too, turned her attention to the small BMW. Elizabeth brought her eyes back out the window just in time to see Helena smile kindly with a wave.

_Who are you?_ Elizabeth whispered lastly in Virgil's mind before he pulled the car away with her name clinging in his thoughts. In seconds they were long gone and out of sight; their pulses nothing more than a faint tingle.

She took a deep breath and refocused herself. The pulses of everyone in the cars around her slowly returned. She loosened her stone grip off the steering wheel, allowing her white knuckles to finally get some blood flow going through them.

"That was different," Elizabeth spoke to herself with a faint laugh. She rubbed at her face and her eyes to remove the headache that had manifested itself in their mere thirty seconds of looking at each other. "I hope I brought some medicine," she mumbled.

His eyes looked almost silver. They were beautiful.

She was kicking herself that she couldn't see where they had gone, but at the same time she didn't want to come off as a stalker. It probably wouldn't look good for her if she walked up to the man asking him strange questions about himself in hopes of figuring out his strong pulse.

Elizabeth shook her head lightly, giving a laugh. He probably would think her mad and call the cops. "Like I need to have a man like that against me in the court room. I can only imagine what kind of lawyer he has."

Elizabeth's phone suddenly started to ring. She snatched it up concerned. It could be Bethany calling about something important, like the store burning down or something worse. She flipped the phone open and placed it to her ear.

"Need money for your business? Well—"

She hung up fast on the prerecorded message and threw the phone on her bags. "Yeah, but I don't want to have to pay it back!" she snapped at the little flip phone like it was in trouble. It wasn't her phone's fault that people called asking for donations, seeing if she needed loan, or trying to sale her something.

She leaned back in her seat taking a deep breath. "I just want to get to the cabin and enjoy my vacation. No more worries about anything," she mumbled, flipping on her turn signal for her upcoming exit.

It wasn't too much longer before Elizabeth was hitting the turn signal again for Piney woods Road, the long road circling the Piney Woods Lake deep in the heart of the Piney Woods forest. That's a lot of piney woods.

It was an old paved road with its fair share of wears and tears.

On the road she passed several four-wheeler paths, small creek beds, and many unfamiliar dirt roads along her drive down the road at thirty-five miles per hour.

She let out a sigh, both of relief and nervousness. The next time she wanted to head to the old cabin was with her father next year, but she would never get the chance to.

_Elizabeth! Stop thinking like that!_ She could hear clearly in her father's voice. So she slapped her cheeks hard, bringing their color back and pulling herself back together. She pushed on down the road with her chin held a little higher.

_I can do this._ She told herself, feeling the car begin to slow down. It dropped from thirty five to twenty five; to a faint crawl. She wiped at her eyes. "I have to at least make it to the cabin before I lose it," she said feeling her stomach tighten. She gritted her teeth and swallowed the knot building in her throat.

Her father would have loved to come back and Elizabeth could almost see him sitting in the seat next to her. He would be trying to sing to his old 80s rock music and not doing such a good job at it either, but it would have been fun.

A weak smile played across Elizabeth's trembling lips. The road was all but a blurry grey mash laid out in front of her as she took deep breaths to try and focus. She was on the last leg of the trip—there was no way she was going to turn around now. Not after both Bethany and her friend Randy insisted she come.

"I can make it. I just need a good night's sleep and I'll be better in the morning," she choked back a tear, cleared her throat and picked up speed.

She started to get herself together when she became aware of a pulse coming up. It wasn't just any pulse, it was a strong one. She perked up—shocked. It wasn't normal for her to run across more than one unusual pulse in a month's time and here she was about to have a second encounter of the day!

Elizabeth wiped at her eyes and continued forward. She was almost certain she would turn a small corner and come face to face with the person responsible for the pulse, but when she came to the corner the pulse quickly moved away. It grew dimmer and dimmer until finally it was gone.

Elizabeth looked around for any sign of the person but there was no use. She knew they were long gone and by their speed they must have been in a car.

She carried on, finally breaking into an opening which gave view to The Piney Woods Lake for the first time. Several houses lined the banks and almost half as many boats cluttered the water. Along the road were more than a couple little RV parks, children's parks, and camping sites.

She recalled years ago when there weren't even half as many people there. Now, the area was a thriving community with a central point holding a couple of shops and fast little food joints like hotdogs, chili, fried fish, and an array of other food. Thankfully her cabin hadn't been overrun with neighbors or parks. It was almost secluded. The only neighbor being the lake to its left and a second cabin across the road to the right into the woods a little. If you continued to follow the road it opened up into the little shopping circle for people that lived on the Lake. Past that area were many more camp sites and RV parks.

Elizabeth smiled spotting her cabin beside the lake. It wasn't as pretty as some of the fancier and newer buildings with two stories but it was hers and she missed it. So many memories were made in it.

She pulled up to the small porch at the front of the cabin with her initials carved into the railing and turned the ignition off. A Sense of hesitation filled her.

Time grew long as she waited in her car with her hands held firm against the steering wheel. She could picture her dad walking her up those steps teasing her that she had brought way too much with her, and as always, he was right. Half the things she brought with she never used, but not this time. She brought only the essentials with her. He would have been proud.

She took a deep breath and with her returning strength she stepped out of the car without grabbing her bags. She wouldn't need them yet. She just wanted to relive those moments with her dad. To walk up those steps as she had done before and open the door to the smell of cedar and pine.

She took each step slowly, each step heavier than the last until she stood atop the last step facing the front door.

The boards of the porch creaked below her feet and the paint was peeling in some spots, but it still had its charm. An old metal bench painted white sat to her right. She recognized it as a bench that she and her father saved from the dump one day and repainted. It was amazing the things people threw away. She ran her hand along the bench's armrest and could nearly feel her dad. He burst of warmth was almost too much to take.

She was hesitant to remove her hand from the bench, but it was time. This was the moment Elizabeth had been waiting for. She placed the key she had on a ring by itself on her keychain in the doorknob. She lightly touched her fingertips to the off-white frame that surrounded the old faded door as if almost sure it would crack below her touch, but it held firm.

The doorknob stuck a little as the key turned, until finally she heard the sharp click she had been waiting for. A mix of anxiety and fear filled the pit of her stomach. It wasn't like Elizabeth to be nervous, but her wounds were still deep and only continued to burn the more she pushed on. She was excited at first, but now dread filled her. Maybe this was a bad idea? No, she thought. She had come this far, there was no turning back.

"Okay. Here we go," Elizabeth said releasing a deep breath. She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

The house blew cool air against her face. It was such a welcoming, sensation that she couldn't help but want to step in and give a smile to the cabin. The fully opened door allowed her a peek at the light wood interior. The shelves were dusted, the hard wood floors glossed, the kitchen fridge stocked, and the linens cleaned. Everything was almost as how she remembered it. Dark green trim lined the ceiling and a small marble counter gave just enough space for food prep next to the sink. It was a small space, but cozy. Just enough for a family.

Though Elizabeth and her father hadn't been in the cabin in almost three years, Trisha Campbell, a family friend, maintained the cabin for them. In exchange, she was able to bring her family to the Lake for little outings and fun trips. She too was devastated by Samuel's passing, having been his friend since they were children.

Elizabeth had called to inform Trisha that she could still hold to the deal Samuel had made her, and that Elizabeth was going to be spending a week at the cabin herself for a little freedom. Trisha was more than happy to give it a quick clean and restock before Elizabeth got there. Though Elizabeth turned her down, Trisha insisted. It was hard to say no to a Puerto Rican.

She left the door open, stepping into the cabin one weak footstep at a time.

She could hear him. Almost see him. Her father's smiling face was embedded into her mind as he tried to playfully wrestle Elizabeth on the kitchen floor for the spatula while their breakfast began to burn. It was a pleasant memory.

Elizabeth reached out and took the counter for support. The pulses of what was once such a happy vacation home echoed off the walls and deep within her. She smiled, placing her hand over her face to try and block the image from her mind, but her tears still managed to find their way down her cheeks.

_No dad! Stop!_ She cried out in her memory as her father cheated, tickling her vulnerable side. He had successfully taken the spatula, and though their food was burnt neither of them cared.

Elizabeth slowly sunk to the floor, rotating until she sat down with the counter against her back and the door in front of her. There were so many memories of her father flooding back into her mind.

She was beginning to regret her decision. It was too soon. Her need to say goodbye had led her to a place she wasn't ready for.

Could she really do it? Could she live there for a week without her father?

She pulled her knees up against her body and quietly sobbed. She could and she would. She needed a good cry, she needed to get it out of her system.

"Elizabeth?" A voice outside called, bringing her face up for air. "Lizzy?" a deep, gravelly male voice called. A man walked around the side of the porch and almost to the stairs. Elizabeth grabbed the bottom of her shirt and wiped at her face, trying to get to her feet fast enough and remove all signs of her crying.

A slender, golden-brown eyed, dirty blonde hair man paused at the top of the stairs. He wore formal clothes not suited to the area. A white long-sleeved shirt, a nice black vest, and slacks. His name was Randal McCloud, but everyone just called him Randy for short. Elizabeth stared at him wide-eyed and shocked. He looked good.

The last time she saw him it felt like a lifetime ago, but she couldn't forget that face and those eyes. He still looked like the scrawny kid with the overbite who used to pick on her. As the years went on their picking became more playful then teasing and soon they were climbing trees and swimming together. Her father always thought that they'd make a cute couple, but Elizabeth and Randy never saw it. She hadn't seen him in over three years.

"Wow, Randy?" Elizabeth sniffed clearing her throat.

"Yeah. I take it Miss Trish already left?" he smiled stepping forward into the doorway. "How are you holding up?" he asked kindly.

"You heard, huh?"

"Miss Trish told me." He spoke comfortingly. His head dropped low. "Your dad was a great man."

"Thanks."

"I still remember that time we went fishing and you ended up hooking me," he laughed. "Do you remember what your dad said?"

Elizabeth smiled and nodded. "He said, 'looks like you've caught the best catch of the day.'"

"Then I think you offered to help cook me."

She covered her face childishly. "Yeah. I remember."

He lifted his gaze and with those serious eyes asked her, "how are you, really?"

Elizabeth straightened out her clothes and slapped on a smile. She was embarrassed and her eyes were red. "I'm fine," she lied.

He nodded though the lie she gave was easy to see through he left it alone. "Well, it's good to see you. I'm glad you came."

"Yeah."

"Here," he reached into his pocket pulling out a white handkerchief. He offered it out to her.

"Thank you," she cleared her throat and took it. "I just got here," she laughed weakly.

"Those don't look like happy tears to me," he spoke, "and trust me I know what I'm talking about! My girlfriend is overly happy all the time, but when she's sad it's an endless waterfall. And God forbid she gets angry. There will be blood," he rubbed his neck and chuckled. "Though I can handle her. Probably the only one who can."

"I'm glad to see you've finally got a girlfriend." Elizabeth teased.

He looked hurt but grinned. "How could I settle on one would I had so many wanting my attention. And that includes you, Lizzy." He winked.

"Whatever, but who is the lucky gal?"

"Sarah Wells. She'd—"Elizabeth leaned forward and cut him off.

"Oh my gosh! You actually managed to date one of the Wells sisters? I thought they were impossible to land because of their brother...um... god, what was his name. Christian?"

"Christopher," he corrected.

"Chris! That's right. Now, was Sarah the older or younger one?" Elizabeth asked offering his handkerchief back. He lifted his hand and shook his head.

"How about you keep that for a little bit? I think you might need it," he remarked. Elizabeth was grateful to him for letting her keep it, or he was grossed out and didn't want to take it back from her. Either way, it was a kind gesture.

"So which was it?" Elizabeth asked again.

"Sarah was the younger of the two. We've been dating for almost three years. She lost her sister last year." He said in a lower tone.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks, so I kind of know what you're going through and if you need anything just let me know."

"Thanks, Randy. It's nice to see you. You look great," Elizabeth exclaimed referring to Randy's lack of weight. The last time she remembered seeing him he was also a bit chunkier around his mid-section.

He laughed. "Thank you, Sarah and I have been eating a lot healthier lately and I've been working out. I'll definitely let her know you approve."

"I can't wait to meet her. And thanks for the handkerchief."

"No problem. Here, take down my number." She quickly put in number in her phone. "Was the trip here okay? Oh, do you need any help?" He offered saving her in his contacts.

"No. I have everything under control. I'm just getting a little overwhelmed. It really has been a long time," She nodded taking in her surroundings again.

"Are you sure? I know we haven't seen each other in a while but I don't bite. And we are neighbors." Randy pointed towards the second house.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Sarah and I moved into the house after her sister passed away. She needed to get out of that house and move on. She was really going mad."

"I understand that." Elizabeth mumbled debating if she wanted company as she carried her things in.

"It's free labor and I wouldn't be staying, just helping," he noted.

"Yeah, sure," Elizabeth answered. She stepped outside and beside him. "Where's Sarah?"

"She's at work right now. I'm waiting for her to get off and saw the car. Didn't recognize it as Miss Trisha's car and realized that she had said you were coming and was hoping to give you a warm welcome. Couldn't let you move in without stopping by."

"You're too kind. You sure your girlfriend won't be jealous?"

"She knows you're coming and is looking forward to it."

"How? I don't really know her."

"I talked about you and told her what was going on. She's just really sweet like that. She wants to make you feel at home and welcomed here." He added. "I think she wants to plan lunch or dinner, or something as soon as you can, but I told her not to bother you too much," he gave Elizabeth's shoulder a little nudge as they made their way towards her car.

"Thanks Randy. It's nice to have someone familiar here. It really was a good idea for me to come," she took in a deep breath enjoying the smell of the lake in the air.

Her car was unlocked as Randy eased open the back door. She packed pretty light with only one large suitcase, a backpack, and her purse. Randy took the backpack and suitcase with ease, hurrying them up the stairs and into the cabin while Elizabeth only had to worry about her purse and ensuring the car was locked up tight. Not that she was worried, but you never know. Living in a city she was always carful.

"See, was that so bad?" he joked as she reentered the cabin.

"I'm more worried about you wrinkling your outfit. Where are you heading in clothes like that? I thought you were waiting for Sarah?" Elizabeth asked running her eyes up and down the length of his outfit. Randy looked down and dusted off the side of his vest before straightening up.

"I'm fine. No permanent damage done. I just got back from a trip at my parents' home actually."

"What were you doing there?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He extended his hands out to pose.

"Joining the Mob?"

He laughed. "Something like that. I am working on taking over the family business in Monroe. Dad runs two hotels, and mom feels that he needs to let me take over one to lessen his stress. He's not getting any younger. So I'm working on it. Little harder than I thought," he joked nervously.

"I would imagine. Congratulations though. I didn't realize you're family owned more than one hotel!"

"I don't like to gloat too much. I've been working at the hotels since I was in junior high. So cross your fingers I can work my first week as a boss okay."

"I will."

"I'm a little worried about taking over. My dad will be watching my every move."

"I can imagine. Enjoy it," she remarked, feeling the tug in her chest. Randy took notice and paused, watching the red push back into eyes.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—what about you?" he asked, trying to distract her from her thoughts, but he could see by the clenched jaw he had struck a soft spot. "How is being the owner of E-Z Treats treating you? And are you going to give us a sample of your cooking while you're here?"

She cleared her throat. "Of course. I'd love to. Whenever we do eat together I've got dessert covered."

"Sweet," he laughed. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah," Elizabeth nodded happily.

"I still think it's so impressive. You're pretty young to own your own business."

"Coming from the man who will have a hotel soon," she replied.

"Touché," he said happy to be bring a smile back to Elizabeth lips and she was happy to feel it. "You must be tired from the trip?"

"Yeah. I guess I should be heading to bed. I don't want to mess up my sleep pattern too bad while I'm here," she stated. Randy stepped out the door followed closely by Elizabeth. They walked to the edge of the porch, Randy tucked his hands in his pockets and turned to get another look at his exhausted friend.

Elizabeth could barely see the little pudgy boy she knew almost a decade before. He stood taller than her, with kind eyes, and an air about him that put her at ease.

Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to come, she thought. She wasn't entirely alone, which her friend, Bethany, would be happy to hear.

"It's good to have you here Elizabeth," he said. "I hope being here can help clear your head. And again, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. My mom and dad remember him and send their condolences."

"Thank you. And thank your parents for me."

Randy reached out and eased his arms around Elizabeth carefully. She didn't protest as he gave her a short squeeze. She hugged him slightly back, before releasing him and pulling from the kind grip he offered.

"Have a good night," he said.

"You too." Elizabeth whispered as Randy made his way down the step and across the yard towards the small house across the road.

She sighed heavily heading back inside. She grabbed a bag and made her way to one of the small bedrooms in the hall beside the only bathroom.

She was exhausted. Stripping off her pants she didn't even bother to change into the clothes she had tucked away in the bag that laid on the edge of the bed. She just curled up across the cold sheets and closed her eyes. Sleep was even due to her exhaustion but peace was another matter. Her dreams filled with nightmares.

Chapter Three

Virgil sat quietly in the living room facing the fireplace. His body leaned forward and his mind hard at work. He had spent the better part of the night hunting for information on Elizabeth to work off his adrenaline –which had been pumping hard since he discovered her and the fact that she would be in his vicinity for a week. He couldn't get the woman out of his mind.

"Elizabeth Parks," he mumbled to himself, putting his hands together to rest his head on his fingertips. The name echoed in him. An itch he couldn't scratch. A worry he couldn't shut off. Or, a thirst of curiosity he couldn't quench.

Her image was embedded in his mind. The way she smiled and laughed. The way she fiddled with her hair when it's down, which looked to be a rare occasion in her mind. And, the look of her lips curved into a sultry smile.

Virgil groaned inwardly thinking about the details that made her irresistible and dangerous. He could fight it, right? Did he want to?

The only reason he reached into her mind was to make certain he wasn't imagining her pointing him out. He received a quick glimpse of the woman's life while in his search of her ability, but he found no reason. She just knew he was different. That alone was enough to put any vampire in danger of being found out, or even get her killed if she pursued it. And by what he saw she would definitely pursue it.

Perhaps she was a psychic?

He had never run across a real psychic, but he had heard of them. Some are so sensitive that they have been recruited by the vampires, but it is rare. Most are harmless and aren't in full control of their abilities from what Virgil understood, but clearly this woman, Elizabeth, knew of her gift.

"Pulse," he spoke the odd word out loud. It sounded ridiculous, but the more he tried to push into her mind the more he could see she was serious. This gift was real.

He rubbed his face, trying to figure out what to do. From the information he had gather about the woman she was the granddaughter of Edith Parks. Virgil had the pleasure of meeting the woman a long time ago when the cabin was first built and before her husband passed away. Virgil was assisting in repairing the roof after an old tree fell barely missing the cabin, but the roof sustained major damage from the falling limbs. He fixed it in a timely manner not to give away his abilities.

He smiled at the memory. He was still very young and getting hold of his life at that age. Once he finished the job he was gone. He didn't stay to play with the kids, which he realized now was Elizabeth's aunts and father. He figured it was a good thing he didn't spend time with them. Even if he did run into her aunts he could always say he was the son of the man who helped fix the cabin. It was easier to say that as the years went on.

But Elizabeth was the only one back. From what he gathered of the girl it had been sometime since she had been there and she was only going to be back for a short time.

Virgil hesitated. He felt sad. Why would he be sad? He needed her to go, right? It wasn't safe if she was staying permanently. Would she be able to feel him from where she was at? Should they leave? When would she leave? What brought her here? Why is her heart broken?

The questions burned in the back of his mind.

The longer he sat in the quiet of the living room the longer his mind tormented him with curious thoughts. Most of which he could only receive the answer if he found her. And find her he wanted too.

"Are you there now?" he wondered out loud feeling the disturbance in the air.

He looked up towards the entrance of the hall to see Helena propped up against the wall, watching him think. She looked a little worried and for good reason. If she could hear what he was thinking she wouldn't be too happy.

"What are you thinking about in this eerie silence?" She asked approaching slowly. He slid up on his heels and off the floor to take a more comforting seat on the couch.

"Just a few things. What are you doing?" He replied casually.

Helena stepped in front of him, not buying his way of blowing her off. "If you think that half-bake answer is good enough, you're wrong." She bent forward, forcing him to lock eyes with her. It only took a second to realize what he was thinking about. "Really?" She sighed, leaning back and flipping her hair over her shoulder. He couldn't keep things from her. The eyes were the windows into the soul and Helena was a good soul reader.

"Look, Helena, you didn't see or feel what I felt. There's something different about—" He tried to explain but she cut him off.

"We can't afford to go chasing after people who, for some reason, know we are different! It could be a problem," Helena argued. She had a point and Virgil knew it. Commonsense told him to drop it, but part of him wanted to know more.

"I need to know. It will drive me mad if I pass this opportunity up. I might never run across her again. Besides, don't you want to know if we are safe to stay here? If she's the only one who can do this? Or if it was a fluke?" he exclaimed. He felt the urge building slowly from the pit of his stomach into his chest. He wanted to observe her, read her thoughts, and explore what made her different. He hadn't felt this sort of excitement in years.

"Virgil, I know you want to go and figure this woman out, but you can't." Helena dropped to her knees in front of him and snatched up his hands. "She is probably a latent psychic. And if that is the case we just need to lay low and soon enough she'll be gone."

"You don't know that." Vigil said. "I don't think she's a psychic and we need to know if she's moving in so we can move if necessary." He tried to reason with her. "For our safety and hers." He stressed hoping to win her over.

"How about we go away for a while regardless?" Helena offered excitedly. "We could go on a trip to England or see France again. It's been a while. We could even see Claire du Mont and spend time with her family. Go hunting like we used to."

"You can go," Virgil ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He couldn't push Elizabeth out of his mind and he didn't want to. It was more than mere curiosity.

_She knew. She knows we are different._ He felt something else, something deep within him. It made his chest burn and flesh itch. He wouldn't forget her. He couldn't forget—at least not until he figured her out.

"You remembered what happened the last time one of us became involved with a human?" Helena's voice lowered painfully reminding him.

"I remember well, Helena," he answered bitterly. His eyes focusing on a family portrait over her shoulder above the fireplace.

They had rarely spoken of the events that had unfolded that evening last year, but Virgil didn't want to remember much more. He was angry inside, his face managing to portray a calmer demeanor as his eyes shifted back to Helena. The memories of what happened forever embedded within him and weighing him down wherever he went. It was something he would not be able to escape for years to come. If he was lucky.

"Virgil," Helena softened her voice. "I need you to stay away from her, for us. We can't afford to risk our exposure or her life. You understand that?"

He was quiet. Debating with himself about the odds of repeating his brother's mistakes. Surely he would not make the same mistakes. He wanted to inspect Elizabeth, not do what his brother did. They were completely different.

William was eldest, by almost two-hundred years to him, and Helena a little more than a hundred. Virgil was the youngest, but never did he think there was such a rift between him and his brother until last year when he took a life and his brother swore revenge against Virgil. Against his very own family. The experience had haunted him since.

"We got lucky last time," she mumbled, standing up.

"Lucky," Virgil laughed humorlessly. "What happened was not luck." He gritted his teeth.

"It had to be done." Helena's soft voice rubbed him raw.

"I know. I just think it could have been handled different—"

"You know it couldn't have been. She didn't want it. Even Garrison wouldn't have wanted what was coming to her. She hated it," Helena reminded him.

"Garrison wasn't the one that did it. I was." Virgil reminded bitterly, "All he did was show up a little late and chase the bastard off."

Helena touched his hunched shoulders lightly.

"I still pick up his scent from time to time." Helena said wearily. "I have never found it around the house, but it's there, in the woods, the grounds we hunt, and through the city. He's never truly that far." Virgil nodded. He had picked up on it once or twice already. "I just don't think you should be drawing attention to yourself by getting close to this woman."

"Elizabeth." He corrected.

Helena sighed. "It has a name." Virgil released a growl. "Calm yourself. If William is lurking about you need a level head."

"Do you think the local missing hiker is his doing?" Virgil asked. They hadn't found any vampire scent around the bloody shirt, just Axe cologne he was wearing. It was quite strong. "Garrison must know," Virgil said. "He must know that William has been lurking around."

Virgil dreaded a repeat of past events. He had already faced off with his own kind. Brother to brother in an enraged moment that tore them apart forever. He could never forgive William for what had occurred. His brother was lucky to still have his life. It was Garrison's decision to force his leave and not kill him on the spot.

Virgil didn't know if that was the best of choices, but at the time he was in no position to argue and even now he wished he could still go back and change everything.

"Do you think we could have done anything differently?" Virgil asked.

"As I have said before, brother, I think we did the best we could do. We are just lucky that we didn't have to spill even more blood that night," Helena said softly, raising his chin.

Virgil took her hand from his face and lightly kissed the back of it. Giving her a smile, he nodded.

"Thank you for your advice as always dear sister." He rose to his feet.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going out for a little bit. For a walk"

"Virgil." She pleaded with her eyes. "Stay away from her."

"I need to find out how long she is staying here for and I need to find out if William has come through the area recently, as well."

"You don't think he'd notice do you?" She asked uneasily. "You don't think he'd do anything do you?"

"I don't know. I hope not, but I've never understood what was going on in his mind."

"Yeah, me neither," she sighed.

"Helena. I will keep this family safe. Trust me," Virgil said curling one of her golden curls in his fingers before pushing it over her shoulder.

"Okay," she whispered. "But if you do something stupid!" she warned.

He flashed a smile her way. "I know. I'll regret it. I'll see you shortly." He slid out the front door.

There was a rush, a need to get moving even with the worry of William looming overhead.

_Elizabeth_.

Something about the woman twisted his insides. There was something wrong about the whole situation and he could feel it was going to get worse, but how, he wondered into the night leaving Helena behind him in the quiet living room while he went to sit outside Elizabeth's cabin in hopes of catching a glimpse of her.

Helena slumped down in the seat Virgil had been sitting in. Her memories flashed images of that night when she had followed after Virgil.

She hadn't expected to stumble upon such a mess. Even thinking about it made her nostrils flare. The aroma lingered with the memory of the screaming woman covered in blood across Virgil's lap. The screaming didn't last long. With a quick snap of her neck the woods grew quiet. It was a deathly silence that consumed them long after the events had taken place.

Virgil was drenched in the woman's blood. His eyes were wild with rage and disgust. William had gone mad and blamed Virgil for what had happened.

Helena knew from arrival what needed to be done, but she too had failed. She could not take his life and was relieved when Garrison appeared.

Garrison forcefully removed the woman's body from Virgil's arms and handed him, Virgil, over to Helena. He pursued William into the night.

"What more could I do?" Helena asked, looking into her hands. The same hands that held onto Virgil that night. She held him as hard as she could to keep Virgil from pursuing Garrison and William. She held him to keep him from going wild, from giving into the rage consuming him and the emotions tearing him apart. Her sobs of the loss of her brother was muffled by Virgil's inaudible cries into the night. Her grip only loosened when his body finally gave way from exhaustion. Then she collapsed to the ground turning Virgil in his arms to embrace him and he held her back.

She lowered her hands into her lap.

She ached to tell Garrison that William had been back, but secretly she missed him. She loved him. His name ached within her breast.

Painfully she pushed the memories back.

She had lost one brother; she wasn't going to lose another, and with that thought she rose to her feet and headed out.

Chapter Four

Virgil couldn't mistake the sounds of her cries as he crawled alongside the cabin. At first he thought she had woken up, but that wasn't the case. The woman was tossing and turning in her sleep from nightmares. Virgil had seen pain before and was no stronger to it himself, but right now he ached. He wanted to push the walls of the cabin down to get to her or call her out of her sleep to ease the pain, but crossing into the house was impossible for his kind without permission. The law of Entry: To Honor one another's domain.

Damn laws.

He cursed mentally as he shifted around the outside of her window unable to steal a peek of her. He needn't worry about being seen, the moon was low and waning allowing him the darkness as his cover and due to the hour the only people out were late night partiers on the other side of the lake.

The moment he started to push his way into her mind she awoke. Virgil feared he had hurt her more as she gasped alive and though he wanted to check on her he knew the first rule was to put a bit of distance between them. That's exactly what he did.

Virgil rushed across the road and hid within the wood line around the second cabin waiting for Elizabeth to move. He knew her own curiosity would get the better of her and she'd be forced to step out and try to take a peek at him, but he was well hidden.

After a couple of minutes she moved through the house and he was rewarded. She stepped out onto her porch and instantly shifted her gaze to him. His heart jumped, something it hadn't done in years. Surly she could not see him?

She inched farther against the railing until even that couldn't hold her in place. Virgil sat wide-eyed as Elizabeth dove back into the house returned with a flashlight pointing directly towards him.

_Two?_ Elizabeth whispered stiffening to look over her shoulder. Virgil froze. Was it Helena? Garrison? Who was she feeling?

The woman was brave he had to give her that much, but if he was any other vampire this wouldn't end well. Someone like her wasn't good for his kind and the way she was approaching made him know she wouldn't just leave this alone easy.

Elizabeth's hair grazed her hips as she moved defensively closer. Virgil couldn't make out her face due to the continuously searching of the light, meaning she knew exactly where she needed to head without having even seen him. She was spot on. Her ability was highly tuned. No doubt from years of having to endure human coming and goings in the big city. Perhaps that is why her father brought her to the cabin each summer until his job wouldn't permit it. He knew it was a release from her mind.

Whatever the reason, Virgil didn't need to know. Did he?

Elizabeth inched closer. He needed to move. So he did.

He stepped out into the blinding beam of her flashlight with his hand up to try and give his eyes some sort of sight as Elizabeth froze. She hadn't actually expected he'd step out and with her heart beating so fast Virgil was certain she was about to collapse, but to his amazement she stayed on her feet.

"Could you. . ." Virgil spoke implying for her to turn off the light and Elizabeth quickly did so. In her startled state she dropped the light on the ground and chased after it until it was off and safely back in her hands.

Elizabeth, back on her rubbery legs, stared fearful and excited at him. Finally, she breathed. Here stood a living, breathing example of what had eluded her throughout her years thus far. Someone with an abnormal pulse, and it was the same man from the car. The one with the cute girlfriend she noted.

Looking him in the eyes she was transfixed. He was large, but toned, standing a head and then some higher than her. He had a chiseled jaw and a smooth complexion that could be featured in any magazine on the spot. Granted his clothes looked worn, his hands were a little dirty and his hair was a mess, he could still sell any magazine his face was plastered on. A lot of woman loved that rugged, cowboyish appeal. Did she?

Elizabeth flushed at her own thoughts. Her answer was quick. Yes. Virgil concealed his grin as her cheeks burned more at her inner thoughts. He couldn't help but overhear the woman. She was practically yelling at him what was going on in the top layer of her mind. Some humans were easy like that. Their thoughts projected outwards and against others. Vampires had ways of blocking these thoughts until they wanted or needed to hear them. They also used it to protect themselves.

You could never be too careful as a vampire and life wasn't always fun in games. There were rules to follow and one of them was, no human can ever be allowed to know the existence of the other races without judgment. The judging was done by a Counsel. The same people in charge of the hunting parties Garrison worked with. This rule was in place for good reasons.

And now, here Virgil was standing in front of a human. It wasn't the first time he talked to a human, but this was different. She was different. Elizabeth wasn't someone he felt he could easily walk away from as her sweet scent circled him. The smell of her restaurant lingering from the day before. Virgil involuntarily licked his lips.

Elizabeth's eyes shifted to his lips the moment his tongue wetted them. She pictured herself wrapped in the arms of a man like that. Her eyes drifted up his cheek and to his dark eyes swirling in pools of silver. She needed to get a grip on herself and speak before the silence killed the both or she fainted, she reminded herself.

But what do you say? She hadn't thought this far. She couldn't just stand their gawking. Why not? He was certainly used to women gawking at him. He was tall, sexy! And not to mention ripped. If his shirt was any tighter he would have to buy insurance for those puppies.

Virgil bit back a laugh and took note to the detail in her vision. Her eye sight was pretty good to make out the amount of detail she was picking up, but she felt normal to him. He pushed against the wall of her mind stopping with her sudden intake of breath.

Had he hurt her? Surly she couldn't be that sensitive?

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth was first to ask in a manageably less shaky voice then he expected.

Why would she even be worried about him when she was the one chasing after shadows in the night?

"Um. . . Did you get hurt?" Elizabeth asked as her knuckles turned white from the grip she held on the flashlight.

"I'm fine." Virgil answered lowly as to not seem too menacing. He probably appeared like one of those men from a late night horror shows before they kidnaped the woman and toke her away to be tortured and killed in his lair. He scrunched up his face. He needed to stop watching the late night B rated movies.

Elizabeth noted his expression. "You sure? Normally people don't stalk around in the bushes at night." She spoke. "So I thought, since you weren't moving, you might have been hurt."

"How did you know I wasn't moving?" Virgil asked and Elizabeth tightened her jaw. Her eyes panicked with the realization that she had said too much. This was different. Normally it was Virgil worried about saying too much.

Elizabeth quickly mulled around an excuse. She had practiced a few just in case something like this happened. She could never be too careful with her extra sensory and tried not to give away an appearance as though she was one of those nut job psychics, but after a while she started to think, maybe she was one of them. Too bad she couldn't see the future and bet on the Powerball.

"When I came out for some fresh air I thought I saw something and followed my nose." Elizabeth tried to answer casually, but even she knew that sounded silly. She didn't even bring a weapon. Not that she had one, but what woman in her right mind went out after seeing something in the tree line without a weapon? It could have been a panther or a bear or someone trespassing.

She inhaled sharply. She hadn't even thought that perhaps he was a murderer. Even with a good looking face like that she couldn't be too careful and here she was outside with no protection.

Idoit!

Virgil grinned and shook his head. "You're safe. I'm not going to bite." Elizabeth was startled by his sudden admission. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I was on my way home and took a short cut."

"Through the woods, why not the road? And, where's your vehicle?"

She was sharp, he thought with another smile.

"Honestly," he spoke wryly. "I didn't want anyone to see me. Vehicles are too loud and I like the woods better at night. I can work the trails and see the wild life better this way. Get a feel for the land for hunting." She nodded. That sounded reasonable.

"Then why were you in the bushes?"

Virgil ran a hand through his hair and appeared embarrassed. "I needed a pit stop." He covered his stomach to emphasize his need for a restroom.

"You didn't eat anything out there that could have hurt you, did you?" Elizabeth exclaimed. The concern was a nice change from the questionable and fearful gaze she had been giving him. He lifted a hand to reassure her he was fine. Then she shifted uneasily and looked again over her shoulder.

Elizabeth felt the pull of another pulse far off, but it was hard to focus on. She only could feel it if she put a lot of concentration into it, but she didn't want it sneaking up on her so she stayed sharp and continued to lightly keep tabs on it.

Virgil took note and new he would have to check it out.

Virgil's eyes became very predatory at the thought of another vampire in the area and already he shifted. Elizabeth responded taking a step back. She was filling up on her curiosity fast and kind of wished she was back inside. It was awkward to stand there in front of him. He was just a man unfortunately. He was a good looking one, but just a man. Maybe her pulse radar picked up sexy people?

"I should probably get going." Virgil said unwillingly but knew he should have never spoken with her. A smiled played across his lips. But if he had to break the rules he was glad it was for her. "You have a good night Mrs.?"

"Have a good night." Elizabeth responded stepping back without giving him a name. At least her self-preservation was kicking in. That was a good thing.

"Virgil." Elizabeth caught the name sliding across the wind.

"What?"

"That is my name. Virgil."

"Ann." Elizabeth semi lied to him. His lips twisted down into a frown knowing that was not her name, but he regained himself and headed back into the woods nice and slow acting satisfied with the response. He knew she wouldn't turn her back on him until he was far enough away. Another smart move. Never turn your back to a stranger.

With the excitement all but gone Elizabeth, code name Ann, slid back across the open ground and to the safety of her cabin feeling his pulse dim with every step. The moment the door was locked she collapsed to the floor, the shakes finally getting ahold of her as she exhaled a shaky breath.

"Talk about sexy," she laughed trying to get her body under control. She focused on him. On Virgil. Then she wondered if she might get the chance to see him again. But maybe not hiding in the shadows to take a dump.

Laughing at the events, and noting the fact that she needed a weapon, she slowly made her way back to bed.

Elizabeth awoke, this time to a loud ringing. Sluggishly she grabbed her phone on the tree-trunk nightstand. She quickly flipped it open and placed it to her ear, grunting an inaudible hello.

"Lizzy?" Bethany's high-strung voice entered the phone. Elizabeth instantly rose up, stretching and wiped her eyes. She could hear the sigh of relief in her voice.

"Is something wrong?" Elizabeth slurred.

"You didn't call me at all yesterday!" Bethany Jean, her second in command, snapped.

"I'm sorry. I got here and pretty much collapsed when I walked in the door," Elizabeth admitted.

"I would collapse too if I just drove all that way. But you could have sent a girl a text." Bethany sighed into the phone, pausing before she spoke again. "How are you?" She asked at a much lower tone.

"Honestly," Elizabeth leaned forward against her knees. She felt a little better after getting some sleep. She didn't feel like balling her eyes out, so that was a good sign. Then she remembered the man, Virgil.

Thinking about his name made her stomach tickle and a smile draw across the face. That was. . . _Stupid!_ She could have been hurt, attacked, mugged, raped, kissed! Wait, what? Elizabeth covered her face embarrassingly. How could she be thinking about him in that way? She had better things to do then fantasies about some man lurking around.

At that thought she reached out to feel the area.

Clear.

That was a relief, she thought. Her stomach tightened. She was starving. "I feel okay. Wish you were here. And God, I'm so hungry!"

"When are you not hungry?" Bethany laughed. "It's almost ten. Normally you would be up and about by now." Elizabeth looked down at her phone to confirm Bethany's statement. And sure enough it was twenty three after ten. She never slept till ten. "But you _are_ there for a vacation and I shouldn't be bothering you much longer. I called to check in and because I have a question to ask."

"Okay. What's the question?" Elizabeth pulled back the blanket crawled out of bed starting to dig through her bag for a change of clothes to run to the shower.

"I got a call from a woman wanting to do a catering for the local skate ring—"

"You need to know how much to charge?"

"No—"

"How to go about setting it up?"

"No—"

"Are you understaffed because I can get—"

"No."

"So if you know that, what is wrong?" Elizabeth spoke almost in the bathroom.

"Well," Beth hesitated. "I think you took both copies of the trailer keys with you and she wants it for this weekend." This froze Elizabeth in her tracks. She took a detour into the kitchen to rummage through her purse.

Elizabeth pulled out her car keys with her pair of the store and trailer keys. "I don't see it—" she gulped hard when her hand hit another set of keys. In her rush to leave she took both pairs. Elizabeth could have hit herself.

"Remind me when I get back. I need to give you your own copy." Elizabeth let out a groan of irritation, not at Bethany, but at herself. She should have known better. She was in such a hurry she missed doing the one thing she even left herself a note for.

"I could call the locksmith," Bethany suggested, but Elizabeth had recently had new locks installed after a set of keys went missing. She didn't want to have to pay for another lock and it wasn't a simple little pad lock. It was a lock built into the door.

"We could call in a favor from a few friends to give us a lift?" Beth suggested, and it was a great idea, but Elizabeth didn't want to appear unprofessional, besides, she loved her little catering trailer with their store logo across the back and on the sides. There had to be something she could do? Then it hit her!

"I know what I'll do!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I'll just express-mail you the keys."

"That's brilliant! There should be plenty of time for it to get here," Bethany agreed.

"I will get it mailed to you today. If it somehow doesn't make it there in time you are going to have to resort to plan B."

"It'll get here in time." Bethany was always a bit more positive between the two of them.

"But just in case." Elizabeth stressed.

"I've got this now. You just mail the keys and I've got the rest."

"Thank you," Elizabeth really didn't know what she would do without the woman. "Do you have everything you need to work the event?"

"You're welcome. I'll probably just take Alex with me for the birthday party. It won't affect any schedules. I checked. Was there anything you needed from me?" She asked. Elizabeth couldn't think of anything, but she was just at work less than twenty-four hours ago. There was nothing she could have done any better than leaving the trailer key behind. She laughed at her absentmindedness.

"Not that I can think of," Elizabeth answered.

"If you need anything you can call. Day or night," Bethany spoke.

"Thank you, but I'm fine for now." Elizabeth answered. It was best to be as honest as she could be with Bethany, but maybe not say anything about her mysterious man. Bethany would have her hide. "I'm just gonna take a shower and forget about my old life for a week. It'll do me some good. I might even go fishing. It's been a while for me."

She could hear the woman scrunching up her face in disgust. "Ewe."

"How can you say Ewe, you love fish?" Elizabeth laughed tossing her things on the floor in the bathroom.

"Yeah, eating and catching are two completely different things."

"That's true."

"Okay," Bethany laughed lightly. "You have fun and call or test me every now and then so I'm not worrying over you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I mean it! You better enjoy the vacation! And I will see you when you get back. But really," she became serious. "You enjoy it. You need this. Just relax and have a good time. Meet a couple of people. Bring back a cute guy," she joked, but Elizabeth could feel her concern.

"I'll try. Thanks Bethany, for everything."

"Anytime girl. I'll see you in a week. Don't forget to call!"

Elizabeth didn't know where she would have been without Bethany. The day Elizabeth found out about her father's death it was Bethany who stayed up with her all night and cried with her. It was Bethany who helped to make all those painful phone calls one right after the other alongside her. And when Elizabeth felt like she couldn't go on it was Bethany who helped to pick her up. Elizabeth couldn't have asked for a better friend.

Once off the phone, her top priority was taking a nice hot shower before stopping by the stocked fridge for a bologna sandwich. She couldn't head off to the local post office on an empty stomach and hers was way past empty. She couldn't recall eating anything more than a salad yesterday.

When she finally came time to eat something she smiled happily at the fully stocked fridge.

Elizabeth was very thankful Trish had insisted on cleaning and stocking up for Elizabeth remembering a few of her favorites from when she was a kid like apples and peanut butter, bologna sandwiches, and her favorite chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer. Without Trisha, Elizabeth would be starving having not packed barely any food for her trip other than a few health bars, which were still untouched in the bottom of her bag somewhere.

She ate two bologna sandwiches and nearly finished a bottle of water before grabbing her purse and heading for the door. She paused to look back into the cabin and all the laughter and love held within its walls.

Whenever they would come to the cabin her aunt Martha would join with her husband, George, and their two kids, Ami and Tyler. The cabin only held two bedrooms. The master bedroom held Grandmother Edith, Ami, and Elizabeth while the spare housed her Aunt and Uncle with little Tyler. He was a tiny baby back then and after a couple more years they brought their own camper to make it easier so Elizabeth's dad didn't have to continue to sleep on the couch.

Elizabeth smiled at the thought looking over the newly add brown couch as though it was the same old tan colored one they used to have. Her dad snored so loud that when he started in the early morning hours she started to believe that it was like an alarm to call Elizabeth out to play. So most of the time Elizabeth would crawl out of her granny's room and come to wake him up on the couch where he would jump awake and wrap her in his arms. They would sneak away to the docks and watch the sun come up and the mist roll across the lake.

Perhaps tomorrow she will wake up early and enjoy watching the sun come up, she thought.

Stepping out onto the porch she enjoyed the caress of the morning wind against her face. She pulled her long hair up into a ponytail.

Beginning her journey down the steps, through the yard, and onto the road she found her senses filled with familiar scents of water, jasmine flowers, a faint smell of someone cooking a morning meal in the distance, and smell of the ground below her feet. Something about the smell of woods made a person feel rejuvenated. She almost felt good enough to go for a run. _Almost._

She paused to look in the direction Virgil stood the night before. There wasn't anyone there and no one within a quart mile. With that being said Elizabeth wondered if she should take the car? It was a little ways to the main junction where all the bigger shops, the gas station, and other buildings were located.

"I could use a little air." Elizabeth said slinging the purse over her shoulder and heading off down the road.

As she walked alone the road at a brisk pace she was parallel to the lake and could see for miles across it. Things had changed. The spaces were more opened, the water more crowded, and the houses were everywhere. But most these people didn't live here all year round. This was the summer vacation spot and when it cools off the people would lesson and the woods again would be quiet. She missed the quiet as she watched two screaming children running around outside of an RV to her right.

Mail the keys and buy a pair of earplugs.

The first thing Elizabeth came to was a small bait-shop. She remembered getting little minnows and crickets for fishing with her grandmother, but she couldn't remember the people that owned it. Or if they were even still alive. They were really old several years back.

Looking in, she was surprised. There was an old man leaned back, fiddling with one of the many lures on the wall behind the tiny desk he used as a counter. The register took up most of its space.

"Hey Martin—Oh! Hello!" An older man came around the corner of the only shelf in the store. Wrinkles covered his face and he had what appeared to be a permanent hunch as he moved towards her. Martin, the other old man in the chair, instantly took notice and tipped his head.

"Hi," Elizabeth slightly waved.

"Well, hello little lady. What can we do for you?" He smiled, revealing his missing front teeth. Elizabeth smiled back.

"Henry, back off! Don't frighten the young woman," Martin barked, rubbing his mostly bald head.

"Why do you think I'm the one that frightens people?" Henry spat back, pointing over to the man with his long finger.

"Well, I ain't the one with the mouth full of holes."

"And I ain't the one with the missing hair."

Both the men faced off.

"Um...I was just heading my way down the road to the post office. I just stopped by to look in," Elizabeth laughed lightly.

"Oh!" Martin nudged Henry. "Why didn't you say so? You need directions?"

"No thank you, sir. I used to live here when I was a lot younger so I think I can remember it. Unless it has moved."

"No, Ma'am. It has been where it has been since I was a boy." Henry seemed to blank out, recalling his childhood.

"Oh what a long time ago that was," Martin remarked.

"Look here you...you..."

"Prune?"

"Well, I can see you two are busy, so I will leave you alone now." Elizabeth backed out of the store as they continued to bicker, not hearing her. Yep, they were the same ones. She laughed to herself as they continued.

"Prune!" One exclaimed. "You have more wrinkles and no hair!"

"Well, you have no spine and no teeth!"

"Well, I'll have you know—"

"I already know everything about you! What else is there?"

Elizabeth slowly made it back onto the road shaking her head.

Pulses came and went from people on bicycles, a few jogging, and others opening up little shops along the way. As the distance she was traveling grew she started to question her memory on exactly how far the little post office should have been. She started to think that perhaps she should have taken her car.

Coming up over a second hill, and being very relieved she ran track at school, she smiled happily at the sight of the road finally opening up revealing a circle of small stales, a local market, and the little postal office she had been looking for.

Feeling very accomplished she picked up the pace until she stood outside the little building with an old faded bird decal on the glass of the door and a small bell at the top to announce her arrival. Singing triumphant praise, she entered to find a cheerful brunette behind the counter. Her long bangs covered her brows and continued at a sharp angle past her ears, atop her shoulders, and down her back in layers. Her small, round, brown eyes were full of life as Elizabeth stepped up to the open window.

"Hello!" She cheerfully greeted Elizabeth.

"Hi. How's your morning?" Elizabeth pulled the keys from her pocket and laid them on the counter.

"I am having a great morning! I just heard that my brother was coming back home. I haven't seen him in a while so I'm really looking forward to it. We've been tied at the hip since we were little! So it's been rough without him. I can't wait to have him back!"

She sure is a chatty girl.

"Well I'm happy for you," Elizabeth replied.

"Thank you," she said, leaning against the counter. "Now what can I do for you? Are you new here?"

"I came down to get away from work for a week. Just got here yesterday evening. It's a nice place to get away from things." God, she looked so darn familiar. Elizabeth hated that she couldn't put her finger on it. At home she knew the name of a lot of customers and could instantly recognized them, but the woman was drawing a blank.

"Yeah it is nice here. I've been here most my life," the woman said proudly. Elizabeth slid her keys across the counter towards her.

"I need this mailed back home," Elizabeth said.

"Did you lock someone out of your house?" The woman laughed.

"No, just my business trailer," she smiled, embarrassed.

"Well, I can help you out. I take it you need next-day delivery?" she asked, and Elizabeth nodded. "I will make sure to get it to Dennis, or Gregory, our two local mail-picker uppers! It will get there. I promise," she assured.

"Thank goodness," the cheery lady began taking down her information. She gasped at Elizabeth's name. "What? Elizabeth Parks?" She looked up. "No way! I heard you were here, but I didn't recognize you at all!"

Elizabeth, feeling awkward, just stayed silent to the woman's sudden joyous outburst. She was almost sure the woman had gone mad and part of her was saying forget the keys and run for it.

"I'm Sarah. Sarah Wells. My parents used to own the cabin next to your grandmother's. I live in it now. Randy and me, I mean," she exclaimed.

Elizabeth hesitated, slowly tearing apart what the woman had said before finally managing a smile. She laughed a little to herself realizing Randy wasn't kidding about Sarah being cheerful as she tried to muster up just as much enthusiasm. "Oh! Yeah. I ran into Randy yesterday and he helped me get a few things in the house. It's nice to meet you. My memories are a bit crazy lately so bear with me. I'm certain we've probably hung out a time or two as kids." Elizabeth reached her hand out to shake Sarah's hand. The woman nearly crushed her fingers in the violent shake.

"Oh, no biggie! I bet you'll remember in no time!" Sarah leaned across the counter. "Do you remember playing with your dad's old radio?"

Elizabeth racked her brain as Sarah continued. "I decided that I wanted to be a surgeon and take it apart," she started to laugh. "So I stole one of my dad's radios to use as my patients. I still don't know how I ended up getting shocked."

"Oh yeah!" Elizabeth gasped taking a step back and a second look at Sarah. She could suddenly picture the plump, freckle face, little girl violently taking apart an old radio in the living room with Elizabeth's grandmother laughing hysterically calling out for a camera.

The Wells family was kind of a big deal and spent several summers next door to Elizabeth and her family. Elizabeth was pretty sure that that was among the reason why she had the chance to play with the girl. Her dad was an up and coming lawyer and her mom a wicked creature that spoiled her kids, though Sarah seemed to be fine and granny liked the little tote so Elizabeth liked her. Though her siblings were another matter. She barely ever saw Samantha leave the house and she all together avoided Christopher for fear of him. He didn't look like the nicest of kids.

"I believe it had something to do with the fact that you tried to rip it apart with your bare hands after we had just got through swimming and never took the batteries out." Elizabeth chuckled.

"Good times." Sarah wiped at her eyes enjoying the memory. That's definitely what Elizabeth needed. She needed a good, hard laugh. Not that Bethany wasn't good at cheering her up, but on a vacation this was what she needed. Maybe she should have brought Bethany with?

She shook her head. Then she wouldn't have anyone who could run the store other than her Aunt and she wouldn't do that to the woman. She had enough on her plate.

"It's been so long since I've seen you. Why didn't we bump into each other more often? I remember that time and a couple others, but I've spent a few summers here and I don't recall you?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

"Well, we started to spend the first part of summer between school years at my grandfather's house as I got older, but we were back for the rest of the year."

"Okay. I think I see what happened. We came here during the first part of summer and then returned back home for dad's job."

Sarah reached out and laid her hand softly on Elizabeth's. "I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I lost my sister, Samantha, last year. I don't know if you remember her."

"Not really, I'm sorry."

"Thanks. Um. . . How are you doing?" Sarah asked sincerely. This kindness came from a woman that understood Elizabeth's loss and it was nice.

"I'm glad I'm here. I was going crazy at home," Elizabeth admitted.

"Yeah, it's good to just get away after something like that," Sarah straightened up clearing her throat. "So what have you been up to?" she asked.

"For the moment I'm just getting my bearings. How are you? So you work with the postal business?"

"I work here most of the week, but I do a lot of jumping around between jobs to help out. It's a small community once you set aside all the vacationers. Oh, were you coming over today? Randy mentioned that you were bringing desserts."

Elizabeth hesitated, but shrugged. What the heck. "Yeah I can and I'll make a couple different things for y'all to try."

"I can't wait."

"What time do you get off?"

"Whenever Dennis gets back today. So I really don't know. Anytime between now and later." Sarah smiled happily.

"Great," Elizabeth laughed. "Well, you know where to find me when you get off. If I'm not inside just wander around and call my name. I should be close by."

"I'll definitely stop by when I'm done and we can catch up a little. Yeah, I shouldn't hold you from exploring any longer," she waved. "You're package is safe with me," she guaranteed, returning back to her work.

Elizabeth couldn't help but leave with a smile. Sarah was something else - in a positive way. She was the right amount of cheer to the darkness surrounding Elizabeth. IT was kind of like she packed Bethany away and just found her counterpart. Well, the half of Bethany addicted to over sweetened coffee.

Elizabeth wasn't sure if everyone was taking the same kind of happy pill, but each of the small shops she visited she was greeted with smiles and laughs and loving stories. She even recognized the small gift shop, though it looked more run down then she remembered and had gathered many more items. There were dream catchers, stones, pendants, local woven baskets, weaved shawls from the owner's wife, Melinda, and her sister, Belinda Mae, who recalled that Elizabeth's grandmother was the one who taught them how to knit.

Elizabeth was buzzing with smiles and full of life as she said her goodbyes and began her journey home with more than a few trinkets to take back with her as gifts for her friends and family.

No sooner had she started her walk back to the cabin did she realize a strong pulse was in the area. She half expected to look up and see the person standing in front of her. She hastened her step away from the small buildings and kept her eyes open in search of the ever growing pulse.

Her heart was racing as her eyes desperately searched from one building to the next, from one person to another. She was hunting for _him._

Where? I can feel you.

She walked around almost in a complete circle, trying to locate it as it moved around and away from her. She turned back to the road heading home and realized that the person must have passed right by her without her knowing. She was certain he was down the road.

Take a deep breath Elizabeth and go after him.

Elizabeth rushed after the pulse with a purpose. One step after another she felt it grow and move with her down the road.

"It's all ma's fault that you ended up like you are!"

"Oh yeah! Well, pa is the reason for your lack of brains and appeal."

"I had enough appeal to get married—"

"Three times! It only took me once." The brothers of the bait shop argued back and forth. Elizabeth pushed them aside, breaking into a jog.

She reached the top of the small hill which allowed her to see her cabin and farther. There was nothing, but the pulse stayed strong. Blood pumped loudly in her ears. He was there. He was everywhere at once.

She took one more step before it overwhelmed her. She could barely breathe with her chest tight, electricity running up her spine, and even her hair standing on end.

She saw no one, but knew the presence was real and someone was there. The only spot she couldn't see was behind her. But her sudden burst of courage had dried up along with her ability to move.

She was shaky and her knees were weak. The shear force and surprise of the pulse rocked her system in such a way that she couldn't recover fast enough.

After a few agonizing seconds the pulse began to relax and she could finally swallow and catch her breath. Her knees grew strong again and she was sure she could move. She had too. She wanted to. There was so much she wanted to ask that she didn't from last night that she was going to now. Taking a deep breath she moved.

She turned slowly. Her eyes locked onto a pair of silver eyes.

Chapter Five

Elizabeth's pulse drummed loudly throughout her. Her nerves were in overdrive, adjusting to the pulse of the man standing eye to eye in front of her. His eyes slowly tore her apart from the inside out. Brows furrowed and lips thin, he seemed baffled by her and yet something intrigued him. Other than his eerie pulse, he looked nothing like the man she had locked eyes with the night before. He was just as tall, but held himself differently. His shoulders were squared, with an icy expression. His dark hair was long and a mess. He looked like he'd gone through a wind tunnel. Elizabeth would have smiled at the way his hair fell at odd angles if it weren't for his narrowing death stare.

This man was definitely nothing like the other one. He was bigger, more animal like. He kind of reminded her of a gorilla. Though this gorilla was dressed head to toe in leather. He had to be uncomfortable, Elizabeth thought. What was a man dressed like that doing outside at all?

"Can I help you?" she finally asked with a hard gulp. Her head felt a light and fuzzy all of a sudden. A painful pressure pushed its way between her eyes and crawled into her temples digging with razor sharp claws. She winced.

"I was just wondering what your name was," his sensual, earthy voice cut the air, leaving invisible marks across her flesh. She winced again pushing at the building migraine in an attempt to calm it down as her hand reached up, but nothing happened. He hand didn't life on command. Again she tried, but still no reaction.

Elizabeth's body was tense, eyes locked, and breath caught in her throat. She couldn't move away from the man as he inched closer with curiosity and wonder at her. There bodied brushing against one another.

_What the hell?_ Elizabeth was wide eyed and panicking. She felt trapped. No, she was trapped!

The man reached up and took a hold of her chin. Her head throbbed under his inquisitive eyes. She felt like a bird trapped within a cage or a fly in a spider's web, unable to do nothing more than twist and turn to try and get away. _Help!_ Elizabeth cried out mentally to anyone, trying to desperately move her lips but to no avail. _What's wrong with me?_ She continued to cry out mentally shifting her sense out. To her relief she wasn't going to be alone for long. A pulse was coming her direction and thankfully this one was normal.

Elizabeth felt a rush of hope as her heavy arms started to move up slowly to try and push him away from her, but to no avail.

"You are interesting," he spoke lowly to himself more then to her. He drew closer and for a second she thought he would kiss he until his lips curled into a grin and he shook his head in amusement. The sound of an engine behind him finally forced him to move. He broke his concentration to look over his shoulder at the small truck. Elizabeth's feet started to move. With a twisted grin he removed his hand from her face.

Elizabeth's head cleared and her hands instantly started to work. Forget just her hands, everything moved. She took the chance to stumble back and away from the man. Her hands and feet felt heavy, but at least they were moving. He turned back to her. Elizabeth thought about running for it. He was crazy, not what she was expecting at all, and not what she wanted to run into ever again.

"A fighter I see. I like that in a woman."

Elizabeth was freaked out. _Who are you? What just happened? I have to get away!_ Her thoughts collided together in a mad frenzy. She focused on the truck coming closer. It was her chance of getting away from him and she wasn't going to let it slip by.

"Do not fret for I am leaving. I cannot stay long in the open," he spoke, turning towards the woods. "For another time, Elizabeth. And I must commend your spectacular abilities." He didn't turn to look back at Elizabeth as he stepped away, but she caught his words, "Tell Virgil I said hello."

He seemed to melt away into the woods, allowing her to finally catch her breath. Shaking, Elizabeth stumbled a few more steps, trying to look for the man that she knew wasn't there. His pulse having pulled a vanishing act.

_How did he know my name?_ She was so scared, wrapping her arms tightly around her body for some sort of comfort. _My name. My ability? Who was that?_ She repeated his words in her mind, ' _tell Virgil I said hello_.'

She knew he was long gone, but her mind was still in slight disarray. Her savior pulled up beside her. Touching her chest lightly, Elizabeth looked up into the vehicle. It was Sarah, with a large white smile leaning out her window.

"Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Sarah stated looking around trying to locate the elusive thing.

Elizabeth stepped up to the door, still trying to control her shaking. Her knees were on the brink of giving way, but seeing Sarah gave her the strength she needed to recover from the terrifying encounter. Or at least until she could get home and curl up safe and sound behind a locked door.

"I think so," Elizabeth took a deep breath.

"What happened?"

"I ran into a creepy man. That's all."

"I didn't see anyone, but I wasn't paying too much attention. I was on the phone. What did he look like?"

"Creepy," Elizabeth gave a weak laugh and a shiver.

"Was it my Randy?" Sarah joked. Elizabeth shook her head.

"Tall man dressed in leather. Pale skin with dark eyes I think. Are you sure you didn't see anyone?"

"Yeah, I'm sure I didn't see anyone," Sarah answered looking around for anyone fitting Elizabeth's odd description. It would have been hard for Sarah not to have seen the man. Elizabeth felt another fearful wave. Had she been seeing things?

Sarah returned her gaze to Elizabeth. "How about I give you a ride?"

"That would be great. Thank you." Elizabeth gave a sigh of great relief.

My name. He knew my name. How? Was it all in my head?

"I take it Dennis showed up?" Elizabeth asked, trying to make small talk in the awkward silence of the car.

"Oh, yeah. Not too long after you left Dennis walked in. If I had known my replacement was just around the corner, I would have offered you a ride at the post office. Though he ended up making me clean the office a bit. It's not my fault if it's a mess and they can't keep it clean." Sarah said irritatingly.

"Well, thank you. I appreciate it." Elizabeth smiled.

"Anytime."

A few minutes later they were parked safe and sound in front of Sarah's house.

"You want to come over. I wouldn't mind the company. That is, if you don't have anything else at the moment."

"No! I would love that." Elizabeth exclaimed, feeling up to the company. Who the heck wanted to be alone after meeting a leathered up gorilla? She sure as heck didn't.

"Well then, welcome to my house." Sarah exclaimed, exiting the vehicle and climbing the stairs to the porch with her arms extended. The porch was slightly smaller than Elizabeth's, with two foldout chairs, a wind chime, and a humming bird feeder occupying it.

Sarah unlocked the door and pushed it open. Color was the first thing that hit Elizabeth almost blindingly.

Sarah had a blue and white rug that first greeted them at the door. Pictures, plaques, awards, trophies, and several other wall hanging objects covered every inch of the cabin walls.

"Come in!" she exclaimed.

Hanging above the doorway was a small bag. Elizabeth moved past it with ease to shut the door before hearing the faint sound of Henry and Martin walking into view. She smiled at the two old men, shutting the door.

"They are quite a pair," Sarah started reaching into the fridge and pulling out two water bottles, "Martin and Henry, I mean."

Elizabeth grabbed the bottle of water and took a seat at the small island stretched between the kitchen and the living room. Sarah was a bit of a hoarder. Clutter was everywhere. Little figurines stood on the counter, all the dishes were cleaned and neatly placed, but there was so much stuff everywhere. Elizabeth tried to keep her stares at a three second rule. Look at something for three seconds and then move on to the next item, but there was just so much.

Little knick knacks clung to all the corners and candles filled the mantle above the small fireplace. On the windows were little fairies and a few small bags of what appeared to be velvet with a gold rope tie.

_And I thought my day couldn't get weirder._ Elizabeth was so distracted by everything around her that she had pushed the creepy man to the back burner.

Elizabeth caught herself staring down the large hallway and to the hound statue that sat staring back at her. She felt a little disturbed by it. If it started moving, along with anything else in the house, she was definitely heading for the door politely.

"Henry is the older of the two...Or was it the other way around—anyway," Sarah waved leaning on the counter. "Martin's most recent wife passed away a couple pf years ago and now he lives with Henry, running the bait shop. Henry's wife, Marlene, may be old and a little crazy, but she keeps the two of them at bay somehow when they are together."

Sarah paused, finally taking notice to Elizabeth's wandering eyes. She laughed. "I know, I'm bad at collecting things."

"No! You're fine!" Elizabeth exclaimed turning her attention to Sarah who was smiling. "I didn't mean to stare."

"No, not at all." Sarah shrugged. "I can't help buying little things here or there. Some of this stuff is from people and others I got from Samantha's house." The mention of her sister's name drew her lips into a frown for a moment and then her smile was back. "Randy is helping me clean things up. When things settle down for him at work I'm going to open a little shop or at least put it in storage. I hadn't decided for sure. Some things I don't think I could part with." Her eyes looked around them once again to take in her years of collecting. Her years of life.

"So they walk to work every day?" Elizabeth asked pulling her eyes back onto Sarah and away from the oddities that surrounded them.

"They can't drive. Too old." Sarah answered.

"But they seem happy."

"I hope I stay that happy when I'm that old." Sarah sighed. "I don't want to be one of those mean old ladies people fear or avoid. I want to be greeted everyday with tons of grandkids."

Elizabeth could see that. "Lots of kids seem like something that would suit you. How long have you and Randy been dating?"

"Almost three years now. He's been with me through thick and thin."

"He's a sweet man." Elizabeth said.

"I couldn't have survived without him when I lost Sam."

"Everyone needs someone like that." Elizabeth assured her positively. "Y'all have been together a while were you two thinking about getting married?"

Sarah smiled nervously. "He hasn't asked me, but we have talked about it. Randy's life is a little busy with his father and the business, but I'm very patient." Elizabeth felt the approach of the human pulse. She forced herself to stay facing Sarah until it finally knocked to reveal itself and then she turned curiously.

"Hello!" Randy announced coming in and was pleasantly surprised to see Elizabeth. "I wasn't expecting to see you here so soon. You joining us for lunch?" he smiled moving to give Sarah a kiss on her forehead.

"N-No, I wouldn't want to intrude. I was just stopping by," Elizabeth stuttered.

"What are we having?" Sarah asked unlacing her arms from his body.

"Well, I was thinking about doing a little fishing and then—" Sarah's phone started to ring.

"Oh it's Chris!" She gasped, putting the phone to her ear excitedly and turning away to answer.

"That's her brother," Randy clued Elizabeth in but Elizabeth remembered.

"Okay. I'll leave now," Sarah said, shutting the phone and turning back with a mixed expression.

"So what's going on?" Randy asked.

"Chris needs a ride. His friend was going to bring him down here, but they were about two hours away when his friend got an urgent call from home. So Chris jumped out. Now he needs a ride," Sarah let out a long breath and a smile. "Sweetie, I don't' mind if you two have lunch without me. Are you okay with that?" Sarah stepped into his arms again sighing against his chest.

Randy lifted her face up. "Sure, but I'll miss you," he let her know with another quick kiss.

"I know. And I'll miss you too. I'll be back as quickly as I can. You better save me some of those desserts." Sarah pointed a finger in Elizabeth's direction.

"I'll make sure he doesn't eat them all." Elizabeth assured her. "But why don't the two of you go together?" Elizabeth asked. She didn't remember agreeing to have lunch at Sarah's house today. Heck, she kind of wanted to head home and still curl up in the blankets all day. It was sounding like a great idea.

"Well, Chris and Randy don't get along too well." Sarah whispered leaning back from Randy and towards Elizabeth.

Randy sighed. "It's not that we don't get along. It's just that we can't hold a conversation without butting heads."

"So you don't get along?" Elizabeth raised a brow and Sarah laugh.

"We have our moments," Randy admitted.

"Okay, but call it what you will I need to go pick him up." Sarah snatched up her keys.

"You drive safe," Randy said sweetly.

"Elizabeth, I'll probably be back this afternoon. I don't mean to skip out."

"No, it's family business. Go get him. I've got the rest of the week to be here." Elizabeth said hoping she wouldn't have every day with Sarah. As much fun as she could be Elizabeth didn't leave her busy life in the city to come out the lake to spend it with company. She wanted alone time.

"Bye," Sarah said with a wave. "Have fun."

"Bye, again," Elizabeth replied hesitantly as Sarah bolted for the door leaving Randy and her standing in the living room awkwardly. What kind of person just up and leaves a guest? And alone with their boyfriend no less, Elizabeth sighed inwardly.

"Excuse Sarah," Randy sighed rubbing his neck. "She's been excited to see her brother since her left last year. Nothing is gonna stop her today from bringing him here. Unfortunately." Randy didn't hide his disdain for the man. After a silent moment he straightened up and looked at Elizabeth quizzically. "What did she mean by again? What did I miss?"

"I bumped into her at the post office and then she picked me up and gave me a ride back." Elizabeth paused to remember the man and shook off a termer.

"Ya cold?" Randy chuckled, but when Elizabeth didn't even manage a smile he knew something else was on her mind. "Is this about your dad? Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. this isn't about dad." She managed to say. She finally brushed back her hair a smiled. Yeah the man gave her the creeps but he wasn't going to ruin the reason why she was there. She was going to relax and stop suffering from the 'work-a-holic' disease Bethany teased her about, and relive a better part of her past while trying to let go of her dad. But thinking about her dad started to bring back everything that happened.

She should have known something was wrong the moment she got to work and he wasn't there. He was always there. Then she received the dreaded phone call from Aunt Martha. It's a phone call that no one wants to get. Her dad suffered a stroke while driving on his way to work and in the end it was the accident that killed him.

"You sure you're not thinking about your dad?" Randy asked having produced a tissue. Elizabeth took it.

"Well, now I am," she cleared her throat forcing the tears back behind her eyes. The darn things weren't going to win today. "But before I was talking about this creep gorilla man I say on the road. Then Sarah drove by and said she didn't see him. I don't think he was in my head because. . ." Because his pulse was strong and against her, but she wasn't about to say that out loud.

"Because?" Randy repeated.

"He was just so real. And he talked to me."

"What did this gorilla man say?" Randy asked with a concerned expression. Surely he didn't think she was making it up? Elizabeth recalled their brief conversation on what she did feel comfortable about telling Randy, but there wasn't much. "He called me interesting." Anything else would hint at her inability to move, her pulse ability, or the visitor from the night before and she didn't want to share her mysterious man with anyone yet. But it might help her get more information about the man, she thought.

"Interesting?" Randy lifted a brow and smiled. "Like he was hitting on you?"

"Maybe, but that's the worst pick up line I've heard." Yeah right, he wasn't hitting on her at all. He was dangerous.

"Did he say anything else?"

"Not really. I think he might have been just googling me at that point."

"Why do you call him gorilla?" Randy smiled.

"Because he was this wide and this tall," Elizabeth used her hands to emphasize how big he was. "And he had this smooth skin, a wide forehead, short hair, and a devilish grin. He was an angel in leather and I'm almost sure he _was_ Lucifer."

Randy erupted in laughter. Elizabeth let a laugh bubble to the surface. "You laugh but he was a no joking, serious kind of guy. I hope I don't have to see you again while I'm here."

Randy cleared his throat and managed a more normal tone. "Well, if you do see him just give us a call and we'll come to the rescue." He winked making his boyish looks all the more charming. Sarah was a lucky girl to have a man like Randy. Why can't I get a guy like him, Elizabeth thought.

"Deal," she responded.

"Why were you at the post office?" Randy asked finishing what was left of Sarah's water.

Elizabeth cringed embarrassingly. "I kind of left the keys to the store catering trailer in my purse and had to mail them back home."

Randy laughed, much lighter this time, with an understanding nod. "You are not the first person to do that."

"Thank God, I felt so silly for forgetting."

"Don't be." He smiled pulling off his jacket. "So how was your outing other than the gorilla incident?"

"It was good. It felt nice to be on my feet moving around outside. The air is so refreshing."

"That's what I love about it here."

"But it's so much more crowed then I remember." Elizabeth admitted sadly.

"Yeah, but it doesn't last," he assured her.

He threw the empty bottle away in the trash can. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you this soon. I know Sarah can be a bit too friendly. She opens her door and heart up to everyone that's one of the things I love about her. She's not like the rest of her family."

"I figured. I remembered having them over to play and I didn't connect with Chris and Samantha like I did Sarah. They just seemed on a different level, but I guess I might get a big head if my parents owned huge chunks of property around the lake. They must be making a lot of money." Elizabeth whistled. That was another thing about the Wells family. It was no secret that they were always invested in something and always had a constant flow of income.

"Well, it's not like that anymore." Randy spoke with a sign of irritation but also relief.

"What do you mean?"

"Chris was disowned,

"Really?" Elizabeth exclaimed. Was he that bad of a person?

"For good reason. So his parents cut ties with him, but Sarah and Samantha stayed pretty close. For a while there I think he was using Samantha for her money. Then their parents got wind of it and ordered her to stop helping him. She told them no. She told them that she wouldn't turn her back on family and when they threatened to cut her out of the inheritance she just shrugged it off and said go ahead." Randy got mad at the memory. "So they turned on Sarah and threatened her instead to force Samantha into submission. But it didn't work and in the end a rift was formed between them. Then they cut all financial ties to Sarah."

"What? How old was she?" Elizabeth gasped.

"Maybe twenty. She was still trying to figure out where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do, but she loved it here."

"She loves you," Elizabeth said.

"Yeah, another thing her parents didn't approve of. I think they thought I wasn't going to amount to anything." Randy shrugged.

"What? But you are about to start running your own hotel?"

"Yeah, but at the time that wasn't the case. I was still between jobs, but Sarah stayed beside me when her parents cut her out and I manned up. That's what you have to do sometimes. So life went on and Samantha continued to support Chris, help Sarah, and worked hard at everything. She was a hard person, but I think that's because she was trying to always look out for her siblings.

Then she passed away last year and that was it. The only time within three years Sarah had seen her parents and it was at the funeral. They haven't spoken to Sarah since. I don't think they even realize they have other kids. Samantha really was there one perfect child and they couldn't' see beyond her. They just saw weakness." Randy spoke the word with bitterness.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been hard. Not to mention to continue living in a place where her parents own a lot. I would feel like they are always watching. How can y'all stay here?" Elizabeth asked. After her dad died the house he was living in she gave to her aunt. She had no need for it, she didn't have a family and her aunt needed all the room she could get with all the kids. It worked out for the better. Elizabeth couldn't stand the thought of waking up in his house and him not being there, so she just gave it away.

She felt a twinge of regret.

"Actually a man by the name of Mr. Lewis paid top dollar and purchased the properties from the Wells. They sold it in pieces at first, but after the funeral they struck a deal and finally he owned every bit they had. So the money made on the lake goes to him now."

"Really? Expect the ones that are private property owners, of course."

"Yeah, not yet anyway," Randy said with a hint saying it was just a matter of time.

Elizabeth glanced around. She couldn't help it, she had to ask. "Can I ask about. . ."

Randy smiled. "Sarah gathered a lot of this stuff from her sister's old house like the trophies, pictures, and other things, and since we've been together she's just kept collecting things. I think it's a way of her to cope with everything that has happened in the past. Not only her sister passing, but the tension in the family."

Elizabeth nodded. She could understand holding onto things for that memory of a loved one, but in three years she didn't plan on having her apartment filled with little trinkets reminding her about her youth to cling onto the memory of her dad, but then again things could change in the blink of an eye. Even she thought about an even darker end when her father passed away. So if gathering a house of knick knacks kept Sarah from reaching the same place, then perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing. Elizabeth could appreciate Sarah's house a little more now.

"So, would you like to have lunch with me?" He flashed a dashingly handsome smile. Even after her busy morning lunch didn't sound like such a bad idea. She could relax tomorrow.

"Lunch would be great. I wouldn't mind having a home-cooked meal for a change," she nodded. Elizabeth had been eating quick snacks, microwavable lunch dinners, and even starving herself at times. Eating a nice home-cooked meal would do her good.

"That's the spirit. Now if you're ready, we have to go catch our food." He laughed because Elizabeth was making a very confused face. "Give me a sec." Randy dashed off to change. When he emerged a few minutes later he was in well-worn jeans, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap. His mission, the front door.

"Catch our food?" Elizabeth piped up with her hands on her hips.

"We're going fishing. Shouldn't take too long. I have everything ready, we just have to get it to the water."

Elizabeth hesitated. "I kind of feel like I was just thrown into this." She muttered out loud without thinking. Randy spun around.

"I'm so sorry," he exclaimed. "If you aren't comfortable with fishing I can always get you when I'm done. Or is it the situation? Or do you not eat fish?"

"No. Well, yes, but never mind." She stumbled awkwardly covering her face and taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't mind going fishing. I'm just having a moment."

"Take as many as you need."

"There's a dock out behind the cabin last time I checked," she offered trying to break the tension in the air, and it worked.

"Actually, that's the one we are headed too." He admitted. "I'm not used to someone else living there so I didn't think about asking." He said. "Are you okay with us fishing out back of your house?"

"Yes, I'm fine with that. It doesn't bother me at all."

"Okay, good. Then if you're up for it would you like to go fishing with me?" He offered with a smile. "You could watch while I fish?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I'll help." She hadn't gone fishing in a long time. She rubbed her fingers together thinking about the last time she had a fish in her hands, her dad couldn't stop laughing at her as she swung the poor bluegill around saying it had died as she pulled it from the cooler. The funny thing about it was, it had. That was the purpose of placing fish in a cooler full of ice - to kill them before cooking.

Elizabeth laughed at the memory. Randy watched her but didn't say a thing.

He straightened his cap and flexed his fingers before opening up a cooler he had set next outside the door and to the side.

"If you'll help me carry the cooler and take one of the rods, that would be great," he placed a small tackle box and a cricket cage inside the cooler before picking up one end. Elizabeth rushed forward doing the same, taking one of the rods he had propped up against the wall.

Why is it when hauling something any length of distances it always seems twice as far? Even though the cooler was light Elizabeth's arm was tired. Bethany would be ashamed at the lack to strength Elizabeth appeared to have, but then again Bethany wouldn't be caught dead about to go fishing. She just wasn't the type that could stand the smell or activity of fishing.

"Do you need me to slow down?" Randy asked already slowing, but Elizabeth quickened her pace in response. Randy grinned.

After they carried the cooler around her cabin Elizabeth spotted the docks. They weren't hard to miss, but there was an extra one. The first dock was twisted and the boards still hanging together were warped all different directions. Just one step on the dock screamed disaster.

"Wow," Elizabeth said setting down her half of the cooler and heading for the damaged dock.

"Be careful. I wouldn't recommend stepping on it if I were you," Randy advised.

"Oh no. I was just getting a better look. I haven't been here long enough to really see everything yet and how it has all changed."

"So how's it look then?"

"Pretty bad."

"I mean how does it compare to what you remember?" He asked more precisely.

"It depends what you're comparing it with. It's aged; when things get old you replace it. Everything about Piney Woods Lake has changed over the years. More people, more houses, more hikers trails, more docks, but that's all a good thing. It's good for business." She smiled. "You shouldn't compare it to the past because you will never be able to relive it. You should make new memories and in that case there is no comparison. In my past I was with my father and grandmother at times, now I'm alone." Her words died off, as did her smile.

"Well. . . ." Randy cleared his throat. "Have you baited a hook before?" he asked, opening the cooler and pulling out the small cage filled with crickets.

Elizabeth pulled her eyes away from the old dock. "It's been a while, but it's like riding a bike. You never truly forget," Elizabeth said, watching Randy bait his hook before doing the same thing. She kept a straight face while the cricket squirmed in her fingers. It had been a long time since she took ahold of any little squirming critter, but the memory was the same. She didn't like it. Why couldn't she have a rubber worm or something?

After nearly pricking her finger for the second time she was finally successful. She did a little mental dance of excitement ready to cast out. She was confident. This was something she was good at years ago. Her dad even said she had skills. With that in mind she took a breath and reared back.

Swinging her rob forward and launching out her line, in what she felt would be a beautiful cast, ended in terror as her line flew up into the tree above them and weaved between branches on its decent back down above the water.

"No!" Elizabeth yelled in panic.

"Are you all right?" Randy turned to Elizabeth, expecting a hook in her clothes or skin somewhere, but was relieved to see nothing of the sort. She had got it stuck in a branch above the water.

"Man, not even five minutes and I've already messed up." Elizabeth sighed jerking on her line and undoubtedly spinning the line through the branch and getting it stuck even worse.

"Here, take this one. Stop pulling!" he exclaimed, handing her his rod and taking hers. "I'll just untangle it at the branch. It's a nice-size tree fish you caught if I don't say so myself, and I've seen my fair share." He stepped a little into the water, reaching out to try and untangle her mess.

"I wouldn't recommend eating that fish though. It never comes out quite right," she joked to make herself feel better.

"I don't know. If you marinate it long enough. Yum." Elizabeth laughed.

"Can I ask you a question?" Elizabeth found herself curious about several things in The Piney Woods Lake and she figured Randy might have the answers and seeing how they were stuck together for a little bit, why not?

"Shoot. I'm going to be here another minute—How in the heck did you do this?" He mumbled.

"Sorry."

"Go ahead and ask me anything—well, maybe not _anything_ ," he laughed, almost done.

"What happened to Samantha? If you don't mind me asking?" Elizabeth could see she touched a sensitive area.

Randy finally freed Elizabeth's line and they switched rods again. "No," he sighed. "It's fine. I think it's better if I tell you."

"Samantha had an accident up the road a ways a last year. She didn't survive," he said, reeling in his empty hook and baiting it again.

"Her vehicle went off the road?"

"Something like that," Randy muttered. "Chris changed after her _accidental_ death. I mean, we used to be kind of friends, but after she died and I started dating Sarah I could see it. He's a hazard to Sarah and I really want to try and keep her away from him, but she won't because they're siblings and she loves him. She can't see that he's worse than the man before. He was hardly walking the straight and narrow even with Sam's help, but after she passed. . ." Randy shook his head. "He just isn't right."

"She's not in any danger being around him right?" Elizabeth asked wishing she had picked a different week to have a vacation.

"Oh no, he loves her too much and I think one of the reasons I'm fine with them being together is that, by the end of the day, Sarah is still Chris' little sister. They are still blood and I know he wouldn't hurt her and she doesn't want to lose him."

Elizabeth nodded. Why would they want to lose the last of their family? Elizabeth would fight tooth and nail if she could to keep her dad, a lot of people would have. So she just nodded silently staring out across the lake.

"And Chris and I don't fight per say, we disagree and I'll just pull myself out of the situation. I try not to start any conflicts and it helps that Chris doesn't seem bothered by me dating his sister." Randy smiled, but Elizabeth could see something else in the lines across his face. Something else bothered him.

"You said accidental death, but you didn't seem like you meant it. Why? Is the case closed? Was there something suspicious?"

"I wouldn't say that. They would need a body to fully close the case."

"What?" Elizabeth gasped.

"When the car was found there were signs of a struggle and blood, but no body. The prime suspect, her boyfriend at the time, went missing. But after a few days he was said to have returned and gave a statement to the police of his whereabouts."

"So he had an alibi?"

"He bought an alibi," Randy corrected. "And with no leads the case went cold. The prime suspect hasn't been back since and he's lucky. Any number of people here would want him six feet under. He wouldn't last a week here."

Elizabeth quietly pulled her thoughts together casting out her line again and this time it hit the water running, literally, the cricket flew off the hook and went swimming a few inches before a fish found him.

"You might want to rebate that one," Randy said. She quickly reeled in her line.

"Sneaky little fish," she said, grabbing another cricket.

Suddenly Randy's rod dipped down and the line pulled hard into the water. He jerked up setting the hook and reeling in hard.

"First fish!" Randy tossed the catfish in the cooler. Elizabeth clapped joyously.

"1-0. I'll catch up." She hurried to get the cricket on the hook. "Do you know how long Chris is down here for?" She asked curiously.

"I'm hoping just for a couple of weeks. I'd really like it if it was for a couple of days, but I doubt it. Hopefully he doesn't give you any problems. I don't think he will though. He likes his privacy."

"What does he do?"

"He works off shore. It's rare for him to come out this way. He mostly stays in Jacksonville, Florida. I think he comes this way every six months or so it feels like. It's a good way to relax."

"It sure is." Elizabeth agreed.

Randy smirked. "Says the woman who hasn't relaxed since she came in. I'm sorry about this. This is probably the furthest thing from relaxing for you."

"No, it's good." Staying active was so much better than being cooped up with only her mind to keep her company. She should have brought Bethany. "I'd go mad alone for too long."

Next time.

"Okay, but if you start to get tired of us just let me know. Make birds noises or something and that'll be our signal that you're ready for us to get out of your hair."

"Bird signals?" Elizabeth retorted. "Who does that?"

"Don't knock it too hard. How else are you going to me without feeling like you've offended Sarah?"

"So I'm going to make bird sounds for my benefit so I don't feel bad for leaving? I'm going to embarrass myself."

They were enjoying a good laugh when Elizabeth's rod tip jerked and her line started to run.

"Set the hook!" Randy yelled. Elizabeth jerked back her rod and the fight was on. The fish had gotten a lot of line before she set the hook and she wasn't sure she would be able to pull him to the shore without catching a root or it getting away. After a minute of fighting, and Randy at the ready, she pulled the catfish to shore and up in the air successfully.

"Nice one!" he complimented.

"Oh my gosh! It _has_ been a while!" she laughed as Randy grabbed the catfish and unhooked him. He tossed it in the small cooler with a light tap on top.

"Well, you think two will be enough for the two of us. I plan on cooking some rice, buttered green beans, and cornbread to go with the catfish," he said.

"Maybe a couple more."

"Been that long since you've had a good meal?"

"Yes." She answered shyly.

"Two more if we can and then let's head back."

Two perch and another catfish later they stopped fishing and drifted inside to begin working on food.

With lunch done and the corn bread fresh from out of the oven Elizabeth was starving. Elizabeth found the plates and set them on the counter as well as dug around for the silverware. "They're in that drawer." Randy pointed.

"Thanks." Elizabeth said grabbing the utensils and then refilling their drinks at the small bar space.

"I've been trying to talk her into storing some of these things while we work through what to do with them." Randy said referring to all the clutter around the house. "But she just won't do it. She keeps telling me that she will box some of it up and get it organized, but she just never has the time."

"Has she thought about just giving it to charity?"

"Never going to happen. All of it means something to her. Some of it being her parents, hers, or her sister's. It's all still too valuable for her to get rid of. I know we have talked about selling it, but until I see her posting it online or actually putting in the effort I don't think she will."

"I thought you were going to help her sale things?"

"I'm trying, but every time I suggest things or offer she just tried to put it off or avoids it. I'll keep trying, but right now I don't see it changing."

"You don't know," Elizabeth said looking around. "She might come around one of these days."

Randy filled their plates and took a seat across from Elizabeth.

"Thank you," She said. "What about the bed rooms? Is there still room to sleep back there?"

Randy chuckled. "There is still room to sleep. She toned it down in the bathroom and the two bedrooms. The room Chris stays in is almost barren. It's just a bed and a dresser."

"Really?" Elizabeth spoke looking down at her food questionably. She was starving, but she didn't want to be rude and start pigging out. Her stomach yelled and she blushed embarrassed. _Thanks._ She rolled her eyes looking up to Randy.

"Eat up!" He ordered. "I'm going die if you don't take the first bite and let me start eating."

They shared a smile and started to eat. Randy's company was wonderful. His pulse was light and refreshing, not as strong as other humans and not as intense as the leather man, but just different enough to sooth her worries and ease her troubles. Not to mention a great cook, she felt bad Sarah wasn't joining them.

Lunch ended quickly with Elizabeth leaned back in her chair regretting that she forced herself to take one more bit of cornbread with her hand on her belly.

"That good, huh?" Randy picked up her plate and headed for the sink.

"Yes sir," she answered leaning her head back for a deep breath.

A nap sounds good right about now.

At the sound of the running sink water Elizabeth got up from the table and picked up their glasses taking them to the sink to help. "Let me help."

"I've got it." Randy answered.

"Are you sure? I don't mind helping I did make half that mess at least." Elizabeth offered, Randy pushed her away from the sink grabbing the glasses from her.

"No. You're a guest. That means you leave the mess and I'll handle the rest." He chuckled turning back to face the sink.

"Well, great," she sighed. "What good am I if I can't help cook and I can't help clean?"

"You helped to get the food." He reminded her.

"That's true, I guess." She murmured.

Randy's shoulders straightened up and he turned off the water whipping his hands. "Can I ask you a favor Elizabeth?" He turned fully around. The expression on his face was serious and pained almost.

"Sure."

"Do you think you can keep an eye on Sarah tomorrow?"

"Sure. I mean is there something special about tomorrow?"

"No..."

"Then why would you ask me to keep an eye on her?" Elizabeth asked crossing her arms suspiciously.

"Well, I'm leaving tomorrow morning to go back over to my parents and I should be back either later that night or the following morning. I don't want you to stalk her or anything! Don't get the wrong idea. I trust her. It's just, Chris is here and it always makes me a little nervous to leave her alone with him." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I thought you trusted him enough not to hurt her?"

"You never know. I'm sorry. It's a silly thing to ask." He shook his head. "I'm just being paranoid and you hardly no her, you just got in and I'm already bothering you. Never mind. Forget it."

"No," Elizabeth answered in haste. "I'm okay checking on her. I understand. Not a problem."

"Really?" He asked surprised but ecstatic.

"It's easy enough to do." Randy was an old friend and Sarah was sweet. She didn't want to say no after he had shown her such kindness and went out of his way to make her food.

_What have I signed up for? I thought I was on vacation?_ Elizabeth thought to herself in duress, but it was for one day, what could go wrong? She still had plenty of time to be by herself and it wasn't like she'd be spending the day with Sarah, just checking in on her.

Randy smiled. His expression was grateful. "Call me if anything happens or if you need something. Here," Randy jotted down a number on a sticky note. "This is Sarah's. If you don't feel like coming over you can just call."

"Okay," she took it. "Make sure to give Sarah My number, as well."

"I will. Thank you, Elizabeth. For everything."

"I haven't done anything yet."

"But still, thank you."

Elizabeth tapped her phone in her pocket and glanced at the clock on the wall behind Randy.

It was already ten past one. She had enough time for a nap and then a walk or jog. Elizabeth had wanted to start working on her legs a little maybe now would be a good time. But after food settled, she noted.

"I guess I really should be going then." Elizabeth said pointing to the clock and suppressing a yawn. "I'm dying for a nap. God that makes me sound old."

"No. It means I'm a better cook then I realized." Randy led her towards the door.

"Or that the poison is starting to affect me?" Elizabeth grinned.

"It's been fun Elizabeth. I hope we get to go fishing again one more time before you head back home. Maybe even break out the boat."

"You have a boat?" She turned, standing outside the doorway.

"There's a shop to rent boats farther down the road. You should really see Sarah fish. She's crazy good at it."

"I bet," Elizabeth smiled. "Tell Sarah I said I'll see her tomorrow and I hope Chris and you get along this time he's here."

"I doubt it, but thanks. And I'll let her know. Oh," he leaned against the doorknob. "You be careful and don't go wandering the woods at night." She stiffened wondering if she knew she had been sneaking out back with a man from the woods? "Why?"

"There's been a few hikers that have gone missing in the woods up north so everyone's advised not to go hiking in the woods overnight and without a weapon."

"Okay, thanks. I'll be sure not to do my midnight jog."

He smiled at her joke. "Yeah, well, you have a good afternoon. If you need anything just call or come on over."

"Thanks. Bye." Elizabeth waved goodbye and headed down the steps as the door to Sarah's house shut and Randy returned to the dishes.

She was left with a pleasant smile drawn across her face. Nothing could bother her after the fun she had, until ten steps later, when it hit her. The Pulse.

What she sensed wasn't close, but she could still feel it inching closer.

She debated with herself whether or not to turn around and head back inside, but her cabin was right there. It was right in front of her.

_You can do this Elizabeth. Just jog over and you'll be fine. H's far enough off at the moment,_ she told herself as the pulse grew stronger.

Elizabeth broke into a jog across the yard, across the road, past her car, and towards her porch. The pulse continued to increase.

Elizabeth picked up her pace, jumping onto her porch without touching any steps in the process and pulling her keys from her pocket. She was certain that it was the man in leather steadily approaching. Images flooded her mind, getting in the way of her thinking clearly.

_Come on. Just get the door open._ A bead of sweat dripped down the side of her face as she panicked fumbling with the lock.

Finally it snapped unlocked and the door gave way. She jumped in and started to shut the door behind her, but not before looking out to see if she could find him. To see if _he_ was there.

To her surprise and relief the man she locked eyes with wasn't at all the man she thought it was going to be and she wasn't sure how she should react to seeing him again. And then her thoughts remembered what the man in leather said, " _Tell Virgil I said hello."_

Chapter Six

Virgil anxiously rushed to hit the tree line before Elizabeth disappeared again into one of the cabins. He had been searching the shoreline for any signs of the washed up remains of the hikers, unfortunately, when he spotted her fishing.

There she was. His Elizabeth. His thoughts worked fast at correcting themselves. She was not his anything. She was a mortal. She had a short and loving life ahead of her with a family in which she would undoubtedly give her shop over to. Virgil had glimpse her past and knew the kind of future she deserved. He smiled thinking she would make a great mother one day.

Virgil pictured a little dark girl running around the woman's legs calling out to her and then turning to look at him with just as much love.

He shook his head at the thought. He needed to get his head out of the clouds and be careful. He was treading dangerously.

She was someone he was curious about, nothing more and nothing less. Right?

How was there doubt in him? He had run across plenty of women over his years. But never had he taken to any of them like this, he answered himself haughtily. She shouldn't be any different. Yes, the simple pleasure of saying her name in his thoughts brought a smile across his face and filled him with warmth. Yes, when he pictured her smiling he could nearly forget the world around him and seek her out. He just wanted to touch her, to breathe her in, and to embrace her.

God, he cursed to himself in the cover of the woods as he drew closer. He was in trouble.

On top of his refusal to leave her alone a cloud of worry coursed through him due to her choice of fishing partners, Randal McCloud. Virgil's eyes had sent death glares to the man. None of which he obvious felt due to the fact that death glares weren't real, but if they were he'd be dead - hence the title.

Many times Virgil had glanced upon Randal and none of those times he felt anything positive, to be honest he hadn't felt anything at all. Something about the man blocked his thoughts. Virgil had never been able to enter his mind and for that he stayed watchful of the man from a distant.

Virgil and his family didn't hide all the time, just recently. Since the death of Samantha and the hounding of the police, Virgil, Helena, and Garrison had made it a point to stay off the radar of the locals.

Some vampires would probably ask why they hadn't moved, but Garrison was fond of the area and if Garrison stayed so did Virgil and Helena. They stayed as a family, together.

But the closer Virgil drew to the cabin Elizabeth was staying at the more he wondered if staying was a good idea. Instinctually he said no, but practically, it would be for the best that they move.

Virgil frowned, remembering his irritation at Randal fishing alongside Elizabeth and doing God knows what else. It was jealousy. He hadn't felt that in a long while towards another man. And the burning sensation only seemed to increase the more he thought about her. It was a sensation long since faded and yet, here, a mortal woman had triggered something within him.

Definitely not a good sign, he thought.

Helena's voice brushed against the back of his mind as he continued to move closer. He could almost taste Elizabeth. That would be something nice, to tease her. To kiss her lips. Yep, he was in deep trouble with thoughts like those. Helena was surely going to have his hide if she found out. He grinned at her displeasure and pushed harder avoiding the road and sticking with the woods.

He spotted the cabins and there she was. She was just stepping out onto the porch with Randal sending her off.

Virgil crawled closer wanting more than just to see her. He wanted to follow every detail. To watch as the ends of her lips curved into a smile, see her eyes glistening, and the way her hair fell across her shoulders. He continued to ease closer until she knew he was there. The sudden stiffness in her body and shift in her expression was more than enough to let him know she was on to him.

"Damn," he muttered, hoping he could have a little longer to watch her before she panicked. He reached out to lightly touch her thoughts but she was well guarded this time. As she darted across the open ground fear swept from the corners of the barriers she had managed to place in her mind allowing Virgil to catch an image. Juts one, but it was enough.

Virgil froze. His feet wanted to drag him all the way up the stairs and to her door, but after seeing the man in leather, Elizabeth labeled 'Gorilla', he couldn't. He drew in a sharp breath continuing to picture the man crawling around inside Elizabeth and holding her hostage under his gaze.

"William," Virgil whispered in the open air without thinking.

Elizabeth broke out into a jog across the yard. He could see she was frightened and she had all the right to be if he was William. William was not a man for her to tango with. Not now. Not after everything that had happened.

His anger was boiling over as the image and fearful emotions tore at him. They weren't his, but Elizabeth's. She had felt too trapped in his presence, but she had been lucky. If Sarah hadn't come by and picked her up William might have taken her to the woods.

A shiver tore through Virgil at the thought.

Virgil now knew William was fully behind the missing hikers. One of the men's bodies had finally turned up in the lake several miles away early that morning. The police were beginning to send in divers, they even had volunteers scouting out around the lake and were advising people to stay inside at night and stay within the safe zones for swimming.

Virgil paled at the thought of her being one of the missing people he searched for and angrily cursed William. Garrison and he would personally see to it that William would no longer be a threat.

Hating the thought of William having any contact with Elizabeth he prayed that William was just desperate for a snack and nothing more. That once they were separated, and Elizabeth safe at home, William wouldn't think twice about the mortal woman. Perhaps she would even stay away from them, now that she felt worried about her life thanks to William, Virgil wondered as Elizabeth stumbled at the door to her cabin.

Just as she slipped into the safety of the cabin she turned back hoping to see the pulse one last time before she disappeared. And she did, locking eyes with Virgil. He had forgotten himself and stood out in the open for the entire world to see. For Elizabeth to see. She looked frightened but beautiful. Her lips opened and released a gasp of breath as a few strands of her hair fell across her face breathlessly. Virgil wanted to step forward and ease his way towards her cabin. To hear what she sounded like—other than through her bumbling thoughts—but before he could enjoy her visually anymore, Elizabeth shut the door and shut him out.

By the sound of it she was also locking it securely, not that Virgil could enter the cabin anyway. He instantly retreated back into the trees for cover running his hands along his face. His curiosity had got the best of him, again. He was torn between smiling or growling in frustration at his raging hormones and nonsensical thinking. What _was_ he thinking? That maybe she would stop and allow him a few more words? Clearly she wasn't going to let him talk to her and again he rubbed his face.

Rolling around in frustration Virgil picked up on an echoing thought. It wasn't his. It was Elizabeth's! He realized staying still and allowing the words she was sending to run over him. _"Tell Virgil I said hello."_ They repeated over in her mind pushing against Virgil.

He shock from the message William had sent him through Elizabeth but what was more disturbing was what the message meant. Virgil collapsed with his back against a tree and closed his eyes. He had just put Elizabeth in grave danger.

"William, you bastard!" He swore. "What about William?" Virgil jumped up at the sound of the female voice but calmed the moment he saw Helena's figure moving closer.

"What are you doing here?" He asked resting his back against the tree.

Helena walked up to him before peeking around the tree and towards Elizabeth's cabin. "Not the best of hiding spots especially since she can clearly feel you. Not to mention, I think she's peeking out her bedroom window to try and get another look at you."

Virgil felt the urge to lean out and look, but stayed quiet and still under the gaze of his sister. He tried to maintain clam and tell her what he had learn, but first, what was she doing there?

"Are you following me now?" Virgil asked. Helena didn't answer right off the bat. She wanted to make him squirm under her blank stare as she slid between Elizabeth's cabin and him. Every second adding to his impatience. "Helena—"

"I was not following you at first." She muttered crossing her arms. Her expression was taut as she turned her back to him.

"At first?" Virgil repeated with a note of disgust.

"They found another hiker that was missing," she said grimly. Virgil silenced his negative thoughts towards Helena and listened intently now. "It appears that someone butchered him because all that was found was the decomposing head. They found that washed up about an hour ago about a mile west of here. I'm betting the cops will be starting to flood this area, but I highly doubt they will find all the pieces. I mean, he's been in the water long enough that the fish and any gators probably devoured him. They're lucky to find such a big part of him."

"Unless that was the purpose?" Virgil noted.

"That's what I'm wondering. It's almost like he's circling the lake, starting at a point far away from us and getting closer." Helena paced back and forth in front of him.

"You said he? Do you know who this is?" Virgil asked. Helena stopped pacing and turned sharp on her heels, which were four inches and dangerous. How could she stay stable in those things?

"And you don't think it is? You think this is the work of another vampire?" She snapped. "You said so yourself."

Virgil stood up to address her raising voice face to face. "No, I think this is William, but why do _you_ think this is him?"

Helena paused looking off nervously. What did she have to hide? She nibbled on her lips and then turned back to look at him. "I've picked up his scent from time to time in the woods." She took a deep breath. There was more. Something more definitely then his scent.

"Come on Helena," Virgil rose up from his sport and took a hold of her shoulders lightly. "What else is there? How do you know for sure?"

"He left me flowers." She whispered. Virgil released her shoulders and just looked at her wide eyed expression before she stepped back and turned away. "In my car. There were these beautiful multicolored flowers."

"Maybe they were from Laurence?" Virgil suggested. She shook her head. "I checked with him first and he said he didn't send me any."

"Secret admirer? You have had a few over the years."

"Virgil. . ." She looked up to him with pained eyes. "It was him. They weren't my favorite flowers. They were orchids." Virgil didn't understand what that meant. He wasn't much of a flower person. Now, he was thinking that flowers sounded like a lovely thing to get Elizabeth. "Think, what flower did we use to have in the house?" She asked and Virgil felt the color on his face drain at the realization.

"We always had Orchids on the table. We don't anymore though." He noted.

"Because William was the one that always brought them in," she pointed out. "He's here and I think he wants us to know it. But you knew he was here?" Virgil remembered William's message.

It was Virgil's turn to explain what he had done and the message William had left for him to Helena. Quickly catching her up on the details he waited for her to yell at him the way she used to whenever he was starting out and continued to display vampire traits in front of people. Instead, Helena opened her arms and wrapped them tightly around Virgil. She buried her face into his neck as he hugged her back.

There was nothing romantic about their hug, but he could feel her love pouring off of her along with sadness and concern. Pulling out of his arms she framed his face. "Virgil, I love you so much, but you have to be careful. I don't know what I would do if I lose you too." She squeaked.

Virgil pulled her hands down and away from his face. "You will not lose me, sister. We can do this. We will stop William. We must. No, I must." He finished.

"You are not alone in this." She looked on with loving eyes. "I know." He replied.

"Let us go and meet with Garrison. We must inform him of what's happened." Helena suggested turning to head off when Virgil hesitated. "What's wrong?"

Virgil wondered if she was safe. If Elizabeth was safe for him to just leave. William could walk up at any time to her cabin door, but the good thing about the Law of Entry was that it included the mind. If Elizabeth allowed him entry into her home he could reach into her mind and take control of her again, but as long as she didn't let him in her mind would be safe guarded behind the invisible barrier until she left the safety of the house.

Virgil hoped she didn't leave the safety of her house. Virgil squirmed. William couldn't fully keep Elizabeth controlled, but it was enough. All she had to do was step out into the yard and he'd have her. That was a terrifying thought.

"Virgil?" Helena spoke breaking his thoughts.

"I have to stay here." Virgil spoke with clarity.

"What do you mean? We have to talk to Garrison." She protested.

"No, I mean. When he comes back someone needs to be here to look after her." Virgil stressed.

"If he comes back," she corrected.

"I know he'll come back." He looked back in the direction of the cabin. "It's just a matter of time, but I'm not going to take any chances."

"And if you see him?" Helena exclaimed.

"Then I guess we will find out once and for all which one of us is the stronger of the two," Virgil spoke coldly.

"Please," Helena whispered. "Don't do this," she whispered.

"Do what?" he asked, confused.

"Get infatuated by this woman."

"What? I'm not—"

She held her hand up to stop him. "I've seen this look before and I've seen what it can do."

"You're being ridiculous." He tried to laugh at her false accusations, but they weren't entirely false. Helena caught his arm firmly.

"I can't lose another brother." Her eyes were sad. "Please come with me. We will talk to Garrison and then be back to check on her later. Nothing will happen."

Virgil placed his hand over hers and smiled warmly. "No matter what happens, you will not lose me," he assured her. She smiled back.

"I have heard this before."

"And what of Laurence? You can love but no one else can?" Virgil asked though surely didn't believe he loved the woman he was watching. He was making a point. Helena understood and nodded. She could see she was defeated and would have to knock him out and carry him away to get what she wanted. She paused on the thought and shook it off. Virgil had already stepped back ready to defend himself if she tried. She rolled her eyes and waved her hand to signal her surrender.

"Why don't we do this, I'll watch her and you go and get yourself blood at the house and then we'll switch off so I can get something to drink before meeting Garrison here?" She suggested the sun clearly draining her. Virgil didn't notice how truly hungry he was until the mention of blood. His incisors slid out a little. He retracted them and listened to his sister's orders. Blood was definitely top priority, but so was contacting Garrison.

_Garrison?_ Virgil reached out with his thoughts and tuned into the connection Garrison and him shared.

_Virgil?_ Garrison's voice responded.

Helena and I have a situation.

_Are you two okay? What happened?_ The concern in Garrison's voice was sincere.

_We have a development on the missing hikers. Two were found. Actually one it was just his head. But we have another problem._ Virgil paused. _We have confirmed reports of William in the area._

_Confirmed?_ Garrison repeated.

Yes, I have a female witness I presume to be his next target. Where are you? I'd like to talk to you face to face about this matter.

I'm in Orange Grove.

_What?!_ That was well over an eight hour drive. What was Garrison doing way out there without telling them?

I told Helena I would be gone for a day. I'll be on my way back shortly.

Okay. Is this still related to William?

Unfortunately it is. We will talk more about it when I come home. As for the woman I'd keep an eye on her, but do not engage William.

_I can't let him take someone else, Garrison._ Virgil protested. Not her.

Try not to face off against William alone.

I can take him.

_Can you?_ Was that doubt in Garrison's voice? _I do not want the burden of your brother on your shoulders my son. Just wait until I am there and we will handle this matter together._ Garrison implored and Virgil agreed as the connection broke returning him to the peaceful woods.

"Garrison is more than an eight hour drive away." Virgil informed Helena who gasped.

"I knew he'd be gone a while but I didn't know he was going that far. Is it related to this?"

"Yes, it's about William. He wants to talk as soon as he gets back but I guarantee it won't be till late tonight." Virgil sighed.

"Then I'll take first shift," She said with a sigh.

"How about I take first shift for a couple of hours and then you come back and relieve me and when I returned we wait together for Garrison at that point?" Virgil offered knowing Helena wanted a nice shower and a little her time to call Laurence and probably tell him about her day. If anything Virgil was thinking bringing Laurence and Lyon in on this wouldn't be such a bad idea. William was getting out of hand. The more vampires hunting the faster he would be taken care of, but Garrison would insist on handling it.

As both the master and a hunter Garrison felt responsible. It was Garrison that let William go the first time. He couldn't bear to kill him at the time and Virgil could still see the sorrow in Garrison's eyes when William is spoken of in the family. Everyone was going through pain at the loss of William's sanity, but Garrison took it the hardest. He didn't have to show the emotion for Virgil to be able to tell and even Helena felt it. She just refused to speak of it. Helena allowed Garrison all the time he needed to grieve, the same with Virgil. She was an annoyance but a caring woman too. It was apparent their whole family was still recovering.

"I like that." Helena said. "I'll be back by in a couple of hours. I need a shower." Helena muttered to herself as she disappeared. Virgil smiled to himself. He knew her too well. He knew them both, William and Helena, too well. William would be back, it was only a matter of time.

The hours were long as he rested below the trees trying to steal peeks of Elizabeth, but she stayed locked away in her cabin feeding herself, taking a nap, and talking to a woman called, Bethany. Virgil enjoyed the conversation, though he heard very little. From what he could make out Elizabeth was describing him in great detail and the other woman, Beth, was apparently teasing her. Her guards dropped while she was on the phone and thus she was projecting little bits and pieces of their conversations. It kept Virgil smiling until Helena came back to relieve him. He almost protested until he realized his incisors were creeping out again just at the offer of blood.

Even when he was relieved by Helena he only went to feed and quickly returned to switch back, but this time the woman stayed. With the sun beginning to dip in the sky Helena and Virgil stayed ever watchful of Elizabeth's home and awaited Garrison's arrival, which wouldn't be for a few more hours at least.

It wasn't until the sun was almost gone that he felt Elizabeth become alert as he heard something humming in the distance. Helena took note of his tense body and reacted accordingly carefully turning to view the woods behind them and anywhere else Virgil's eyes wasn't watching.

_God, I wish Garrison would hurry up. Or that we called Laurence. Why didn't we call Laurence?_ It was too late to regret anything now; he just hoped he was worrying for nothing. That Elizabeth just got spooked. He frowned when her thoughts slid across him.

There's more.

Elizabeth had never felt more trapped and like a prisoner in her own home. Even being grounded by her dad after trying a cigarette when she was sixteen didn't compare.

She was acutely aware of both the pulses outside of her house out of her sight. She had tried numerous times to spot them, but they were well hid behind the trees. What she wouldn't give for Superman's X-ray vision.

Randy's warning stayed in the front of her mind for a while after having seen Virgil and then feeling the constant pulsating of two people trading spots. If people really were going missing Virgil, the tall, dark, and sexy, would definitely classify as dangerous.

Why were they waiting? Was he with the other creepy man? Were they watching to see when she would leave? Was she being stalked? Elizabeth cringed. She thought about calling the cops, but what would she tell them. I saw a man going into the woods? They wouldn't catch him before he fled. She even thought about going over to Sarah's house, but after Sarah arrived with the ominous looking Chris she didn't want to bother them. That and they were already in bed.

Elizabeth would just have to wait and see. She didn't think her door honestly could hold a man like the one lying in wait out for too long, but at that time she would definitely call Randy and the cops.

Deciding that sleep was definitely something she wasn't going to be getting she made a perch in the living room on one of the couches with her phone at the ready and a book in her lap.

_Great time for a vacation._ Elizabeth rubbed her eyes staring down at the romance novel sitting in her lap. She had snagged it from Beth. They were joking about her life needing more spice one day and that reading a book like this might inspire her, but she hadn't read past the cover. Oh, how she wanted to tell Beth that she had enough adrenaline at this point to last a life time.

After staring down at it for more than a minute she actually thought she might crack it open until her senses came alive. _Looks like you're gonna have to wait your turn._ Elizabeth thought to the book now falling towards the floor as she got up hastily.

Elizabeth shifted at the newest set of pulses heading her way. She cringed. They were all different. Surly that couldn't be a good thing?

Elizabeth instantly flew to the light and clicked it off. She didn't want to give away her position as she peeked out the window to try and see what was going on.

The world was blanketed in darkness, with very little light from the waning moon shining down on them to light the figure walking closer. It was William.

Virgil clenched his jaw and his fists, hell, he was clenching his butt at the sight of the man! He was pissed.

"Don't do it." Helena hissed having spotted William. She took ahold of Virgil's arm in an attempt to hold him back but it was unless. Virgil was already moving forward, out of the trees, across the open ground to meet William.

"William," Virgil whispered with a deep throated growl, turning towards the shadows behind him. It was a darkness which clung to every step William took as he approached casually.

"Hello, brother," William's thick voice riddled with disgust and hatred for Virgil. "I've been watching you," he said with curled lips in the most twisted smile across his face.

"I too have been aware of your presence. What brings you out from the shadows?" Virgil asked trying to keep his composure as the space between them lessened. He wanted to rush towards William and break every bone in his body, but Virgil resisted.

What William had done was irrefutable. The betrayal towards his family and what he did to Samantha was horrible. He should have paid for it, but a piece of Virgil felt some small hope that the vampire before him was coming to seek forgiveness for what he had done. For what he had put them through, but the expression on William's face said otherwise. He would never be the brother Virgil remembered and used to love. That part of him died that night.

"A peculiar thing has happened," William announced, keeping his distance but beginning to move to his right off the road and towards Elizabeth's Cabin. Virgil kept calm. He kept his mind focused on William and tried to not show any signs of concern with every step he took towards her cabin.

"And what is that?" Virgil asked, moving to his left with every step William took.

"You surprise me," William made a sad face. "Not a hello? Not a, 'how have you been?' "

"Why do you need one? You should not even be here," Virgil replied.

"Why?"

"You know why. Being here puts you in danger of being caught. If Garrison finds you-"

"You're concern flatters me, brother."

"You are not my brother any longer," Virgil stopped moving. Something was off. William was showing his hand way too early. What was wrong and what was that God forsaken sound? Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the boat speeding towards them. But it turned as a young man yelled from a tube not far behind it with a beer in his hand. Virgil refocused on William. "You're stalling. Why?"

William stayed as cool as a cucumber. "I have missed Helena. I wonder how she is doing? Did she get the flowers I sent her?" Helena stayed hidden out of sight waiting until she was needed, but Virgil didn't want her in this. He didn't want any of the blood on her hands.

"You know, I saw her a while ago. We passed each other. Not like this," he waved his hands gesturing at their face to face encounter. "She was not as close." William finally began to walk again and this time he took careful steps to ensure he was easing into the yards of Elizabeth continuing to read Virgil as best he could with Virgil's shields on alert trying to keep the older vampire out. It wasn't an easy task, but Virgil managed.

"I have been dreaming that one day I would bring down our happy little family. To finally get back at you for what you had done to me," William spoke, running his finger along the BMW and then casually stepping back towards the porch. He grabbed the side of the railing and swung over it with ease never leaving eye contact with Virgil.

Virgil slowly moved forward trying to get close enough to him. "They have nothing to do with this," Virgil spoke wondering if he could bring the porch down around the vampire. He'd pay the bill and clean up the mess, but at least William would be taken care of. "Helena did nothing to you and Garrison allowed you to live." Virgil spoke in a whisper he knew would only reach their level of hearing, but William's voice wasn't. He had nothing to hide. He was a vampire on a suicide mission.

There were vampires like that, who wished for death and called attention to themselves. Why they choose to go out in a blaze of glory was beyond Virgil, but it didn't stop them.

"Garrison..." he hissed lowly. "The whole lot of you. If you were smart you would have never intervened—I had everything under control!" He began to shout.

"Like hell you did," Virgil snapped, taking a deep breath to control himself. He relaxed his shoulders and focused his mind to a calm state. Virgil began to push himself into a trance. He needed to get a message out to Garrison. Something he should have done from the moment William arrived and if he was lucky Helena had already done it.

"Did you know that Elizabeth can sense our kind? That she can resister my hold and even block me? Fascinating," William spoke. Virgil twitched, becoming very alert and ignoring his attempt to reach out and call Garrison. "Isn't it a pretty name? Elizabeth Ann Parks."

Virgil repeated the name to himself. That explained where the name Ann came from. His brows narrowed at the enjoyment in William's voice.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me that you haven't taken a peek into the woman's mind?" William paused, grinning. "You have. I know you have."

"What's your point?"

"Cutting to the chase, I like that. Well, I was waiting for the right moment to strike. You know how it is," William rambled. "When suddenly I ran across the most unusual thing. A woman who could feel us and I thought, ' _this must be a sign_.' I mean, come on. The timing was perfect! And from what I saw you have taken a liking to her as well. I saw you in her mind and all the things she thought about you." William joked and then lowered his voice. "I've been a very busy boy lately. I was getting things together and there she was. It's the perfect thing to repay you with."

"Repay me?" Virgil felt a pain in the pit of his stomach.

"She would make a lovely addition to our twisted _vampire_ family. Don't you think?" William grinned and at the suggestion of William getting his hands on Elizabeth daring to bite into her soft skin, Virgil launched himself forward.

Virgil landed around William's torso and brought the vampire down to the ground beneath him, but William didn't stay long. He quickly ripped out of Virgil's grasp and rolled back and out of his reach regaining himself before landing a punch on the rising Virgil. It looked like a late-night bar fight as Virgil swung and landed a couple of punches on William, but that didn't last long. William waited for an opening and when one occurred he kicked Virgil back a few feet.

William wiped himself off. "You are going to have to do better than that," William laughed. "You're weaker. Much weaker. Something is off about you brother." The words were dripping in venom.

Virgil knew he hadn't fed the best in the past couple of days, but he couldn't worry about that. He couldn't focus on what he couldn't change and needed to get his head in the game. He was dealing with William. He had to stay focused. Then his eyes shifted past William and to the window to the right of the front door to the cabin. To his horror, there, pressed against the glass was Elizabeth wide-eyed and terrified.

William took the opportunity to punch Virgil in the chest breaking a rib and sending him flying back down the stairs and to the ground. Virgil landed hard, sucking in breath while pain built up in his back and chest. He rolled over and crawled a few feet away, trying to get to his feet fast enough before William came down after him.

"Stand Virgil. Face me," William waited patiently having descended the stairs. Virgil wiped his face and rose to the challenge spitting out blood.

William charged this time and Virgil dropped to his knees sending a punch to William's groin. The blow dropped William on his side on the ground in an instant. No matter what race you were a hit in the groin was going to hurt. Even Virgil cringed a little. Virgil kicked William over and pinned him down to the ground with his weight.

William squirm below him trying to fight. Virgil couldn't deny the satisfaction of having William in his grasp, but something still didn't feel right. "Kill me. Go ahead," William taunted, leaning up a little.

Virgil gritted his teeth in anger and hate as he dug his nails deeper into William's body below him. Virgil threatened to break his arms, until William managed a pain laugh. He laughed. Virgil was even madder, why would William laugh?

"Come on, kill me! Be the vampire I know you can be. I know you are!" William taunted. Virgil wanted to. Every fiber in his being told him to do it, but he couldn't. He wouldn't kill William, not until Garrison got there. Not until they spoke. Was this out of kindness or was he being weak?

"Coward!" William spat blood against the ground. Virgil began to pick up on movement.

_Vampire!?_ The voice yelled in Virgil's ears sharper than any noise around him. He snapped his attention back to the cabin in horror. He had forgotten about Elizabeth. Eyes locked onto his, lips trembling, and breath hot against the glass.

"You should pay attention!" William hissed as Helena bolted out of the tree line towards them, but it was too late. Virgil felt the full force of a wrecking ball slammed against his side sending him rolling several feet off and away from William in half the time it took to blink.

Helena flew past Virgil not bothering to check on him, but to pursue whatever pushed Virgil to the ground. After a second of recovery Virgil was rushing after her, the world spinning with every step as he spotted William. William and another man jumped onto a speed boat and after a second glance Virgil realized it had been the boat dragging the supposed vacationer behind it. The men on the boat were William's getaway crew and that's exactly what he was doing, getting away.

Virgil planned on launching himself into the water and swimming after William, but Helena had a better hold on him this time and forced him back with her own body blocking him. The boat circled around and ran parallel to the shoreline. William standing facing them with satisfaction.

"Looking as loving as ever," He spoke to Helen who said nothing in return as she concentrated on the other two people in the boat and Virgil.

"William," Virgil spat. But William spoke before Virgil could continue his tirade. "I guarantee that if you don't grow a pair and decide to kill me when we fight you will never win. I will keep coming. And if you can't, I promise that in the next twenty-four hours Elizabeth won't be the only human dead."

"Why tell me? Why not just kill me and get this over with? Get your so-called revenge," Virgil asked.

William looked indifferent. He looked neither satisfied nor anger. "It's a game Virgil. I'm just adding extra players." On cue the boat sped away leaving Virgil slumped over Helena's small body up to his ankles in water. The pain in his chest present, but manageable as Helena eased out around him.

"Are you okay?" She asked touching his side. "I saw the second man burst from the shore line, but couldn't get there fast enough before you were knocked over. I shouldn't have let you go alone." She muttered.

"No," Virgil shook his head. "I had him." He whispered despairingly. "I had William in my hands and I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it."

"Do what?" Helena asked.

"I couldn't kill him."

Helena touched his face. Her eyes pained. But she said nothing. Virgil closed his eyes and nodding. He had failed. They both knew it.

"Elizabeth!" he gasped.

"She's fine." Helena spoke as she followed Virgil back towards the cabin. She was far from fine. She heard everything. She saw everything. He listened more intently on the thoughts floating through the air and could pick up on her panic and worry about calling the cops or, to his dismay, Randy.

_Virgil?_ Garrison's voice slowed his world.

Garrison. Did Helena tell you what happened?

Yes. Are you alright?

_He got away._ The despair in his voice present. But Garrison was kind.

Son, you are unharmed?

Yes.

Then I am glad to hear it.

But he got away.

_We will find him. As long as you and Helena are okay._ The relief in Garrison's thoughts were tangible. _What about the person he was after?_

_Compromised. She witnessed and heard a bit. But she is unharmed._ Virgil reported unfortunately. There wasn't much to do other than call someone in to tear at her memories. It was a mental procedure not many vampires had the ability to do, but those that had the ability where held pretty high among vampires, no matter the age. They were also busy shuffling back and forth to do vampire damage control and would be hard to get one to them soon enough, but it would have to be done according to law.

_I will call—_ Virgil was quick to cut Garrison off. _I don't want them in her head._ There was a pause from Garrison.

Why?

Because. . . She could be important and William seems to be using her as a target so there is no point altering memories if he is just going to keep coming after her. She needs protection not memory suppression.

_Very well._ Garrison breathed into his thoughts. _Then you look after her and meet me within an hour at the house. Tell Helena to meet me there. Be safe._

The connection was broken.

"What's going on?" Helena asked looking between Virgil and the cabin and then she froze, finally picking up on Elizabeth's thoughts.

"Yep," Virgil nodded grimly. "Garrison wants you at the house when he arrives in an hour and I'm to watch her."

"I'll stay." Helena offered. But Virgil turned her down.

"I'd like to just sit here alone and deal with this. It's my mess."

"We calling anyone in?"

"No point yet because William's just going to keep coming, but we will discuss a game plan when Garrison gets here and probably call in back up now that we know William is here and he has company."

"We should assume there are more." Helena said.

"I hope not." Virgil muttered. "Get going. I'll meet you after a little while." Virgil pushed her away and Helena didn't do much to protest. Soon he was standing outside of Elizabeth's house alone.

Virgil cursed William's name. He knew he had screwed up big time. Pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration he slowly made his way up the porch stairs to Elizabeth's cabin.

He touched the door, listening to the shaking woman as she held in silent hysterical chatter between her loud breathing. Pressing his forehead against the door he tried to figure out what to do next. She hadn't called the cops on him yet, which probably was a mistake on her part. Though he didn't want to have the cops involved, it was vampire affairs after all.

By the sound of Elizabeth's mind, there was no way he was going to say she's crazy and delusional. She wouldn't believe it after what she had just witnessed. Even if she did fall for some lame excuse, she was still in danger. And with her abilities she would continue to be in danger over the years. He didn't want her mind messed with and didn't want anyone else knowing of her abilities. How could he keep her safe, keep her alive, and keep her protected from being discovered by how own people?

He listened to her puzzling thoughts. They began to bombard him, one right after the other. Confused and scared, her mind played back his conversation with William, repeating the word _vampire_ several times. His head ached with the trouble they were in. No the trouble he was in and how mad Garrison might be if he said any of the things he wanted to say to the crazed woman.

Virgil gritted his teeth as he danced along several of her memories debating stepping away from the door and standing guard until she did something he wasn't expecting. Something that sent him flying down the porch steps.
Chapter Seven

Elizabeth hugged her bedroom door, staying still in the hallway. Hand gripped tightly on the doorknob. She was frozen. What had she seen? What had she heard? None of it could have been real, but the fight outside was real enough.

_Vampire?!_ _Not real! William? Virgil? What the hell!_

She swallowed. It had to be a sick joke or someone's crazy idea of a prank, but he knew what she could do. The two men were unnatural. She took in a deep shaky breath of cold air, realizing that he had not moved. Was he waiting on her?

He was there. Just on the other side of the front door and he didn't seem to be going anywhere. Why wasn't he going? "Vampires aren't real. Right?" she asked herself.

As a child she could feel pulses, but never had she suspected they were truly different from her. Like being some blood sucking, flying rodent of the night. Wait—she saw them during the day earlier! Everything was changing perspective.

She focused on a few childhood memories that suddenly began pouring out. Electric was one way of describing what she was feeling. It was a constant circuit that was connected within her, allowing this new and stronger sensation.

Thoughts. Memories. She could feel a pressure building in her until her eyes ached. Why had she never run across them before? Why now? If there truly were vampires running around why hadn't any of them ever taken notice to her?

_Get a hold of yourself! You're losing it!_ Placing a shaky hand to her forehead she tried to focus on her next move. She needed to do something because he wasn't moving and by everything she saw and heard he probably wasn't going anywhere. Was she in danger? Her hand involuntarily reached towards her throat.

All commonsense told her to call the cops or start screaming, but both lunacy and curiosity were getting the best of her.

Finding what little courage she had left, she pushed away from her bedroom and darted to the front door. Her legs were shaky and her heart was almost beating out of her chest the whole way.

Throwing the door open, she grabbed onto the only object next to the front door that she could get ahold of, her umbrella. With the door fully pushed open the pulse now stared wide-eyed up at her at the bottom of the porch stairs. He was as beautiful as the first day she saw him on the road. But now she knew he was also very dangerous.

Virgil.

No words passed between them for the longest of time, only the sound of the wind and the songs of the many insects and amphibians lurking about. Fear and shock in both their faces as they stumbled over what their first words would be to each other after what had just happened.

Those silver eyes and chocolate colored hair, though tangled and messy from his fight, still managed to be allure her.

"Why—Why—what are you doing—why are you here?" She fumbled over questions.

_Really? Out of everything I ask, I ask why he's here._ She wanted to ask him about the events that had just taken place or the meaning to the word vampire. But at the same time she couldn't just ask him about vampires. What happened if he instantly tried to drink her blood or do some crazy psychopathic thing—

A small hint of a smile played across his thin tight lips. His gaze slowly dropped to the umbrella which she wielded in front of her with both hands like a bat. Why didn't she think about grabbing a kitchen knife? She yelled at herself.

"I promise that you will in no way need that for the rest of your trip, on both myself and rain," he assured her with a slight tilt of the head. She lowered her weapon a little, but not too far. Virgil might look downright sexy with the width of his shoulders and flex of his muscles fully tensed, but he was pure muscle. He could rush up the stairs, probably breakdown the door, and kill her with one blow. He looked dangerous and angry while he had been fighting William, but now he looked frustrated, confused, and in shook. There was no telling what he would do or say and Elizabeth could barely trust herself anymore. Again she regretted not grabbing a knife.

Before she could begin asking him the many questions that were filling both their minds, he placed up his hand in protest. "Before you begin freaking out on me any more than you already are, though I don't blame you, let me introduce myself."

He climbed up the three small steps, growing in height compared to her. At the top of the steps he towered her. To Virgil she was radiant, more beautiful than the stars at night, which drew him to her all the more. Big hazel eyes behind her square glasses, chestnut hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, and a cute little button nose, which he wanted to lightly tap. She was a nice height with a petite body; she was packing in the department in curves and muscles, though clearly she wasn't trained for facing combat with the umbrella lifting humorously higher before him. Virgil could feel an instant tug towards her. Getting control of his body he bowed ever so slightly.

Elizabeth had seen him the night before but not this close. His pulse was warm as it hummed through her, his expression ever so slightly changing to a bit softer. For a moment she could think that the person before her was just a man out for a walk stopping by. She'd like that. Heaven knows Beth would be happy and, if under other circumstances, she'd like what his presence was doing to her body. She pushed the feeling of girlishness down and drowned it below the layer of fear she was trying to hold off. This was reality and reality says this man had escaped from a psych ward and was now standing in front of her house staring at her with hunger eyes.

Virgil didn't think he was staring at her hungrily, but he liked the bit about her reacting to him. For a moment he had forgotten the trouble they were both in and just wanted to enjoy her company. The scent of her skin drifting through the air, the sudden urge to shorten the space between them was alarming. He wanted to remove her fear and fill it with comfort and ease her urge to cry as the water built within her eyes. It pained him to see her so. So innocent. So Fragile. But why?

"My name is Virgil Hart and you are?" He waited for her response kindly with another bow of his head.

"You know my name." Elizabeth stated firmly, having heard them as clear as day outside her door. Her fingers numbing with the grip she had on the umbrella and she fought tooth and nail to keep her eyes from betraying her and releasing the first of the water wanting to escape them. She wanted to cry at the thought that perhaps she would not survive the night. That Virgil, the vampire, would be the one to take her life. She should have called the cops, or at least Randy. Someone!

"Not him," Virgil spoke. His eyes conveyed the bits of jealousy. Her mouth opened to speak, but nothing came out. "Yes. You are right, Elizabeth. I am sorry for the disturbance outside your door," he said. With the sound of her name from his lips Elizabeth grew pale. She began stumbling back into the cabin, umbrella at the ready. She wasn't ready to die. Maybe a few weeks ago, but not now. Not like this.

Virgil shook his head at her thoughts. "I won't harm you. I'm trying to keep you safe."

"How?" She repeated several times, continuing backwards into the dark cabin. The sound of her name with his velvet voice triggered a replay of everything that had happened. William's face haunted her mind and their fight played in sudden flashes through her thoughts. They were moving so fast that part of the time it was just a blur, but she knew what they said. So many questions built up within her. Was he reading her thoughts? Why wasn't he coming in after her? And, why was she still alive?

"It's not easy to explain," Virgil mumbled, gasping with surprise as he tried to clear his mind of her thoughts. She was forcing images, memories, and so many other things into his mind. He tasted not only his fear, but hers in the mad rush of things until finally he was able to all but silence them with a deep breath and a great deal of concentration.

"How do you both know my name? Why were you outside my house? Is this some kind of a twisted joke? It is right? I mean it can't be real! It can't be! It's not funny!" She snapped. He stood there listening to her babbling. He wasn't sure where to begin or even how. But the one thing he was certain of was the need to rush in and cradle her in his arms. He wanted to ease her in every way. Why? Why was his urge so strong? Why did the very sight of her send aches through his chest? Perhaps Helena should have set him up with a woman to keep him company.

Just thinking about another woman made Virgil cringe. Cringing made her anger. He grunted, there was no winning with the emotions as he stood there.

"This is not what I asked for when I woke up this morning," Virgil remarked frustratingly in a low tone, but Elizabeth had caught it.

Elizabeth let out a breath of air between a gasp and a laugh. "This isn't what _you_ asked for? Well think about me! All I wanted was a vacation from my life for all of a week and I get caught up in this crazy place, instantly running into people who feel very weird, act very strange, and oh! Have I told you the best part? They think they are _vampires!"_ Elizabeth laughed hysterically for a moment before stumbling back into a chair in the kitchen. Facing Virgil she could see his lack of humor on the matter, but she didn't need to look at him to know that the situation wasn't funny.

She begged him mentally to tell her she was crazy. She had to be. She could feel her mind slipping with the first fall of her tears.

"Please don't cry," Virgil whispered, but she couldn't hear him.

_Damn. I can't cry. This isn't happening._ _I'm not going to let this happen._

Elizabeth took a shaky breath and wiped her eyes.

Virgil was disheartened by the sight of her trying not to cry but couldn't reach beyond the doorway. Her thoughts slowly withdrew from his mind. Never had a human been so puzzling in all of Virgil's life, and yet here she was. His heart tearing with each struggled in take of breath as Elizabeth tried to stay calm. He wanted— _needed_ to get into the house and be beside her.

"Can you let me in already so I can sit down and talk with you?" Virgil asked, knowing it was a shot in the dark. Elizabeth blinked in confusion. She didn't understand his request. If he wanted in surely he would just step in.

"Are you joking?" She asked.

"No."

"Serious?"

"Dead serious," his tone solid.

Elizabeth thought about it. She didn't remember not being able to come into a house being on the list of what a _real_ vampire did. Real, being a person that drank on young women's blood, ran from garlic, and wouldn't be out in sunlight. She thought back to when she first saw him again. He was completely out in sunlight and had been with his girlfriend. Though they made a cute and attractive pair—

"Can I come in?" Virgil asked again interrupting her thoughts.

"Why can't you?"

"It's a law we are all under. Can you let me in?"

"I don't think I should let you in." She laughed weakly at the obvious fact.

"That is normally the smartest thing to do, but right now I really think you should let me in so we can sit down and discuss this."

"Discuss what?" She wiped her face again.

"Discuss our situation."

" _Our_ situation? I don't know about you, but I am perfectly fine with keeping you out of my house and as far away from me as possible. I don't want anything to do with you."

"Then why did you open the door in the first place?" he smirked.

She hit her head lightly. She was caught. If she didn't want any part in this, she should have just kept the door closed and none of this would have happened. She would not be staring at a gorgeous, vampire-claiming, crazy person. She would be able to wake up the next morning like any other morning, calling work to make sure the store was running smoothly. She would not be sitting down having a panic attack—

"Not true," Virgil corrected her thoughts. "This all would have still happened, but I would have had to knock and somehow got you to come over to the door and hoped you opened it or talk to you through the door. Or I could have waited until the morning—"

"Wait!" Elizabeth snapped, standing up and pointing her umbrella at him. "How did you know that I was thinking about...how..." she fell back into the chair, weak in the knees and gripping onto the table for support. That's right. He'd done it before. _They_ had both been in her head.

Elizabeth shook her head. It couldn't be real. He couldn't know what she was thinking. He shouldn't be able to. It was a sick joke. Elizabeth laughed at herself. She was losing it.

"Look, there are a lot of things you don't understand and I want you to know that I will not hurt you in any way. Just let me in so we can talk."

"I don't know. I really don't know. I think I'm going mad. Actually I'm pretty sure you may have read my mind—and—and that makes sense. I guess. If you were a...but you were out in the sun...I saw you..." Elizabeth took deep breaths as she tried to desperately rationalize it. Virgil rocked a little back and forth with impatience.

"Elizabeth, please. I am not going to hurt you." He pleaded. He could have pulled out his hair as he tried to talk her into letting him in. "Look—"

"No," she spoke in a whisper. "I just can't take this right now."

"I'm sorry," he spoke softly. He could see she wasn't going to be able and swallow anything that he told her at the moment.

She stayed silent, still thinking it was a sick joke and that he was a crazy person, but secretly thinking it could make sense. How the pulses were there and then vanished or the reason why they were different? It started to make terrifying sense.

"I must be crazy," Virgil spoke. He had wanted to see her, hear her, touch her even, but now that he was face to face with her he felt unable to do anything more than make her upset. How was he to keep her out of harm's way if she wasn't even going to listen to him?

"You...you are..." She whispered weakly trying to gather the courage to say what she prayed wasn't true.

"Not going to harm you. Not going to drink your blood. I am not a monster. I am a vampire," he assured her with the best smile he could muster under the circumstances.

"Yeah..." She let out a shaky breath. He understood why her eyes were still searching him. She was looking for anything to prove or disprove what he was saying. So Virgil leaned his head back and lowered his jaw. He extended his fangs out and pushed hard to darken his eyes. The beautiful silver that swirled around his pupils was swallowed up by black and down slid the incisors, weapons and tools to assist in keeping his race alive. What more proof could he give her?

Elizabeth would have fallen to the floor if she hadn't already been sitting, but she stayed facing Virgil, taking one deep breath after the other. He pulled his fangs back in and lowered his head. His eyes returned to normal and the space between them was more than a little tense - it was downright suffocating.

"I saw a pair like that once," she whispered, releasing a shaky laugh. "It was at a gothic store in the mall..."

"These are—"

"Don't say real!" She snapped. "They can't be!"

"But they—"

"No!" She covered her face. "I just can't believe that."

"But it is true. And I am sorry, but you are going to have to accept it. It's already apparent I'm telling the truth and you have seen enough to be convinced in your mind no matter how much you keep fighting it. You know I'm telling the truth. And not to freak you out anymore but you are in danger," Virgil said. If the barrier wasn't up between them he would have flown to her side to check her pulse. It was clear that she was at risk of fainting, being sick, or both. He even worried over how hard her heart rate was, concerned it would explode.

"Calm down. It'll be okay. Take a few deep breaths." Virgil waited for her to comply. "Are you feeling a little better?" he asked wanting to break down the doorway out of shear frustration that he would only watch her. Surly there was something more he could do?

"I will be, but I need..."

"Time. I understand. So you believe me?"

"I can't." She felt it. He was different. William was different. It made sense that they could be something else besides humans. But being a vampire really had her slapped sideways. She felt it was real, but she would not admit to it, yet. She couldn't. Not yet.

"We are not monsters like from the fairytales. We are people too."

Elizabeth stayed quiet.

"Well, I'm not a monster and my family aren't," he corrected. "but William is-"

"If you don't mean me harm then this conversation can wait. I need a little breathing space," she looked up at him, pleading for him to go away. Begging him with her exhaustion filled eyes to leave her alone.

"But," Virgil thought about it for a moment. He wanted to give her the space he knew she needed to digest everything. He still had to report back to Garrison and inform him what had happened. After that he could get a quick snack and be back early in the morning to talk to her. Maybe by then she would be in a state of mind to talk and listen to all he had to say. And maybe Garrison would want to speak with her and calm her better than Virgil felt he could. "That is not our normal procedure."

"Well this is not normal for me period! I need to sleep for a little bit. Catch me tomorrow when I'm in a better mood. Then you might be able to talk crazy to me."

"Just do me a favor," he spoke, his face hardening up. There was a fierceness in his voice and yet a pleading in his eyes.

"A favor?" she questioned.

"Just stay inside your house."

"Why?"

"Inside your house you are safe."

"Safe?"

"William is the name of the other vampire, but you knew that. I don't know what he is doing, but he can't enter. So you need to stay inside until I get back." He crossed his fingers in hopes she would allow some of what he said to sink in.

Elizabeth was quiet. "Do you understand? Can you believe at least that? I know you have had a hard day and nothing makes sense, but I promise that it will. Nothing is going to happen to you. Just stay inside until I get back."

"Okay. . ." Elizabeth mumbled. Virgil watched her eyes. She was mentally exhausted. He knew that the best thing for her, as of that moment, was sleep. Though he was unsure she could after what had happened and he even debated to stand guard outside her house, but his presence, pulse as she called it, would only frighten her more. He had to leave. He had to give her space to rationalize and calm down.

"Behind these walls you are safe. If there is anything you believe to be true of what I have spoken, please be this. Neither I nor William can enter this house without your permission. So you are safe in these walls."

"Okay, figment of my imagination," she whispered with the corner of her lips hinting at a forced smile.

Elizabeth's life was a struggle and he just made it a hell of a lot more complicated, pushing her to the brink of a nervous breakdown. She had no real idea of what was to come and not even Virgil knew how to explain it to her.

_Hi, I'm a vampire crushing on you and trying to keep you from being harmed by my crazed brother. I read minds and drink blood and will probably have to have your mind whipped in the end._ Virgil thought to himself. He didn't want to wipe her memory, but Garrison would insist once everything was over with. God, how he wished he knew what to say to her, anything to get her to stop looking like he had horns.

Virgil couldn't stand there forever, so reluctantly he stepped back from the door. It was for the best that he gave her time to relax and think about things. He slowly began to walk off her porch, giving one last look over his shoulder. He saw relief flood over her at the sight of him going and color finally return to her cheeks. He struggled to leave her sitting there alone, but he had no other choice, and thus he left.

Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh of relief as his pulse moved farther and farther away. By the grace of God she found barely enough strength to stand again. Somehow managing to move her body over to the door, she shut and locked it.

The night was still again she noted, finding her way through the kitchen and down the hall. Somewhere along the way she dropped the umbrella before stumbling into her bedroom. She shut the door and fell against it for a second. She struggled to get a hold of herself. She didn't feel safe though the nearest pulses were in the cabin next door.

She didn't want to be alone. She wanted someone to talk to, but she couldn't call Bethany or Randy about this. They wouldn't believe her. Elizabeth quietly ate at her knuckles before pushing away from the wall and making it to her bed, terrified that when she woke her nightmare would be real. Vampires would be real.

Chapter Eight

Helena and Virgil sat anxiously awaiting the return of Garrison. It was more like Helena sat patiently awaiting Garrison while Virgil paced back and forth across the living room, bound and determined to make a hole.

"Will you calm down?" Helena reached out to grab Virgil's arm, but he pulled away from her.

"How can you be so calm about something like this?" Virgil demanded, returning to his task of pacing.

"What am I supposed to do? Do you think running around is going to make the situation any better?" she asked as he paused.

"It makes me feel better. I just can't sit around. I wish he was here!" He cried out, punching the air in front of him. "Where is he?"

"He will be here shortly. Just try not to damage anything," she said. Helena was calm on the outside, but what Virgil couldn't see nor hear was her raging thoughts and emotions. It killed her inside to see what William was becoming. She could do nothing. Garrison and William were her first friends and family since her rebirth and here he was destroying what she loved. He was more to her than Virgil would ever realize and more than she would ever tell. She love him dearly and it tore at her painfully so.

Virgil's mind swirled around Elizabeth. Her voice was embedded into his memory, so fresh he could still hear her breathing. She was scared and confused. She thought he was a crazy mad man from hell coming to drink her blood.

He cursed at himself for making one hell of a great first impression. It wasn't like he expected her to instantly be okay with the thought of vampires, but he would have liked to have been able to calm her down a bit more before he left.

He scratched at his arms again thinking of William. He was stupid for involving her like that. Virgil's anger flared and he punched at the air again out of frustration.

"Virgil?" Garrison's strong voice broke his anger. He turned around to see Garrison stepping in. His eyes looked worn from his trip. He headed through the living room and down a hall into his room where he put up a few things first. Virgil followed behind him, stopping at his door and waiting. His nerves building, but he still gave Garrison a moment to get himself settled back at home.

Garrison stood above Virgil at his fullest in height, but he was slightly leaner then Virgil with silver hair.

The old vampire rubbed at his temples. The wears of his job was ever present as he had probably gone more than fort eight hours without resting his mind. Sleep was much needed. Garrison had recently come home from dealing with a Rogue in Dallas to searching for missing hikers. There were lots of woods to cover and Garrison felt responsible. The Piney Woods Forest was his home, his area to look out for and thus every life within it was under his protection. That was why Garrison felt so strongly towards looking for the hikers. The pain of William's return was present on Garrison's exhausted expression.

Here was a man who had seen much in his life. He had fought tyrannies, bloody wars, physical and emotional struggles and now this. To have to come to turns with what has happened and hunt down one of his own vampire turns was weighing on him heavily. He rubbed his face wearily.

Virgil could clearly see that Garrison wasn't at his best. His tall body leaned forward over a few of his paper he was trying to organize quickly. Virgil knew hearing of William and Elizabeth would definitely not make Garrison happy, but he needed to know every detail. He needed to know what was happening so they could prepare for what was to come.

Garrison motioned for Virgil to step closer into his room before pulling back his silver hair into a little ponytail.

"Ease your mind and tell me of what you fret over. Tell me of my son." Garrison spoke, loosening the collar of the button-up shirt he was wearing. He still referred to William as his son. Virgil's jaw clenched and then the anger was gone. It was quickly replaced with sorrow.

"One hiker was found dead floating in the river, the second was also found, but they were decapitated."

"The last two?" Garrison asked

"Still nothing on them." Virgil reported.

Garrison allowed Virgil as much time as he needed to gather his thoughts about Elizabeth and William as he stood silently waiting. "William is responsible for all of this. He also has two other people, most likely vampires aiding him."

"What makes you think that?"

"Because William and I fought." Virgil paused watching Garrison's unchanging expression. "I had him pinned below me, but I couldn't. . . I was caught off guard and thrown to the ground by someone. Their strength was that of a vampire. But I had him." Virgil repeated anger rising within him. "I could have finished this. I could have ended everything."

"No," Garrison responded. "No, son. William is strong."

"I had him!"

"But that life isn't one for you to take." Garrison spoke sadly. "And I am glad you're okay. William doesn't go down easy without reason." Virgil shook his head and turned away.

"I was so close. I don't' care his reason. I should have done it. I should have been able to kill him."

Garrison slid across the room and in front of Virgil taking his shoulder and forcing Virgil's attention back on him. Garrison's eyes shifting from in emotionless stare to that of gratefulness and then he pulled Virgil against him. "Son, do not be hard on yourself. I am just grateful you are with us still."

Garrison pulled away and patted Virgil's shoulders once more before letting him go. "Now, tell me everything. Do not leave any detail out. And that includes about this woman that William seems interested in."

"Her name is Elizabeth and she isn't a normal human." Virgil started as Helena slid up to the door to listen. Virgil replayed every detail from the moment he first saw Elizabeth to after William's fight when he was staring at her. Every detail, including his inability to think straight around her. Garrison never judged. He simply nodded his head and listened and when Virgil was done the room was left silent several minutes before anyone spoke.

"We will need someone to erase her memories when this is all said and done with." Helena spoke up about something Virgil had thought about and dreaded.

Virgil turned to his sister. "No." Helena shook her head. "You know she can't know about us. And from what you have said about her life and her state of mind she is better off with a mind wipe. That way she will think she had a very nice vacation and she'll go home having dealt with the grief she is feeling over losing a loved one. She will be happier."

"But I. . ." Virgil let his voice trail off.

"Let's protect her, sure, but after William is taken care of I think you need to face the fact that she needs to go home. She needs to live her life and hopefully not come back." Helena looked to Garrison. "We should probably have her memories altered and have her sign over the deed to the cabin to the person that manages it. That way we can ensure she won't be back." Virgil was tense. He tried to look calm, but inside he was raging. He didn't want anyone to tamper with her memories let alone hear his sister's plans of taking care of Elizabeth as though she was as simple as that. She wasn't just some woman caught in the cross fire.

"What is she then?" Garrison asked cutting off Helena's ramblings. Virgil hadn't been aware Garrison was tuned into his thoughts. Instantly Virgil withdrew into his mind and blocked himself, which was hard since Garrison was his master, but still doable. "Answer me." Garrison ordered calmly.

"She is. . ." what was she to him? Nothing? She was a crazy woman. She was terrified. She was. . . beautiful and smart. She loved family and to smile. She was something to his nothing and a light to his darkness. She was everything. "I don't know." Virgil whispered stepping back. How was he so wrapped up around her? A stranger.

"Helena," Garrison spoke. "Can you trust Laurence?"

"What?" Helena asked. "Of course I can. Why would you even ask that?" She remarked crossing her arms.

Garrison's eyes never left Virgil. "We need only those we can truly trust right now and I know William and Laurence used to know one another. If we call anyone in we need to be careful and make sure they aren't in any way loyal to him."

"He knows what has happened," she stated. "He is loyal to me, Garrison."

"Then you need to call him in to help on this, but do not tell him of Elizabeth's abilities. After hearing that William has undoubtedly brought more vampires with him we are going to have to be careful."

"Why not inform him about her?"

"The less he knows the better." Garrison remarked. "If she is to disappear and go back home the last thing we need are several vampires knowing about her gifts. They would send a wave of nervousness to other vampires and she could become a threat or liability. The best thing for her is to go back home when this is all over with only a hand full of vampires knowing about her." Garrison spoke directly to Virgil. He was telling Virgil what had to be done. Son or not, he had to keep the safety and security of vampires first in his mind and then address Elizabeth as a second priority. Though at least he was thinking about her safety at all, some vampires might have already gotten rid of her and justified it with being a necessary act.

"I'll call Laurence now." Helena stated taking off down the hall leaving Garrison and Virgil to face off with one another.

"She has to go home, you know that." Garrison spoke matter-of-factly.

"I know," Virgil sighed. "I'm just worried."

"It is more than worry on your mind."

"I have seen within her mind and felt her thoughts. I still feel them. I am drawn to her. But it is more than that. It is like I've been with her. Like I'm supposed to be with her. I want to be with her," he stressed. "And I feel responsible for mixing her in all this. If I hadn't of seen her and tried to get closer than William wouldn't be fixated on her."

"Maybe," Garrison stated. "And she might be safe."

"I know, I messed up."

"But I think if you hadn't of noticed her William still would have. You noticing her probably saved her life." Garrison spoke honestly and even managed a small smile. "I think I'd like to meet this woman."

It would be nice for them to meet. Heck, Virgil was hoping Garrison would be a saving grace to help him calm Elizabeth down. Seeing Garrison trying to work with Virgil and the difficulty of his feelings towards the woman was nice.

"What did you find in Orange Grove?" Virgil asked turning the conversation to the matter at hand, William.

"We found, what appeared to be, a nest." Garrison said grimly. "William has been very busy since he's been away. We don't know the count for sure, but we are probably looking at about a dozen people turned under him."

"Two of which are here," Virgil added. "Did you catch any of them?" Garrison was quiet. That was a silent and unfortunate yes. The bad thing about Rogue turns were that they were usually more blood thirsty, never having a limit because of their crazy vampire colt leader. Most cases ended in the termination of the vampires. Some though are able to relocate and be saved, but not many. This looked to be one of those cases.

"How many?" Virgil asked. "Too many." Garrison spoke. He always remembered the number. Garrison wasn't one to kill countless and not remember it. He knew every date of every nest he hit and how many he killed. That was the burden he choose to take on and a burden he would carry until his death. Every life was important and he chose to do his job so others did not have to dirty their hands with the task. It was a lonely path at times, but Helena and Virgil helped to ease it.

"Okay," Helena reentered the entryway to the room. "Laurence is tied up at the moment but as soon as everything is squared away he'll be on a flight headed this way."

Garrison's phone rang and he turned to answer it. A few words passed between him and the person on the other end of the line before he hung up. "There's been a kidnapping." Garrison spoke in haste. He checked his hip to the object he had yet to take off—his sword. Once he was reassured it was still there he shifted to take his leave. "Virgil. Helena. I need you." Virgil and Helena bolted into action.

By the time Garrison left his room, made it down the hall, and was headed for the door Helena and Virgil had returned with their own added protection. Helena wielding an assortment of knives along her belt as Virgil took a more modern approach and finished securing the straps to his hips holsters carrying two Glock 20s mm along with a dagger given to him by Alan Simon after Virgil beat him in a fencing duel.

The three piled into the jeep and rushed to the scene that Garrison had been called too.

As a 'professional tracker' Garrison, known as Isaac Lewis to some of the local police, was called in a number of times to assist with traveling in the woods. With his knowledge in the area he had played a huge part in finding anyone that had gone off the beaten path or stayed too long in the woods with a worried spouse at home. Or even hunters. Garrison tried to stay in tune with things and for good reason. This.

An office, having beaten Sherif Brady there, was already taking down the family's statement while a second officer was heading into the neighbors for any sign of the missing daughter. The husband was frantic yelling that while they were standing there someone was getting away with their girl.

Garrison was first heading to the scene followed closer by Helena and Virgil who stayed with their heads low listening to everything.

The police chatter on the radio, the neighbor to the right of the house saying they didn't hear or see anything while the neighbor's on the other side started to scramble to their yard out of curiosity. The man screaming at the officer was at his vacation home with his wife and only child, Becca. Hoping to rekindle an already rocky relationship between him and his wife they turned in early for the night and was working on a bottle of wine when they heard the distinct cry of Becca from the backyard. After rushing out into the night and not seeing anyone they checked the house and called for help.

Virgil replayed all the information as they strolled past the officer questioning if they had any enemies or if they had been fighting? The father was beyond anger and was starting to threaten the man when Garrison paused in his steps and turned to address them.

"Sir, Officer Lynn here is only doing his job. If you will follow procedure and help this officer the real search can begin for your daughter. If indeed she has been taken I assure we will find her," Garrison spoke to the parents and then turned to the officer. "Officer Lynn, will you please let Sherif Brady know that Mr. Lewis is in the woods when he arrives?"

"Um. . . Yes, sir." The man let them pass easily enough and turned back to address the more corruptive man.

Entering the woods they fanned out. Helena was best with scent tracking and led the charge quickly picking up the woman's body wash probably only an hour or so since being applied.

Helena led Garrison west with her thoughts and Garrison relayed them back to Virgil.

_The father shouldn't have heard anything._ Virgil thought.

_Knew turns don't have the training behind controlling people. It's a harder gift and takes practice to learn._ Garrison reminded Virgil. Controlling the will of another wasn't an easy task.

_This is too soon after Elizabeth. What if this is a trap?_ Virgil even thinking about Elizabeth made the realization that she wasn't guarded painful. They needed to locate Becca, and get rid of the threat.

_We will face it head on,_ was Garrison's only reply as they ran through the darkness closing in on their target. The scent was growing stronger for Helena every mile.

Sweat beaded down Virgil's face as Helena finally slowed signally to Garrison they were almost upon the kidnapper. Garrison began to draw his sword as he spotted the target having thrown the woman on the ground. The man was leaned over her with his face buried in her neck. He didn't even realize Garrison was almost upon him until Garrison whistled already in full swing calculating where the vampire's body would be when he pulled away from the unconscious woman to react. The blade cut through its target without a hint of resistance as Garrison wiped the blood and sheathed the sword before the vampire's head separated from its body.

The body fell back and away from Becca. His head was already beginning to shrivel. With no host to fix the vampire blood can only sustain itself for so long.

Just as the Virgil began to relax Helena was alert and taking off to their right.

"Helena!" Garrison snapped as Virgil shot after her. She didn't get far as what she had spotted came into view. The second vampire on the boat changed directions and charged towards her. Virgil raised his gun as Helena pulled out a knife.

The vampire collided with her bringing her to the ground before rolling off and away from. Virgil took the shot and pulled the trigger. A bullet the back of his shoulder and grazed his neck, but the vampire continued to charge off into the tress.

Virgil started to head after the vampire when Garrison stopped him. "Wait!" Virgil turned sharply at Garrison who was already sliding past him.

_Get rid of the body and take the woman back to her family. Then meet me at home!_ Garrison spoke mentally to both Virgil and Helena as he himself took off after the vampire.

"What?" Virgil looked to the now standing Helena. He didn't want to leave Garrison fighting the vampire alone, but he knew better. Garrison was fully equipped to handle himself in a fight. If Garrison said leave then leave they would do.

"Come on Virgil." Helena dusted herself off and retrieved her knife. "Let's be quick."

They returned to the unconscious Becca.

"Look at that," Helena pointed at the side of Becca's neck. The holes on her throat were gruesome. You couldn't recognize them as two small holes they looked painful and jagged. The man was tearing at her flesh to get them open and on further examination of the head Virgil realized why. The vampire didn't have normal fangs.

"A mutation." He spoke over Helena as he touched the exposed teeth, they were large and doubled the size of normal fangs with extra ridges. "He's turning too many too quickly I'm betting. Garrison did say he had a nest."

"Let's go," Helena said picking up the pale girl as Virgil lifted up the vampire's body and head.

They worked their way back towards where the girl was kidnapped from in the first place leaving the body of the vampire well hidden as they went to return the girl. She was instantly taken away in an ambulance as Virgil threw around Mr. Lewis' name before he disappeared with Helena to get the vampire and burn his body. Then they took the jump home just as the sun was touching the sky.

Chapter Nine

Elizabeth awoke in a cold sweat and a loud bang.

"A dream?" she questioned. She could still hear Virgil's voice in her ears warning her to not leave the house. "Please let it have been a dream," she begged, before stepping out of bed. Again she heard the loud bang. Her stomach twisted in knots.

_Could it be Virgil?_ She slowly eased out into the hall feeling the pulse on the other side of the front door.

_Human._ _It's not him._ She hesitated. She could officially call the pulse something. _Human or vampire._ It sent a chill down her spine. To be able to finally distinguish between the two sensations was wonderful but the truth about it was disturbing.

The next question she found herself asking was why someone was pounding away at her door and who it could have been? The light outside was dim. Very dim.

Elizabeth quietly made her way down the hall. She could choose to ignore the sound. Maybe whoever it was would finally give up or go away. If it was Randy or Sarah surly they would have just called her to check if she was sleeping instead of banging away on her door.

The knocking continued. It wasn't a vampire, it was human, she told herself. Finally she decided to answer.

"Hello?" She unlocked and cracked the door open to view the stranger.

"Good morning," Elizabeth was greeted by an unfamiliar face.

"Good morning. How can I help you?"

The tall brunette held out his hand. "I'm Christopher Wells, Sarah's brother, but you can call me Chris."

Elizabeth straightened up eased the door open a little more and took his hand with surprise. "Oh! Hello. I'm Elizabeth. Is everything okay?" She released his hand. Now that she realized who he was she could see the similarities between him and Sarah. Especially in his brown eyes and curved cheeks.

"Oh yeah, everything's fine. Sarah wanted to invite you over for breakfast if that was alright?" He said. Elizabeth frowned. That was it. he woke her up to invite her to eat breakfast supper early? Having almost read her mind Chris responded. "Sarah is an early riser. She woke up with Randal and sent him off. She's also going to help a friend out in an hour or so and insisted on you coming over. I think something about ditching you for lunch yesterday." Chris shrugged. "I'm just the messenger."

"That was sweet, but I'm not really dressed for it." She said looking down at her long legs sticking out from beneath her large shirt. She didn't remember changing, but now she was wishing she had put on some shorts of something. Elizabeth felt a surge of uncomfortableness as she shut the door a little more to hide her exposed body.

"I don't mind waiting," he flashed a playful smile, but Elizabeth didn't find it at all appealing. I wanted to shut the door and bury herself under her blanket. She had a rough day and all she wanted was for it to end. Maybe she should pack up and head home?

She repeated Virgil's words in her head and couldn't agree more, but Randy had asked her to watch over Sarah. And what better way to watch someone than being in their house with them? Right? She would be safe in their home as much as she was in hers. She shook her head. Could she really listen to the advice of a vampire claiming man?

Looking back to Chris who was patiently awaiting her answer she nodded. What the heck? She could do with some company right about now. Being alone and having Virgil show back up wasn't on her list of highest expectations at the moment and food sounded really good. As long as she could get some coffee she was there.

"Will there be coffee?" She asked. Chris grinned. "Of course. I can't live without the stuff."

Elizabeth actually managed a smile at the man. Sure he was a little overweight and short and smelled of Listerine, but he looked pretty sane. "If you could wait here for a second I'll be right out." He nodded and she disappeared into the house quickly grabbing some clothes and diving into the bathroom. She was out a few minutes later catching her breath.

"That was quick," Chris laughed. That was something she didn't remember. Chris never seemed like such a nice guy as a kid, but he was acting all sweet now. She wondered why Randy and Chris bumped head? Remembering that Chris had a mean temper she choose to stay on easy topics and not disagree with the man too much. Better to be safe.

"Yeah," she smiled. "What can I say, coffee gets me moving."

No, getting dressed so that Sarah's brother would stop looking at my legs gets me moving.

"Me too. That and Sarah's cooking. She's a great cook. Samantha taught her everything she knows."

"What about you?" Elizabeth asked as she let him lead her down the steps towards Sarah's house.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you cook?"

"Sometimes. I haven't had the need to lately." He admitted.

"Where did you fly in from?"

"I just came down from Ohio where I'm kind of between jobs at the moment. Sarah tells me you own your own business. That must be exciting?"

"It's a lot of fun," Elizabeth slowed in her step feeling ahead of them. There was no one in Sarah's house. "Is Sarah home right now?"

"Yeah," he said. A sudden sickening feeling filled the pit of her stomach. She tried to stay smiling. Elizabeth's steps slowed even more and she started to think leaving with him was a bad idea. Sarah wasn't home. Why was he lying to her?

"You know what, Chris?" Elizabeth searched her pockets acting apologetic. "I'm going to need to go back and grab my phone."

"Everything okay?" He seemed to move closer and she tried not to lean away from him in fear.

"I need to call my business partner. Its work related and also if I don't call she may worry about me. She gets that way." Elizabeth continued to smile, but her own pulse was violently bumping. She could hear it in her ears.

"Do you want me to walk you back?" He offered and she turned him down even managing to graze across his arm to try and appear sincere. He smiled back nodding.

Maybe he wasn't so different then when he was a kid because something about the way he was watching her was almost predatory. But maybe he had no idea Sarah stepped away from the house? Elizabeth shot down the idea when she reached further. There was no one around. Sarah didn't just step away, she was gone.

"I'll be right over. I'll just make a quick call." Elizabeth assured him overjoyed to be heading back home. His pulse stayed in that one spot watching her walk all the way back to her house before he moved away.

Once inside she could have collapsed with happiness.

"Okay, get moving." Elizabeth told herself quickly running back to her room and grabbing her purse. Chris felt as though he must have gone inside Sarah's house. This bought Elizabeth a little more time to dig through and find her phone and pull up Randy's number. As well as grab her car keys.

"Pick up. Pick up. Pick up." She chanted with no success. Randy's voice mail chimed in and she left a panicked message about her odd events and how she was about to drive down and find Sarah from the safety of her car.

After leaving a message with him Elizabeth dialed up Sarah's number, but it didn't even ring.

Chris' pulse started to move.

Elizabeth bolted out of the house. She nearly stumbled down her steps, but didn't. As soon as her foot hit the ground she was on the move and at the side of her car in record speed.

Elizabeth refused to lift her head knowing Chris was exiting his house just as she crawled into her car. She put the keys in the ignition. Turning the keys she heard what every person doesn't want to hear when they are trying to make a run for it. Nothing. The car didn't sputter, whine, cry, grind, or any other noises it could have done. It simply didn't do anything and Elizabeth's heart dropped against the floor board.

She didn't have to look up to see Chris heading her way—and he wasn't being slow about it. She bolted out of the side of the car having seen the twist of satisfaction in Chris' face for a moment out of the corner of her eye. Her next goal was to get her butt back inside the house and lock the door. With Chris' speed she knew he wasn't going to make it easy.

Elizabeth flew with a cry up the stairs. Chris hot on her heels having broken into a mad run towards her, but she managed to secure her front door shut just as he jumped up the stairs. He slammed his fist against the door.

"I'm gonna call the cops!" She yelled, reaching into her pocket to grab her phone and nearly cried. _Oh God!_ She had left her phone in the car, but he didn't know that. And from his reaction he didn't care.

Where the hell is a land line when I need one?

Glass shattered from the window beside her. Chris was more than a little determined to get inside.

She bolted down the hall and into her room where she secured the lock and flew to the window. His pulse vibrated from the front of the house to the side so fast Elizabeth didn't have time to relock the window when he appeared in front of her. His arm was bleeding from a cut across his fist.

She let out a cry falling back against the bed post with such force that she almost blacked out. Pain shot through her like an explosion lighting up her vision and confusing her ability to sense his pulse. She was disorientated as the world shifted around her and she found herself swaying back and forth as though she was sailing on a boat.

After another minute of ringing pain and numbness she began to get her bearings, but it was too late. Chris had already grabbed her. He was mumbling to himself as he quickly carried her towards Sarah's house. The sun was brightening up the area around them.

"Help!" Elizabeth cried weakly beginning to struggle, but no one could see them and no one could hear her. She wasn't being loud enough. Elizabeth, finally coming fully to her senses, began to thrash around in his arms.

Chris squeezed her even harder in his vice grip. Squirming was almost no use, but she still had a voice, and just as they were stepping up on the porch Elizabeth began wailing like a banshee. Chris didn't like that in the least and practically threw her inside the house from the top step—the door already open.

"Shut up!" he snapped following in after her.

Elizabeth rolled over forcing herself past the pain and blurry vision, to her feet. Why did Trisha have to put in such a heavy duty bed frame? Elizabeth cringed.

"Help!" She cried again, but was cut short by a slap across the cheek. Her face was on fire and she could taste the fresh blood from her cut cheek swirling around her mouth. Spitting the blood across the floor Chris picked her back up none too kindly and started to drag her back even deeper into the house.

A pulse drifted towards them. It was human and between her freshly hurt face, the massive headache, and tears she cried out again. This time Chris took a firm grip on her throat to silence her, and it worked. Elizabeth dug her fingernails into his cut hands, trying desperately to loosen his grip before he hurt her any more, but it was a weak attempt.

She gasped for air. Her vision was quickly dimming.

"Chris?" Sarah's voice rang out behind him. Chris froze. His eyes bulged and he dropped Elizabeth to the ground. She fell in a weak and battered heap across the floor coughing and gasping for breath.

"Run!" Elizabeth wheezed reaching for her throat and crawling backwards.

"What are you doing?" Sarah cried shakily while still holding onto the handle bars of a bike. Her body was trembling. Chris reached out towards her but she pulled away dropping the bike to the floor of the porch.

"Sarah? I thought you were going up to Mrs. Needleman's house?" Chris said in shook at seeing his sister.

"What's going on?" Sarah demanded.

"It's okay. I can explain everything." He said calmly.

"Run!" Elizabeth lifted herself to her feet still backing away from Chris.

"Everything's going to be okay." Chris reached towards Sarah again. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"What are you doing to Elizabeth?" She asked, her face pale. Elizabeth hugged the wall and tried to ease her way around Chris and closer to Sarah, but Chris lifted a finger to point at her. "Don't move Elizabeth. I'm not done with you."

"Yes you are Chris!" Sarah said stepping into the room against Elizabeth's warning. Elizabeth screamed at her mentally to run and call for help, but Sarah insisted on trying to help herself. "I don't' know what you're doing but you have to stop. This isn't like you Chris." Sarah looked to Elizabeth was tear-filled eyes. "This isn't you." She was grasping at straws.

He shook his head taking another step towards her. "Sarah. My sweet Sarah. You have no idea who I am."

"Yes I do. You're my brother! I can help you if you're in trouble or need help, but you have to talk to me. Please. Tell me why you're hurting my friend?"

"It's the only way to free Samantha."

"Samantha?" Elizabeth and Sarah spoke together.

"You don't understand. They killed her and walked away."

"I know Chris—"

"No! You don't know!" he snapped. "They killed her and they got away with it because they are monsters!"

"And if you continue to hurt people like this you are just the same!" Sarah yelled in response, which was the worst thing she could have done. Chris' face shifted and he dropped his head.

Clearly Sarah new something Elizabeth didn't know. And how was Samantha relevant to any of this?

"I'm so sorry. I have to do this. I hope you'll forgive me Sarah, but I have to do this for Samantha."

"Let's get you some help. Please. Before you do something you will regret. Come on Chris." Sarah reached out towards him. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.

"Sarah," Elizabeth could hear him whisper into her ear. "I was doing it for us. For our family. I've gone too far to turn back now. They have to pay. They will pay. And not even you will get in my way. I'm sorry." Just as Chris finished speaking he spun her around and with precision he hit her in the back of her neck.

Elizabeth cried out as Sarah's body collapsed against the floor, but she was alive. That was the important part. Sarah was still alive. Elizabeth couldn't waste another precise moment and sprinted out the door. Chris didn't stay distracted too long and quickly pursued.

"Get back here!" He called, but there was no way in hell she was slowing down and by the looks of his body she knew she had the upper hand. She just had to stay on her feet and pace herself. She could outrun him no problem.

She had to stay out of his reach. She couldn't help Sarah if she was dead and so she ran as fast as she could. With every gasp of breath she could feel Chris falling further behind. She was grateful, but as she reached the brothers fishing shack and realized they weren't there her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. She couldn't feel anyone close enough to help so she opened her mouth to scream.

Not a noise left her lips. A sharp pain and a vampire pulse slammed into her body, bringing her to a sliding halt against the ground. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to overcome the throbbing pain exploding in the back of her head. The world around her was a daze, but one thing was clear. She had lost.

"I want you to do me a favor Elizabeth." William's voice almost shattered her eardrums as he lowered to the ground next to her. "Call to Virgil. Reach out to him. I know you can reach him. There is a connection there unlike any other and I know he will hear you. So call out to him." William finished with his breath against her ear.

Elizabeth pulled her arms below her, pushing her body up off the ground for a moment. But a second punch to her body slammed her back against the ground, unconscious, with the lasting sounds of William's laughter.

~>*<~

By the time Virgil and Helena had finally gotten home the sun was beginning to rise. Garrison was waiting for them looking none too happy.

"I take it you didn't get him?" Virgil asked as Garrison didn't respond, a definite sign of a no.

"Mr. Lewis looks like a hero and the family sends their thanks. Also, the vampire was suffering from a mutation. His teeth weren't right. He tore a gash into that woman's neck pretty bad." Helena said digging around her pockets and driving back into the jeep.

"Is she alright?" Garrison asked.

"She was stable. Doesn't really remember much—What are you doing?" Virgil asked Helena as she almost stomped her feet in frustration. "I think I lost my cell in the woods."

"Get a new one." Virgil shrugged.

"But all my contacts were in that phone." She pouted heading for the house.

"So what happened?" Virgil asked Garrison as they stepped into the house heading first into the kitchen.

"He got away on a boat lying on the shore line in wait."

"So we catch them feeding?" Virgil questioned.

"I'm not sure. I think it was a trap."

"How? One died and one got away. That sounds like a bad trap. None of us were hurt." Helena laughed feeling accomplished.

"Do not boost Helena. Every victory should not leave you so prideful, but thankful for surviving." Garrison responded. "And I am unsure if the purpose of the two vampires were to hurt us."

"They were definitely the same two on the boat with William." Virgil said.

"He's down a man. That's a great thing." Helena muttered getting something to drink.

Garrison and Virgil were quiet. Their thoughts were darker. What if William didn't care if they lived or died? It was all part of a distraction? Virgil played with the thoughts as a trimmer ran through him. a Distraction from what?

Elizabeth?

Virgil and Garrison's eyes locked onto one another with the same thought.

"I think it is time you recover this Ms. Parks and bring her here." Garrison spoke. Virgil didn't need to be told twice, he shifted instantly and made for the door when he felt a shift around him.

The sound of a dim female whisper.

Help...

He turned quickly to his right expecting to see someone. He looked around. He was sure he had heard her, clear as day. Her voice tired and scared, a plea.

"Virgil?" Garrison's voice pulled him from his momentary insanity. Garrison approached as Virgil tried to use reason to make sense of things.

"I thought I heard someone for a moment," Virgil shook his head. It had been a hard past few hours. Elizabeth's voice was now haunting him. Even when he had left her house, he could still see her memories and feel her emotions, all bottled up and slowly beginning to seep through her hard exterior.

"Virgil?" Helena spoke offering him a drink. "You okay?" He laughed lightly at Helena's worry and raised his hand up to wave her away, but as his hand lifted up something unexpected occurred.

Virgil's body slowed. Time almost stood still. He watched Helena slowly step towards him. Pulling his eyes away from her, he looked upon Garrison who was reaching towards him. Virgil's senses stretched out. It was like Garrison was trying to talk, but this wasn't Garrison's doing. His blood boiled as both his head and chest felt a great wave of pressure and pain. His body felt like it was being crushed for a brief second.

_Someone, help! Please!_ Elizabeth screamed as though she was just outside calling to him. He could almost see her impression through Helena. For that brief moment it was clear that he wasn't feeling his own pain, but hers. She was projecting into his mind out of desperation.

"Elizabeth!" Virgil gasped back to reality, grabbing the doorframe for balance. Garrison was at Virgil's side speaking to him, but he heard nothing. Sweat beaded down his forehead. The room swayed for a moment.

"Are you okay?" Helena's voice barely broke through his dizziness. Once he gained enough visional understanding of which way was left and right he was off. Virgil pulled from Garrison's light touch and rushed outside past the jeep. He knew the woods like the back of his hand it would be faster. He sent out a message to have Helena or Garrison meet him on the road closer to her house as he rushed into the trees wasting no time to explain what he was feeling. He couldn't explain it. He just knew it needed to get moving. She was in danger.

"Hold on, I'm coming!"

Chapter Ten

Elizabeth woke with a throbbing headache which blocked out any noises for a moment as she lay curled in the fetal position on the cold floor. She slowly began to reach around looking for her glasses. After a few panicking seconds she found them.

She took a deep breath, sitting up a little to get a better feel for the place. Two pulses sat not too far away, maybe two rooms over. She couldn't be sure due to her fuzziness from the punches.

Around her she noticed that the object she was resting against was a toilet. She was in a bathroom. Before she moved any farther she checked the back of her head for blood and was overjoyed when there was no trace on her hands. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths trying to focus. Pulse pounding, head throbbing, and body shaking Elizabeth knew she was in serious trouble.

She looked around quickly for a weapon. Sounds of things crashing and being knocked over erupted in another room of the house. Opening the cabinet doors under the sink she found only extra toilet paper, paper towels, a few things of soap, and an assortment of small bottled perfumes and hair products. She knocked over several of the bottles trying to reach what appeared to be a large can of hairspray. She popped the cap off and pressed her ear back to the door.

A weapon was a weapon, she couldn't argue with that. It was better than nothing.

She picked up on the sound of water or a liquid being tossed around. Her heart skipped a beat. Surly it wasn't what she was thinking? Then suddenly a loud rush of wind and crackle like fire stirred. Swallowing hard she prayed again that a fire was not what she was hearing.

Anything but a fire.

She felt two pulses. A sudden bang forced a gasp of terror out of Elizabeth and both pulses were gone. Her jaw trembled and then the first of her tears started to fall.

Sarah!

She mind felt numb. This couldn't be happening! She swallowed the knot in her throat fighting back nausea. She didn't have time to waste. Every second was against her. She could cry later. . . if she survived!

Turning the doorknob she tried to push it open, but it wouldn't open more than half an inch. Something was wedged firmly up against it. Peeking through the crack of the door it became suddenly clear what was going on. Light shined in on her and the crackling grew louder. Popping, breaking, snapping, little explosions erupted everywhere, and Elizabeth sat in horror at the scene before her.

Her fear realized. She was trapped in the bathroom of a burning house. She needed to think faster!

Throwing the bottle of hairspray to the side, she instantly began looking for something to help her wedge the door open. Grabbing hold of a small perfume bottle she shoved it in the crack she had created to keep it wedged open. She sat on the floor with her back on the toilet. Pressing her feet against the bottom of the door she pushed with all her might.

The light began to grow brighter. Trails of smoke began to enter the hall and seep into the bathroom.

She cried out feeling the object on the other side of the door give way and the door swing open a good foot in a half.

THUD.

Elizabeth crawled desperately to the door, forcing her body through the partial opening. Her shirt caught on the doorknob, causing her to fall to the floor bringing her face to face with the object blocking the door. It was a large blood-hound statue that sat at the end of Sarah's hall.

Listening to the fire rage and eat away at the rest of the house, she pulled herself back together and crawled past the statue. The corner of her eye catching sight of an ankle sticking out in the engulfed living room.

Oh God!

Elizabeth felt nothing. Just the heat of the fire. She was the only one alive. The realization choked her more than the smoke. Sarah was gone. Chris had killed her, her own brother had taken her life and now she too was in danger of being swallowed up by the fire.

With tears in her eyes she raced down the hall, staying as low as she could until she made it to the far room flames and smoke chased after her closely.

She slammed the door shut and flew to the window. She ripped the curtains back with such speed that she felt the metal rods almost give way. Instantly hugging the window she tried to force it up, but it wouldn't move. Fiddling around the edge her eyes fell on all the nails that where hammered into the window frame securing it shut. Unless she had a hammer of something to pry them up it wasn't going to budge.

"No!" Elizabeth pulled at the nails until her fingers bled and when that didn't work she hit the glass with anger and frustration. She looked fast around the cluttered room, her eyes falling on each item within seconds. Grabbing a cylinder object from the nightstand she clubbed at the glass several times breaking and cracking pieces of it, but it was for a lost cause.

The windows Elizabeth were facing had a cross metal beam running through them, making perfect seven-by-twelve-inch rectangles. She would never be able to get out of them even if she could break them all open. Elizabeth looked back to the door. The fire was crawling slowly into the room filling it with smoke and blackening the walls.

_Someone help! Please!_ She cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks. She slammed the glass repeatedly. Blood began to flow free down her wrist from her cut fingers and knuckles. Even if she couldn't get out she could call for help better. She was able to break a few more pieces before the smoke began to choke her.

Elizabeth pulled at a blanket on the bed to try and protect herself from the flames a little longer, but in under a minute she knew that she wouldn't be able to breathe. Even if she was able to keep the fire off of her somehow the smoke would be too much. Reaching back at the window she gasped at the crack she made for the air outside to give her vocal cords the strength they needed to shout out, but it didn't work. She croaked a weak cry for help.

_I'm going to die. I'm going to die!_ Elizabeth slumped against the window, tears rolling down her cheeks.

A pulse moved quickly towards her and it wasn't a human pulse. The pulse should have frightened her, but it brought hope instead. It was the ever growing vampire pulse of Virgil. She couldn't be sure how she knew it was him, but it was.

_Help! Please! I'm right here!_ She couldn't talk as he appeared in a blur. Each step drew Virgil several yards closer.

"Move!" He yelled, reaching out and grabbing onto the window. There was nowhere else to go other than the fire behind her so Elizabeth just leaned back a little, taking her final breath of smoke-filled air.

Virgil gripped the window and in a spilt second he was pushing it up and open. He made it look effortless as though not one nail was hammered into it.

Elizabeth fell forwards into Virgil's arm, out of the window, and into the fresh air which stung against her body.

He pulled her out of the blanket leaving it to burn. Finally people stirred from their homes drawing nearer, though pretty far off and the sound of a fire truck was close by. Virgil had little time to react so he rushed her away into the woods to avoid running into people while trying to inspect her closely. He took a four-wheel trail most the way around before breaking from the tree line behind the growing crowds of people to a jeep parked in waiting for them. Elizabeth couldn't see who was driving, she could only feel the vampire but she didn't care. She clung against Virgil, her eyes wielded shut, as she coughed over and over between a mix of sobs and gasps.

Virgil was careful getting into the vehicle and not once spoke to Helena. When he got his hands on William he was going to kill him. Brother or not he had gone too far, killed too many. He was completely rogue.

Looking down at Elizabeth, fragile and shaking in his arms Virgil felt anger and fear. He thought he had lost her. He almost did. Whatever was happening to him there was no going back. He'd fight for her life to the end. The question was could he convince her that maybe she could trust him and stay with him? He wouldn't need Garrison's permission, but he would need hers. How else could he ensure her safety? There was no way he was going to call anyone in the erase her memories. She was his.

He closed his eyes at the mental declaration.

"I've got you. You're safe now," Virgil breathed in her ear as they headed to his home. "I've got you."

~>*<~

"Well?" Virgil rushed to Helena's side the moment she stepped out of her bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind her. When they made it home, Helena took Elizabeth from him and looked her over. Now Elizabeth was resting off her horrible experience.

"She's going to need a bath, change of clothes, and she's going to have a sore throat and cough for a while, but I think she's fine. Just scared, but she looks capable of recovering. She just needs a little time." Helena wiped her hands off, stopping Virgil from entering the room. "Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"I'm going to check on her," he answered, yearning to get past her, but Helena held firm where she stood.

"The best thing for her and you is to rest and be well fed. She's fine." She tried to reassure him.

"She is not fine!" He corrected her. "She is scared, in pain, and—"

"And what?" Helena asked. "You think you are going to rush in there and take her in your arms and everything will be okay? She'll accept you and not be a little scared about what we are?"

Virgil was quiet.

"The best thing you can do is rest. She needs to recover a little on her own first." Helena touched his shoulder lightly.

"How can I rest knowing she's in pain?" He asked, clenching his fists. He replayed what had happened and blamed himself. "I should have been there sooner." He spat, angry with himself for ever leaving her house.

"What matters is that you were there," Helena tried to comfort him.

Virgil nodded. It was a miracle that he had even heard her in the first place. By all accounts she should have gone up in the fire.

"Someone was lost in the fire. Most likely Sarah Wells since it was her house," Virgil announced, backing up and down the hall. Helena closely followed. He searched for Garrison for a moment before Helena spoke up.

"Garrison left," she said, and Virgil felt his body shift and his breath catch in his throat.

"What do you mean he left?" Virgil asked. Garrison had just been there this was no time for him to go running off. Unless it was William related.

_Garrison!_ Virgil reached out in panic to Garrison, who quickly answered back.

_Is everything all right?_ Garrison quickly responded.

We're fine, but where are you?

_I wanted to examine the fire. I am here watching the fire department contain everything. I also wanted to check in with something. It shouldn't take too long._ Garrison answered.

Elizabeth is here and safe with Helena and I.

When she was up and able I think you need to move her back to her house. There are officers knocking on her door with questions as well as she isn't fully safe at our house.

_She's safer at our house than she is at hers! She is defenseless there!_ Virgil protested. _How else do you think they got to her in the first place?_

_Not if you're with her. If you're with her she should be safe and I don't think William will try another head on attack during the day and in public. There will be a number of people going up and down the road since the fire and several officers investigating the source of the fire._ Garrison wasn't asking, he was telling Virgil to move her.

_Why isn't she safe here?_ Virgil asked.

Our house is remote and in the woods. What better place to ambush and attack. It is out of the way and no one would know what was going on.

_This is William we are talking about._ Virgil reminded him.

_I know who we are dealing with._ Garrison firmly stated.

Why not I take her home?

_No._ Again Garrison was firm. Virgil could feel the irritation rise up like a venomous snake.

_You want to use her as bait._ It wasn't a question it was a fact. Garrison was wanting to keep William localized and if he was attacking Elizabeth then keeping Elizabeth there was within their best interest.

Garrison was quiet. He normally wasn't quiet, it was because Virgil was right and Garrison didn't want to tell him the hard truth and he couldn't promise Virgil she wouldn't be hurt. Was killing William worth it if Elizabeth was hurt in the end?

_Garrison. Can't we draw him out any other way?_ Virgil asked.

_Maybe._ Garrison answered with a sigh. _I feel your hesitation and your pull towards the woman. It was very strong. We will try not to let any harm come to her Virgil, but do not take her out of here. Keep her within the Piney Woods Forest._

Virgil was quiet. He wanted to grab Elizabeth and fly across the country, but what good would hiding them be if William wasn't gone. He was a threat and by the look in his eyes the other night he wasn't going away easy. They needed to take this chance while they had it. But it didn't mean he had to like it.

_Do not call to get her mind wiped._ Virgil stated.

_I will do what I can, but the choice isn't mine to make._ Garrison gave another weary sigh but there was a hint of a smile. _There are plenty of people to seek affection from Virgil._

This isn't just about seeking affection, Garrison. This is different. I can feel it.

Whatever it may be you will need to be certain of your actions and understand that in the end you might have to let her go. For if she is not willing then you must step away.

_I understand._ Virgil stated. He didn't want to say much more just in case Garrison was against it and insisted to call in another vampire.

You three be safe. The moment something seems off you send me a message. Do not hesitate again Virgil. Your life is not the only one at stake.

You do not have to remind me. I can't wait to get a hold of William. I'm going to—

_William is mine. You concentrate of looking after Elizabeth and welcoming her to the family. If she so chooses._ Garrison disconnected their link. He was glad Garrison didn't appear too upset about the matter, but Garrison knew how to deceive if he needed too.

"So what's going on?" Helena asked, leaning against his shoulder. She knew they had spoken and was waiting for instructions.

"The three of us will need head over to Elizabeth's house after a while. Garrison thinks it would be better if we stayed in a more public of a place. There are a lot of people driving around and I think Elizabeth will probably be questioned. We'll say she was out four wheeling with us or on the lake. Something like that."

Helena nodded, agreeing with everything Virgil was saying.

"You best get a drink of blood before you wake Elizabeth—" Helena paused, listening to the sound of coughing. "She'll have nightmares for sure. I don't blame her. Seeing what she went through. She's lucky to be alive." Helena sighed.

Helena mumbled to herself before catching the shift in Virgil's eyes.

"Yes, she is and I do not appreciate you digging through her mind so much Helena," he warned her.

"I see," she whispered before smiling lightly. "I'm glad to see I'm not the only girl that drives you wild," she teased, watching the color return to Virgil's eyes. His face softened.

"I'm sorry Helena. I'm just really on edge and having Elizabeth so close is almost maddening, especially since—"

"She thinks your certifiably nuts," Helena finished.

Virgil nodded.

"I feel for you. I'm glad I'm not the one explaining the whole vampire 101 stuff to her. I'd be horrible at it, not to mention I wouldn't know what to do if she refused. I mean, I'd call to have her memory altered, but I don' think you're going to let that happen." Helena walked off aware that Elizabeth was muttering in her sleep. The first set of nightmares beginning.

"Not a chance." Virgil stated, but If she refused the vampire way, memory alteration was necessary or maybe even termination because of her abilities—but he would not be able to bring himself to take her life. Would Garrison, he wondered.

_No._ Virgil would convince her. He had to. He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes. The pit of his stomach felt like it was being ripped open hearing the faint sounds of her voice in pain.

"Maybe I should be the one to talk to her. I am a woman. She might be able to connect to me a bit better than you," Helena offered.

"No thanks, this is something I have to do." He cringed, listening to her cough in her sleep. He forced his body to stay where it was as he mentally rushed to her aid, but no amount of comfort would ease her pain and rest was needed.

"Come, have a drink with me brother. For you need one," Helena spoke, leading the way towards the kitchen.

_I have my work cut out for me._ Virgil thought as he joined her for a drink, going through the first of many painful trails testing his patience. Listening to the sounds of Elizabeth's sobs and not being able to do anything. God, keep her sane and I pray I do not lose my own sanity in the process, he thought continuing to keep himself from running to check on her.

Chapter Eleven

Elizabeth couldn't get the taste of smoke out of her mouth no matter how hard she coughed. She tossed and turned on the bed having woken from yet another dream in which the fire burned at her skin and devoured Sarah. But it hadn't been a dream. Sarah was dead, consumed by the fire that had almost taken Elizabeth with it. She thought—no, she knew—that it was the end. The fire was made to be her grave and she had survived.

Barely.

Her skin burned with the memories. She shut her eyes and pushed her face harder into the pillows she had stirred from with a yell. Surely she had woken the household? She could feel them moving around.

There were two of them. Two. . . vampires.

Elizabeth shuddered to think about it again returning to her thoughts of Sarah's house. She tried to play it all back, but she was tired and ached all over. Her raw throat was more than a little parched and her eyes straining without her glasses.

More tears slid down her face a she allowed herself to grieve for Sarah and for herself. She was scared, by herself in a vampire's home, and nearly died. There was a lot to cry over. So sue. She couldn't continue to be strong. Not now, not when the world was starting to crumble around her.

Elizabeth sat up coughing hard making her already raw throat rougher then sandpaper. She reeked of smoke, she tasted smoke, and she could only focus on smoke. The bed she was in was elegant, it was no place for someone so filthy, Elizabeth thought running her fingers along the stain crimson sheets. The stains would be a pain to come out, let alone the smell. Elizabeth cringed.

"You are more worried about a vampire's sheets then about your own life? Aren't you a peculiar one?" Elizabeth pulled the sheets up higher as though it was endued with magical power that could keep the golden haired woman away from her, but it didn't. The woman shut the door and began to slowly glide across the room with a tray in hand.

"I'm going to put this on the table next to you. I'm not going to hurt you," she stressed lifted her other hand to show she was unarmed, but a vampire didn't need a weapon to be deadly, they just were. Helena walked with finesse. She was curvy and tall being sure to keep enough distance from Elizabeth not to give her a heart attack, but to be close enough in case she decided to bolt for the window Helena could easily restrain her. Thankfully Elizabeth didn't do anything. She just stared at Helena with terror and an underlining curiosity. But mostly fear.

"Don't forget to breath." Helena sweetly spoke setting down the tray. There was a bottle of Aspirin and a glass of water along with, what appeared to be grits. Elizabeth took in a deep breath having not realized she wasn't breathing. Unfortunately her deep breath turned into a mix of gasping and coughs which ended with Helena assisting to pat on Elizabeth's back in hopes to help the woman.

"Thank you," Elizabeth wheezed. "I'm okay." Elizabeth waved off the woman embarrassed and in pain. She rubbed at her throat.

"Here, I brought you some medicine and water." Helena offered the glass and Elizabeth took it hesitatingly. "I'm not going to bite." Helena joked forcing the glass into Elizabeth hands and getting her a couple of pills. "And these aren't lased with anything. I'd just figured you'd need something to help get rid of your headache."

"Thank you." Elizabeth repeated as Helena's fingers touched the palm of her hand dropping two of the little pills. Her fingers were cool. They were kind of like the water in her hands, not cold but not hot. Maybe a warm temperature. That kind of perfect temperature every person tried to get to which you can run around with a sweater and yet not break a sweat. She felt refreshing in an odd sense and it wasn't just her touch. It was everything. Helena being in close proximity was somehow relaxing. Her pulse hummed continuously as house Elizabeth had her ear pressed up against her chest listening to the sound of her heart. It was warm and inviting, lively and fast, but there was an edge about it. All the vampires' pulses had it. A pulse that vibrated a little higher than a humans' and stronger, too. Or, maybe it was stronger because she was so close?

Elizabeth took a drink of water. The moment the refreshing liquid slip past her lips and down her throat she was gulping it. she hadn't realized just how parched she had been nor how fast she was drinking. After a couple of fast gulps Elizabeth was removing the now empty glass from her lips disappointedly.

"Don't worry, we have more."

"Thank you, again." Elizabeth said with a voice much firmer and more normal in tone.

"No problem. I'm doing the easy part it was my brother that did all the heavy lifting." She said.

"You're not his girlfriend?" Elizabeth almost sounded relieved as she asked and instantly covered her mouth. Color flooded up her neck and into her cheeks instantly.

Helena let out a loud laugh. "Oh heavens no!" she continued to laugh. "Virgil's like my little brother. I've never been interested in him in that way. And he's way to busy being all doom and gloom by himself."

Helena rubbed at her eyes patting her chest. "God, I needed that." Her eyes looked down at Elizabeth warmly. She extended her hand out. "I'm Helena. Welcome to our house."

Elizabeth just stared at her hand. Helena wasn't going to drop her hand until Elizabeth shook it and since she wasn't at home and was under their mercy she figured shaking her hand was mandatory.

Elizabeth tried to wipe her hand on her shirt and not the sheets before taking Helena's hand in a much weaker hand shake then she would have liked, but it was the best she could due under the circumstances. She half expected Helena to pull her off the bed and chew on her neck.

Again Helena laughed. "You crack me up." She released Elizabeth's hand.

"Now," Helena poked at the bowl. "We don't have much around the house so I just made you some grits. I hope you like them."

"Okay." Elizabeth looked at the bowl, she was hungry. But could she trust Helena?

Helena let out a breath and rolled her eyes. "Of course you can trust me. I wouldn't hurt a human. That isn't our policy." She paused. "Well, not mine anyway. I prefer going out and shopping—"

Elizabeth was still staring blankly at Helena on the defense. Helena was reading her mind. Very quickly Elizabeth started to redirect her thoughts and quiet them.

Helena took notice. "Good." She spoke. "Being able to block and shield your thoughts is a great thing. For a human to do isn't easy, but you are doing a great job." Elizabeth's mind started to ache. It felt like someone was driving a red hot poker into her head. She let out a sharp gasp and grabbed at her head. "But it isn't strong enough." Helena whispered.

Elizabeth crawled to the other side of the bed looking back to Helena who's eyes were still fixated on Elizabeth's head with blackened eyes and a crocked grin.

"Stop!" Elizabeth felt the shift in the house and suddenly the second pulse was right on the other side of the door. Helena was fast to react, going to the door and shoeing away Virgil. Elizabeth knew it was Virgil it had to be him. Her heart quickened. He was coming to check on her. He was worried. Why?

"He is such a worry wart. I was just checking on your ability." She smiled innocently, but Elizabeth was on edge. She wouldn't fall for Helena's pleasant demeanor a second time. She tried not to focus on the window she was going to bolt for.

"Before you do anything too crazy I want you to know that we aren't going to hurt you and that you are safe. If you leave here you might not be." Helena nodded towards the window. Elizabeth was so busted. "William, the man that burned down the house is still out there and he's gunning for you my dear." Helena gave the cold hard truth. Elizabeth needed to hear it. She needed to know that stepping out the window was like throwing her life away, but she also worried about staying inside.

"Now, if you could try and eat something that would be great. I'll be back in later to check on you. There is a bathroom over there," she pointed to the only other door in the room. "And you can have dibs on my clothes in the drawers. I'm pretty sure there should be a few things that will fit you. Just grab anything you might be comfortable in and when you're done I'll come back."

"Virgil," his name slipped out of Elizabeth's mouth quickly. She didn't mean to make it sound so desperate, but if she was going to be talked to she preferred him. Something inside of her craved to see him again. And judging by the look on Helena's face she was none too happy about the suggestion.

"I was thinking that maybe this conversation would be easier with me then with him."

"Why?" Elizabeth asked boldly. "Because you're a woman?" Elizabeth pressed. Helena nodded as Elizabeth took a breath and slid out of bed standing on her own two feet.

"We were just trying to make things easier." Helena assured her.

"And I appreciate it, but I have a few questions of my own and I would prefer to ask them to him." Elizabeth's legs wanted to give out but by the grace of God she held it together.

Helena opened her mouth to question Elizabeth but stopped. She shook her head and headed towards the door. "If you need anything just call."

Helena disappeared out of the room and Elizabeth instantly collapsed to the floor. Why did she do that? Elizabeth mentally screamed at herself. She could have been killed! Elizabeth trembled. Challenging Helena wasn't what she intended.

She just wanted Virgil. Something about the vampire gave her a more comforting sense about things then with Helena. The woman felt deadly and Elizabeth could barely contain her nerves around her. She thought once Helena touched her she would instantly feel her shaking, but she hadn't hinted at anything.

_Give me strength, dad_. Elizabeth thought, holding onto her chest. Looking up from her lap she could see the open door to the bathroom. That's what she so desperately needed. She picked up on the pulses moving away from her door.

She turned to look at the window. She could run and try for help but from what she could feel there was no one around them for miles and vampires moved fast. If William really wanted to try again then he'd be on her in no time. She also had to warn Randy about Chris.

Elizabeth rose. Moving around the bed and to the tray. Beside the tray sat her glasses. She put them and instantly the strain on her eyes lifted. She looked at the grits in disgust and then back to the bathroom. She needed to get t her phone and call Randy and warn him about Chris. Meaning she needed to talk to Virgil as soon as possible, but a shower sounded nice. It sounded calming. She'd have to face Virgil soon or later he had saved her life; the least she could do was repay him by listening to what he had to say, no matter how crazy he sounded.

She found the strength to move across the beautifully decorated room and into the bathroom where she paused at her disgusting reflection.

Her eyes were sunk in from stress and tiredness. Her hair was in every direction, the side of her face covered in a mesh of grey and black smoke, along with several cuts on her fingers where she pulled at the nails and broke the glass on the window. She was a wreck, but during her panic she somehow managed to hold on to her glasses.

A dim smile lit across her face with the thought, but quickly vanished with pain growing from the back of her head. The pain medicine not doing its job. She was never one for pain medicine.

After checking on the locations of the two vampires in the house she quickly undressed and crawled into the shower. The moment the water hit her flesh she gasped with a mix of pain and pleasure. The sting of the water against her sore and aching body was what she needed.

Her shower was long and there were moments where she started to cry, but as the remnants of smoke began to wash down the drain she started to gather up her courage and strength. By time the water was cold her body was rejuvenated, her hair no longer reeked of smoke, and her eyes found the life she had been lacking for the past few hours. Though scared, she was better prepared to handle things. Even crazy talk.

Once out of the shower she realized that she needed to change into something clean and poked her head out into the bedroom. Holding only a towel against her body Elizabeth snuck out and around to the lavishly large wardrobe. It felt close to stealing digging through another woman's personal affects, but she didn't want to run around in her filthy clothes for a another moment. She did put back on her own underwear refusing to cross that line and wearing Helena or any other lady's under garments.

Elizabeth quickly rummaged through the folds of clothes grabbing several tops that might fit her, but Helena's hips were a little more slender. Elizabeth knew any jeans she tried on would be snug and probably not the best to sit in, but it would have to do.

She raced back into the bathroom to try on the clothes. She neatly folded her dirty clothes, placing them on top of the wet towel, and left them in the bathroom stepping out in a pair of dark jeans with a red spaghetti-strap tiered tank.

She had just stepped out of the bathroom. A pulse moved outside the bedroom door. She held her breath. She could still feel her emotions running around in her, but she had them under control. There was nothing she could do to change what had happened or what she could have done to save Sarah. She understood that and took a deep breath.

I have to be strong. She told herself, braiding her wet hair and laying it on her left shoulder.

The vampire pulse shifted uneasily outside her door as though he too was nervous. He, Elizabeth nodded to herself. It was Virgil. Somehow she just knew it had to be him. The anticipation to see him was strong, but under control. She took slow deep breaths trying to keep her heart beating as even as possible and kept her mind focused on other things, how to make pecan pralines.

Then he finally knocked.

Every thought fluttered from Elizabeth's mind in an instant and she was left holding her breath just waiting for the door to open. She opened her mouth once and clamped her jaw back shut before regaining herself. Taking a deep breath she spoke, "come in." It was more of a whisper then a firm command as she had intended, but it would have to do. She interlocked her fingers together and slid her back to the window.

The door opened slowly and in he stepped, Virgil.

The room expanded with his presence. Like Helena, he exuded power and grace. She could not forget he was also dangerous.

His pulse reverberated off the walls and echoed deep within her in the most unnatural of ways making her womb tighten. This wasn't like any pulse she had felt before.

He quietly shut the door behind him and stayed against the wall keeping a lot of space between them to make her more at ease.

Helena had barely been able to keep him subdued in the kitchen while Elizabeth took her shower. Several times he could hear her mind breaking and several times he heard a whimper just under the sound of the running water. He ached to get closer, but held his distance in fear of pushing her away.

Now, with great relief, he was facing her. The fear in her eyes replaced with alertness. Her body angled slightly so that she could reach out and touch the window in an attempt to run, but he could catch her. He would definitely catch her.

He inwardly smiled at the thought of getting her back in his arms. To get her against his body. She was so warm. So alluring. So soft.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

Elizabeth smiled weakly. "Like crap, but I'm doing better," she nodded, expecting him to do a backflip or climb across the ceiling. Virgil smiled and tried to cover his laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"I never pictured myself as a wall climber, nor do I have the ability. That sounds like something out of a horror film," he admitted, crossing his arms. "Or perhaps out of a comic."

"What?" she gasped, forgetting that she needed to cover her thoughts. _Doughnuts, mint chocolate chips cookies, pumpkin pies. . ._

"What are you doing?" Virgil asked picking up on her loud thoughts with ease.

"I'm trying to not think." Elizabeth answered sharply and in the cutest of ways softening his heart until it grew silent. Her thoughts were no longer being projected out. Virgil reached out to see what was going on within her mind, but quickly receded when she shook her head. Clearly she had managed to quiet her thoughts. And just as amazing she could feel his intrusion.

Virgil had threatened Helena the moment she admitted to forcing her way into Elizabeth's thoughts having hurt her. Just the thought of his sister pushing into her mind nearly pushed him over the edge.

Virgil ran a hand threw his hair. It didn't take much to drive him mad. Normally he was more in control. He wouldn't be irritated if Helena had dipped into anyone else's mind, but it wasn't anyone else. It was _her._ The baffling, mysterious, beautiful, Elizabeth.

"You know by now that my name isn't Ann." Elizabeth stated trying to look at calm and collected as she could.

"Yes, I know your name Elizabeth and more."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked in a low tone shaking her head. "Never mind. I know. You were in my mind you probably know everything about me."

"No," he eased forward a step or two. "I don't know everything. I just took a peek, but I try not to, not with you. You just seem to project awfully loudly."

Elizabeth managed another laugh, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I'm so glad." Her words dripping in sarcasm. "I guess I can mark all this off of my bucket list. Why?"

"Why what?" He asked.

"Why do you try not to read me?" Virgil paused at her question thinking diligently at what to say. He didn't want to freak her out with his attraction or lie to her. Nor invade more than he already had. He wanted to enjoy learning and experiencing things with her.

Taking a moment to gather that into a single thought he spoke, "I want you to choose to share your thoughts with me so I try not to read them."

"Why?"

"Ever hear of freewill?"

"Yeah, but does that really apply to. . ." her words trailed off. She had every right to be uneasy. She swayed ever so slightly reaching out to take hold of the window for support. That nasty bump she took on her head earlier wasn't helping her chances of making a smooth get-a-way but at least she was on her feet.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Virgil offered, but Elizabeth wouldn't let her guard down.

"I'd prefer to stand," she lied feeling the world sway again.

"You look like you're about to fall over. I'll stay over here. Just sit down so you don't fall and hurt yourself, please." Virgil's voice was soft but commanding. He was worried about Elizabeth.

Elizabeth reluctantly nodded taking a seat on the bed, it was the nearest thing and by the way the room shifted she knew she couldn't make it much farther. Last thing Elizabeth wanted was to show just how scared or vulnerable she really was, but Virgil knew. He could see it in the way her fingers were squeezed together and the way her body squirmed nervously and her eyes fidgeted.

"Thank you," Virgil spoke catching the surprise in Elizabeth's eyes. She was shocked to hear any concern, but then again he saved her life. "I was worried you would fall over."

"I don't think I've thank you, yet." Elizabeth spoke was her soft and tired gaze. "Um. . . Thank you. For coming to save me."

Virgil eased another step forward and closer to her. "You're welcome."

"But why?" Elizabeth's gaze became sharp. She questioned his purpose for everything. For stepping out into the light of the moon, for being outside her house, and for coming to her aid. Why would a vampire do all of that? He hand lifted to her throat suddenly.

"No!" Virgil quickly answered. "I don't want to hurt you. I want to keep you safe." Again he inched forward.

"Why?" she demanded. All the whys were going to drive him mad. Couldn't the woman just give him the benefit of the doubt or just a thank you?

"Contrary to what you think we don't always kill humans. You might even consider us protectors." Virgil weakly gathered together his thoughts.

"Protectors?" she looked doubtful and he couldn't blame her. Humans were still being feed on, slaughtered and hunted by his kind and had been for centuries, but it was changing. The laws were a lot stricter and one by one the vampires were beginning to live alongside humans.

"Not all," he added.

"William." Elizabeth spoke his name with disgust. Bile rose up just thinking about him.

"Yes." Virgil spoke coldly. "I know this must be hard for you to take in and it surely isn't coming at the best of times either, but I need for you to try and have an open mind about what I am going to tell you," Virgil said cautiously. "Do you think you can do that?"

Elizabeth stayed as calm as she could, focusing her thoughts. She looked back to Virgil and just nodded. He could see the acceptance written on her face. Finally he was making some progress, even if it was just that vampires exist. It was something.

Just to see her moving around after such an experience had him hopeful. She was a fighter. She wouldn't go down easy, nor would she give in to a panic attack she was battling from the night before when she saw him. She was more sound, or perhaps she was just exhausted, too tired to fight. Virgil wanted to peek into her mind but resisted. He owed her that.

She had been through so much already. When he had left her in the capable hands of Helena, she was a mess. Shock had set in along with several violent tremors. Her mind was riddled with so much fear. She was certain she was going to die in the fire, and if she hadn't reached into Virgil's thoughts she really would have.

Virgil could barely swallow the fact that Elizabeth had almost lost her life. He had spent many years in the company of others but no one matched the affection he instinctually felt for Elizabeth, and it drove him mad. She haunted his thoughts no matter his location. Within mere seconds of seeing her he wanted to get to know her, to talk with her, to be in her presence, and to touch her. Whatever had come over him not only thrilled him but scared him.

She scared him. Everything she was inadvertently doing to him was terrifying. He knew why William had chosen Elizabeth as his target. He could understand clearly as he faced the woman sitting quietly on the bed examining him with those beautiful eyes. William had felt this way once and it drove him to force their hands. It drove both Virgil and William to be monsters that night. Now it was Virgil's turn to be in William's shoes.

He felt sadness overcome him, though he stayed smiling slightly towards Elizabeth, not to give away his internal thoughts. The sadness he felt was an understanding towards why William had done what he did to Samantha, but it didn't change anything. What he did was wrong. What he was doing was monstrous!

She licked her lips and cleared her throat. "So you're the real deal?" she asked, almost not even loud enough for herself to hear.

"Yes. I am the real deal. I am a vampire and as is the woman in the other room," he gestured towards the door. "But you knew that."

"Yes," she said, her voice slowly strengthening.

"How can you do that?" Virgil asked, leaning in curiously to one of the many things that drew him to her.

"You have your secrets, I have mine. Though I don't know for how long it will be a secret," she said, sighing. She didn't believe he would stay out of her mind, but even if he peeked in her mind he wouldn't see what Elizabeth had searched for. He wouldn't see why she could feel pulses?

"For a different time then. So, first things first, how are you feeling right now?" he asked, slowly easing himself forward as he tried to keep her talking.

Elizabeth reached out and touched her head lightly. "I have a headache and my glasses are scratched, but I think I'm doing okay." She wasn't. Emotionally she was a ticking time bomb waiting to go off at the slightest tap.

Virgil could feel the pressure within her boiling over but she held a good strong face to deceive.

"Is the fire still burning?' she asked with pained eyes.

"At this point the fire is all but a pile of blackened, smoky, debris. It did not spread far, so you do not have anything to worry about. Your home is safe." He assured her, but she could care less about her cabin.

"Sarah was in the house," her voice lowered. She coughed. "She died in that fire."

"Elizabeth. It was not your fault for what had happened."

"I know whose fault this is." Elizabeth rubbed her hands together, doing the best she could to keep it together. "He did it. It was William and her brother, Chris." Elizabeth rubbed her forehead.

"Chris?" Virgil repeated sending word to Garrison.

"I have to tell Randy." The mention of the man's name stirred another wave of fear and anger. Where was Randy? Why hadn't he been there? Was he involved?

"It'll be okay." He hushed her. She gave him another desperate look. Her eyes glistening. If she started to cry in front of him surely he would break.

"We'll find them. They won't get away with this," Virgil promised having eased up to the corner of the bed.

"You know what's ironic about this trip?" she patted her braid lightly and smiled. "This was my vacation. I was taking this trip to get better."

"I know," Virgil replied.

"Of course you do." She spat.

"I'm not the bad guy you make me out to be," he said, running his hand against the wood bed post. "I have done nothing but try and keep you safe. I'm not out to get you. Trust me."

"Thank you." Elizabeth suddenly said, catching him off guard. "Thank you for saving my life, again. I don't want to say I owe you-"

"-You don't and you're welcome. Though it was pretty hard to ignore your voice in my head that strong," Virgil tried joked.

"I never felt you until you were right there. How did you hear my thoughts?" She could remember William telling her to call to Virgil, but she didn't think she really could.

"I can normally hear people short distances, but somehow you managed to push your way into my thoughts several miles away. And by the sound of your voice there was no way anyone could keep me from coming to your aid."

Elizabeth was stunned. First pulses, now she was projecting her own thoughts into others. What's next, flying?

Virgil laughed. The sound of it was refreshing against Elizabeth's pain and even helped to ease her. Some of the built up tension within her seen to untangle with the sound of his laughter. "We don't fly. As cool as that sounds."

"Yeah, well, it sure in the hell is needed if you're gonna be a vampire."

The air froze for just a split second at her attempt at humor. Virgil couldn't tell if she was joking or not and Elizabeth couldn't tell if she was crossing any lines with her comment. After another second Virgil let out a soft chuckle and the air calmed.

"Contrary to a lot of beliefs, we don't transform, we cannot enter any houses unless permitted, and the sun will do damage to our skin only after long hours of direct exposure. Nothing a little blood can't fix."

Elizabeth's face dropped a little with the word blood and her stomach tightened. She cringed. She wanted to go home and crawl into her bed where the world wasn't talking about drinking blood and reading thoughts.

"I'm sorry, but that won't be possible at the moment and from what I gathered your car wasn't working anyway."

"Please stop reading my mind—it isn't normal," she remarked.

"Normal was last year. I don't know about you, but this year is all about reading minds and feeling pulses."

Elizabeth smiled and his heart soared. He was glad to see a small glimmer of hope.

"Why are you telling me all of this? Aren't you going to get in trouble for spilling all of your secrets?"

He sighed. "I am telling you this because the real matter comes down to you. What are we going to do about you? And you're right. We can't have any loose ends and people knowing our secrets." He recited every vampires worry.

"I can keep secrets. I've kept my pulses a secret, what makes you think I can't be quiet about this?" She pointed out.

"I know," Virgil nodded miserably. "But we also have taken notice of you. It is only a matter of time before another vampire picks up on your ability and you are unable to keep it a secret from our kind and soon they will read your thoughts and learn of your experiences here."

"So? As long as I haven't said anything?"

He shook his head. "No, sadly that's not good enough. Though most humans won't believe you you have the gifts that could really put us in a tough spot. You could join with humans and locate our kind and harm us." Virgil spoke honestly knowing full well what garrison would say and conveyed that to her.

"No I wouldn't. I wouldn't do that." She insisted biting her lip and squeezing the bottom of her shirt nervously.

"But you can see how that could be such a risk for us. We can't afford to take chances like that. We have to be careful. We have to make hard decisions." He lowered his voice.

Elizabeth looked back into his eyes. A Tear rolled across her cheek. She quickly whipped it away jumping to her feet and to the window. Virgil made no attempt to get her. "So what are you saying? Are you saying I should have died in that fire?" She gasped in breath beginning to shake.

_Run_ , she told herself. _Jump out the window and run._

Virgil shook his head, his eyes conveying his utter sadness towards her. "No. I would want nothing of the sort. I mean to say that a solution would be to bring you into our family. To ask you to join with us and be a part of this world or-"

"-I won't be able to see my family again. I won't be able to return to my business. Everything I have done is gone as of today," she spoke shakily. Her hands trembled, her knees felt weak.

"Becoming one of my kind does not mean you stop being you. You can live your life for several more years. See your friends and family. Run your business. You can still do all of that. Being a Vampire does not stop that, but it does force us to have to let go and say goodbye after several years. The age begins to play a part in that. You can only look in your twenties for so long before the community begins to wonder."

"That's the best I can offer," Virgil said, touching her thoughts lightly.

"During the fire I wasn't ready to die, but..." She trailed off.

"But what?" he asked. "You think you're ready to die now? You don't know what you're talking about. No one's telling you that you have to die. I'm trying to keep you alive, for Pete's sake!" He raised his voice in frustration.

"I know what you're offering," she weakly spoke. "I can't live knowing what I know. But there is one other choice, right? If I don't want to be a vampire there is one other alternative that has to be done because exposure is bad for you're kind." She stated.

Virgil ran a hand through his hair. She had him on this one. "Yes, exposure is one of our leading rules. If there is a threat for exposure, we eliminate it. Or. . ."

"Or?" Elizabeth whispered.

"Or I can call someone in that can work on your mind."

"My mind?"

"He would alter your thoughts. You wouldn't remember any of this." Virgil spoke grimly.

"Yes!" Elizabeth answered without a second thought. Virgil winced. She so eagerly wanted to forget everything, wanted to forget him.

If it meant her life would go on Elizabeth was willing to take it. Having seen into the world of vampires she was more than ready to forget it. No matter the charm Virgil had or the way just looking at him made her feel she was willing to forget to return to her normal life.

"It's not a for sure thing." Virgil added.

"I don't care I want choice C." Elizabeth said with certainty.

"You just need a little time to—"

"No!" Elizabeth snapped. "C works out for everyone."

"No it doesn't!" Virgil remarked. "You know what happens if you get your mind wiped?" Elizabeth's eyes widened as he dared to close the space between them. She slid backwards against the window. Virgil stopped within a foot of her, their bodies against brushed against one another. "If you get your mind wiped there is a chance the other vampire will report your abilities. The council might take notice to you. I can't risk that."

"You aren't." She spoke angrily. "I am."

"No, if they think you are a risk they will kill you."

"What happened to being a protector?" Elizabeth gasped. Virgil slid closer pinning her body now between the window and his body. Her breath caught in her throat.

"I'm trying to protect you. If they think you are special they will want you changed or kill you. They are above our laws. I can't protect you from them at that point. But I would try. I would try with all my might."

"Why?" She whispered with pursed lips below him. He looked down into Elizabeth's glistening eyes. He wanted to kiss away her newly formed tears, taste her lips, and devour her.

The world crumbled around her and all she could do was crumble with it. What more was there to do? Was that really her only choices? Death or become vampire or have her memory taken which could result in either? Why couldn't she just wake up? Why couldn't the world go back to normal?

Elizabeth couldn't stop her tears no matter what she tried to think. She didn't have the strength to fight Virgil. She didn't have the strength for any of it.

Virgil wrapped one arm around her waist carefully to support her weight while the other hand wiped at her tears. "Please don't cry." He whispered against her. She shook her face out of his hand.

"If I want to cry I'm going to cry. Don't tell me what I can and can't do." Elizabeth's voice cracked. He pulled her face closer until her cheek rested against his chest.

Elizabeth rested against Virgil. As upset and uncomfortable as she was his pulse brought her a dim sense of peace. He was gentle and kind. Something she didn't think a vampire was. There were so many contradictions. The only thing she felt was solid was his pulse. His vibrant and warm pulse.

"Look, you just need time to digest everything that has happened and everything that we have talked about. I understand that. It's a lot for anyone. Don't be so hasty to make a decision like this. You have time," he kindly spoke against her hair. She was close the shattering. He had to be delicate.

Virgil could have laughed at the word. He wasn't known for being the most delicate at times.

"What is there to talk about?" She laughed dryly. "I've gone mad. I can feel myself giving up and I don't want to fight it. I'm tired. I've been tired for a while now. Maybe this is a sign?" She felt lost after her dad passed. A piece of her she felt would never be filled within her heart and now fate had twisted her life again. Maybe this time she shouldn't get up?

"Don't give up. Don't let yourself be taken by the panic that is ensuing within you, for it is but the easy way out to this moment's chaos. It will pass like all things." He brushed her hair with his hand. She stirred a little against him, but didn't argue with his touch. "My world is not always filled with needless bloodshed. There is so much more to it that if given a chance I know would amaze you."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She could here Bethany in her ear. "With a hunk like him why would you throw in the towel?" Bethany's nonexistent words tickled Elizabeth. Even now, in a moment where she could do with her father's advice or some of Bethany's kickass words of wisdom all she heard was the woman's humor.

It was a start and at least it got her to give a weak smile and a quiet laugh.

"We are not all bad. A little crazy at times, but not all bad," Virgil continued.

"Except William." She looked at him with red eyes trying to wipe any the evidence of her pain. "Who is he? Why me? Why did he pick me out of everyone?"

"For one thing your ability intrigued him and he will not be the last to think so. I am certain more vampires will pick up on your ability and certainly once we call someone in to look at you you will be discovered. I am amazed you have survived this long without being discovered." Virgil pulled his hand away from her face becoming serious. She was lucky she hadn't run across others.

"I feel them sometimes, but they are never close enough. They are always just passing or don't stay long." She answered.

"That is a relief." Virgil breathed.

"Now, how is he? Who is William?" Elizabeth spoke his name with disgust. That was good. She needed to focus on hating him. The more she hated him and blamed him for what happened the less she focused on Sarah and for not doing enough.

She should have taken self-defense classes when you dad offered, she thought.

"William was once a man I took pride in calling brother, but things changed after he killed Samantha Wells."

"Oh God!" Elizabeth gasped at the realization. The same man that killed Samantha used her own brother and killed Sarah. "He's a monster." She cried burrowing her face into Virgil.

"He was no longer the man we knew. I think he picked you because he knew you could reach me. He wants to hurt my family. We're all sorry you have been pulled into this."

"He killed them both."

"He's killed more." Virgil said. Elizabeth wouldn't look up at him. She was just stuck against his body shaking. A murdering, lunatic, vampire and his pet were trying to kill her. Great!

"He has killed a number of hikers in the area. That's the real reason I was stalking through the woods when you found me. I was scouting the area and keeping you safe, but it looks like I drew you to him." He announced grimly.

"Great." Elizabeth whispered. That was it. That was the best response she could give. She stepped back testing her own strength as she slipped out from under Virgil's grip. With his presence wrapped around her she felt cold and naked. She wanted to instantly return and blanket herself with his body, but resisted.

She adjusted her glasses. "You said we?"

"Yes. Garrison is the name of our father, or master, we follow. He is the man who turned us."

"So she is your sister." Elizabeth confirmed. She didn't know why that was important. She instantly remembered Helena's dark gaze and shivered. Vampires were to not be underestimated and Helena's sweet demeanor was just a cover. She could be fierce and deadly if she wanted to be, but thankfully she didn't appear to want Elizabeth's head.

"She is the same woman letting you borrow her room." Virgil reminded Elizabeth picking up on her feelings towards his sister.

"She's still looks dangerous."

"We all are. And she's sweet for a little over two hundred," Virgil chuckled.

Elizabeth gasped in breath. It hadn't even occurred to her that the vampires around her were so much older than her.

"I'm not quite a hundred if you're curious." Virgil smirked.

"Wow, that's pretty impressive," she said. "What about Garrison?"

Virgil didn't have an answer. He was never aware of Garrison's age, nor did Garrison want to ever speak of his past. "He's old. How about we leave it at that? He's a little shy about his age." Virgil said.

"Why tell me all of this?" she asked. "It doesn't change anything."

"Because it shows you that we are similar. We feel, we cry, and we love." He paused. He could see her thoughts going back to when she first saw him and how excited she had been. "You are so special and quite beautiful, if I might be so bold as to add," he smiled, catching her doubtful look.

"I am not special. I'm just a woman with a weird ability, who lost her dad and can't get herself together. I'm nothing special," she finished.

Virgil couldn't disagree more. He leaned over her. "Elizabeth you are more special than you realize. You are amazing. There is something about you that I can't seem to get out of my head—"

"My weird ability to know where you are might be the reason," she retorted.

"No. It is more than that." He stopped himself from continuing the thought. He had to be careful and not push her away, but oh how he wanted to pour his heart out to Elizabeth as insane a thought as it was.

"I can't do it. I can't become a vampire," her face contorted.

Virgil reached out and took her face in his hands. She let him touch her. He was soothing; the closet a man had been to her in a while. But with every word she was managing to break his heart. He felt anger. No, desperation to keep her there. To keep her with him.

"I want to see my dad again and if I become a vampire I—I can't live the life I want...I'll be alone again and I can't...." She choked, pulling her face from Virgil's hand and covering it with her own. "Just let me forget."

"Elizabeth. I'm so sorry that things have turned out like this," Virgil whispered, heartbroken. He reached out again and this time he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She allowed him to give her comfort feeling an odd sense of warmth to his touch. He was definitely no William by any means and that fact helped her to cope with what she was being told.

"Your father would be so proud to have a daughter like you, but you do not have to give up your life for many years to come and you could make new friends. Maybe even start a family with someone you care about as a vampire?" Virgil could not picture her with anyone else and he didn't want to, but he spoke to her words of honesty and words that he knew would assist her with dealing. "There are still so many things you can do, and being one of us opens up a whole new set of possibilities," he said, rubbing her back slowly. "I don't want you to give up living before you have even started. That is not what your father would have wanted, and that is not what you want."

"How do you know what my dad would have wanted?" She asked leaning forward desperate for the answer.

"Among many of the thoughts you have pushed into my mind I was able to see your father. I could feel the love you had for one another, as well, as experience your interaction. And I can accurately say, without a shadow of a doubt, that he loved you and would want you to continue with life."

Elizabeth nodded silently in her hands. What did she mean? Virgil leaned towards her. Had he won her over? Had she given him a chance? Or had she decided not to join him and wanted to try her luck with the mind manipulation?

I want to live. I'm so scared. I don't think I'm strong enough for this. I just want to start over.

Virgil ached at the sound in her thoughts and gripped her shoulder, pulling her against his chest once more. She did nothing to fight him. Elizabeth just let her head tuck perfectly below him chin. "If you wish to forget then so be it," Virgil spoke with defeat. "We will find someone to work on your memories when this is all over with."

"Really?" she asked. "What if they find out about me?"

"Then we will face that when we come to it. Either we try and get your old life back or we try and we end up in the same situation, either way it's worth a shot." Virgil spoke in a low tone with as much comfort as he could muster, but his heart was breaking. He ached to tell her know and hold her hostage against him for the rest of his life.

There was still time. He could find a way to change her mind. He had too.

He held her lightly, rocking her ever so slightly back and forth. "I think you've been through a lot and need to rest. I can see the strength in you. And I want you to know that if you decide to change your mind and join us, you will never be alone. I will be here to hold you up no matter how tough things get."

"Why?" Elizabeth spoke innocently. "Why say that?"

"Because. . ." I love you. No, that was definitely not going to be the words he spoke. Helena would silt his throat and Elizabeth would run away. How could he even think about such a declaration at a time like this? "I know what it's like to be truly alone and I would never allow that to happen." Those words eased her more than she expected and the arms around her tightened in silent reassurance.

After a few quiet minutes and a more calm and level-headed Elizabeth, Virgil pulled away from her, remembering that Garrison said they should head over to her house. It wasn't too safe to stay at their house. And thinking that Chris was involved along with another vampire being at a house that didn't have any barriers wasn't a good idea. A vampire home didn't have the same protection as a human home did. And though her house was remote it would still be a bust road due to the fire.

Her safety was everything.

"How about we continue this conversation in a familiar environment? How about we head over to your cabin to talk?"

"I like the sound of that. Maybe get out of these clothes and change into something familiar." Elizabeth smiled, lighting up Virgil's world. Her smile was radiant and soft, and he couldn't get enough of it. Elizabeth looked up at him with red eyes, though the tears were gone the tiredness remained. He lightly touched her cheek bringing a rush of red across her face.

Elizabeth turned her head away and shifted her eyes. There was a sudden electric rush followed by her heart pounding and her breathing increase. Virgil froze until he felt her thoughts. Then, with a smile he too looked off to conceal his excitement.

_What am I doing!_ Her mind shrieked. _Never crush on a vampire. That's probably a rule somewhere! No matter how down right sexy, charming, and how great he feels don't get involved!_

Elizabeth continued to banter on to herself when finally Virgil couldn't hold in his amusement. He could feel the slam of the wind against him as she snapped her attention back in his direction with the force of fury masking her embarrassment.

"I said don't ready my thoughts!" She snapped.

"You think I'm sexy?" He smirked haughty.

She took in a sudden inhale followed by her whole face darkening with shades of red when her stomach growled. She cringed, even more embarrassed and covered her face again. She just wanted to disappear, but it would take a lot more than that to make her wish come true. Virgil just laughed lightly at her reactions. He found her outbursts to be cute and couldn't get enough of seeing the blush across her face.

"Let's get you home, that way you can also get something to eat." Virgil offered her a hand. Not that she needed the help to stand, but he didn't want to pass up another chance to feel her soft, warm skin against his.

"That would be nice." She laughed and for a moment Virgil could see the life returning to her eyes. He could see the true Elizabeth returning, the one that didn't see him as a vampire, but as a man trying to help. Though overlooking the vampire bit was pretty hard, he could see her hesitation still as she looked into his hand as though he had a second pair hiding under his shirt.

"It's okay."

"Thank you." Elizabeth spoke and shook her head. "Your pulse is very strong it we touch I'd prefer to keep a little distance." Virgil tired not to let his disappointment show as he lowered his hand.

"It's the oddest of things," he spoke softly and with great admiration and curiosity.

"I've been able to do it all my life, the only thing odd in my life is you." She remarked.

Virgil smiled. He liked the sound of him being in her life. Then his expression darkened when he remembered she didn't want anything to do with him. "If you'll follow me Helena is waiting in the living room."

Chapter Twelve

The journey through the house and to the living room was long and slow. Elizabeth touched the wall for support leaning as far from Virgil as she could. Everything about him drew her like a moth to a pulsating flame. His smell. His touch. The way his eyes devoured her and made her knees go weak. Elizabeth had to stay sharp and get herself under control. So she forced her eyes forward and towards the opening leading into the large room sectioned off into a kitchen, dining room, and living room area through an archway.

The kitchen was small with a large dark marble island at its center. The would rich in dark mahogany color accented with beautiful carved moldings and doorways. Truly someone in the family was a craftsman.

Virgil picked up on the roaming thoughts and stayed quiet. It had been William that worked diligently at carving. He was very hands on. He put a lot of time into working details into the cabin that spoke of their family. Helena's room also shared many accents Elizabeth hadn't noticed. There were swimming mermaids in the bathroom, fairy creatures along Helena's bed post. Much of the room shown William's affection towards Helena.

Looking at Celtic knot work in the living room around the mantel to the fireplace Virgil could almost picture William siting for hours intricately working on every piece as Virgil just watched.

Just one more reason Virgil hatted his brother. He tore a good family a part and still would not leave them alone. But it was their choice to stay in the cabin. Virgil was beginning to resent it. Over the past year it had started to look like a stranger's home.

". . .that say?" Virgil took in a breath and looked down into Elizabeth's eyes.

"I'm sorry, what?" Virgil gestured her out of the hall and through the kitchen towards the living room.

"I was asking what did that say?" Elizabeth pointed over the archway to the living room. Virgil cringed. Of course she would see that. It was the only piece of William's beautifully crafted work that had been destroyed, shredded and clawed out by Virgil until his hands were bloodied.

"It once said—" Helena pulled herself away from a book she was trying to read. She instantly stood as they came into full view. "—It is not the home that makes the person, but the family they are a part of. And he signed it."

She came to life, crossing the room instantly, her long golden hair bouncing with each step. Helena was almost angelic as she took Elizabeth's hand. The pulse from Helena was strong and vibrant, but it did not compare to being touched by Virgil. His felt different. He felt more connected to her.

"What happened to it?" Elizabeth asked looking up to it.

Helena answered honestly. "Our brother, William,—" Elizabeth involuntarily shifted closer to Virgil seeking reassurance and comfort form his pulse. "—had this wonderful gift for carving and he did most the wood working in here." She paused. "I take it you know of Samantha?"

Elizabeth nodded but Virgil shifted uncomfortably. He hadn't told her the whole story. Helena could see the fear of Elizabeth running away from them in Virgil's eyes. Helena just shook her head in disapproval to Virgil's concern, but altered her story. "Well, after Samantha perished and William fled we returned here. In our pain and fury of what we had lost it was destroyed." Helena hesitated. "It was a crushing blow for us and the Wells family that day."

The sadness and anger was immense. The room itself was trying to expend to make room for all the emotions flooding around, but Virgil's face was straight, as was Helena's. Their outer appearance a deceptive calm to the raging storm.

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth spoke breaking the tension. "For your loss." Why was she saying that? She wanted to spit out curses and say the bastard needed to be staked but she didn't. She couldn't rub salt in an open wound and as much as she wanted him dead, still did, she could see the pain still lingering within them. Family was family.

"Don't worry," Helena whispered with a dark and humorless smile. "He will be dead soon enough."

"Helena," Virgil warned.

"What?" Helena spoke with a chilling stare.

"You'll scare her more."

"You can't tell me you're not a little relieved to hear that William will be killed?" She turned the question to Elizabeth who thought on it.

"Honestly no," Elizabeth looked between Virgil and Helena. "I feel bad hearing that he was your brother but he sounds like. . . a monster." Elizabeth finished.

"He wasn't always like that." Helena sighed turning away.

"There are cases, such as this, where a vampire has gone rouge. They send out hunters to remove the threat. Garrison is one of these." Virgil informed with a firm nod and a grim expression.

"Why don't you bring in a whole army?" Elizabeth asked.

"The job of a hunter isn't a pleasant one. Not many vampires are willing to make that choice." Virgil continued seeing the question in Elizabeth's eyes. "Some vampires have been known to crave it, the need for shedding the blood of their own kin. You have to be strong willed to hunt your own people and also to give them fair judgment."

"Fair judgment?" Elizabeth raised a brow. Was there such a thing to vampires, she wondered.

"Some vampires can be saved and are presented in front of a council, while others are executed."

"Like William will be." Elizabeth stated as fact with Virgil nodded a confirmation.

"Oh, why are you telling her all of this?" Helena spat. "We're just going to have her mind whipped anyway, why make this harder for you?" Helena moved closer. "Soon she'll get this idea that life as a vampire is grand or she might even start to crush on you. Heavens knows you could use a woman in your life, but she's already decided." Helena spoke firmly.

"Helena." It was yet another warning from Virgil and he wasn't going to let her continue a second more. "You about ready to head over to Elizabeth's?" he didn't want to hear about Elizabeth's choice. He wouldn't accept it. He couldn't. He would change her mind.

Elizabeth's body tightened and her stomach turned. The thought of having someone erase her mind made her sick. She looked to Virgil's balled fists with an urge to brush her hand against them. She shook off the feeling and looked back to Helena's softening eyes.

"I'm ready when you are," Helena managed a smile. She then gave Elizabeth a quick once over and a nod of approval. "You look pretty nice in that," referring to what Elizabeth was wearing.

"I'm sorry!" Elizabeth gasped, realizing she was wearing Helena's clothes. "I didn't want to put on my old clothes—"

"Sweetie, you're fine," she assured Elizabeth. "I was the one that suggested you change. Trust me, after what you've been through, you could have any of my clothes if it would make you feel a little better."

"Thanks," Elizabeth said.

"You're welcome." Helena moved to grab her purse next to Elizabeth, when Virgil wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. Helena let out a laugh. "What? You think I'm dumb enough to hurt her?" Helena tossed the thin strap of her purse over her head. "Please, if I wanted to hurt Elizabeth I would have done that back in the bedroom."

Elizabeth loved the feel of Virgil against her. His arm was firm and protective making Elizabeth wonder just have dangerous Helena could be. She leaned in to Virgil a bit more breathing him in deeply.

She was soft and warm against his body making Virgil ache even more. He shouldn't have grabbed her. Now he wouldn't be able to let her go. Not with her pressing harder against him. He had panicked. Helena stepped closer too fast. He was sure she would try and scare Elizabeth, but she didn't. He inwardly groaned. Out of all people he knew he could trust Garrison and Helena. He had to. He reacted on instinct. Hopefully Helena wouldn't hold it against him later.

"They should be done by now. You've been here a while. I don't think there should be a problem. Though it will be taped off and under investigation and Garrison said there was a body." Helena grew silent looking again to Virgil unsure what to say.

"I know. You don't have to step around it. I know there was a body. I was there. I felt it," Elizabeth stated painfully.

"You're safe now, Elizabeth," Helena said with confidence. "We're not going to let anything happen to you." Elizabeth found little comfort in Helena's words as she stayed resting against Virgil.

Virgil squeezed her lightly. "Let us worry about William. You just try and relax." He said. Elizabeth shook her head with a laugh.

"Me? Relax? I don't know if you've met me yet, but relax isn't a part of my vocab." Elizabeth said. Her laugh vibrated against Virgil. It was real and soft. He wanted to hear it again.

Virgil smiled. "I know it is. I've seen within your thoughts. I know what you are capable of."

Elizabeth stared up at Virgil with wonder. This was definitely not her idea of what a vampire should be or act like. Virgil smiled and she turned her head away knowing he could read her thoughts which rubbed at her anger, but she wasn't about to say anything in a room outnumbered two to one.

"You shouldn't worry about anything, like he said, Virgil's looking after you. So nothing to worry about," Helena smiled sweetly. The woman could go through a string of expression in an instance. Elizabeth wondered if she had considered acting or if every vampire was as complicated or expressive as Helena?

"Come on," Virgil nudged Elizabeth the direction he wanted her to head towards the garage. Helena led the way to give Elizabeth a little breathing room.

"You can let go." Elizabeth whispered trying to keep the conversation between Virgil and herself. If Helena had heard she didn't slow in step nor bother to turn around or make any remarks. She just continued to the garage door and out of sight.

"Sorry," Virgil said releasing Elizabeth reluctantly.

"It's okay," Elizabeth breathed looking after Helena. "I kind of don't want to be alone with her." she remarked. Virgil smiled.

"She's innocent. Well," he thought about it. "Never mind. I don't' want you to go near her either."

"That's comforting." Elizabeth smiled with a playful roll of her eyes as Virgil guided her into the four car garage.

Helena danced over to her love and pulled off the cover. It was the familiar yellow convertible Elizabeth had originally seen them in.

"Meet Cherie," Helena announced running her hands along her car lovingly.

"You named your car?" Elizabeth peeked out from around Virgil admiring Cherie as Helena jumped in.

"Helena," Virgil cleared his throat and sighed.

"What?" She piped up about to start the engine when she caught Virgil pointing towards Elizabeth. "What?"

"Three people." Virgil answered. "How about we take mine?"

"Oh," Helena breathed tapping the wheel of her baby and climbing back out of the car. It only fit two people, she had completely over looked the fact that Elizabeth made three and the odds that Elizabeth would be comfortable enough to curl up in Virgil's lap were slim.

"What's your car?" Elizabeth asked as Virgil slid his hand along her arm drawing a pleasurable shiver into her chest. She didn't step away nor breathe as he turned her body to view his car.

He pointed to the largest of the four vehicles uncovered and gleaming as though they were standing in the dealership picking it up for the first time. It was a Chevrolet Colorado. The color was dreamy. It was a blue so deep that is was like sinking into the blackness of the ocean just as the lights from the sun were nearly unseen. "Wow." Elizabeth let slip.

"Meet big Ben." Helena smiled towards Virgil's grinning face.

"Nice," Elizabeth whispered feeling tiny standing next to it. "Why call it Big Ben?"

"It's just a name that Helena tacked onto it." Virgil sighed.

"I went on a vacation to London with a couple of friends and when I came back here it was!" she exclaimed.

"Hence the name, named after the bell." Elizabeth finished.

"Yes." Virgil smiled. "Have you been there?"

"No."

"Maybe one day," he added almost hopefully. Elizabeth didn't say anything at his comment though she heard it. Butterflies filled her stomach. What would London be like with Virgil? There probably wouldn't be a duel moment and he seemed liked such a romantic. Elizabeth felt her cheek burn at the thoughts and instantly started to push recipes into her mind.

Virgil opened the door helping first Helena, who was deciding ether she should laugh at Elizabeth's thoughts or scowl at Virgil disapprovingly, and then Elizabeth in their seats before climbing behind the wheel.

It was spacious. Elizabeth looked to the window as they pulled from the garage. Though she was physically in the car her mind slipped away. She started to think about Bethany and the store and about everyone she worked with. Her future was blurred and she didn't like it.

No, she reminded herself. She would get her mind whipped and that would be that. She would return home like nothing happened. . . unless they thought she was a threat. Elizabeth closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. How could her life return to normal after all of this?

Virgil was highly aware of her concerns, but stayed quiet sharing an uneasy glance to Helena every now and then.

What had they all gotten themselves into, he wondered.

Her body had frozen the moment Virgil helped her out of the truck. Virgil had taken care to park with her door away from Sarah's house and was even using his body to try and shield her from the sight, but she could feel it.

"Elizabeth?" Virgil brushed the side of her face.

The sound of Sarah's voice and the fight between them played out over and over tormenting her. She felt guilty. She should have done more. She should have fought harder. She should have. . .

"Shh." Virgil hushed her bringing her into his arms once more. She didn't fight. Elizabeth just gave up and laid against him allowing his pulse to calm her and sooth her. "You survived. You made it out of that bathroom. If you hadn't of done that you wouldn't be alive."

"But I. . . I couldn't save her." Elizabeth choked burrowing her face into his chest uncaring that Helena watched.

"No, you couldn't." Virgil spoke honestly. "William and Chris had decided her fate. There wasn't' anyway for you to change that. No matter what you did you wouldn't have been able to change that fact and I'm sorry." He whispered intimately between the two of them.

"I can smell it." Elizabeth confessed. The smell was tearing her up. It was what had stopped her. She had kept her eyes closed for most of the trip to avoid facing those memories, but now that she stood in her yard the smell is what pulled her back. She could feel the heat of the fire on her skin, the fear, the sound of her crying voice, and the taste of the smoke. She felt trapped, like she was back in that house.

"You're not," Virgil squeezed her lightly. "Do not concentrate on the fire, concentrate on me. Replace those burning walls with me. Feel my pulse and breathe me in." His voice was both soothing and demanding. There was a note in his voice that Elizabeth clung too. She listened to the sound of it over and over hearing his instructions and following. His pulse vibrating through her easing down her fear as the smell and taste of smoke slowly drifted away to be replaced with his scent. Her hands crawled up and rested against his firm chest acutely aware or every muscle movement below his shirt. She was definitely not locked in a bathroom. She was alive and outside.

Realizing she was standing outside in Virgil's arms she gasped back to life. Helena's pulse was beating steady beside them and so were others. Humans were coming and going, but there was one that was drifting closer. She pushed back from Virgil whipping her face and hiding her embarrassment.

"Hello," Helena spoke first greeting the person approaching.

"Good afternoon," the older, rough sounding male voice spoke. "Do you live here?" he asked.

"No sir, I'm visiting a friend we just got back to hear the news." Helena spoke. Elizabeth took a breath and looked around to find the man, but Virgil held her there beside him telling her to wait. "What happened? Was anyone hurt?" Helena sounded scared and worried to the man.

"I'm officer Greensburg. Is the lady living here home?" the Officer asked.

"Yes sir, I'm sorry. We just got back from camping. We've been out all night four wheeling and camping up on Kits hill to the West." Helena spoke loud enough to ensure Elizabeth had caught exactly what she had said.

The Officer was making his way around Helena when Virgil moved him and Elizabeth around the back end of the truck. He still kept his body between her and Sarah's house.

"I'm Elizabeth Parks," Elizabeth weakly announced.

"I'm Virgil," Virgil introduced shaking the officer's hand never leaving Elizabeth's side.

"Ma'am, I have a few questions to ask you, but first. Would you like to sit down?" He asked kindly. He was an older man with short grayed hair and a wrinkle next to his green eyes.

"No, thank you." Elizabeth spoke wanting him to go away. Sarah's face continued to be in the front of her mind.

"Okay. Do you know of Sarah Wells?" He asked right up front.

Elizabeth nodded first and then cleared her throat. "I know Randy McCloud more then I know Sarah. We used to hang out when we were kids from time to time. I met her at the post office after I got here Monday morning. Then I went over to have lunch, but she had to go get her brother so Randy and I ate lunch." The office listened patiently. "Then I came home. . ."

"I picked her up about six yesterday and she's been with me since." Virgil finished. "What happened? Is Sarah and Randy okay?" Virgil asked.

The officer looked grim and shook his head. Elizabeth's lips trembled. "I'm afraid to say that it appears there was a fire and Miss Wells was caught inside. We have yet to get ahold of Randy. What was the name of her brother?"

Elizabeth had gone pale. The officer looked as though had disgust for Randy. But Randy wasn't the one responsible. It was Chris, but Elizabeth couldn't speak. Tears swelled up in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Miss Parks." Greensburg spoke sadly pausing to let Elizabeth get ahold of herself. Virgil turned her away from the man hugging her with one arm protectively. Elizabeth let out a small sob clinging onto Virgil.

"Her brother's name was Chris Wells. Randy works with his family in Monroe. We will try and get ahold of him as well."

"If you get ahold of him before we do please give him my number and have him call me."

"We will officer. Has her family been informed?" Virgil asked.

"Yes sir," his phone rang. "That's all for now. I'm sorry about your loss." Greensburg said taking his leave.

"It's safe now. He's gone." Virgil whispered down to Elizabeth who waited a little longer before pulling herself free of his arms. She was becoming too fond of his embrace.

She couldn't move fast enough dashing up the stairs and into the cabin. The moment she slid past the threshold Elizabeth felt safer.

Elizabeth didn't stop moving until she held onto the small counter leaned over it with a wave of nausea. She would be okay. She had to be okay.

"What's wrong with your car?" Helena asked trying to draw her attention back to the fact that Virgil and her couldn't' slid in, but Virgil was willing to wait.

"I don't know. It was sabotaged so I couldn't make a run for it, I guess," Elizabeth answered in a low voice knowing full well they could hear her.

"I'll call someone to take a look at it," Helena offered.

"I don't know if that will matter after today. I mean, if all goes well and my memory is whipped I'd love that but there is still a chance that I could be killed, right?" Elizabeth stated with a semi hysteric voice rubbing at her eyes.

Helena gave a frustrating breath and placed her hands on her hips. "If I were in there I would shake you right about now, but I'm not so I'll put it to you like this. Right now you are in doom-and-glum mood. I understand that. It's not easy for any of us. You're not the only one going through pains. We are all struggling over something or another. So, will you let the thought of death set off to the side right now and remember that it is a very low possibility. You have very high odds of returning back to your normal life when this is all over with. All you have to do is put up with us for a couple of days and then we are gone." Helena nodded looking to Virgil. She wasn't just saying it as a fact to Elizabeth but to Virgil, as well. He needed to hear it. He needed to be reminded of the cold hard truth.

"That's enough Helena," Virgil narrowed his eyes to the woman. "Can we come in Elizabeth?" Virgil asked kindly with a hint of exhaustion towards his dramatic sister.

"You can come in," Elizabeth pushed off the counter. "Is that all I have to say?"

Virgil stepped in first, quickly answering her question, and then Helena, who instantly set up shop on the couch tossing her head back and relaxing.

"You're right," Elizabeth spoke. "You're right, Helena. I've been completely off. I'm normally not like this. I don't mean to be this emotional," she apologized rubbing her temples.

Helena waved through the air at Elizabeth. "It's okay, I understand. You're stressed. What Virgil has to say and offer is huge and everything going on isn't helping your life.

"You could say that again." Elizabeth sighed actually managing to fall down into the couch beside Helena.

Helena reached over and, with a soft hand, lightly patted Elizabeth's hand. "I'm sorry to hear about your father.

"Thank you," Elizabeth said trying to keep the pain from her voice.

"But you know it's not all bad." Helena spoke as Virgil disappeared down the halls checking on all the windows to ensure they were locked.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth didn't understand what she was talking about.

Helena's eyes looked like that of a mother and she spoke with honey sweet words. "What Virgil has to offer isn't all that bad. And I want to let you know that he wants you to reconsider. He doesn't want to see you get your memory whipped. He doesn't want to lose you."

"How can you say that? We just meant. It shouldn't be that hard to say bye." Elizabeth whispered a little lie. She could already feel the void within her chest. The one that was there the moment her father died and the same one Virgil had managed to begin to fill. She would miss him. She was sure of it. Why?

"The way he looks at you. The way he talks. My brother has never been good with relationships, but I think I know why. It's almost like he's been waiting his whole life for a certain person and I think he found it."

"What?" Elizabeth spoke even lower. "No way. Not me."

"He surely thinks he has."

"Wait! Haven't you been up in arms about me since we met? And you are the one who keeps pointing out about me leaving, which isn't helping anything!"

"Well, yes. But that is because I don't want to see my family hurt or hurt innocents. My family comes first." Helena stressed. "Just like how you think about your family first."

Bethany, the store, her aunts and cousins. Elizabeth had a lot of people to think about. She had a lot of people counting on her. She needed them. She needed family. She needed the structure in her life. It was real. Solid. They helped her to breathe every day. She couldn't image her life without them.

"We are very similar, you and I," Helena lowered her eyes and leaned back. "I feel your willingness to do almost anything for the ones you love. Even if it means we are not truly living." Elizabeth's eyes snapped to Helena's saddened face as Helena played with a necklace around her neck. A small ring slowly revealed itself.

"I don't understand. . ." Elizabeth whispered as Helena slid the ring back under her shirt. Virgil stepped back into the room to examine the windows. There was a shattered panel, but it would be an easy fix. Nothing to worry about.

"Would you deny yourself a chance to be truly happy?" Helena asked and this time Virgil was now staring at her with a confused expression. Elizabeth was up on her feet and making her way to the bathroom for some much needed breathing room.

"What did you say to her?" Virgil hissed.

"Just a few words of encouragement," Helena shrugged.

Virgil moved around his sister weighing the amount of love he had towards her and what little more it would take him to decide to strangle her. It wouldn't take much more at all.

Elizabeth knew she couldn't hide out in the bathroom all day, but she sure as heck wanted to. She took her time wetting her face and resting her face in a towel while she debated what Helena had said. Did Virgil really feel so strongly towards her? She thought for sure what she had been feeling was only one sided and because of her pulse ability.

The next and biggest question Elizabeth found herself pondering was a heart stopper, literally. Was there a chance she could because a vampire? Could she do it?

She weaved invisible blocks within her mind to keep out Virgil and Helena as she quietly tried to reason with herself.

What would you do dad? God how I miss you.

Elizabeth scrubbed at her face repeatedly shaking her head. She wouldn't. She was going to have her mind scrubbed and that was that. She would return to her old life. William wouldn't exist to her. Seeing Helena in her Porsche wouldn't have existed. Nor, would Virgil. His smell, his touch, or his charming voice. None of it would have ever happened in her mind. Right?

Elizabeth took a deep breath. Could it be that easy to forget everything? Should she forget it? How could she not? She would miss him. Virgil wasn't like any of the men Elizabeth had encountered and she wished she could keep him, but to keep him meant a much different life than the one she had envisioned for herself.

_Life changed the moment that phone rang._ She admitted sadly. _Stop pitying yourself!_

She puffed out her cheeks irritatingly. "How did things get so complicated?" Elizabeth asked herself clearing her throat and stepping back out into the hall where Virgil was continuing his death stare at Helena. Had he been glaring at Helena the whole time? Elizabeth wondered and she knew the answer, yes.

"I think we'd get along fabulously, but that is not my decision," Helena said to Virgil. "You better talk her into staying with us, or else I'll make your life hell for years to come," she threatened him, and Elizabeth laughed unexpectedly. She instantly covered her mouth as Virgil's eyes found her bringing a blush across her face. Helena's threat sounded real but teasing at the same time. It was an odd mix of sibling and motherly love.

Helena rose to her feet. "Is there a phone I can borrow?"

"My cell!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I left it in the car."

"I'll check and grab it for you." Helena said heading outside. Reaching into the car she produced the small phone. "Can I make a quick call?"

"Yeah."

Helena stepped even farther away and out of ear shot. She gave Virgil and Elizabeth a moment of privacy. In all honesty Helena needed only to be a yard away from Elizabeth to hold a conversation that she still wouldn't be able to hear - another perk to add to the vampire list.

Virgil stayed frozen as Elizabeth slid into the small living room. He mulled over a few different things to say but nothing sounded right. How could his mind be so numb around her and his body so tight?

Elizabeth slowly slid back down onto the couch tucking her legs underneath her looking into the silver pools in his eyes.

He was a near six feet from her and still she could smell him. The memory of how he felt imprinted in her was going to be something hard to forget, but she would.

Suddenly Elizabeth's stomach betrayed and embarrassed her breaking the mode. It's timing impeccable. She didn't feel as hungry as her body was telling her, but eating would definitely do her some good and bring the color back into her face, which Virgil would be relieved to see. Elizabeth's body didn't hold the same glow she had when he first saw her and it worried him. Everything about her worried him.

He sighed at how great he worried over her and her future. This was going to be a long couple of days, he thought.

Elizabeth moved to get up but Virgil held up his hand to stop her. "I'll get you something." He headed to the fridge and quickly pieced together a bologna sandwich with mustard and a double cheese. It was her favorite. One of the many things he had first discovered when he touched her mind.

"And hear I thought you wouldn't have a clue how to make anything." Elizabeth smiled taking the sandwich careful not to touch him. With every touch his pulse was amplified. She wanted to avoid that as much as possible.

"No," he smiled sliding on the far side of the couch where Helena has once sat. "I know what all the foods are I just doing eat a lot of it. I still enjoy it from time to time."

Elizabeth nodded. His diet wasn't exactly on the level of things she was used too. Thinking about his diet she looked down at the sandwich unappetizingly.

"Did I make it wrong?" He asked.

"No, I'm just not really hungry."

"You should eat." He stressed.

"What's it like?" Elizabeth whispered out the question.

"What's what like?"

She gestured at him awkwardly. "Becoming. . . this. I mean. . . you were a human once, right?"

Virgil nodded running a hand threw his hair. "Out of all your questions that's the first you want to know?" Elizabeth nodded. "Okay, how about you eat and I tell you a story?" Virgil offered. Elizabeth couldn't say no to that. She was physically starving, no matter what she was thinking who could resist a mustard bologna sandwich?

"What kind of story exactly?" she asked.

"I will share with you my story of coming into my second life." Virgil spoke hearing the end of Helena's conversation, but she did not enter. She gave them their privacy. He silently thanked his sister's kindness.

"Unlike Helena, my process into the world of vampires wasn't easy. Normally there is a two-step process to becoming a vampire, but I wasn't given the luxury of such."

"Two-step process?" Elizabeth asked taking her first bite.

"The phrases are called conversion and rebirth." Virgil said choosing not to go into detail about it. "A conversion is when a human is partially turned and slowly brought into our world for a while until the day of their rebirth and then they fully cross over."

"Wow, that sounds. . . Wow." Elizabeth repeated. It started to sound crazy all over again to her. She took another slow bite of her sandwich. Was she really having this conversation on her couch with a real live vampire? Yes, she was! All of this was happening because she picked the wrong time to go on vacation.

"This was just going to be a week-long trip. I've only been here a couple of days and _wham!_ I am pulled into a vampire family feud. Couldn't you have picked a different week?" she asked with a strained expression.

"Sorry. No retakes," he responded with a smirk. Elizabeth managed to give him a smile back in response to his poor attempt at humor.

Elizabeth lowered her voice. "This feels weird."

"I know." Virgil spoke and she shook her head.

"No, I mean. You must know everything about me by now and I know nothing of you."

Virgil straightened up. He knew pieces of her life, but he didn't really know her. He realized that he hadn't asked her anything about herself. He almost hit himself for his rudeness.

"Elizabeth, I've been very rude. Is there anything you would like to tell me? I would love to hear about you. How did you come to acquire your pulse ability?" he asked as she took her last bite thinking about it herself. She didn't know. She didn't have an answer for him. She wished she did, but she didn't. swallowing the last bite she licked her finger and turned back to him.

"You're not getting off the hook that easily," Elizabeth pushed the conversation back towards Virgil. "You were going somewhere before you began to tell me vampire 101."

"Yes I was." He sighed, leaning back in his seat.

"So what were you going to tell me?"

"I was going to tell you a story about when I was young and human. What I had to go through, and the choice that was made for me that I am grateful for today."

"You mean becoming a vampire?" she clarified.

"That's the one. Now where do I begin?"

"In the beginning," Elizabeth started with a laugh.

"That's a good spot to start. Where I was born." Virgil paused for a moment thinking back to his old life. It had been years since he had thought of where he was from and here he was about to share it would someone. He was both excited and nervous. How would she take it and why was he so damn anxious to share it? "I was born in Chicago, Illinois, back in 1921 to the proud parents of Margret and Arthur Hart. Military ran in the blood since my grandfather, Alistair Hart, from WWI. He died during the Great Depression. My father enlisted at the start of WWII and I too, wanted to join, but mother told me to stay in school and keep up with my studies. She needed a man around the house when father left."

Virgil looked off in the distance, remembering his mother's panicked face one day, when he spoke out loud about wanting to join. She wouldn't hear of it.

"Then one day we got the news that father wasn't coming home. My mother about lost her mind. She tried to be strong, did a heck of a better job than I did. That was my turning point, I guess. After a few weeks of barely making it through school, I decided that I was going off to War whether she wanted me too or not."

"Wait," Elizabeth whispered. Her eyes bulged. "I just turned twenty five back in February," Elizabeth said in shock. "That puts you at. . ."

"I'll be 93 in September. And to think, I'm just a young one," he joked.

Elizabeth paused a moment, taking in the thought that if a hundred was young what possibly could be old to a vampire. "So you wanted to join the war?" She asked trying to not think about how great he looked for his age.

"Yes, who didn't want to fight for their country?" He leaned with his elbows on his knees. "But how I ended up there was horrible. I was always so angry. I began starting fights in school. Skipping classes and such. Then finally I'd had enough. So I packed up and was going to leave and run off to join the military. My mother and I shouted back and forth for a while until she finally told me, ' _If you walk out that door I will not take you back. You leave and it's for good.'_ "

"And so I left. It didn't take much thought coming from a brash young man having no concept of the real world and just how tough it could be. It wasn't that I hated her. I just needed to find my own way to overcome the pain of losing my father"

He rested his head on one hand and watched Elizabeth's every breath carefully from the corner of his eye. Her body seemed to relax a little. Shoulders not so tense; face not so cold. She seemed more at ease. "I guess we have that in common." Elizabeth heart thumped warmly and understandably for Virgil.

"So what happened?" She asked curiously.

It was not a story he wanted to think about, but he wanted her to hear it. Becoming a vampire wasn't pretty and nor was the thought of her forgetting him. He wanted to share what little time they might have left sharing with her something personal. He wanted her to see a piece of him no one got to see, only Garrison. So he pushed on with his memory.

"It starts off like every good horror story, with a stupid kid thinking he could change the world and fight every monster without getting hurt. I was green. Fresh. Brand new. The platoon I was in was cut off from main command. Most of us scared children topping no more than twenty two or so. We must have spent two days in straight battle. During the day you fought with eyes and during the night you listened for the sound of someone cocking back a trigger. Fear sat atop all our shoulders."

"Come the second day we were led up this embankment only to find ourselves surrounded. I could hear fire from behind us as a bullet grazed my shoulder."

Elizabeth released a small gasp and held her breath inching ever closer.

"I was scared, but you can't let fear control you in that situation. Fear froze a few kids in our platoon. One got up and began to run in any direction. He thought it would get him away from the firefight taking place, but enemy fire took him out before he could get more than twenty feet."

"We fought hard, as the enemy closed in around us. I can recall the sound of bullets hitting flesh. You grow to know what that sounds like fast when in combat, and when you are there listening to the sounds of bullets flying and people crying you can't sit there and wonder if you've been shot. You just have to aim and fire at the next man attacking. And pray your aim was not off."

"But as the battle went on and bullets continued to rain down on us I noticed the sound was different. It was more distinct this time. And then the pain came. My body was on fire. You are never truly prepared to get shot until it happens."

"Where did it hit?"

"It doesn't matter. I was a dead man. For a split second I laid on the ground looking at my falling comrades. In that instant, I saw my brothers dying around me. These men who had started out strangers had grown on me. You learned on day one to protect each other's backs and so to watch them fall with such fear and pain in their eyes was hard. That gave me just enough strength to angle my gun up and keep firing. Forcing myself to reload and send another wave of bullets upon our enemies. I was in pain, coughing blood, and almost blind when I noticed the sudden silence around me."

"I became aware of someone over me, and for that moment all I could think about was my dad. He was how I imaged him to be. All dressed up as though he was coming to fight with me. He was coming to shoot at my side. And I have to say, he smiled and seemed so proud of me." It had been a fantasy and a passing thought that had gotten his through many days. "I knew I must have been dreaming. I was about to die and they had sent my father to retrieve me. I could no longer feel my body. My father leaned down and began to lift me up into his arms. It was only when I awoke later that I realized it wasn't my father that saved me."

"It was a vampire," Elizabeth finished.

"Yes, Garrison. His neighboring platoon was tracking us since we had been cut off and thus he was able to find me. The last of my platoon. He made a very quick decision. He could have killed me, but he let me alive and gave me a new life as one of his children."

"And what happened to your mom?"

Virgil's only regret about his past was not finding her. In the weeks that followed his change, the platoon had deemed him dead and Garrison hid him at a safe house. The military had sent a letter home with the tragic news, way before Virgil was able to make it back home months later with Garrison.

"She was gone when I got back," he admitted sadly

Elizabeth's heart ached. "A mother losing both a husband and a child to war, she must have felt horrible."

"So much so, that she moved leaving no forwarding address."

"So you never found her?"

"No."

"Did you try?"

"It wasn't that simple," Virgil's voice deepened. "I did not just give up. You have only so many years after the change to find someone and then that is it. You stop looking and stop spending time with your family and friends. Things change. They have to. If you stay somewhere too long you may get found out. And that can't happen. After a few years I had searched the city like a bloodhound for some trace of her, but I never found her. Nothing. No clues, no one knew anything. I wondered if she had died."

"So you ran out of time?" Elizabeth asked. She would have given anything to know her mother or to have her father back. "Did you ever go back?"

"No," Virgil said, his voice harsh as the air thickened around them.

Elizabeth was quiet. Here she was throwing a fit and doubting that Virgil understand her, but he had endured so much more than she could comprehend. Elizabeth felt her eyes glaze over as she tried to concentrate on something else, but she couldn't stop thinking at how wonderful it must have felt to think he had seen his father. She wanted that. She wanted to see her dad again.

"When do vampires die?" she asked breaking the silence between them.

"We don't," Helena finally stepped in. "We can die, but there isn't an expiration date on us."

"So if I became a vampire, would I. . ." she paused looking for the right words. "I won't get the same chance will I?"

"What chance?" Virgil asked, confused.

"I won't get the same chance to see my father like you did." She locked her fingers together.

Virgil nodded with an understanding of what she was talking about. "I don't know. I don't know what lies on the other side of the Vail and how it works."

Elizabeth was quiet again.

Virgil entered her thoughts, finding several graves side by side. Her mind concentrated on each one. A grave for each of her parents, her grandparents, and a grave for herself. Virgil blinked, focusing on the woman before him. He was not looking at a woman who had lost only one member of her family, but all of them. She had every right to feel defeated. Though she had family and friends the ones she held onto the tightest were gone.

"Is that you?" she asked. Elizabeth could feel the pressure within her mind and the moment she asked, it subsided.

"I forgot. I'm sorry," he said.

"I wasn't sure it was you at first, but it's not the first time I got a headache after you knew what I was thinking." She rubbed her temples.

"Pulses, feeling when a vampire is trying to enter your mind, how are you able to do that? I have never run across someone like you before." Virgil said with such wonder and amazement in his eyes towards her.

"Me neither." Helena added.

"I guess I take that as a compliment?" Elizabeth questioned. Virgil's smile widened.

"Yes, by all means take it as a compliment." They were both freaks in their own little ways. Virgil was a monster to Elizabeth and she was no mere human to him. He enjoyed her more than she knew and more than he should.

"Can I ask you something?" She hesitated.

"No harm in questions." Virgil nodded his smile lessened.

"A normal vampire change takes two processes. But yours wasn't. Why?"

"I was badly bleeding and lying at deaths door. That was the only reason it had to be done, but not what happens in most cases."

"Most cases you start a conversion," Helena stated setting down Elizabeth's phone on the small table in front of them. "This would make the human sick for days on end but nothing you can't handle and then a year later you're a vampire. It's so much better and safer than a sudden rebirth. Those can end up with mutations and negative other effects."

"Like?" Elizabeth wondered.

"Like one of the vampires we found hunting on people here. He had an extra set of fangs. He also probably craved blood more than a normal vampire which could become a problem, but was still something we could have worked with until he started to kill people." Helena said it so nonchalantly. Elizabeth cringed and reached for her neck protectively. "But in the end Virgil turned out okay." Helena laughed. "For the most part, he's still my annoying little brother."

As Virgil and Helena enjoyed their little teasing Elizabeth breathed in the thought 'little brother'. Just how old was Helena?

"Have you ever killed a human?" Elizabeth asked causing a silence of all banter and laughs between Virgil and his sister.

Virgil froze and his smiled faded. He changed his mind. There were some things he would rather her not ask. Images entered his thoughts. That pause allowed Elizabeth to make her own conclusion.

"That's all you, Virgil," Helena said, finding a seat in the kitchen.

"Why did you, and if I were to ever consider the thought of being a vampire, Would I?" Elizabeth asked. Both really good questions. Neither with an easy answer. Virgil interlocked his fingers. He thought about the answer carefully before opening his mouth to speak. What he wouldn't give for Helena to speak up and give a few words of wisdom.

"Yes I have and I hope you will never be forced to kill a human for any reason if you decided to become one of us."

Elizabeth held onto his words. He waited for the next question, but she never spoke it. She wondered about their control over their thirst. The thought of a person drinking blood was also very disconcerting. She shook her head. What was she thinking? She didn't need to think like that because she wasn't going to be a vampire. She wasn't going to be a monster.

"We are not monsters," Virgil defended firmly.

"I second that!" Helena hollered.

Virgil and Helena were definitely not monsters. They were family to one another. They were people of flesh and blood as she was. Blood, just the thought made her shiver.

"I'm sorry, but can you understand my worries and need to stay who I am?" she asked, finding that she was beginning to enjoy Virgil's smile; his company wasn't so bad either. "I can't do it. I want my memories erased." _But not of you._

Virgil understood. He would have thought her mad if she didn't resist what he was offering. He tried not to look upset at her answer and determination though she was clearly scared about the risk. He had to give her points for her bravery for just sitting down and talking with them.

"Can I ask what has happened in your life?" It was Virgil's turn to be curious. She nodded. "I can see pieces of people and memories. I can grasp onto a few raw emotions and even the latest of your thoughts until I reach this wall. And through the cracks in the wall I see a grave with your name on it. You are too young to be thinking such negative thoughts."

Elizabeth didn't want him to see that. She had gone through a dark time right after her dad had passed away. She could barely function. "Ever since my dad died a couple of weeks ago...I just feel so alone."

"But you have a memory of another woman in your mind. Bethany?" Virgil pointed out.

"I know, but it's not the same." She whispered.

"You're right. It's not, but it's still a person who cares for you and I see there are plenty others in your mind and at this store of yours," He touched her hand lightly. She nodded allowing a smile. "I'm sorry about your father again. I'd love to hear more."

"Thank you, but I wouldn't even know what to tell you."

"Tell me everything. I'll listen. Tell me about your store. Anything."

Helena stayed quiet, silently aware that he was getting through to Elizabeth. She was glad to see the progress he was making. Helena doubted she would have any effect on Elizabeth with her more direct approach. No, this was right up Virgil's alley and it was good for him too.

"Um, we have been running a small treat shop called E-Z Treats in Alexandria, Louisiana for almost two years now. Dad helped me to open it after I had graduated from college. We were so close. Two peas in a pod." She quickly wiped at a stray tear.

"Can I ask what happened?"

"I live in a small two-bedroom apartment. If I had not moved out I would have. . . I should have been there." Elizabeth lowered her face making a disappointed sigh towards herself. Just like Sarah.

"Some things you can't change. Remember that." Virgil reminded her. she stayed quiet. "It's okay. You don't have to say anymore," Virgil reached out and lightly touched her shoulder as he slid a little closer to her. As simple a touch as it was, she found comfort in it.

"He was so silly," she tried to laugh, but choked on her words. "He was always first at the store with a large thermos of coffee. Black. He took his coffee black. He wasn't ever late. He even showed up one time sick, but I drove him home scolding him about his health." She managed a dwindling smile. "He just didn't want to let me down."

"He sounds like a good father."

"It's my fault." She whispered the pain in her voice was tearing at Virgil's insides. It was agony and he wanted to sooth her any way he could.

"What do you mean?" Virgil asked. Elizabeth's eyes fought to look at him.

"I didn't think anything of it. He didn't come to work one morning. I called and left a message. He never did that. I should have known," she pulled her hands up to her face. "He had a heart attack."

"That's not your fault."

"I just keep thinking that I should have paid more attention to him. If I had gone to check on him when he didn't show up, then maybe I could have—"

Virgil hushed her, "I don't think that would have made a difference."

"You don't know him, Virgil! I should have known. And for that I have spent several days and nights thinking of ways to see him again." She gasped. How could she share that so easily with him? With Virgil? She hadn't told anyone. Not even Bethany. The woman would have sent her to see someone and Elizabeth wouldn't have it. She had to try and keep smiling and forcing the days to continue, but she just wanted it all to stop.

"That's not how you need to solve this." Virgil placed his other hand on her shoulder and forced her to look towards him. "I know you loved him, but have you considered that living on in his memory would be better than not living at all?"

"It's hard." She chocked trying to look away but she couldn't.

"I know," He pulled her glasses off and wiped at her tears. "It's funny. You being here."

"Why?"

"It's like someone is trying to help you move on."

"I don't understand." Elizabeth said looking up at him with her big, beautifully glistening hazel eyes.

He wanted to tell her that perhaps fate was sending her into his arms but he could see it in her eyes. What they wanted wasn't the same. So he adjusted his words to the most painful thing he could say, "Then fate has given you this chance to allow us to ease your pain. When someone erases your memories of us they can also ease that of the pain you fill. You will not forget your father, but they will help you to overcome that pit of despair. Your life will be happier."

Was that what Elizabeth wanted to hear? She wanted to be happier. She wanted to feel like her old self. She finally forced her eyes away and nodded silently. His smile was painful. She could see and feel he wasn't happy and for some reason she didn't feel happy either.

Suddenly Helena was up and heading for the door. Virgil was quick to meet her unable to stay staring at Elizabeth without wanted to reveal his own pained emotions.

"What's going on Helena?" he asked.

"You're fine. Garrison called to ask me to meet him back at the house. Do you mind if I take the truck?" she asked.

Elizabeth was a little puzzled not having heard a phone go off. Thinking of phone she gasped and snatched up her cell.

"I already called Mr. McCloud and informed him of the situation. He didn't sound happy to talk to me and will probably want to see you as proof that you are okay, but he is on his way." Helena spoke.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Elizabeth cleared her throat.

"You two were busy talking. Oh! And I have someone coming to fix your car tomorrow." She added as Virgil caught her at the door.

"You sure you're going to be okay, Helena?" Virgil asked, and she waved him away after taking his keys hostage.

"Elizabeth. Is there any vampires in the area?" Helena asked.

Elizabeth blinked. She hadn't been asked before, nor had she been used by anyone else as a radar. "Not that I feel," Elizabeth said canning the area carefully trying to reach out, but with her emotions jumbled the static of pulses was heavy to read through. No vampires though, she was sure of it.

"See. Nothing to worry about. Besides, we still have a couple of hours before the sun goes down. Would William really try something during the day?" Helena asked opening the door.

"Do you remember the fire?" Elizabeth asked humorlessly, catching Virgil's nod. She had a good point.

"That was barely in the light of day and besides, Garrison will contact you when I get there so you know I've made it safe and sound."

"Haven't you ever heard of a cell phone?" Elizabeth remarked.

"I do have one, but I always get good signal if I just use my head," Helena joked with her.

"Why does Garrison need you back home? We haven't even been here long?" Virgil asked.

"I don't know. He'll tell me when I get there," Helena replied.

"Okay. Be safe. He better contact me when you get there," Virgil warned.

"I know dear brother. I know." She waved, shutting the door and taking off.

Elizabeth had moved to her feet, though she was swaying unsteadily. "She seems like a lot of fun."

"She is. She can be a hand full at times but she means well," he said, thinking back on all the silly things she had made him go through growing up together.

"You two seem so close."

"We are. Garrison is always leaving to go places, and so until William left it was the three of us. Now it's pretty much just Helena and I, when she isn't hanging out with other vampire friends or her boyfriend."

"What do you do?" she asked.

"I watch people."

Elizabeth managed a light laugh trying to remove the last signs of her sadness away, but he was being serious. Elizabeth slowed her laughing and quickly apologized.

"No. It's more fun than it sounds. For me anyway."

"I bet," she smiled, but she wasn't making fun of him. It seemed to fit who he was and she thought it was kind cute.

"How about you tell me about your apartment," Virgil tried to get her focused back on talking about herself.

"Well, I just hung up a few pictures that my grandmother had done and funny enough they all have purple in them."

"What's funny about the color purple? I think it's an okay color," Virgil admitted.

"I don't really have anything against the color. I really like it, to tell you the truth, but it seems to be the color of choice for both funerals I've been too. So I'm not really fond of it either."

"Your mother's?" Virgil asked in a whisper.

"No. My grandma. When my granny passed away, she was buried in a purple dress. She was beautiful, don't get me wrong, and I loved her, but something about that purple stayed with me. Then, a couple of weeks ago when my father passed away he was buried in a purple silk shirt and a nice black jacket. There that color was, again. Purple."

"And your mother?"

"She died giving birth to me. But I have this picture in my apartment when my parents were younger. I'm not sure when it was taken, but they look pretty good together. You can really tell that I got most of my looks from her." Elizabeth smiled proudly. Virgil carefully moved closer. He wanted to see the pictures in her apartment and share with her the memories of her life.

"I just bought a nice bed for my apartment and a new desk for the living room with several pictures on it. My dad and I picked them out. He was going to come over when I finished getting the place fixed up."

Virgil reached out and took her hand.

"I wish you would stop doing that." Elizabeth tugged weakly at her hand.

"Doing what?"

"That," she looked down at her hand.

He smiled. "I'm not going to stop trying to make you feel better until you forget about me." He squeezed her hand with such feelings. It felt intimate. He felt an urge to protect her and hold her, but he feared she would push him away. Just the simple touch of her skin seemed to spark feelings he wasn't sure he had any more. He had watched Helena act crazy over Laurence, and for once, Virgil could understand why. He had found his other half, but she didn't respond the same. How would he survive without her?

"You're going to make that very hard." Elizabeth admitted enjoying his fingers wrapped around hand. She adjusted her fingers until they laced together.

_Good._ Virgil thought to himself. "I bet he would have loved your apartment," he said.

Elizabeth knew he would have.

Virgil's hand felt nice against Elizabeth's warm skin. His words were all the nicer. Bethany had spoken with her many times about her dad, but hearing Virgil's words seemed to affect her more. Sharing stories with him felt right.

"It seems so silly now putting all that time and effort into those things. It is a nice bed." She sniffed, tugging on her hand, but Virgil wouldn't let go.

"From what I have seen in your mind, I agree with you." He smiled. It was warm and soft. Something about the smile Virgil radiated was hopeful. He leaned towards her and touched her cheek, running his thumb along her jawline.

Elizabeth's heartbeat matched the intensity of his pulse drumming through her with every move he made and every caress of his fingers.

How much more of him could she possibly take, she wondered.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, her lips shaking. Virgil pulled her closer closing the gap between them. His breath warmed her tear-stained cheeks and caressed her lips.

He wanted to kiss her. He needed to. Her lush red lips were inviting. They begged to be tasted. And taste them he did.

Chapter Thirteen

Virgil devoured her savoring every ounce of her he could get as their lips danced against one other. Her desire matching his as she circled her arms dangerously around his neck feeling his desire, his need to quench his thirst with every burning touch.

Elizabeth had never felt more alive and more confused. He tasted divine and felt electric. His hands burning deep into her back as they worked their way down against her hips.

_What are you doing?_ Elizabeth's mind demanded trying to get a hold of herself. She pulled her arms down and away from Virgil's neck closing her eyes and forcing her mouth back with a gasp in a mere second collapsing to her knees away from him.

"Oh God!" She covered her face. "I'm sorry!"

Virgil was left frozen where he stood torn between pinning her to the floor below him to finish what they had started or cross the room and try not to think about her.

"Damn," he cursed under his breath stepping back and instantly sliding across the room to give them both some much needed space. "Don't be sorry." Virgil cleared his throat. Why had she stopped?

Elizabeth continued to touch her lips. She needed to calm her own racing pulse and think clearly. She didn't even know how that had happened. One minute she was dreaming about his lips and the next he was against her. And she liked it! God, she hated her raging hormones.

"Are you okay?" Virgil breathed.

"I think so." _No!_ Elizabeth breathed wanting so badly to look at him and see his expression.

Garrison reached out and touched Virgil lightly letting him know that Helena was with him, but Virgil barely paid him a response as he stared at Elizabeth's back.

"What was I thinking?" Elizabeth muttered.

Exactly! You weren't thinking!

But he tasted so good.

Bad. Bad, Elizabeth. Now what will he think of me?

That you are a hell of a kisser and didn't deserve to waste such a talent on your ex-boyfriend!

Elizabeth lowered her head into her hands. _Can you hear me?_ She mentally asked feeling the slight ache in the side of her head as Virgil treaded lightly for answers as to why she separated from their kiss.

"Yes," he answered honestly. She could hear the smile. At least he was honest, she thought still unable to think past his lips against hers and how her body was quick to react. Was it the pulse that made the connection so strong? Whatever the reason she couldn't let it happen again.

"What were you thinking?" Elizabeth snapped trying to be angry at Virgil, but she was angrier at herself.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be too rough—"

"No! Oh, God no! That was fine. . ." Elizabeth shook her head. "No, I mean why did you kiss me?"

Elizabeth turned, still sitting on the floor. His body was tense, his muscles moving slightly as he breathed deeply looking back at her with hungry silver eyes. God how he wanted to slid across the room and continue what he had started.

"I've wanted to do that since the first moment I saw you." He answered.

"And do you always get what you want, Mr. Hart?" Elizabeth said with more a bit of irritation. He hadn't' even asked if she wanted to be kissed. Not that asking was required, or kiss for that matter, but they didn't know each other well enough. He could have bought her dinner first.

_The Bologna sandwich was nice._ She reminded herself as Virgil suddenly burst to life. Before another thought or breath could pass through her he was crouching in front of her offering her a firm hand and bringing her to her feet. His eyes were firm and his jaw elegant. His hold on her was both gentle and rough as he stabilized her and then stood there staring down into her eyes.

Was he mad?

"Call me Virgil." He spoke never wanting to hear her speak as though they didn't have a connection, as though he didn't know her.

Elizabeth was speechless. He was mad at her using his last name? it was almost cute the way he pouted, but she kind of liked it.

Mr. Hart. My Hart. My heart?

Elizabeth slid back and away from his eyes. What was she thinking? He wasn't her anything. "I think I need to lie down or maybe take a seat. It's been a long day." She tried to hide her face from him and when she felt his mind pressing she forced up her shields as best she could to keep him at bay. Virgil did not push harder.

"Don't go. I'm sorry," Virgil spoke wearily. "Keep my company and talk to me."

"About what?" Elizabeth asked seating herself at the small kitchen table.

"Why don't you tell me more about this store of yours and where it started, perhaps?"

Elizabeth smiled largely, that was a topic she could talk about for hours, and so she did. She shared with him the enjoyment and fear of opening the doors for the first time, how she used tweaked versions of some of her mom's recipes in the store, and about the chaotic world of businesses.

Virgil listened intently to every word that left her lips and enjoyed the love and life in her eyes as she told her stories, every now and then asking a few curious questions.

After a few hours had slipped by Elizabeth had finally come to a stopping point having talked about her store, how she came to get her apartment, her best friend, Bethany, and even about her childhood pet's two cats by the name of Hansel and Gretel. Virgil was patient and hardly interrupted, but Elizabeth felt it was her turn to ask him questions.

She wanted to know more about him, but such knowledge couldn't be gained in one mere evening.

In their small breather of a moment Virgil found his eyes drawn to Elizabeth's parted lips again. Like a month to a flame he wanted to touch her. He wanted to not just simply touch her hand but to explore this feeling warming his chest and making his body ache.

"Are you okay?" She asked waving in front of his face. He reached out and caught her hand lightly.

"I don't know," he smiled. "It's been a while since I've had this much enjoyment with a person, but I don't want you to think I'm trying to take advantage of you or anything. I just enjoy your company." He spoke.

"I guess I sort of know what you're talking about," she admitted lowly, surprising him. "I've felt alone for a while and having someone who understands...Thank you." She had been so emotionally distorted, but Virgil was as steady as a rock. She wanted to hold onto him. He could steady her and ease the pain she had been dealing with for the past few weeks. Already he was working some sort of magic because she definitely didn't think it would have been possible to have a sane conversation with a vampire and enjoy it.

"I'm glad I can help. It's the least I can do with everything we have put you through."

"This whole mess wasn't your fault, per say. I think I had it coming." She sighed. With her ability and curiosity, it was only a matter of time before she would have run into a vampire. She was lucky it was Virgil she ended up with.

She smiled at her thoughts, catching Virgil's smile as well and instantly she was raising a brow. "Can you still hear everything I think?" She asked. If he could she couldn't feel it.

"No. You just have a tendency to project your thoughts out towards me. I can't help but pick up on them. And the times you don't I can reach into your mind and pull them out, but I am trying to restrain myself from doing that," he assured her.

"This is going to be awkward for however long you're with me. Is there any way I can turn it off?" she asked, rubbing her temples.

"Maybe if you were unconscious, but other than that I don't know. It is very amusing," he laughed, covering his mouth when she shot him a quick glare before easing up and laughing with him.

"I feel bad for you," she said.

"Why?"

"There's a lot that goes on in my mind and for you to have to hear it all will drive you mad pretty fast."

"No, not in the least. I like the sound of your voice in my head." He winked and Elizabeth felt a pleasurable shiver unexpectedly through her body. Then she remembered their kiss.

Elizabeth quickly rose to her feet a little shaky.

"Elizabeth?" Virgil stood, as well. The sound of her name was too intimate. He was everywhere in her mind. She couldn't push him away. She needed air. She needed a little space to clear her head.

"Yes, I'll be right back," Elizabeth spoke rushing off to her bedroom where Virgil did not follow. "I'll be out in a few minutes! Stay there!" She called from the privacy of her chambers. So Virgil, unwillingly, slid back across the small kitchen and down in his chair waiting nervously for her return.

Never was waiting an issue, but when Elizabeth was placed in the equation it was like time slowed down and everything became blurred and uncertain. Five minutes felt like an hour as Virgil focused on all his years as a vampire to hold him together.

"What little good they do me now," he grunted, reminding himself not to read her thoughts.

"Oh man," Elizabeth muttered to herself having thrown her body face down on her bed. The sheets were cool and refreshing against her hot face. She wished she had grabbed her phone so she could call Beth and asked what to do, but already the woman's voice was in her ear telling her to _go for it_! Elizabeth pressed her face even harder into the bed hoping that it would swallow her up, but she didn't have that kind of luck.

Her own pulse was drumming heavy in her ears. She rolled over and looked to the ceiling. She was going to be okay. She rubbed against her eyes and then her lips savoring the memory of Virgil there. Sometimes the worst thing for you tastes the sweetest and he was definitely a no no. He was off limits.

She spent the next couple of minutes practicing breathing with her legs crossed on the floor.

A vampire pulse dwindled in the distance. Her heart started to beat faster and with it Virgil stirred. He was in tuned to her, a little too much.

"Elizabeth, what's wrong?" Virgil asked softly through the door. Elizabeth felt her chest tighten. _Was it William?_

The fear in her flood both of them. She rushed to the door and pulled it open as the vampire drew closer and fast.

"Elizabeth?" Virgil spoke her name but his voice died with the look in her eyes. She looked over her shoulder and towards the direction of the pulse. "Vampire?" She nodded to confirm as he slide her into the hall behind him and rushed to her window.

Elizabeth didn't have to point out the vampires direction within the darkness he could see and what he saw was numbing. He moved quickly into action rushing back out into the hall and out the front door before Elizabeth could question him.

The next second Helena was gasping in his arms on the porch. Blood soaked through his shirt and slid along her face along with sweat and tears. Her hand gripped like a vise against her side to hold the wound shut.

Elizabeth stepped closer to assist, but Virgil pushed her back.

"We have a problem!" Helena gasped in his arms.

"Elizabeth, trust me. Right now would be the best time for you to stay away," Virgil told her. She nodded moving further back into the cabin.

Virgil touched Helena's side, assessing the damage. Her golden hair was a mix of dirt and blood caked against her back. Her right side looked like it had been gnawed on. Deep claw marks lined her right leg and a cut ran along her neck and on her cheek.

"What the hell happened?" Virgil demanded cradling his sister. The feel of her blood running down his arm chilled his veins. Never had he seen her in this way. The last time a woman laid bleeding out in his arms was after Samantha's accident.

"I guess this means William doesn't care what time of day it is. He wants to make a public spectacle." Virgil growled, gripping onto Helena's chin and examining her neck now.

Not Helena. William would never hurt Helena. At least not the William he knew.

Elizabeth covered her mouth at the sight of the gruesome scene, but she couldn't take her eyes off of Helena in fear the poor woman would die on her porch. "It's not nightfall. The sun hasn't gone down all the way," Elizabeth whispered easing down onto the floor. She wanted to inch closer and see for herself that Helena wasn't dead. The woman had gone deadly quiet, but her pulse was still echoing throughout the cabin.

"Stay away!" Virgil snapped with pained and dangerous eyes. They were the eyes of a predatory. Elizabeth froze.

He couldn't bring her inside the house where Elizabeth was at. He had to get her away. Get Helena away from Elizabeth before she couldn't fight the hunger. It was amazing she fought her way to Elizabeth's cabin without killing anyone. But that was Helena, she was strong.

Elizabeth found herself clutching at her stomach. She was fighting the urge to throw up. There was so much blood. But she stayed quiet watching and praying no one drove by to witness the bloody mess.

"No one saw me," Helena spoke with a gravelly voice. Her eyes blackened and her fingers dug deep into Virgil's skin.

"Helena, what happened?" Virgil asked, struggling to focus as random thoughts and words pushed into his mind from Elizabeth. He couldn't remove them from his mind so he tried the best he could to turn down the volume, so he could concentrate on Helena.

"I was—shit." she cursed, her eyes again shifting black. She looked at Elizabeth for a moment and then at Virgil hungrily forcing her head down. "We were following a scent through a four-wheel trail."

"Garrison was with you? Why wasn't I contacted?" Virgil demanded.

Helena coughed, trying to clear her throat. "Protect Elizabeth he said. I—I was getting close and then nothing. He was gone. I lost him," she licked at her lips and cringed, trying to keep herself together as she started to shake

"Focus," Virgil ordered, tightening his grip around her. He could see the urge to feed beginning to take over. She shifted enduring the waves of growing pain from the vampire blood trying to desperately heal her.

"Before we gave up the search, something else caught my nose. It wasn't William. The next thing I know he was on me!" She cried, writhing in pain. Her fingers tightened and cracked around her wound as she tried to keep herself from reaching out towards Elizabeth. Virgil lifted her up into his arms and off the porch.

"What happened to Garrison?"

"I don't know," she whimpered. "The creature took me away before finally dropping me and leaving me." Again she twisted. Her lips pulled back revealing her incisors growing, but she clamped her jaw shut and dug her face into his chest.

Virgil tried to reach Garrison, but there was nothing. It was a dead line. Garrison wasn't responding, but he wasn't dead either.

"I need blood Virgil! _Please!_ " Helena begged, closing her eyes tightly shut and gasping again as a ripple of pain tore through her body. The hunger consumed her. Elizabeth looked like a Thanksgiving dinner and Virgil knew it.

"I have to get you out of here. You need a lot of blood." He was already making his way off of Elizabeth's porch without a second thought when he heard her.

"What about my blood?" Elizabeth offered, finishing in a whisper. She instantly wanted to take it back. She was mad to offer, but she couldn't stand seeing the way Virgil looked at Helena. She was dying, if that was possible. A vampire dying sounded like a good thing, but not them. Elizabeth liked them. They were a family and the love she saw in Virgil's eyes as he looked down at his mangles sister was overwhelming, but as he turned to look at her so did Helena with her blackened eyes. It was then that she remembered what was looking at her and what they could do to her.

Virgil shook his head to her relief.

"We have plenty of blood stashed at our house, but the only problem I see is if we face trouble."

"You can do. I'll be fine here." Elizabeth said trying to keep the shakiness from her voice. She didn't want to be alone with something that could do this to a vampire, but how could she not tell Virgil to go and help his sister?

"Are you going to be okay?" Virgil asked one last time knowing he didn't have time to spare and that he had to leave her. He didn't want to, but it had to. There was a clear difference.

"Yeah, just get her some help. I'll be fine," she replied with a weak smile.

"Don't let anyone in! I will be back for you!" Virgil promised, stepping backwards and off the porch.

"Bye Virgil," Elizabeth waved feeling a pressure build in her chest. She watched as they disappeared across the yard and into the woods. The light of day slowly begun to fade as she stood in the doorway feeling Virgil's pulse grow farther from her. The smell of Helena's blood wafting into the cabin until she finally shut the door and headed off to the bathroom in hopes to ease her nauseous stomach.

Be safe Virgil.

Chapter Fourteen

Virgil held the squirming Helena tightly in his arms, running faster than any animal to get her safely back to their house and to a good supply of blood. Only a couple of times did he pick up the worrisome scent of William, but it was quick to fade.

Helena convulsed in his arms.

"Hang on!" he growled holding her tighter as he came upon the area Helena had fled from, her blood splattered across the brush around them. He shivered at the scene circling to make sure nothing was following him, but it was quiet. The air area him was thick with her scent as his sweat ran down his face and into her hair. Again he was off. This time at a much slower pace.

He took long trails and animal paths in hopes of avoiding anything William might have planned along their regular route. It was precious time wasted, but a necessary precaution he had to take. He couldn't afford to be sloppy or take chances.

Virgil listened and felt for anything out of the ordinary as he faced their house. There wasn't a single sound as they approached.

No birds. No Wildlife. Nothing, except the smell of blood suffocating the air.

Helena coughed and tried to cover her nose. She wanted so badly to pull from Virgil's grip and bite at what was causing the smell, but she resisted.

Virgil slowed to a walk and then came to a halt in front of the open door.

It was everywhere. The smell burned his nostrils with intensity. Helena tried to fend it off, but she was in dire need of help. Her vampire cells ate away at her own vitals to get any source of food they could to repair her wounds. It was a painful process if not accompanied by a constant blood supply.

"Virgil!" She cried with blackened eyes.

"I know," he said reaching out to find any kind of thought from anything living within the house, but everything was still. He entered cautiously with Helena biting at her lips until they too bled.

All the lights were off. An eerie trail of blood made a long path across the floor taunting him to follow. He slowly stepped in, moving around the trail of blood, not sure what to expect, but fearing the worst.

If felt like an eternity to Helena before Virgil made it into the dining room, laying her down on the table carefully. His first priority was to get her blood, but he was hesitant. Their kitchen had gone from a mix of white appliances, marble counter tops, and wood flooring to a smear of red. Human blood was everywhere. The once beautiful carvings slashed and destroyed. William was no doubt behind it all.

Virgil licked his lips before reaching towards the blood-covered handle to the fridge. Anxiety filling him, he opened it with a gasp; bile building in the back of his throat. Virgil was face to face with a horror he hadn't seen since the war. His stomach tightened and he had to avert his eyes. No human deserved what was in front of him, and even as a vampire it wasn't something easy to bear.

Each shelf was lined with shredded-up human remains of at least two people. Blood still drained out of the bottom, carrying with it pieces of muscle tissues and what appeared to be a finger. Each drawer was filled to the top with a mix of fluids, organs, and bones. It was as though someone pushed two people into a life-size blender and turned it up. The rest of the two men laid out across the shelves in unrecognizable pieces other than the heads sitting on the top shelf facing out to greet whoever opened the door.

"Virgil?" Helena moaned between clenched teeth. She wanted to crawl off of the table and lick up the blood across the floor.

"I'm getting it right now," he cringed reaching into the fridge and grabbing the blood bags in the back, being careful not to touch either head.

"Here Helena," Virgil bite the corner of one bag ignoring the cold blood entering his own mouth from the dead men. He carefully leaned her head back with one hand and with the other poured the blood down her throat. She quickly finished the bag and he replaced with another, but this time she took it with both of her hands, gulping it down and reaching for a third. Her thirst was strong as she emptied one after the other blood covered bag. She even went as far as to lick the outside of the bags, but Virgil took them from her and tossed them to the floor handing her the last one.

Virgil tried to reach out for Garrison. To his disappointment, he had no such luck. Something was blocking him. Or maybe he didn't want to be disturbed or he was in trouble?

"I don't feel so good. . . " Helena mumbled as she paused in her drinking. She twisted in a new kind of pain. Her body was in overdrive from the large amount of blood suddenly in her system. Her vampire cells instantly made use of the new blood and started closing her wounds and repairing the internal damage. She ground her teeth together, continuing to drink on the last bag of blood until the pain forced her to stop again.

She dropped the half-full blood bag slamming against the table below her. Virgil caught the bag and sat it down on the floor, watching Helena's body raise and fall. She contorted until her bones were at their breaking point with her mouth opened to scream, but no sound left her.

She stayed fully arched back in silence for a few seconds as Virgil took a hold of her arm. "Helena?" Virgil called.

Nothing. No response. Then, all at once, her body fell back against the table, limp. "Helena!" He yelled, checking her eyes to see their natural grey and silver return. He quickly checked her side. It was healed. Just as he touched her skin, she gasped back to life startling him.

"Virgil?" She reached out and took a hold of his shoulder.

"I'm right here," he reassured her. The panic in her eyes slowly disappeared. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," she answered, releasing him. She looked down at herself and let out a sigh of relief.

"Finish this before we leave." Virgil handed her the half-emptied blood bag. His hands lingered against her and he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. Thank God she was okay. Virgil breathed heavily.

"Thank you. I'm sorry. I don't' know what happened. This thing just came out of nowhere and before I could react I was being. . . I think it was trying to eat me or something." She said fearfully reaching to her side. She blinked back the memory and clenched her left hand closed to hide it's tremble from Virgil. It was a nice attempt, but Virgil could see it. He could feel it.

Her entire body had one last hard shake before she looked around at the bloody kitchen in disgust and horror at the demolition of them home.

"It caught you off guard, that's all. In a real fight you would have done better." Virgil comforted.

"Thanks." She weakly spoke.

Virgil took a quick look around while Helena finished drinking. He searched slowly through the rooms. One after the other had been left in ruins. Things tossed about, dressers knocked over, claw marks everywhere, doors broken, and portraits shredded. Virgil knew Helena wouldn't be happy about that, she had painted most of them.

Thankfully the damage was done when they had left, but that meant William was watching them and had been for some time. If someone had attacked while they were all home they stood a fighting chance, but William had them spilt up.

His thoughts tuned to Elizabeth. They needed to get back to her, he needed to find out where Garrison was, and he needed to keep his family together. They stood a fighting chance if they were altogether.

He returned to the kitchen pausing to look towards the front door. The vampires rule of entry didn't apply to other vampires, though he wished it had. That was why Elizabeth wasn't as safe at their house as she was hers. Having checked most of the house he returned to the kitchen and faced the fridge.

"Virgil." Helena spoke up behind him.

He stared at the fridge. He wondered about the men. What kind of life they might have lived and about where their family could be? Nowhere on these men's plans was to be killed, let only being ripped apart and shoved into someone's fridge.

"Virgil." Helena touched his shoulder. She was still healing, but she knew there wasn't time for her to just lie around.

"This isn't just William we are dealing with," he said coldly.

"I know." Helena squeezed his shoulder. "You better come see this."

Virgil followed slowly behind her.

Helena led the way into the living room where they found a puddle of blood in the middle of the floor. She pointed towards the ceiling.

Virgil's eyes followed her finger, crawling its way slowly up the thick beams into the ceiling where a woman's body dangled above them.

"I think the message they are sending is clear. We're going to kill you." Helena said dropping her head and closing her eyes. She was quiet, collecting herself. "William is coming after us and Garrison is nowhere to be found. Great," she hissed. "Have you heard from him?"

Virgil did not answer. His rage swirling inside him.

"I didn't think so."

"Do you see the clothes she's wearing?" Virgil whispered, looking away, no longer able to stand the sight. Helena shook her head. He knew though. He recognized the ash-covered clothes. He could still make out Elizabeth's face in his arms as he had carried her away.

"She's wearing Elizabeth's clothes!" Helena gasped with the realization.

Virgil looked back at the poor woman with grayed eyes wide open and pale flesh. He couldn't image how much fear she must have felt when her life was taken and it was his fault. Virgil lowered his head and clenched his fists.

"Let's get out of here. We have wasted enough time standing around—"

"We have to clean this up." Helena spoke.

"Does it really look like they are going anywhere at the moment?" He pointed out.

"Virgil!?"

"They are dead, Helena! And if we don't leave right now they may not be the only ones!" Virgil snapped, grabbing Helena's shoulders, forcing her to look away from the woman above them.

With sad eyes she pulled away from Virgil. "You get her down first," she ordered. "We owe her that."

She was right. They did owe the woman that much.

He climbed up onto of the large crossbeams of the high ceiling the rope was tied to, and slowly lowered the woman down. Placing her carefully on the floor Helena closed her eyes.

"Forgive us. We never meant for this to happen." His guilt tore at him. He could feel it. The night Samantha died in his arms was what had sealed so many people's fate. "This is all because of that day. If I could go back and change the outcome of that day, then everything would be different."

"No, nothing would be different," Helena interrupted.

"Everything would have been," Virgil repeated.

"Samantha would have turned rogue and slaughtered many before William could have gotten control of her. _If_ he could have gotten control of her. In the end she would have had to be killed and William punished for what he had done. See. Same result."

"Elizabeth wouldn't be involved; these people wouldn't have died." He touched the dead woman's face again and then rose to his feet. "I couldn't kill him then. I couldn't even kill him when I saw him last night."

"If you don't face the fact that he is a monster and pull yourself out of this guilt-seeking journey that you are having, then you will not be able to kill him now." She opened the front door. Her face was pained with the truth that William would die by their hands. His brother was long gone. "We have to kill him."

"I know," Virgil said. He clenched his hands, feeling the strength he had. _I can._ The thought followed immediately by Elizabeth's face. He couldn't let her down. She was counting on him to keep her safe. The thought of those eyes again filling with so much fear pained him. Helena softly took his hand in hers.

"I am older than you Virgil. I will be the one to led, you follow behind. Don't be rash," she spoke.

"No, Helena. William holds me responsible. He is mine if Garrison can't. I can do it now," he said for certain. She could see his determination. She smiled, letting out a deep breath.

"When did you get so strong?" Helena asked tussling his hair.

He pushed away her hand, giving her a weak smile in return. "I've been grown for a while now, Helena."

"I know," she remarked, leading the way out of the house. "Just be safe brother, and fight hard."

"The same to you, sister. We will win," he spoke, trying to convince both of them.

Chapter Fifteen

He kissed me!

What was I supposed to do?

He's a vampire!

He's a good looking, charming, very protective vampire who seems to want me more than my blood. Oh joy!

Elizabeth laughed at herself. Here she was thinking about what had happened when she should be worried about Helena. _What's a girl to do?_ She sighed lightly, touching the doorframe.

She looked over her shoulder at her cell phone. It was too quiet. She walked over and flipped the small phone open. It had been shut off. She waited the long minute as it started back up.

Instantly her phone went off. Message after message, but before she could hear or read anything it started to ring in her hands.

"Hello!" She gasped seeing the name across the caller ID.

"Elizabeth!" cried Randy into the phone. Her heart sank and her eyes instantly watered. She didn't know what to say. "Are you okay?"

"Randy...I'm so sorry." was all she could muster at first having to clear her throat a couple of times.

"I've been trying to call you!"

"I thought Helena called you?" She said.

"I got a number of messages but I've been trying to reach you! What happened?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry. I didn't' know my phone was off. I guess she turned it off."

"Who? Never mind! Tell me . . . tell me everything." He lowered his voice.

"Sarah is. . . Have you heard?" She choked.

There was silence. Yes, it was obvious he had.

"Yes," his voice cracked and then filled with anger. "How?"

"You're supposed to call the officer back. I don't know his number. It should be in your messages—"

"I don't want to listen to someone else tell me. I want you to tell me. I want to hear what happened from you. Please." He begged.

"She's gone," Elizabeth whispered. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. It was heartbreakingly quiet. She wiped at her eyes taking a seat.

"I don't understand. What happened?" he lowered his voice.

"Chris. . . He um. . . There was a fire," her throat tightened.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"There was a fire and she was. . . "

"No," he chanted into the phone. "Sarah's there. She has to be. Put her on the phone. This is a joke! She's teasing me and I don't think this is funny at all!" She could feel the heat of his breath through the phone, the familiar sound of denial, and the ache in every word.

"I'm not joking. She's. . . she's gone. There was a fire. The cabin is gone. She was inside." Elizabeth's voice tightened in her throat as she held off a sob.

"She's gone?" Randy's trembling voice broke. He was crying. A male's voice was in the background. "How? When?" he begged, but he must have collapsed because the phone made a crash sound followed quickly by an agonizing cry and a woman's frantic voice.

"Randy?" Elizabeth spoke sliding down the wall and against the floor. She tucked her face against her knees and wiped at her eyes. "Randy?" she repeated sadly, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

The phone picked up on his end and finally he had returned to her. "I'll talk to you later," he spoke in a barely audible voice.

"Okay. I'm here if you need—" Elizabeth tried to offer, instantly hearing the click of the phone as he hung up. She lowered her head against the phone and cried. "I'm so sorry." She repeated into the emptiness of the room.

Her silence didn't last long. Almost instantly her senses were alive. Another vampire was closing in on her.

"Don't I get a break?" she groaned, crawling on her hands and knees to the window, wiping again at her watery eyes to get a better look.

A car slowly crept down the road towards her house. She prayed that it would just pass, but she didn't have that kind of luck. The car parked in front of her house to drop off a tall man with sandy blonde hair and a jacket laid across his arm. He stood a moment watching the car drive off before turning his attention towards the cabin, his body tall and tight with eyes cold and sharp.

What now?

Elizabeth shut the curtain as the man turned quickly, startled by something in the air. She covered her mouth and sat against the floor, rocking back and forth. She could hear the movement on her porch of the man. She could feel him.

Elizabeth took a breath and eased herself back up onto her knees and against the window. The man was reaching down to the porch floor. His jacket dropped on the steps in his haste to get to the porch. He was on one knee sniffing his hand with what was most likely Helena's blood on his fingertips. She would have to clean off the porch come morning.

The vampire was suddenly on his feet, knocking loudly against the door. Elizabeth jumped away from the window.

"Ma'am!" his voice was loud and commanding as he knocked again.

Elizabeth pulled herself to her feet. _Don't let anyone in._ She repeated over and over again as the man called out to her.

"Ma'am, I need to ask you about Helena?" His voice was alarmed.

Elizabeth nibbled on her bottom lip and crawled farther away from the door.

"Don't let anyone in," she mumbled.

"That is a great piece of advice, but I need to know. Where is she? What happened to my Helena? Was she here?" he continued to ask.

Elizabeth took a deep breath. It wasn't William outside the door and he didn't appear to want her so much as Helena. The bigger question on her mind was, why did he come to her?

"Why do you want to know?" she asked, finally getting up.

"Is she alright?"

"Why do you want to know?" Elizabeth asked again, taking a brave step forward.

"There is blood outside your door, and I was sent here by someone, so I can only assume that there is trouble."

_Maybe Virgil sent for help._ Elizabeth perked up.

"It's Helena's. She was hurt by something in the woods."

"Where is she? How bad—"

She stepped up to the door, putting her hand on the doorknob, debating with herself.

"Helena's my love. What has become of her? Where is she?"

A wave of relief flooded over her. She thought for sure Virgil or even Helena must have asked for help. The vampire on the other side of the door was sincere. He didn't seem to want to harm her or even want inside. Just answers.

Elizabeth turned the doorknob and eased the door open, reminding herself that he couldn't come in unless she told him he could. When she looked at him, his face was a mix of fear and anger.

"Virgil took her away to get help for her. He told me to not let anyone in."

"That was smart on his part," he looked over his shoulder and into the silent night.

"She was attacked. That's all I really know. I'm sorry."

"But she will be okay?" He was desperate for an answer.

From what she could tell of Virgil, he would get her help. "I know Virgil will get her what she needs."

The vampire let out a sigh of great relief before turning around. He rested his back against the wall and slid down onto the floor as Elizabeth had done before. He closed his foggy eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. Elizabeth just watched him.

"What is your name?" she asked, pulling his attention back to her. She noticed his liquid silver eyes reflecting what little moonlight was able to find its way onto the porch. She had also noticed earlier that Virgil and Helena had silver in their eyes but it was different.

"What is your name?" he asked back.

"Um. . . did Helena or Virgil call you?"

"So you know about Virgil and Helena?" he asked.

"Yeah. If you had been a little quicker, you would have run into them. You had perfect timing."

"How did this happen?" he looked down at Helena's blood. She could see the pain in his eyes. He rested his hand on his knee, thinking to himself.

"How did what happen?"

"Never mind. What is your name again?"

"You probably have figured it out by now," she replied, opening the door wider. He raised a brow.

"I could very easily learn your name, but it would be so rude to not have a proper introduction."

"Says the man who hasn't introduced himself," she pointed out.

"You're right. Forgive me. I am Laurence Jones." He exhaled allowing the corners of his lips raise into a small smile.

"Hi, I'm Elizabeth Parks." She paused, opening the door wider still. "Nice to meet you."

"And my eyes are bright silver because I was blind as a human."

"I didn't. . . " he gave her a smile before she dared finished that statement. She was thinking about it. His eyes were so much duller than Virgil and Helena's eyes. She couldn't help but feel a weird sense of comfort around him, but at the same time something felt amiss about his sudden arrival and perfect timing.

Elizabeth felt movement in her mind and quickly became tight and quiet.

Stop.

It was a simple command, but it was enough to cause Laurence to recede from his intrusion.

"I meant no harm by it," he said. "I didn't realize you were so sensitive."

"Didn't realize it myself until I came here. Talk about a fast learner. Just one thing after the other," she joked humorlessly. She couldn't let him know about her pulse ability. She had to be careful with that. So she focused on other things.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"An extra pair of hands to help guard you." he answered. She let out a deep breath. That was a relief.

"So as a human you were blind, but you can see now?" Elizabeth asked, thinking about her glasses. If she was a vampire would she need them anymore? She had worn glasses since a young age. It would be unfamiliar to her if she didn't have them propped up on her nose.

"I am still blind, but my senses are heightened. I have been called Daredevil, though I cannot truly make the comparison myself it might better help you to understand the way I see."

"Wow! That is awesome." Elizabeth said, excited to hear. "I'm not alone in unusual abilities, though I don't know if that counts since you are a vampire."

"I guess you're right," he admitted. "But yes, you will be able to see without your glasses if we survive this," he spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"It's okay." He became aware of their upcoming company before she did. "How about you let me in?" He said, his attention sharp on the woods.

"I think I need to wait for Virgil."

"I don't think we have time." Elizabeth finally felt the vampires approaching. She couldn't be sure who it was, but Laurence was on his feet. He leaned forward, readying for a fight. The moment Elizabeth caught a glimpse of who looked like William she had made up her mind. She wasn't going to leave Laurence outside to face William alone.

"Ma'am!"

"You can come in!" Elizabeth yelled, pulling the man into her house. They stumbled back onto one another. Sparks ignited in the doorway and loud thunderous sounds flooded the room. Laurence shielded Elizabeth as the other vampire slashed and pounded against the invisible wall held back by the doorway.

"What is that?" she gasped, barely seeing past Laurence. She clung to him, unable to tear her eyes away from the creature.

"A blood-thirsty vampire caught in the middle of the change. No longer vampire, nor human. It's just a shadow of what it once was and what it could have been." Laurence answered bitterly.

The monster that stood before her was hideous. His—yes, it was a man—clothes hung off him, torn and almost rags against his enlarged body. It was unnatural. His arms and legs elongated with flesh stretched to its max barely holding together. It looked as though he was going to be ripped apart at any second. His chest was fully exposed and she could make out each rib clearly as though he was a starved animal.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from his most horrifying feature, his face. It was unrecognizable. It was a face of someone in agonizing pain and hunger. His eyes were pushed into his skull so deep she could barely see them surrounded in a carven of black. His hair was all but gone. His lips were thin and teeth jagged like a shark. Every time he shut his mouth his teeth sliced into his gums drawing blood which oozed down the side of his chin and dripped below him. But it was his brows that told her he was in torment. His brows that told her he must have been a victim. They were drawn in and angled high at the ends.

Elizabeth finally pulled herself away, gagging and coughing desperately as the smell reached her.

"Eh-liz-ah-beth!" The beast roared a guttural noise of displeasure.

"Who are you?" Elizabeth asked, crawling farther away with Laurence at her side holding her.

"You don't recognize him?" William asked nonchalantly appearing at his side. "It's Chris."

"Eh-liz-ah-beth!" It roared again, slamming into the invisible wall again.

"Oh God! What happened to you?" She whispered, covering her mouth from the scream that she could feel climbing its way up her throat.

"Elizabeth. It's okay." The color drained from her. Her body grew heavy and she felt numb. William stepped around Chris.

"No. . . " She squeaked.

"Yes, now if you would be ever so kind as to come with me that would be wonderful." She didn't move. He must have been joking because she wasn't going anywhere near the doorway. Not like she could. Her body was stiff and frozen, still in shock from what she was seeing.

"No? You don't want to come here?" William asked sarcastically.

"What have you done to him?" She demanded in a low voice in hopes he wouldn't hear the sound of her jaw shaking.

"I merely gave him what he wanted. He wanted to be a vampire and he didn't want to wait. I told him what could happen, but he said he was strong enough to handle it." William snorted. "There are few strong enough to handle it. He was a fool!"

"Look at him. He didn't want this," Elizabeth said, looking into his pained eyes.

"He wanted this, he was just too eager," William said with slight disgust at his own creation. "Just think about it, you could become one of these. A monster that can't even think for himself. All he knows is the thirst, the pain that drives him, and his master. That's all."

"I don't know much about vampires. Actually I don't know anything. I just know that there is no way I would become a creature that you have turned Chris into. No way. It was your own incompetence that you did that to him!" She spat. Now, more than ever she looked forward to forgetting everything. The monster that was once Chris, Sarah's death, the whole Piney Wood's Lake. Everything. Even Virgil. She admitted sadly to herself.

"Do you think I'd let you off the hook that easy?" William asked amused. Elizabeth wasn't even bothering to cover up her disgusted thoughts knowing that she was safe and out of his reach.

"William," Laurence angrily growled. "What have you done to Helena?"

"All Chris did was claw at her side a little." William sighed. "No big deal."

"What?!"

"It wasn't part of the plan. I didn't expect Chris' reaction to be like this, but she is safe and sound and healing nicely. I assure you." William tilted his head towards Laurence. "I never intended to allow harm to come to my sister, but I will not let it happen again. I have better control of Chris. As long as you hold up your end of the deal Laurence."

Elizabeth snapped her head towards Laurence at the words she had heard. She prayed she had heard wrong, but his grim expression said otherwise.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth. It's the only way—" Elizabeth bolted up and towards her room as quickly as she could. She threw herself into the room, but before she could get the door shut Laurence was part way through. She tried to slam the door against him but it was pointless. He gripped the door and pushed her away farther into the dark room.

"Why? I thought you cared about Helena?" She stumbled backwards as he stepped closer.

"I do," his face was apologetic. "What I do now is to protect her."

"Protect her? William has already hurt her once! What is to stop him from doing it again?" She pleaded. "Help me!"

Before Elizabeth could try anything else, he was upon her. Gripping her tightly. "Don't worry," he whispered in her ear but whatever he was insinuating she didn't understand trashing about as hard as she could as he carried her through the house and back to the front door. Chris made room as Laurence carried her outside and away from her safety net. She was in so much trouble.

"She's a fighter!" William laughed excitedly as he reached out to touch her face Elizabeth nipped at his fingers. "I like her!"

Chris growled reaching his long claws towards her as well, but William was able to stop him before he got too close. Elizabeth tried desperately to push against Laurence and out of Chris's reach.

"Sorry about that. He gets carried away when he smells human flesh." William grinned. "Shall we be off?" He led the way with Chris following closely behind.

"What about Helena?" Laurence asked.

"I will not harm her. You have my word old friend." William spoke calmly.

Laurence tightened his grip on Elizabeth, cutting her arm with his nails.

"Sorry," Laurence muttered. "Where are we heading?"

"To the place where it all started." He replied. "It's not too far. Just a few miles."

Elizabeth spat at him, twisting more and more in his grips, beginning to scream until the urge suddenly stopped. William had taken control and all attempts to move and fight back were silenced as they became the shadows of the night.

Virgil!

Chapter Sixteen

Elizabeth's voice cut through Virgil like a knife, causing a sudden pause in his steps. His lips thinning and eyes darkening with rage, Helena knew it was time to pick up the pace. Virgil instantly increased his sped. He had to get back to her. She needed him.

Helena lagged a little behind. Even though she wasn't fully up to speed she wasn't going to slow him down no matter the amount of pain still eating at her side. She couldn't let Virgil down. She would never forgive herself.

His heart raced and every blood cell in his body cried out. He was heated that Elizabeth was in danger again. He had been lured away so easily, but it wasn't easy. He couldn't deny his recent changes. He wasn't acting like himself. He had fought in the war, lost a brother, had been swallowed by guilt, but never had he acted like this. Elizabeth made his reasoning shift, his thoughts collided, and he was even second guessing himself.

The woman made his heart race and now he was frantic. Just imagining her look of sadness made him want to take her up in his arms and comfort her. He couldn't fathom anyone wanting to hurt her and it ate at him wildly that William would.

_Such a distraction._ He snarled at himself. How had she worked her way so deeply under his skin that the mere thought of her gone tore him apart? He would never be able to let her go. Even if her memory was taken he would make her remember him or start again. He wanted to be with her. He loved her.

"Look!" Helena shouted. Virgil's eyes snapped to the cabin coming into view. The door was wide open and Elizabeth was no longer safe behind its frame. He didn't feel anything at first. Not until they reached the yard did they smell it. As the wind picked up it carried along an odor that curled around them like a tangled web almost gagging them.

"Do you know what that is?" Virgil asked, taking notice to her sudden reaction. Helena's eyes were wide. She knew the scent and gripped her side in reflex to shield herself from another surprise attack.

Virgil instantly felt nausea overtake him and then bitterness. He held out his hands ready for a blood bath, but it was quiet. Elizabeth was gone and taken again by a monster which had almost killed his sister. He knew that her twenty-four hours was coming to a close and William didn't joke. He was going to kill her, if he hadn't already.

Virgil touched the nonexistent gun at his hip that he searched for when he looked through the house, but all the weapons had been taken.

"Look at that." Helena pointed to the jacket tossed across the steps.

Virgil scooped it up. He could smell the owner to the jacket all over it. "Laurence?" He questioned, holding it out.

"What?" Helena snatched the jacket from Virgil and began to closely examine it, but she didn't have to. The smell was strong indeed. It was him. She would know better than anyone else.

Virgil stepped passed Helena in her moment of denial as she reached to the jewel around her neck. He cautiously entered the house. He still had the ability to cross her doorway since Elizabeth hadn't taken away the right, though she had no knowledge of that ability, he would inform her later.

Entering, he found the scent of both Laurence and Elizabeth on the floor and followed it to the bedroom where it ended. How could this have happened? This man was there friend. There was no way he sided with William. He knew that William wasn't good. He knew what the man was and what had happened.

Virgil gripped onto Elizabeth door feeling anger, hate, and betrayal. His body leaned heavily against her door as he tried to focus. Thinking like this wasn't going to get her back, if anything it was slowing him down.

He forced himself to straighten up and head back to Helena.

"He dragged her out. I don't see any blood. She might still be alive." His voice was taunt. If Laurence had something to do with all this he was going to kill the vampire. For both joining with William and for using Helena. Had that been his plan all this time? William had Laurence stay close to Helena to stay in the loop?

Helena was frozen. Laurence's jacket held tightly against her breast.

Virgil's head reeled. "Speak to me," he begged into the wind wanting to hear Elizabeth. Some proof she was still alive.

"Virgil?" Helena's voice was almost nonexistent. Virgil had moved from the cabin, passed her, and towards the road.

He tipped his head back and searched for their weak scents still lingering in the air. She wasn't too far away and he knew it. Every second they wasted standing there she was going farther and her life was shortening if not gone.

"Virgil?" Helena repeated.

"We need to move." He turned back to her.

"I know, but I. . . I'm sorry. . . " She turned away, ashamed pulling off the necklace that rested around her neck clutching it in her hand tightly.

"This is not your fault," he tried to comfort her through his own pain. "I don't know what part Laurence has to play in all of this but I know we will get our answers soon."

Helena dropped her hands and released the jacket, letting it fall to the ground along with the necklace. At the end of it was a ring. Virgil hadn't seen it before.

"Helena—"

"Let's go get her back." She spoke. She tightened her fists, pushing her pain of betrayal into something she could fight with, anger. "And beat the shit out of them." She aggressively slid past Virgil as he looked to the ring a moment longer and then took off after her.

Virgil struggled to keep up with Elizabeth's scent, but not Helena. She was leading the way down the road, following the brush line. Elizabeth's scent was all over the bushes to the right of the road.

"Her scent is strongest over here," Helena finally stumbled across what she had been looking for.

Virgil closed in on the small branch of leaves inhaling Elizabeth's scent all the more at the entrance to an old four-wheeler trail.

"Blood. She's bleeding." Virgil acknowledged.

They shared a momentary panicked look before rushing into the trail. Barely a shred of moonlight could be seen as the underbrush thickened.

"On the bright side we can track her better thanks to the blood," Helena said, trying to make the best of a bad situation. Virgil sent her an appreciated glance.

His heart tightened. Garrison was still not responding, Elizabeth in the hands of a killer, and a creature Virgil couldn't recognize was running loose. His list of worries continued to grow as they pushed on.

"We'll find her, Virgil," Helena's voice offered little comfort. "We will find them all."

"I know we will. I just hope we won't be too late," he spoke, "I'm coming Elizabeth. Hold on."

They followed the four-wheeler trail for a couple of miles before Virgil knew where they were at. Helena had already realized it as they drew closer.

Virgil slowed only to notice another strong scent of Elizabeth. Her blood was smeared across another set of branches. This gave him the burst of adrenaline he needed to push harder, moving farther and farther ahead of Helena.

Helena wanted to protest, but couldn't. She wanted to catch William just as badly as Virgil and even more so to get her hands on Laurence. His betrayal was not going unnoticed.

Soon Virgil was completely out of her sight. Helena couldn't keep up with his speed and slowed when she caught wind of another smear of Elizabeth's blood.

The scent trail split. It was as if suddenly Elizabeth was going two different directions. The trail to the left was no doubt the direction Virgil chose. She knew William would be at the end of it. Making a sudden decision she took the right path. With both of them picking a different direction there was no way one of them wouldn't reach Elizabeth, but the only concern was, what was at the end of the path she had chosen.

_Helena? Are you there?_ Garrison's voice flooded into her mind and with great relief she answered out loud by accident instead of in her mind.

Helena slowed her run and began to concentrate internally slowing everything around her to the point of perfect stillness.

_Where have you been?_ Helena cried.

Later, what happened to the house?

Later! Right now Virgil and I are in pursuit of William!

Stay put! I am on my way.

I can't. William has Elizabeth and they are not alone. If we don't get them then—

_I'll come to you._ He responded.

We are taking the old Four-wheeler trail that Samantha Wells died on. I should be coming out at one of its exits in a minute about five miles west of Elizabeth's cabin against the lake.

Their connection finally broke and Helena continued her chase with newfound hope.

She finally picked up on the scent becoming stronger and stronger. She was closing in. With a few more yards she was close enough to the opening in the tree line that looked out across the lake. But she didn't have time to enjoy the view.

The wind picked up and Helena froze. Blood filled her sense and then a gasp.

"Run!" A voice cried as a figure stumbled into sight. Laurence collapsed across the ground.

"Laurence?" Helena cried happily at first and then angrily, but that quickly died at the sight of the creature behind him and it was about to kill Laurence.

Helena kicked it into high gear and charged the monster launching herself over Laurence and slamming into the mutated beast square across his open chest. She heard the distinct sound of a rib breaking as they fell away from each other, but what was more disturbing than his appearance was the sound of a second snap—the rib snapping back in place.

Helena scurried to her feet and stepped back. The monster roared loudly, its teeth moving as though each long bone had a mind of their own reaching out for her. He charged and she quickly spun out of the way, slamming her elbow against his side, but it was no more than a tickle to him. He lowered his neck and head, rotating them until he faced her.

Helena didn't have time to shake in fear while he snapped his ugly jaws at her. She grabbed his arm and swung him around her body, releasing him after a full rotation.

He flew a several yards away, shaking the ground with his impact, landing on his back.

He didn't stay down too long. It was just enough time for Helena to get in front of Laurence before the creature rolled over. He crawled across the ground on all fours, circling them a few times before rising up on his heels.

A mixture of his own blood and saliva fell against the ground as he extended his arms out.

"Run!" Laurence ordered, trying to get to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Helena gasped, but her answer would have to wait. The creature swung his arms from side to side and begun his charge. Claws like a metal saw came at them fast. If she moved out of the way, Laurence was going to be sliced to ribbons. There wasn't enough time to grab him and run. She had to do something. Betrayal or not, she couldn't let him be killed, not before she got her hands on him.

As the monster sliced the thick air between them, Helena sprinted forward, towards him, and at the last second slid to the ground and under his claws where she lifted up her foot. His long sharp claws dig into the ground past her head as his whole body came to an abrupt stop. He made a grunting snarl and then a whimper. Her foot still pressed hard against his groin until he fell back and away from her retracting his claws.

Taking the opportunity, she rolled out of the way of his flailing arms kicking him even farther away. As he scrambled across the ground trying to get ahold of himself, she jumped on his back, placing a knee firmly between his shoulder blades. She reached down and took hold of his sharp-edged shoulders, pulling back until she felt bones beginning to give way.

He roared louder, a mixture of unrecognizable words and cries. His body moved under her arms, trying to fight back. Helena moved left and right, trying to avoid his attempts to pull her off of him until finally she heard his left shoulder break.

Just as his shoulder broke the monster used his leg to roll his body around throwing Helena from him. He reared back to slash her head off, but Laurence had managed to make it to Helena in time. He pulled her out of the monster's reach and into his arms against the ground. If it wasn't for Laurence, she would have been a head shorter.

With a final roar the hideous creature fled to the edge of the lake, following a path.

"We have too—"

"I'm sorry," Laurence coughed, tightening his arms around her. "I was so worried about you."

"What is your part in this?" Helena demanded. She shook her head. "Never mind! I have more important things to deal with!" Helena tried to get up but Laurence held her down.

"No," he said against her. "I thought he had you at first because he called using your phone. He promised he wouldn't hurt you if I helped him for a minute."

"My cell? That's why they led us into the woods and kidnapped that woman. They stole my cell," Helena spoke at the realization. "He needed someone to bring her out of the house. He could have had anyone, why you?"

"Probably because, I love you." She lifted him up supporting most his weight. Helena reached for the necklace that wasn't there. Laurence winced. "I'm so sorry."

"Shhh." She hushed him, pulling away from his grip to turn and face him. Wiping away a few drops of blood from his lips she moved closer. "Thank you, but I'm not letting you get off that easy." She teased, relieved to have him in her arms. The same could be said for Laurence. It would take a lot to pull her away from him. He loved her more than anything and would kill anyone for her. He wouldn't be a pawn a second time and he wasn't going to let Helena out of his sight.

"We have to get moving," she said, holding him firm against her body.

"Helena?" Garrison's voice emerged from behind her. Before she could even turn to face him Garrison was already grabbing Laurence and supporting his weight. The vampire wasn't pleased at having to be supported by Helena, but even less so by Garrison. It was more pride than anything else.

"Garrison. Virgil—"

"Hurry!" He ordered as they all followed the path the creature had taken around the lake. "Virgil will need our help!"

"I'm not here alone!" Laurence spoke quickly as Garrison looked at him with an understanding nod, something Helena would ask about later, but for now she had to find her brother, both of them.

~>*<~

Virgil paused at the end of the trail looking around. There was another small road in front of him and it was this road that had haunted his memories. Carved on a large pine-tree stump next to him were the initials S.C.W. They belonged to Samantha. She supposedly lost control of her vehicle and ran into the tree, but Virgil remembered it differently.

Samantha was running for her life after William had bitten her. He was careless and she was changing. Out of fear and desperation she used her vehicle as a weapon and tried to run him over, but he survived. Virgil had to pull her from the vehicle. She was in so much pain and her mind was going. Blood lust and raged crawled through her thoughts forcing Virgil to do the only thing he knew to truly save her.

So he did it. He took her life.

On the other side of the road was a small parking lot and one of many boating ramps around the lake. Two large piers stretched out on either side of the ramp into the water. William stepped off of one casually with a wave. His eyes locking onto his target.

"Elizabeth," he breathed. She was standing in the center of a small boat with another vampire holding her neck firmly. "Let her go!" He ordered.

"Virgil," William hissed putting great emphasis on his name. The air was calm and filled with the smell of Elizabeth's fresh scent. "Here at last. Where it all started."

William walked towards him. "Elizabeth has nothing to do with this." Virgil said.

"Oh, but she does." William's face twisted with mad excitement and pleasure. "She plays a key role."

"Your fight is with me. You should have left her out of it!" Virgil spat.

"But that would have been too easy Virgil." William laughed, coming to a stop. "Don't you see? I could easily kill you before her."

William licked his lips, eyes darkening to black, and body hunching forward. "I ran into Eliza—"

"Don't you dare speak her name." Virgil warned. William just smiled with amusement.

"At first I was just going to slaughter people and lead the cops to your front door and then, when you were close to being exposed, I was going to hunt you down. Each and every one of you, but then I found _her._ She had this ability to sense us and then it dawned on me. While I was flipping through her memories I had discovered that she had stumbled across you. I discovered that she was very taken by you and I could only hope you would take to her as well. I didn't expect the fire scene I had given you to play out like this, but it did the job and you two have gotten closer." William was so excited that he could have broken out into dance.

"You destroyed Samantha's family. Was that part of the plan? Kill Sarah and use Chris. Was that what she would have wanted?" Virgil struck a cord and watched as William's lips curled back in rage. After a second of death stares, William pulled his head back and took a deep breath.

"Don't bad mouth Samantha's family. They loved her as much as I. I know what they went through and I know what they are capable of. I mean, look a Chris." He said.

"Chris?" Virgil repeated.

"Chris is playing with our sweet Helena as we speak. He's come a long way from that night, and with his help I'll seek revenge for all of us. If he hadn't torn a chunk out of Helena's side I might not have gotten you away from Elizabeth." he nodded rubbing his hands together.

"Chris? The monster that hurt Helena?" Virgil realized what had happened to him.

"Yes, Chris. He said he could handle it and I warned him, but. . . you know how some people are. And Sarah. . . well, casualties sometimes happen. Oh, sorry about the living room. Chris is a growing boy with a growing appetite."

William turned his head slightly to looked out towards Elizabeth and in that moment Virgil leapt into action.

Virgil used his shoulder and slammed squarely against William's chest sending him flying back, but not before he took ahold of Virgil bringing him down to the ground with him. William dug his claws deep and rolled Virgil off of his body.

Both men were up on their feet, one punching while the other blocked and then switching. Virgil landed a punch across William's jaw before blocking a kick. He was going for another swing when he started to hear the dim cry in his mind. It was Elizabeth. He was picking up on her thoughts again.

The moment Virgil slowed down to take in her cries is when William spun around and kicked him in the side, slamming into his ribs and knocking Virgil several feet to the side, but he was still standing. William had been successful in breaking at least one rib, but Virgil's blood worked fast to repair it. Virgil pulled himself together, long enough to block the next few punches William threw at him.

I'm scared. It hurts.

She sounded distant.

Virgil's eyes glanced over to her every chance he got between punches, kicks, and blocks to watch helplessly as William's minion held her hostage.

William laughed hectically as he was able to slide under Virgil's defenses, causing him to stumble back.

"You're weak!" William mocked. "Nothing! Garrison couldn't kill me and you can't! Not even when someone else's life is on the line." William landed a hard blow against Virgil's chest, William's hand opening to cut deep gashes across Virgil's flesh.

"You're the weak one!" Virgil spat back, blocking another punch. Blood soaked into his shirt from his open wounds. "Having to kill others to get to me, I call that weakness. Using people, how low have you fallen?"

"I want to make you suffer for taking the one thing I held most dear!" Virgil brought his elbow up, slamming into the bottom of William's jaw. He then kneed the crazed vampire in the gut.

William stumbled back for a moment before regaining himself.

"You couldn't have Samantha—" Virgil yelled.

"And you won't have Elizabeth!" William yelled back.

It was those words that cut Virgil deeper than he ever thought possibly and Elizabeth could see it. She could everything. The pain rippling through her couldn't silence what was going on. Virgil was fighting for her life, but it was a wasted cause. He had to of known that. Even if William died she was a goner.

Elizabeth's eyed slid to the man William had called Jonathan when he ordered him to take her out into the water. He too was paying close attention. He was waiting for the signal to snap Elizabeth's neck like a twig. She knew it was coming; the only person who didn't know yet was Virgil. The sooner he realized that the sooner he could fight to his fullest without worry.

_Virgil._ Elizabeth's voice was terrifyingly calm. _You can do this. You can beat him. Don't worry about me._ What was she talking about? Of course Virgil was going to worry about her. She was crazy. He would distract William long enough and come up with a plan. He had to. He had to save her. There was no other choice.

He wanted to scream out to her and take her in his arms, but he couldn't. He couldn't get to her.

_Let me go._ There was a soft cry in her tone. She cared. She didn't want to watch anyone else get hurt.

At that Virgil sprung onto William like a wild animal and tore at his flesh with his claws and then his teeth. Anything he could get hold of to cut and bite into with anger. William fought back with his own biting and clawing, cutting deeply into Virgil's arms.

Virgil moved to his feet with incredible speed, keeping hold of one of William's wrists while he spun behind him. Virgil twisted William's arm back and pulled his wrist high between his shoulder blades. With a hard tug William's arm broke at both the wrist and shoulder. William let out a loud yell and instantly used his other arm to claw at Virgil.

"I don't think so," Virgil whispered in William's ear with great satisfaction. "Now, let her go." Raising his hand up to William's throat he pulled it to the side. Virgil planned to cut it open and hold him until he bled out, but William gave a weak laugh.

"I'm impressed." William raised his weak hand towards the water with the vampire holding Elizabeth hostage. Instantly he lifted her up off her feet and in the air by her throat.

Virgil hesitated. He let out a low growl vibrating against William's body. "Let her go or I'll slit your throat!"

"I die and she dies. You're choice. Let me go and I'll have Jonathan put her down."

Virgil watched as Elizabeth struggled violently to break free, but she couldn't. The vampire Jonathan just held her up like a rag doll until finally her hands started to relax and her body went limp.

"No!" Virgil dropped William and so did Jonathan allowing her to gasp in breath. She looked at him desperately, tears running down her cheeks.

Just kill him! He's a monster. Let me go.

"That's a good, Virgil." William laughed cradling his broken arm. "Now, where was I?" He lifted up his hand and again Elizabeth was in the air again struggling to breath.

"William!" Virgil growled.

"Beg," William spoke.

Virgil hesitated.

Don't!

"I'm sorry," Virgil whispered to Elizabeth thug she couldn't hear him. Instantly he was on his knees before William. "Don't do this, brother."

"I can't hear you." William whispered.

Virgil! Stop! Please. . .

Virgil looked to Elizabeth.

Fight.

Her desperate pleas broke his heart.

"Stop."

"Stop? Stop what?" William asked enjoying every second Virgil sat on the ground before him.

Elizabeth could barely stay conscious. She was a threat to Virgil. She needed to do something. She needed to fight or die trying!

Elizabeth put all her strength into the next few seconds and lunged her fingers forward; into Jonathan's eyes as hard as she could ignoring the slick feeling coursing under her nails.

Jonathan reared back with a scream dropping Elizabeth into the belly of the boat gasping for breath and shaking. Then a shot rang out across the lake. A second later Jonathan fell over the side of the boat.

"What the hell?" William growled. Virgil didn't waste a second grabbing a hold of William just as a beastly cry erupted form the woods. He didn't have time to move as a heavy weight knocked him off his feet and across the ground. William darted off the moment Virgil was no longer holding him.

What stood before him was Chris, a creature in a continuous amount of pain. The only decent thing to do was to put him out of his misery.

_Virgil?_ Elizabeth spoke weakly and in pain into his mind, but at least she was alive.

"Hold on Elizabeth." Virgil said watching every step Chris took towards him and praying that the shooter wasn't for them.

_Something's wrong! I feel the vampire still!_ He couldn't do anything but listen to her panic. He didn't have time to dance around with Chris.

Chris closed the space between them. His claws swung out in front of him like a wild beast, blind of where his target was, and just hoping to hit something. Virgil never moved, instead he waited for the last second and reached out into the air for Chris's hands.

He had done it. Virgil had managed to grab both of Chris's hands and now they were locked in a hand to hand struggle. Chris snapped his teeth toward Virgil multiple times before Virgil reared his head back and slammed it against Chris. As Chris recovered Virgil took the opportunity to pull one of his arms forward and using Virgil's other hand push against Chris's elbow until it snapped like a toothpick.

"Virgil!" Elizabeth cried out panicking as she looked all around her as though sharks were going to devour her. She was safe. She was alive. So what was she panicking about?

Suddenly there was a splash as something broke the surface reaching up into the boat and taking a firm grip on Elizabeth. It was Jonathan still trying to do his master's bidding.

The boat capsized and under Elizabeth went with the vampire.

"Elizabeth!" Virgil cried out.

Chris charged him. Virgil only had enough time to rise up his arms in defense of Chris's attack, but the attack never came. With another gurgled cry Chris's body crumbled to the ground.

He bled out from his throat, desperately trying to hold the wound close so it would heal faster, but Garrison reached down to Chris, taking a firm grip on either side of his head.

"Sa...rah..." Chris spoke of his baby sister. His monstrous form was a dim shadow to who he really was and that was a man who had lost his two sisters and all hope.

His death was quick. Garrison severed his head from his body and let him fall in two heavy thuds to the ground.

Garrison moved around Chris and to Virgil with a sympathetic look, but Virgil didn't have time. "Where is Elizabeth?"

"Without a word Virgil took off.

"Helena chase after William!" Garrison ordered following after Virgil into the woods and across an extended piece of land. Garrison close behind him. "Where is Elizabeth?" Garrison repeated.

"She's in the water! A vampire took her under." Virgil snapped. He stripped off his bloody shirt and dirty shoes. Garrison tossed him a knife and instantly he was in the water before Garrison could say another word.

I'm coming!

Elizabeth tried to pull away from the vampire but his grip was iron. He was taking her down and far enough away from the surface. Surely he too would drown with her, but she didn't know how vampire's worked. For all she knew he didn't need to breathe which meant he could live underwater.

She could feel it. She was going to die. Her lungs burned and her body was tired to fighting. She clawed at his fingers and then moved to finger his face. Surely she could poke his eyes out!

She forced her free hand up and into his mesh of hair ripping back his head in a mad struggle to latch onto anything that would allow him to free her, but instead he stopped swimming and pulled her down and into his arms aggressively tearing deep into the base of her neck painfully.

Elizabeth released most of her air bubbles with the pain.

_Never give up, sweetie. You're stronger than anyone._ She could hear her father's words crystal clear within her mind and clung against the vampire's body returning the favor and biting down against his neck so hard she drew blood into her own mouth.

Her body was going numb as the last of the air escaped her lips the harder she clamped down on his throat she wasn't giving up.

She had done her father proud. She knew it. Her only regret was not living longer.

_Daddy, I'm sorry,_ was Elizabeth's final thought as her lungs burned and she finally sucked in the water into her lungs.

A sudden wave of pressure slammed against them and pulled her into the darkness.

Virgil followed the blood straight to them and forced the two of them apart keeping Elizabeth in one hand while he used the knife Garrison had given him to cut deep into the body of the other vampire.

He didn't waste time bringing both up to the surface only to find that he wasn't alone. A boat was pulling up next to him.

"Virgil!" Lyon's voice called with great relief reaching out to first take Jonathan from him and then Elizabeth before helping to get Virgil into the boat.

"She's not breathing!" Virgil slid over her pressing his hand against her chest and counting to four. "Come on, baby." Virgil leaned down and pinched her nose before breathing into her mouth. He then returned to pushing against her chest and Lyon drove them towards shore. "Come on! You're stronger than this." Virgil breathed into her again and this time she coughed and arched under him. He pushed her to the side in utter relief.

She continued to shiver and cough.

"Elizabeth?" Virgil spoke as she reached up and took his hand.

"You made it. . . " Her throat was tired and weak as was her body. Elizabeth wanted to close her eyes but fought against it. She smiled weakly up and out into the stars. Again she coughed covering her mouth and wincing as her gut tightened.

"Of course I did!" He laughed.

Thanks.

Virgil could tell that she was not merely thanking him. _Thank you so much dad and I promise, I'm going to live._ He smiled down at her both sad and happy. Happy she was still alive and sad that she was still set on forgetting.

"What you did for me," Elizabeth whispered. "You should have forgotten about me. I was ready to die."

"Hey now, Miss." Lyon said. "You are too young and beautiful to be ready to die. So no talking like that." She smiled up at him.

"No smiling at him like that," Virgil remarked glaring at the vampire who navigated them to shore. "And thank you."

"No problem." Lyon said. "Master Laurence asked me to scout out and look around while he worked at getting Miss Helena to safety. I was a backup plan. I saw Miss here and decided to lend a helping hand, though I did steal the boat."

"We are very grateful." Virgil added looking back down at Elizabeth. "Are you okay? You had me so worried." Virgil examined the bruising marks on her neck. Looking over at the dead vampire in the boat next to them Virgil wished he could have killed the bastard again.

"I didn't want to see you hurt." She admitted.

"Why?" Virgil asked picking her up into his arms to get her out of the boat. Elizabeth asked herself the very same question. His body felt so much warmer then hers. She wanted to stay resting against him all night. She ached all over and couldn't stop shaking.

"Garrison, meet Elizabeth Parks. Elizabeth, this is Garrison," Virgil weakly introduced lowering her legs to the ground, but keeping a firm grip on her waist. She was thankful. Her legs were as rubber and at any second she felt herself about to pass out.

"Where's William?" she suddenly asked with a gasp coughing hard into her hands.

"He took off." Virgil answered.

"You should have gone after him," she muttered wiping away water.

"I tried but lost him," Helena admitted disappointedly arriving into view.

"There was no way I was going to lose you. You're too important to me." Virgil said. It didn't matter how much he hated William he was willing to do anything for Elizabeth, including beg, fight, and kill for her.

"Why?" she whispered. _Because I love you._

"You are just that important. You may not understand it. I know I don't. I just know you're more important than me chasing after William." Virgil stated. "Even though I will be losing you I still want to keep you safe."

"What if I don't want to forget you?" Elizabeth whispered shielding her face. The question was quiet and she didn't even think about it. She just said it. Her gut twisted nervously.

She finally looked up at him. She marveled at the beauty of the man. His hair was wet and dripping across his alabaster skin, making her body tighten in reflex. She couldn't block her thoughts as they poured out, her head fuzzy from almost drowning and struggling not to pass out.

He had risked his life, made her feel safe, he never lied to her, and he was a heck of a kisser. Even though everything was confusing, Virgil was something Elizabeth wanted for herself. He was charming, smart, and irresistible. She wanted him. She wanted his lips, the feel of his body dancing against hers, the sound of his laugh, and way that he smelled. She loved everything about it.

Was that it? Did she love him? Could she be selfish for once in her life? But in doing so she would have to give up so much. Was it worth it? Was the price worth it to be happy?

"Here Virgil," Helena offered Virgil his shirt and a blanket for Elizabeth, but she grabbed Elizabeth's hand the moment she reached for it.

"Let go Helena," Virgil snapped reaching for Elizabeth's hand but stopping to see what Helena saw. He didn't notice it before. There was blood.

"Where are you hurt?" Virgil said as Elizabeth coughed and pulled away from Helena.

"She's been bitten!" Helena gasped looking at the nasty punctures on her neck. Virgil circled Elizabeth and kissed her neck softly allowing his tongue to slide careful across the two nasty holes allowing for them to heal within seconds.

"Better?" he said pulling away, but Elizabeth wasn't just bleeding from her neck, her lips were stained red too.

"Garrison, look at this." Lyon spoke holding up the dead vampire revealing to everyone the torn tissue on his own neck.

"Oh God," Virgil spoke. "You ingested vampire blood?"

Elizabeth stepped back fearful. She didn't know what else to do. She thought she was going to die. She was trying anything to stay alive. Had she made a critical mistake?

"We might be able to remove it." Garrison said. "But you are going to have to bite her and draw out a lot of blood. It will take a while. We should probably take her back and hook her up to an IV. We will need to start soon or else it won't be possible to reverse." Garrison instructed.

"Our house is a mess, we need someplace else." Helena said.

"Bring her to our house." Laurence spoke up. Elizabeth locked eyes on the vampire.

"Elizabeth," Helena stepped forward. "I'm sorry. Laurence only helped William because he thought that would protect me."

"Yeah, and I was a backup. I would have come sooner if I had known, but none of you guys have phones." Lyon added in. "Hence the part where I shot a vampire for you."

"And the part where the vampire pulled her under the water," Virgil added irritatingly.

"Don't' blame me!" Lyon lifted his hands up. "We were just trying to help."

"And thank you," Elizabeth spoke looking to Laurence. "I know you were trying to do what you thought was going to help you get here back. I see how much you love Helena, but it still scared me a hell of a lot when you carried me away with William." Elizabeth answered.

"I am sorry about all of this Miss Elizabeth." Laurence spoke sincerely. Elizabeth nodded to him as the group started back and forth working out a plan.

"The pain will start to kick in soon." Lyon stated looking Elizabeth over. "Actually the pain is already starting up. How much blood did you ingest?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I was trying to survive."

"Why not just join our side?" Lyon asked. "If you're willing to bite a vampire I think you've got some mad skills. That and you're a looker."

"Stop staring," Virgil spoke firmly.

"Yes, sir. I didn't realize she was taken." Lyon grinned sending her a wink. She smiled slightly. How could she find the strength to smile? She looked around the group of vampires and thought about what they had been through to help her.

"We'll head to Laurence's house." Helena spoke. "Virgil, you will carry Elizabeth while I help Laurence. Lyon can stay and help clean the house."

"What's wrong with the house?" Lyon asked.

"We also need to get rid of all the bodies." Virgil said.

"Lyon can do that too." Helena said.

"What? Why me?" Lyon groaned. "And just how many bodies?"

"Every second we waste is important! If Elizabeth is going to have a chance of staying human we need to get to work, now." Virgil commanded the area. Instantly they all started to move. All but Elizabeth and Garrison. They stayed facing each other.

Garrison eased up in front of her as Virgil, Lyon, and Helena moved Jonathan and Chris into the boat.

"What if I don't want to stop it?" Elizabeth asked weakly. Virgil froze, having heard her this time for sure.

"Everything we do we do to keep you alive. If you want to stay human we will fight and do that for you." Garrison answered unfolding her unused blanket and draping it over her shoulders.

"But why?"

"I'd like to think it's because we are your protectors. Vampires are here to guard the humans from things humans aren't ready for and things they can't handle. But mostly, because my son fancies you." Garrison admitted smiling down to her resting his hands on her shoulders.

"I have heard of your loss and I am sorry. There is nothing like the loss of a loved one."

"Thank you." Elizabeth whispered still looking up at him. Garrison seemed so soft and sweet, but his pulse was strong and powerful. He felt as though he could control the very wind around them if he so desired.

"Now, it is your choice, but don't take it lightly. You decide to keep that blood flowing in you and you are set to proceed down a path that will separate you from your family one day, but by accepting you are choosing to also take in a family. You will have my daughter, me, and my son to defend you and guide you along this path. Along with others," She could see Lyon and Laurence out of the corners of her eyes moving slowly. "Never will you find yourself alone unless you want to be. You will endure the pains and loss of your human family years sooner than normal and it can be agonizing. We will offer you strength in this time of both loss and need. It will go on for years," Garrison slid down to take her hands. "We are not asking you to forget who you are by being a vampire, but to embrace who you can be and to perhaps stay to bring life back into a man who has been lost for years now."

Garrison leaned his head in Virgil's direction with a faint smile. Elizabeth smiled back. Her heart was racing. She looked over to Helena who had also been paying close attention. Helena smiled and nodded back acceptingly. Something within Elizabeth's chest tickled. Like a dozen little butterflies stirred within her as she looked over to Virgil. He waited nervously for her to say anything.

_Dad, I love you._ Elizabeth said within her mind taking a deep breath. She didn't want to say good bye to Virgil and these people. She didn't want to forget any of them. As much as she hated what had happened she was strong. She could handle it. Her dad raised her to be a tough cookie and not run because something was scary or hard. She wanted to accept the bad with the good, because the good was so much better then she could image.

Elizabeth looked to Garrison. With her mind made up. She smiled and nodded. Garrison read and understood turning to address the group.

"Virgil, take Elizabeth home." Garrison spoke a new set of orders. "Helena, take Laurence and you two feed. Lyon, take the bodies and dispose of them. We have a lot to do tonight. I expect you home shortly to attend to this mess."

The group was dead quiet. Virgil and Helena exchanging glances as to what that could mean.

"What about William?" Elizabeth asked him.

"He will have to be taken care of, but right now we have a few other things to work on. Just get some rest Elizabeth and we will see you soon." Garrison bowed his head slightly. "And it will be nice to have you in the family." The moment he turned away Virgil ran up to Elizabeth and lifted her up into his arms.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" He asked. She laughed. He couldn't stop smiling at her. His heart was floating, his mind at an all-time high, and his body, uncaring how tired it was, was ready to cater to her every need, starting with her lips.

His mouth was hot and passionate as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck to bring him closer. A small moan left her lips teasing Virgil's ears and tightening every muscle in his body.

God, help me to find restraint.

"Put me down silly." Elizabeth embarrassingly whispered against his mouth. Virgil gave her one more lasting kiss before setting her back on her feet and keeping her firmly held against him.

"It will be nice to call you sister." Helena said smiling happily.

"I don't know if that is a good thing," Virgil spoke suddenly looking over his shoulder as Helena made a face.

"Can we go?" Elizabeth asked burying her face into his chest.

"Yes," Virgil spoke into her hair reaching down and lifting her up into his arms.

Chapter Seventeen

"Can I ask you something?" Elizabeth hesitated after they made it to her cabin safe and sound. Virgil stayed propped against the front door while Elizabeth tired trailed into the house. She was moving slowly, making a poor attempt at heading towards the bathroom, but the bathroom wasn't what she was thinking about. She was fixated on Samantha and William. What had happened to them?

"Anything," Virgil answered feeling the dark question trailing the walls of her mind.

"What happened?" Elizabeth asked turning around to look at him. "How did Samantha die? And I mean really. What drove William to do what he did?"

Virgil ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. He couldn't keep the painful memory from her. If he wanted to share any kind of future with her he wanted it to be on an honest foundation, meaning he would have to share with her that painful day.

"We were friends once," Virgil started. There was a pained happiness in his eyes. Not all the time spent with William and Samantha was bad. There were moments when it was strange to not hear her laughing in a day. She was always around. She seemed to be William's match in every way. "Samantha knew Helena and I as she dated William. We can socialize with people, there is no crime in it. So we grew to be friends over the course of a few months. I didn't see as quickly as Helena did, of course, that their relationship was becoming something stronger."

"William was truly taken by the woman, as I am with you," Virgil smiled towards her. "At one point I couldn't image him without her. She was always laughing and smiling, talking about her family and planning her future."

"What chanced?" Elizabeth asked inching closer. Virgil's eyes darkened.

"William confided in her what he was. He shared with her our secrets. She didn't believe him at first but that was quick to change. He had scared her so bad. She did what I feared you to do. She ran." Virgil reached out and touched the side of her neck. "William wouldn't let her go. He couldn't let someone erase her memories and so I caught him pinning her down and forcing blood into her." Elizabeth reached up and took ahold of his hand. The gesture was small but loving.

"It's a brutal way to force a change and he knew better, but William wouldn't stop. She was trying to scream and I was yelling at him. I finally had to rip him away from her. Somehow, Samantha managed to get up and run for it. She made it to her vehicle and drove off, William followed of course and I went to get Garrison and Helena." Elizabeth dared not to interrupt him as his eyes swirled in pain. "When we found them Samantha had tried to run William over and crashed her car. William had been injured. He had pulled her from the vehicle, but she managed to crawl away. I had just got there and pulled her into my arms."

Virgil stopped speaking as the scene played out before him. He listened to her screams and convulses. William's eyes glared at Virgil as he demanded for him to let her go. But instead, Virgil did the one thing to ease Samantha and end the agonizing pain she was enduring.

"What happened?" Elizabeth whispered.

"I killed her." Virgil said. Elizabeth held her breath. Her next few words she had to make count. Virgil wasn't a murderer. Not to her. He had good reason for what he did. Picking the life of a vampire wasn't easy. The rules were different. Their world was entirely different and Elizabeth would have to except that, but Virgil wasn't to blame for Samantha.

"It's tragic." Elizabeth started releasing his hand and touching his chest. "But it's not your fault." Virgil's eyes met hers. "From what I saw you spared her something much worse than death. Chris endured what she would have become and I don't think anyone would want that. I don't think anyone should be able to have to endure a life like that. You saved her. You freed Samantha from a fate much worse than death and I can't blame you for that or hate you."

Virgil pulled her into his arms resting his head into her neck. That's what he wanted to hear. It was what he needed to hear.

"For a moment I thought we were the same." He admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"Because you were leaving me. I felt this need to make you stay. I could almost understand why William did what he did."

"You are nothing like him." Elizabeth pushed away to look him in the eyes. Her big eyes looked up at him with such intensity. "You are nothing like him, do you hear me? You are not a monster and you do not kill needlessly."

Virgil planted a kiss across her forehead. "You're right." He whispered. His heart feeling lighter and the weight of the past lifting.

"I just hate the monster William had turned into because of it and the destruction he caused all for revenge. It's so sad, but the only person I see to blame is that monster still running free out there and if vampires stay by the codes you speak of then I know, in time, he will be caught and dealt with." She shivered. "And as much as that scares me to keep thinking of vampires killing, I know it has to be done. Rules are different. And if I'm going to continue living I have to get used to that fact." She nodded firmly.

Virgil chuckled. "I'm glad to hear it. I really wanted a little more time together," he pulled back, watching her face go red. "Elizabeth, I know it's been rough here, but I promise it isn't always like this."

"Well, that's a relief. I don't want to get too used to you having to save me all the time," she joked.

"It has been interesting."

"I'll say," she hesitated to touch his chest lightly, releasing a long sigh.

"What's wrong?" Worry creased across his brow.

"I'm supposed to be leaving in a few days to head back home and I don't. . . I mean, what do I do?" She bit her bottom lip, trying to get the right words together. Virgil lifted her chin up. He smiled at her nervousness.

"If you are ready, we can begin the first part of the turning process tomorrow, but you are right. We do need to get you started. That or you take a longer vacation?"

Elizabeth shook her head. She couldn't be gone too much longer but she also wasn't expecting it to be so soon.

"You'll be okay. Everything will be fine. Don't think about it today. Just take a shower and relax." She rested her cheek against his shoulder just feeling his pulse echoing through her.

"Elizabeth, the next week might be rough, but once you get pass it everything will get a lot easier. It will be nothing like these past two days. Promise."

"What about Beth. And the store?"

"You will be going back home. You will see your friends, family, and go back to work like nothing happened, but we are going to have to be careful."

Elizabeth looked up into his silver eyes. Wrapping her head around the fact that she was actually doing this was crazy and exciting.

"We are going to have to be careful? I don't understand. Will I be putting people in danger?" She asked, concerned.

"Don't worry. I won't let you out of my sight and you won't be alone," he assured her.

"You're coming back with me, right?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly.

"Yes. I would prefer you to stay here where you have three vampires on your side, but I know you do have things to do and a store to run. So I figured we can go together and that way I can be there if anything happens and you could continue working."

Her heart soared with to his words.

"Really? I would love that. And maybe later you can tell me about Laurence and the other vampire."

Virgil shook his head. "I don't want you ever to think about Lyon."

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Because I don't' want you looking at anyone but me."

Elizabeth laughed. "You're cute when you're jealous. How long do you plan on being that way?"

"For as long as you are with me," He admitted. "This is a long commitment for me. I'm here to stay." Her heart quickened at his solid confession.

"And what about William?" He was still out there and a worry for Elizabeth. Was Virgil and her safe?

"I _will_ keep you safe," Virgil spoke so firmly it felt like a bind contract within the air between them. He would do everything in his power to ensure they were going to be okay. Elizabeth smiled. For once everything felt like it was starting to get back on track. Life felt like it was taking a turn for the better.

"Um. . . Weren't you heading off to help your family?"

Virgil let out a frustrated groan. She was right. He had things to do and things to discuss with Garrison.

He took a half step back and ran a hand threw his damp hair. He needed to go and he knew it, but watching the awkward expressions and blush across Elizabeth face continued to draw him in.

"I will see you tomorrow," Elizabeth smiled shyly moving back another step and hinting that he definitely needed to go. She didn't want to be the reason why he was late. She couldn't afford to have his family dislike her.

"They would never dislike you," he smiled. "And I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." Virgil kissed her cheek lightly, though he wanted, more than anything else, to take her up in his arms and love her for hours.

_One step at a time_ , he reminded himself.

"Have a good night, Virgil."

"And the same to you, Elizabeth," he said, taking in one final breath of her sweet, alluring scent.

Virgil made his way back home feeling excited, but also nervous. A small inkling that William wasn't too far away and that their lives could be put in danger again hung heavily against him.

_I will protect you Elizabeth,_ he promised disappearing into the night.
About the Author

Brenda Franklin lives in Louisiana surrounded by the family she loves. When she isn't writing the paranormal, she enjoys long walks in a cemetery, a good crime drama, and reading as many books as she can get her hands on.

Other works:

Guardian, A Fated Pairing

The Pulse Trilogy

Book one, A Steady Pulse

Book two, Barely Beating

Book three, Flat Line

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Twitter: @BeeFranklin613

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Blog: Into My World... http://beefranklin.blogspot.com/

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Thank you for reading!

