

Forever Yours –Series

By Deila Longford

Part Four

2013

Author contact

Blog: http://deilalongoford.blogspot.co.uk/

Email: deila3000@hotmail.co.uk

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Deila-longford/341582502598985

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeliaLongford

~ Acknowledgements ~

This book is dedicated to all of the fans and readers of my first three books.

Without you there would be no reason me to write.

Also dedicated to my family.

One

The voices are loud and urgent. I want to wake up and be a part of their conversation, but my eyes won't open. My mind is still showering me with images of my life and my body is completely frozen. I feel trapped in my own head, bursting to break free and start my new life. I want my eyes to open, I want to see Dalton, but I am powerless, so I listen to the brother's feuding words instead.

"How could you do this to her?" Dalton screams.

"The girl asked me to turn her, she let me read her thoughts, she loves you and what was I supposed to do?" Nicholas says in a firm voice. I can hear hissing and a loud bang –something must have fallen onto the ground. The room is quiet for a few seconds, and then the sound of Dalton's voice erupts.

"You could have called me, refused her, anything other than what you have done. Rose isn't going to want this, she will regret it, I know it." Nicholas laughs at Dalton's words and even though I can't see him, I know that his anger is building. The tension in the air is captivating, and I wish that my eyes would open, so that I can reassure Dalton that I am fine, and that I am still me.

"She won't regret it, I read her thoughts, and she wants this more than anything. She wants you, and she paid the ultimate price to be with you."

"I never wanted this; she was supposed to live a normal life, without me. Rose has had a traumatic life. Her Uncle means the world to her, and now she won't be able to be around him. Not seeing her family is going to kill her, she won't cope with being a vampire." My head spins –I never knew that Dalton felt this way. He is so, thoughtful when it comes to my happiness –please let me wake up. My body hears my prayers, something is happening. My whole body jerks with an electrifying jolt, my skin is on fire and my throat is as dry as a cork. My memories have passed, and now an overwhelming throbbing sensation has taken over my body. My heart feels like it's ripping out of my chest, and I can feel my eyes rolling around in their sockets. My body is still frozen, but the pain is excruciating –what is happening to me? Am I supposed to be feeling this way? I can only think of the pain and my dry, burning throat, but I try to overlook my pain as I hear Nicholas's voice.

"We can help her get through this. We'll show her how to control her hunger and I'll be there for you, brother." Dalton laughs at Nicholas.

"Listen to yourself; it's almost as if you... care. Tell me something, did you show our parents the same kindness that you're willing to show Rose?"

"That was a long time ago, and I have apologized a million times over for what I did. I know that you are upset and scared about Rose, but she will be fine, you and I can look after her."

"Why do you care about her, huh?"

"I don't care about her; it's you that I care about. You're my little brother, and I hate what I have done to you. I turned her for you. I know how much you care about her, and that living without her would torture you. I did this so that you could be... happy." My legs jerk and I can feel them –am I finally waking up? My arms are sore, heavy and numb, my head is pounding and my chest is rapidly pulsating. My throat is dry and burning into a frenzy, I can't breathe, I am choking. My lips start to move and my eyes flutter under their lids.

My legs jerk again, the pain is overwhelming –is it supposed to hurt like this? Every nerve in my body is on fire and itching intensely –please make it stop. God has heard my wish, my eyes jolt open, and I am gasping for air as I leap off the sofa. I am coughing and I try to focus my eyes, but they are blurry and stopping me from seeing Dalton. I can feel a hand against my back, and now I am walking, but I can't see where to. I have no idea who is holding me, or where I am going, but I follow anyway hoping that I will get to see him. The hand pushes me down onto a bed-like surface and I fall against a silk comforter- set. A pillow is under my head, and the hand is caressing my cheek. My eyes are closed, but I force them open and there he is. Dalton is staring down at me. He looks worried and I hate that I went behind his back, but now that I have changed, there is nothing that he can do about it.

"Rose, look at me," Dalton says as he kneels down to my level. He places his hand onto my forehead and he stares deep into my eyes. "How are you feeling?" I part my lips, an overwhelming aching is forming in my gums –it hurts.

"My head is pounding, my gums hurt and I'm... thirsty. Can you get me a drink?" Dalton exhales and he flies out of the room. He quickly returns, holding a glass of water. He sits me up into the bed and he urges me to drink. I take the glass, but water isn't what I am craving.

"Drink," he urges. I give in and I pull the glass towards my lips. My senses are tingling and everything is heightened. The sunlight is brighter, the noise of Dalton's heartbeat is ringing in my ears. I can hear birds singing, and the wind as it blows through the trees. My eyes have cleared and everything is in high definition. I can see every fibre of the comfort-set, every speck of dust that lies onto the wooden floor, every line on Dalton's face is clear in my vision. I part my lips and I take a sip of the water, the taste is horrible and I spit it out. Dalton exhales and he pulls the glass away from me. He slams it down onto the bedside cabinet, and he locks his furious eyes on mine. "Why did you do this?" He exclaims.

"You know why," I say in a rough voice. Dalton paces the large bedroom and he thrusts his hands into the air.

"You went behind my back; I never wanted this for you." I leap out of the bed and I am surprised at my pace –I flew across the room in a matter of seconds. I stand in front of Dalton and I look up at him, through my HD eyes. He doesn't look happy with me, but he doesn't refuse my hand when I offer it to him. He places his hand into mine and I smile –he doesn't feel cold. My lips start to shake and I lunge into his arms –I need to kiss him. I lock my lips on his and I pull him close, crushing him until he squeals. "Wow, be careful," he says as he pushes me away from him. I frown at him –God I love him so much. My feelings for him are multiplied, I knew that I loved him, but not to this extent. He is everything to me, my heart feels bound to him, connected and his lips are irresistible. I lunge forward again and mount my lips onto his. I hold his head firmly and I laugh through our passion –I am strong enough to hold him in place. I kiss him harder, and then my hands run through his hair, he lifts me up, kissing me on my neck. I hear footsteps and the sound of another heartbeat. I push Dalton away and I focus my eyes on the doorjamb. Nicholas is standing smugly, grinning at us.

"Don't stop on my behalf." He says as he folds his arms across his chest. I smile and rush towards him. I wrap my arms around him, pulling him close for a bear hug.

"Thank you," I say as I pull away from him. Nicholas smiles at me and then his expression changes, when Dalton rushes over and grabs me by the arm. He spins me around and I focus my new eyes on his. He looks at me as he caresses my cheek.

"Are you thirsty?" Dalton asks in firm voice. I press my lips together and an overwhelming dryness has taken over my throat –I want blood.

"Yes, I'm gasping, I need something to drink." Nicholas glides over and stands in front of me. I look at him and then back to Dalton. The brothers exchange a worried glance, and then Dalton focuses back on me. His eyes stare deep into mine, and he cups my cheek with his hand.

"You need to feed, do you understand?" I nod –of course I understand, I am not delusional. "Okay, come with me," Dalton pulls me out of the room and into the hallway. He rushes me towards the front door and he thrusts it open. My eyes can't adjust to brightness, and I break free from him and run back into the house. I fly to the darkest corner of the lounge, and I rest my back against the wall. My eyes are burning and my hands are trembling –I hate the sunlight. Nicholas comes rushing into the room and he walks over to me. He reaches out his hand and he pulls my face around so that I can see him.

"My eyes are stinging and my skin is on fire," I say in a broken voice. Nicholas smiles at me and he gently runs his finger along my cheek.

"It's okay, you'll be fine. You just need to feed." I nod at him and he pulls me out of the corner. He walks me back into the hallway and towards the front door. Dalton is standing in the doorjamb, he looks worried. I force a smile through my hunger –I don't want him to think that I can't handle this. Nicholas leads me to the front door, and he pauses when we reach the opening. He wraps his hand around my shoulder and he leans in towards me, whispering in my ear. "Now I know that the brightness is painful for your eyes, but I need you to do as I say, okay?" I look at him, our faces are inches apart, and his breath is blowing against my cheek. I nod at him –I'll do anything that you say.

"Okay," I say in strong voice. Dalton hisses and he stomps out of the house. My heart aches –he is mad at me. Nicholas grazes my cheek, he wants my full attention.

"Close your eyes," he says in a fluid, southern accent. I do as he says my eyes close. "Now, listen to my voice and follow me." I adjust my ears and my legs start to move. I walk out of the house and I can feel the sun burning against my skin. I flinch and my eyes flutter, but Nicholas calms me. "Ignore the warmth, keep your eyes closed." I sigh as I follow his commands. "Now take a deep breath and open your eyes." I hesitate, fearing the brightness, but then I give in and open my eyes. The light is still burning, but it's tolerable now and not quite as scorching as before. I take in my surroundings and I can't believe my eyes, everything is so clear, vibrant and beautiful. The air is warm against my skin. I smile when I see Dalton leaning against his car. I speed over to him, and I wrap my arms around his neck. He holds me for a second and then he pushes me away. I smile at him again –please don't be mad at me, I silently plead with him.

"Everything is amazing; I can finally see what you see." Dalton pushes his eyebrows together, as he opens the door of his car. He signals for me to jump in, so I do as he says and I melt into the leather seats. I can hear Dalton walking across the gravel towards his side of the car, and I hear that his breathing is shallow. He falls into the driver's seat and he starts the engine. The roar is loud, too loud and I cover my ears to shield them from the noise. I make a darting look towards Dalton and he meets my stare. "Is it always like this?" I ask referring to the loud noise. Dalton clicks the car into gear as he answers my question.

"No, it quietens down, once you feed." I am relieved; I wouldn't want that constant ringing in my ears. Dalton speeds out of the driveway and through the open gates. He turns the car towards the town and he slams his foot down onto the gas pedal. I can hear that his breathing is heavy and his heart is racing –he's worried about me. I reach out and I place my hand onto his knee, his lips shake at my touch and he meets my stare. "I can't believe that you did this," he is disappointed, I am heart broken.

"I know what I did was wrong and selfish, but I did it because I love you. Now that I have changed, don't you feel differently about me being a vampire?" Dalton laughs and then he hits the steering wheel in frustration.

"You aren't a proper vampire yet, you need to feed to complete the change. You won't know how you feel, until you feed." My mind races and I know how I feel –I love Dalton. I reach out and clasp his face with both of my hands, the car sweeps all over the road at my actions and Dalton slams hit foot down onto the brake pedal. He stops the car at the side of the road and he flicks the hazard lights on. He loosens my hands from his face; he grabs me and pulls me towards him. His eyes are staring into my soul, and I can't hold back my desire. I lunge towards him and I roughly place my lips onto his. He grabs my head, pulling me closer and squeezing me like there's no tomorrow. My lips are locked onto his. My hands are slipping through his hair. I can hear him panting, and I can feel every bone in my body screaming at me with desire. I pull my lips away from his and I kiss his neck. I can hear his heart beating and the feeling of his skin on my lips is intoxicating. I press my lips onto the base of his neck, and I burry my teeth into his skin. He pulls away from me and he clutches me firmly in his hands.

"Rose, you can't feed on me." I nod –I know, but I wanted to taste your blood like you have tasted mine. Dalton lets go of me and he focuses back on the road ahead. He pushes his foot back down onto the gas pedal. I look at him, smiling from ear to ear.

Two

We reach the town and the streets are busy and filled with people. As we stop at a red light, I can hear the soft voices of the passers-by. Some are taking about money, chocolate and shopping. Others are discussing their lives, what to have for dinner and what movie to watch tonight. A little girl runs across the street, and she is very close to our car. I can hear her tiny heart, pumping blood to her veins and my lips begin to shake with desire. I grab the door handle, but Dalton crushes my hand before I have the chance to open it. He shakes his head at me, and he slams his foot down onto the gas pedal in frustration. We sit in silence, as Dalton drives us to a deserted gas station on the edge of town. He pulls the car into the lot, and he switches off the engine. He turns to face me, and his expression is extra serious.

"I'm going to find someone for you to feed on, wait in the car." Dalton stares at me as he waits for me to agree with him. I don't speak, I just stare at him. He is so gorgeous. "Rose, do you understand me?" He urges again. I snap out of my daze and I smile at him, agreeing to what he is saying.

"Yeah, I understand." Dalton leans in and he kisses me on my forehead. He jumps out of the car and I watch, and hear him as he marches into the gas station. My heart is racing, and I can't believe what has happened. I am about to become a vampire. This is so unreal and captivating. My whole world has changed, for the better. I can see clearer, hear things that I would never have before. My mind is strong; I am determined and even surer that I love Dalton. When I see him, it's like my whole life comes into focus. He is the air that fills my vampire lungs, and he is the light that burns through me. My feelings for him are stronger than ever –I'm certain that I have made the right decision. I look out the window of the car and although I can't see Dalton, I can hear him speaking. I can't fully make out what he is saying, but I know that he is on his way back to me. I can hear his footsteps and he is not alone. He bursts into my vision and he is walking across the lot, carrying a young boy. He rushes towards the car and he thrusts the door open, he slides the boy into the back seat and jumps into the driver's side. He starts the engine and speeds out of the parking lot. My lips are shaking and my ears can't adjust to the noise. But it's not the Porsche's engine that's distracting me; it's the beating of the boy's heart. I can see a vein bulging through the skin of his neck and I can't resist. I lunge into the back seat and I pin the boy's head down onto the seat. My throat is burning with desire –I am starving, I need blood. I crush the boy with my body, and I feel the car swerve as Dalton tries to pull me away from the boy. I fight him off, and Dalton spins the car to halting stop. He jumps out of the car and he pulls the boy from under me. I hiss at him and he frowns at me.

"God damn it Rose," he screams as he cradles the boy in his arms. "Can't you control yourself?" I fly out of the car and I rush towards him.

"I'm starving," I say in a rough voice. My knees are weak and my skin is on fire. I can't wait any longer, I need to feed. Dalton pushes past me and he sets the boy back down into the car. I follow him and I hound him until he pushes me forward. The boy is about to wake up, I can hear his heart rate increasing and his breathing is heavy. Dalton grabs onto my face and he pulls me towards him.

"You don't have long before he wakes up. I need you to feed on him, but you must stop when I tell you to, is that understood?" My lips are shaking –I agree with him and pull myself out of his grasp. I lunge into the back of his tiny car, and I set myself down next to the boy. His eyes are fluttering under their lids and he is about to wake up. I sense that I don't have long, so grab his head and tilt it to the side. His dark hair is long and it touches his neck, I push it away and my lips begin to quiver. I move closer to him, eyeing the spot that I want to bite. I fix my eyes on his tanned skin, and I move my lips onto his neck. My gums are stinging and urging me to bite. A deep hissing forms in my throat, I can't resist any longer. I tear into his skin and I taste his blood. It's sweet and fills my entire body with pleasure. My throat fills with the boy's blood, and the burning dryness is slowly fading into a pleasurable state. As I draw more blood, I hear him, I see into his mind and I read his thoughts. He is scared and helpless as his eyes open he screams out in pain, and I can feel that pain deep in my soul. He is terrified of me and even though I am lost in the pleasure of feeding on him, I don't want to hurt him. I pull my teeth out of his neck and I wipe my lips with my fingers. The boy is scared and Dalton quickly interferes and eases the boys fear. I jump out of the car and I feel –revitalized. My head is clear and my body is vibrant, I am finally a vampire.

Three

Dalton drove me back to his house and now we are sitting in the lounge, as he tries to explain the dos and don'ts of being a vampire. I never knew that there were so many rules for me to obey and if I am honest, I don't know that I will be able to stick to any of them. He says that I must stay indoors for at least a week, and that I can't go to work or see my family. He says that since I am a newbie, I won't be able to control myself around my family and he doesn't want to risk exposition. Nicholas and Dalton have been extra careful since they moved to Portland, and they don't want me to ruin their hard efforts. The only person in town who knows what they are is me, and now I am one of them. Dalton was right; I do feel different once I have fed. My head is clearer, stronger and I know exactly what I want –Dalton. I can't see straight, as I look at him –he is all that I want. My feelings are stronger, and they ache every part of my body. He is the reason that I breathe. He is worth the burning hunger, and the risk of losing myself into a homicidal mess. I fed on a young boy, and I felt his pain as I drew out his blood –that memory will stay with me forever. It will guide me and stop me from losing control –I will never hurt anyone. I know that I am newbie and Dalton insists that my desire for blood will take over me, but I don't believe that it will. I feel strong and in control. I feel like I could stand in a room full of humans and not hurt them –am I just wishful thinking?

"Rose, do you understand everything that I have said to you?" My mind races –think Rose. I clear my mind and I think back on what I have just heard him say. I nod and I part my lips. "Yeah, I understand, but I have a question." I say as I move closer to him. Dalton stares at me, waiting for me to speak. "You said that I can't go home, where am I gonna stay?" Dalton smiles and he grazes my cheek with his hand.

"With me," I shake my head at his answer –I can't stay with him.

"I can't, my Uncle will go crazy if he finds out, and what am I gonna say to him anyways? We haven't thought of a story. What's my reason for not going home?" My voice is urgent and my temper is sliding off the scale –I feel as if I could demolish the whole house. My hands are trembling and I can feel my eyes burning. I jump off the sofa and I rush towards the nearest mirror. I fall back at my reflection –I look like a demon. My eyes are burning red and my lips are parted to reveal two sharp daggers. "DALTON," I scream. He flies over to me and he grabs hold of me by my waist.

"Baby, it's okay, just breathe," Dalton says as he tries to soothe me. I violently shake my head as I continue to stare at my demon looks. "Close your eyes and breathe through your hunger."

"I can't," I say in a defeated voice. Dalton spins me around so that I am facing him. He clasps both sides of my face in his hands, and he stares into my eyes.

"Close your eyes, count to three and remember to breathe. Trust me it works." I take his advice, and my temper is slowly fading. My eyes have faded back to their original colour, and my lips and body have stopped shaking. I run my tongue across my teeth and I smile when I don't feel the two sharp daggers. I spin around, and I look at myself in the mirror –I look like me. I spin back around to face Dalton, and he grips onto my waist. He violently pulls me towards him and he places his lips onto mine. He spins me around and I spin him back –holy cow it feels amazing to have the same power as him. He pushes me down onto the sofa, and he runs his fingers through my hair. He rips off his shirt and he crashes against me. I let out a deafening laugh, and grip onto his back. He slides his lips onto my neck, and he grazes my skin with his fingers. He laughs and he looks up at me, pulling his lips away from my neck. "Your wounds are gone. It's like I never fed on you." My heart melts at his words, and I grab him, pulling his head back to join mine. My lips collide with his, and the sensation is mind-blowing. I reluctantly pull back from him, gasping as I stare deep into his eyes.

"It's better this way; I'm finally your equal." Dalton laughs and he licks his lips in a tender way. His eyes flash red, and I can feel mine doing the same. Our jolting bodies connect and I let out a massive squeal –he is mine, forever.

The day has come and gone in a flash, and as the hours tick away on Dalton's grandfather clock, I start to think about my uncle. I haven't called him to say that I won't be home tonight, and I know that I should. But something is holding me back. I can't bring myself to pick up the phone and call him. I don't know what is stopping me from calling. Something just feels wrong, and I don't know what it is. My body is aching at the thought of seeing him, because I know that when I do, I will have to lie to him. I hate lying to him, my uncle has done so much for me, and I owe a lot to him. Every sense in my body is pulsating. My feelings for my uncle are multiplied –how I am going to cope? I don't want to stay away from family, but I know that I have to. I choose this; I choose to become a vampire, and to be with Dalton. I knew that I would have to sacrifice my family life to be with him, but now that I have, it's harder than I thought. When I was human my life didn't seem important. I floated from day to day. Working a dead beat job and reading books into the wee hours. But now that I am a vampire, everything has changed. I feel alive. More alive than ever before. Every sense in my body is on overdrive. I can see things that didn't exist before. I can hear things that no one else can. My vampire life has been short –a few hours to be exact. But I have felt more alive in those few hours than I ever did in my nineteen years of being a human.

The door of Dalton's bedroom bursts open and I jump off the bed at the noise. My eyes focus on Dalton as he stands in the doorjamb. He has changed his clothes, and he is now wearing a dark blue hoodie and light coloured jeans. His hair looks wet as he slides over to me. He wraps his arms around my waist and he gently kisses my forehead. I squeeze him with all my force and he grunts and loosens my arms from around his neck.

"You're crushing my bones. I told you that you'd be the death of me." I smile at his words and I march back over to the bed. I flop down onto the surface and the bed shakes and pulls away from the wall. I bite my lip as I apologise.

"I'm sorry. I guess I don't know my own strength." Dalton laughs and he makes his way over to me. He gently sits down onto the bed, and he folds his arms across his chest. I look at him –holy crap he's gorgeous.

"You'll soon get to use to your extra strength. Rose, have you called your Uncle yet?" I blush and my eyes fall onto the bed. I nervously play with covers, until Dalton grabs my hand and stops me. My eyes lift from the bed and meet his stare. He looks worried, and I know that he is going to force me to call George. My frozen heart starts to race as he continues to stare at me.

"No, I haven't." I say in a sharp tone. Dalton presses his eyebrows together at my firmness, he doesn't look happy with me. His eyes darken and his lips quiver. I smile –he doesn't scare me anymore.

"What are you smiling about? You think it's funny that you haven't called to let your uncle know that you're safe? He is probably worried out of his mind about you." I blush. He doesn't scare me, but he still intimidates the hell out of me. He has just made me feel like a naughty school kid. But I get his reasons and I agree with them. My uncle will be worrying about me. I need to man-up and I need to call him, before he comes to look for me. I reach into the pocket of my jeans, and I take out my phone. I search my contacts until I find the house number. I pause before I hit send.

"I hate lying to him."

"You haven't lied yet. So just call him." Dalton is firm and I feel that he doesn't understand. I shake my head as I look at him. When I first met him he told me that being a vampire made him not care about anyone or anything. I don't see how that's true. Since I turned, I have felt stronger about every passion that I have. I feel things more intensely; my heart is like a ticking time-bomb full of emotions. One that's ready to explode at any moment.

"You told me that you couldn't feel, and that I would be an empty shell. That's not true; I care more about my family than I ever did. My emotions are high, and I feel awful about the way I am treating my Uncle." Dalton sighs and he takes the phone out of my hand. He throws it down onto the bed and he pulls me close to him. I rest my cheek against his hoodie, I break down into tears.

"Don't cry, your emotions are high because you're new. When you wake up tomorrow, you'll feel different. Everything will be clearer and your guilt will pass." I sob at his words.

"What if you were right? What if I can't cope with being a vampire?" Dalton pulls my head away from his chest and he grabs onto my face.

"I was wrong. I didn't want you to change, and I said those things to scare you. But Rose, you're stronger than I could have ever imagined. You fed on a boy and it was your first feed. But you managed to pull yourself away from him. You could have hurt him, killed him in fact. But you didn't, you fought your hunger and I have never seen any new vampire do that before. You amaze me, when I first turned I was a maniac. I killed and I couldn't control myself. But you're different; you're the one in control, not your hunger." I force myself to smile at him, and then I reach out and grab my phone. I scan my contacts again, and this time I push send. I can feel my frozen heart racing in my icy chest, as I wait for an answer. The phone rings, and then I hear my uncle's husky voice.

"Hello," He says in a firm tone –wow he's loud. I part lips as I get ready to respond.

"Hi," I say. My voice is shallow and I don't think that my uncle has heard my words. I clear my throat and as I begin to speak again, my uncle speaks first.

"Rose is that you?" His voice is broken and desperate. I can tell that he is worried and annoyed. I need to reassure him that I am fine.

"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry that I didn't call earlier."

"Where are you?" My uncle says in an icy tone. Dalton's eyes dart to mine and he urges me to speak. I clear my dry, thirsty throat for the millionth time, and I bring myself to talk.

"I'm with Dalton. I won't be coming home tonight."

"Now wait a minute young lady!" My uncle screams down the phone at me. I flinch and pull the phone away from my ear. I don't know if it's my vampire hearing, or the fact that my uncle is crazy mad right now, but I can't listen to his voice. His words are deafening and they have vibrated through me. His tone was icy, and I can feel my anger and desire for blood rising. My eyes are stinging, and I have realized that they only sting, when they flash red. My hands start to shake and I feel like snapping the phone in half. But I remember Dalton's advice, and I breathe through my burning rage. I take several deep breaths and the stinging in my eyes disappears. I feel Dalton's hand grazing my lower back, and I flash him a thankful smile. I pull my phone back to my ear, and I force myself to lie –again.

"Uncle George I know that you might not feel... comfortable about me staying with Dalton. But I can assure you that he is the perfect gentleman. He never does anything out of place and I... love him. I won't be coming home for a few days. I have time off work, and I want to spend that time with Dalton. We have made plans for the next few days, and I don't want you to worry about me. I'll call you again soon, goodbye." I hang up before my uncle has time to shout at me. I throw my phone down onto the bed in anger. Dalton tries to soothe me. He lightly caresses my shoulder with his hand as I try to choke back my tears.

"Relax baby you did a good job. Your Uncle can't see you like this. At least not until you're fully in control of your bloodlust. Speaking of blood, are you hungry?" I swirl my tongue in my dry mouth, it feels like it could crack from my hunger.

"I'm starved!" I say in a dry voice. Dalton smiles at me and he takes my hand as he jumps off the bed. We fly across the room and through the open the door. We glide along the hallway, and we step out into the murky night of Portland. Dalton walks me towards his car, but I am confused when he doesn't stop at the Porsche. Instead, he continues to rapidly walk across the driveway in the direction of the forest. I look back at the car as I wonder why he is taking me into the woods. He senses that I am confused, so he tries to fill me in.

"It's better if we walk to town. I want to show you the perks of being a vampire." I smile at him and I am excited. I am not even sure that I am supposed to feel this way, but being a vampire has made me feel things that I never did before. My true emotions are on show, and I love that Dalton is here to help me adjust to my new life. I was really worried that he would hate me for what I did. But he has surprised me, he hasn't screamed, or gotten mad at me. Instead, he has been there to help me through the change. I am confident that with him by my side, I will excel as a vampire.

We reach the trees and my new ears adjust to the sounds of the woods. I can hear birds and squirrels as they climb the trees. I can see for miles and everything is in HD. My senses are tingling and my body is urging me to lunge into the air, and to be as free as the birds. The leaves are crisp, and I adore the sound as Dalton's footsteps press into them. He intertwines his fingers into mine, and he locks his eyes on mine. He smiles a wicked smile at me, and he softly licks his lips. I can feel my legs urging me run, but I hold back as I wait for Dalton's approval.

"Are you ready to be a vampire?" Dalton says as he stares down at me from his 6'2" stature. I feel dwarfed by him, and I look up into his burning red stare.

"I was born ready!" I say rather smugly. Dalton laughs and then he nods at me, signalling me that he is ready to run. I straighten my face and I focus my vision across the dark forest. I squeeze Dalton's hand to alert him that I am ready. Then like magic, my legs break free and we are running –more like flying through the woods. Everything at the sides of us is a blur, but straight ahead is clearer than crystal. We speed through the trees and in a matter of moments, we are in Portland. The streets are quite busy for this time of night. The bars are still open, and there are floods of people making their way home after a night out. Dalton walks me closer to the people, and we are nearing the entrance of the bar. A man in his twenties falls out of the doorway and he lands face-first onto the street. He is moaning and laughing at the same time and when he pulls himself off the ground, I feel my burning hunger rising to my surface. The man's eyebrow has a small gash, and trickles of his blood are making its way down his face. I can feel my pulse racing and my eyes begin to sting. I lunge forward, but Dalton grabs onto me before I reach the guy. He shakes me and he pulls me into an alleyway at the side of the bar. He pushes me against the cold wall, and he grabs onto my face. He looks disappointed with me and I feel awful. If he hadn't of pulled me back, then God only knows what I would have done. I shake myself –control yourself Rose.

"Rose you can't do that. You were lucky that those guys were drunk, and that they didn't seem to notice what you tried to do. If they weren't, you would have exposed us. I can't make you control yourself, only you can do that." I sigh and I apologise.

"I'm sorry. He was just so... tempting. I could smell his blood. I would have hurt him, if you hadn't of pulled me away." Dalton presses his lips together and he loosens his grip on my face. He grabs onto my hand and he leads me back towards the street. The crowd has gone and now the street is quite. Dalton pushes open the door of the bar and he pushes me inside. The bar is busy and the sound of Mumford and Sons is playing loudly in the background. People are dancing, laughing and having a good time. I scan the faces of the crowded bar, and I smile when I see Ryan talking with some girl. My heart starts to race and I grip Dalton's hand. He leads me to the bar and he sits me down onto a stool. He slaps the wooden bar surface and the barmaid quickly rushes over to us.

"Two scotch on the rocks and keep them coming." Dalton says in fluid tone. The slim, dark haired barmaid smiles at Dalton as she quickly fixes us our drinks. Dalton grabs a glass and he slides the other one towards me. He downs the drink and he urges me to do the same. "Drink, it will help with the cravings." I reach out and I lift the glass. I part my lips and I pour the drink down my throat. The strong alcohol burns, but Dalton was right, the dryness in my throat isn't quite so prominent as before. I slam the glass down onto the bar surface, and the barmaid rushes over and pours us another drink. I down the second scotch, and then the third, and the fourth. Dalton laughs at my drinking and then he leans in towards me. He lightly pushes my hair away from my face and he whispers. "Who would like to drink?" I feel awful and my frozen heart begins to pound –I don't want to hurt anyone. My eyes begin to sting and I breathe in and out, trying to hide my desire. Dalton pats my cheek and his eyes are filled with compassion. I smile at him and I scan the crowd, looking for my prey. I see a few girls dancing and having fun, I shake my head they don't look appetising. I focus my eyes on the back, and I see a handsome young guy sitting alone. He looks miserable as he stares out at the dance floor. My lips shake at the sight of him and I fix my eyes on Dalton. He laughs at me and he squeezes my arm. "You're going with the boy?" I feel awkward –have I upset him by selecting a male to feed on? I remember my hatred and fear that he would feed on other girls; does he feel the same way about me feeding on other guys?

"Does it bother you? If it does then I can find someone else." Dalton smiles and he pushes me off the bar stool.

"It does bother me." He says as he leaps from the bar stool. He wraps his arms around my waist and he pulls me close. His lips briefly collide with mine, and then he tortures me by pulling them away. "It bothers me, but I am not gonna stop you." His lips move onto mine again, and he kisses me for a few seconds and then he pulls away again. "I love you Rose," I smile at him and I leap into his arms. I squeeze him tight, whilst I whisper how I feel.

"I love you too." Dalton kisses my forehead and he pushes me away from him. He grabs onto my arms and he stares deep into my eyes.

"Go on, and remember you don't want to hurt him. You're the one in control not your hunger." I nod and then I break free from Dalton. I make my way through the sea of people, and I scan the room to look for Ryan. I see that he is standing in the back with the same girl he was talking to. But he's not talking with her anymore, he is kissing her instead. I reach the young guys table, and I pull my hair across both sides of my face in a flirty manner. The guy's eyes widen at my appearance, and he quickly introduces himself.

"Hey I'm Jake." He says as he holds his hand out for me to shake it. I smile at him and I grab onto his hand.

"I'm Rose, do you mind if I take a seat?" I say trying to maintain as much humanity as possible. He reaches out and slides the empty chair out from the table. He signals for me sit and I take his invitation. "So what's a gorgeous guy like you, doing sitting alone?" The guy blushes and he leans forward and rests his elbows onto the table. He smiles at me and he locks his dark eyes on mine.

"I was waiting for you." He says smugly. I feel my lips begin to shake as I catch a glimpse of his neck. There is a bulging vein showing through his dark skin and my cold heart begins to race. I urge myself to stay calm and to focus on the guy's face and not his tempting neck.

"Do you wanna dance?" I say smiling and twirling my hair in front of him. He nods and he jumps out of his seat. I slowly climb out of the chair and grab his hand and lead him onto the dance floor. He pulls me close to him and I wrap my arms around his neck. The music is fast, and I can hear his heart beating fast as he tries to keep up with the beat. I move closer to him and I stand on my tip-toes. I feel his heart pumping blood to his veins, my eyes focus on his neck. I lean in and I place my lips onto his neck. He gently moans at my touch and he continues to dance. I increase my grip on his shoulders and I pull myself closer to him. My lips part and my eyes sting and then I sink my teeth into his neck. I suck on his skin and his blood floats down my throat. I draw more blood, I can hear his thoughts. He isn't scared of me, he loves the pleasure and he doesn't want me to stop. He moans as his hands slip onto my waist. I feel him slipping into a pleasurable daze. I force myself to stop my feed, and I pull my teeth out of his neck. His head falls onto my shoulder, and I gently slap him to wake up. His eyes jolt open at my force-full touch and he focuses on my face. He looks confused, but his heart rate is steady –he isn't scared of me. He lightly grazes my cheek, and I scan the crowd making sure that no one saw what I just did. I smile when I realise that everyone is too drunk to even see us. I force myself to focus back on the guy. I unbutton the collar of his shirt, and I flick it up around his wounds. I clasp his face in my hands and I stare deep into his eyes.

"Thank you," he looks confused but he is still enduring the pleasure of my feed. I let go of him and I run through the crowd in search of Dalton. I see that he is still sitting at the bar, and as I walk towards him, I feel a hand on my back. I spin around and Ryan is standing in front of me. He is drunk, and I can smell the beer and cigarettes oozing from his breath. He narrows his eyes at me, as he tries to find his footing. He stumbles and crashes into me. I steady him and he rests his head onto my shoulder. I lightly pat his head and then my world collapses, when he whispers.

"I saw what you did!"

Four

My skin is on fire, and I can't think straight –did Ryan just say what I thought he did? I pull him away from me, and he stumbles to the ground. I bend down and I try to hide my strength as I help him to his feet. I walk him over to a quiet table, and I sit him down. I take the seat opposite him and I make a darting look towards the bar. I see that Dalton is minding his own business, as he sips on yet another drink. I tear my eyes away from him, and I focus on Ryan. His head is rested on the surface of the table, and I can hear that he is heavy breathing. I adjust myself in the seat; I lean over and place my hand onto his arm. His head lunges off the table and he shivers from my touch. My frozen heart starts to pound –I need to explain.

"Ryan, look at me," I say as I reach out and gently touch his face. He pulls away from me, and he begins to ask me questions that I don't have the answers to.

"Why are you so cold? What were you doing to that guy? I saw you... bite him. What's wrong with you?" Crap he knows that something is wrong. Perhaps I can convince him that I was just kissing the guy, and that he is far too drunk.

"I don't know what you're taking about. I was just dancing with a cute guy. Ryan, how much beer have you drank?" Ryan rolls his eyes at me and he flings his hands into the air. Maybe he isn't as drunk as I thought.

"Don't do that. I know what I saw. You bit into that guy's skin and you..." Ryan trails off in mid-sentence, and he brushes his hair away from his forehead. He shakes his head and he looks deep into my eyes. I can't meet his stare, I turn away from him. He reaches out and grabs onto my icy chin. He stares at me in disbelief –crap. He tilts my chin towards him and he forces me to meet his gaze. I lock my stinging eyes on his, and he jumps as he takes in my appearance. He can't believe his eyes and he can't stop staring at me. My lips start to shake, and I feel my desire slipping off the scale. I can see his veins and I imagine what his blood would taste like. But a crippling fear of hurting my friend takes over my body, and I ignore my bloodlust. As I stare into his eyes, I realise that Ryan knows what I am. "Rose, what are you?"

"You know what I am." Ryan shakes his head and he looks confused.

"No, I don't. I have an idea, but it's crazy. You can't be what I'm thinking. It's not possible." I inhale his scent –beer and cigarettes and I smile at him as I reveal my secret.

"I'm a vampire." Ryan pushes me away and he rhythmically holds his hands at his mouth. He is speechless and I realise that I need to convince him not to be scared of me, and to not tell anyone about me. I can't risk exposition –Dalton would never forgive me. "Ryan, I know this has come as a shock to you. But please I need you to keep my secret. I know that what I'm asking you is huge, but please can you do this for me?"

"How can you ask me that?" Ryan says in a broken voice. I reach out and grab his face.

"Please, I'm begging you. Don't tell anyone what I am." Ryan looks worried and his face is burning.

"Who are you? My friend can't be a... vampire. They don't exist, what have you done with Rose?" I sigh –he needs help.

"Ryan, look at me. It's me Rose, I'm here and I have told you what I am. Please keep my secret." Ryan considers my words and I begin to panic when I stare over at Dalton. He sees the anguish on my face, so he leaps from the bar stool and he flies over to me. My mind starts to rush in a million directions. I don't know how he will react to this. He has told me that he can't risk being exposed as a vampire. How is he going to feel when he finds out that Ryan knows? I can't even bring myself to think of what he could do to Ryan. Dalton is a lot more ravenous, and not as understanding as me. He doesn't care about Ryan and he has killed before. As I watch him staring down at me, I realise that I can't and won't let him hurt Ryan.

"Rose, what is going on here?" Dalton's voice is firm. I sense that he isn't happy that I am holding onto Ryan. I consider his feelings and I pull my hands away from Ryan. I shoot Dalton a worried look, and he reaches out and pulls me off the seat. He wraps his arm around my waist. He squeezes me tightly as he leads me out of the bar. We step out into the dark street and Dalton spins me around. His eyes are burning, he isn't happy. He wickedly stares at me and he quickly makes his feelings clear. "What was that? What were you doing with him?" My body tenses and I freeze. I can't bring myself to look at him, or to tell him what has happened. Dalton shakes me and he urges me to speak. "Tell me what's wrong?" He snaps. I feel a soft tear fall from my eye, and I quickly wipe it away. Dalton's eyes soften at my emotions. "Rose, just tell me." I swirl my tongue around in my burning throat and I bring myself to confess.

"Ryan knows that I'm a vampire." Dalton's eyes flash red and he shakes me.

"How did he find out? Did you tell him?"

"I did, but only because he saw me feeding on that guy. I tried to lie, but he wouldn't believe me. My eyes flashed red, and he knew what I was. I had to tell him." Dalton lets go of me and he begins to pace across the street. His footsteps are loud and his breathing is deep. I don't know what he's going to say or do. My heart can't take the anticipation.

"We can't stay here anymore. Not when that guy knows what you are. We need to leave, now." Dalton rushes over to me and he grabs me by the arm. He leads me along the quiet street, until we are at the edge of the woods. My brain won't function –I am frozen.

"I can't leave. What about my uncle? This is crazy, we need to go back. I'll talk to Ryan. I'll make sure that he doesn't tell anybody." Dalton laughs at me.

"Don't you get it? He knows about you. If we stay here, we'll always be in his debt. Looking over our shoulders and wondering if he is gonna tell."

"If I could just talk to him, I could make him understand. He is my friend, he won't tell anybody."

"Rose, we can't trust him. I have seen this too many times before. You need to listen to me. We need to leave Portland."

Dalton and I raced back to his house, in silence. He hasn't uttered a word to me since we got home, and now he and Nicholas are talking in the kitchen. I can hear what they are saying, but I close my ears because I don't want to hear. I know what the conclusion is going to be. Dalton is going to make me leave, and that's something that I don't want to do. I know that I choose this. I choose to be a vampire, and I have to live with that, forever. I don't regret my choice and Dalton is all that I ever want. But my feelings for my family have multiplied, and I don't want to leave them. I am ageless and I am not going to die. But my uncle and his family grow closer to death every day. I will have to spend an eternity without them, so forgive me if I am being selfish. But I want to spend as much time with my family as I can. I can't believe the events that took place tonight. I fed on someone, and I had the strength not to hurt him. I felt his emotions as I drank his blood, and I heard his thoughts. He wasn't scared of me, he liked me. He adored the pleasure that I gave him, and he wanted more. He didn't want me to stop, and I didn't want to. Something inside of me stopped me from hurting him. My bloodlust was high and domineering, but my heart was soft and I cared about him. I didn't want to hurt him, so I fought my nature, and I am so proud of myself for that. When I first turned, I was scared that I wouldn't be able to control my hunger. But tonight, I showed myself that I can. I don't have to kill people in order to survive. And maybe just maybe, I can be around my family and not hurt them.

I can hear Dalton and Nicholas discussing me in the kitchen. Dalton is saying that we need to leave. Nicholas is sort of agreeing with him, but he is considering my feelings more than Dalton is. I can't believe what he's saying. He speaks about me as if he really cares for me. He doesn't want me to miss out on seeing my family. I am confused; I thought he didn't care about anyone or anything?

"Dalton you have to let Rose see her family. When I read her mind, she showed me how much she cared about them. Brother, she has an eternity to be without them. You can't deny her access to her own family. She will only rebel against you. We both know that you love her, and that you wouldn't survive if you weren't with her. I know that we have to leave, but you need to let her see her family, before it's too late."

I slowly climb off the sofa and I tip-toe towards the door. I can hear Dalton's shallow breathing and Nicholas's sighing. I push open the door, and I walk out into the hallway. The floor boards gently creek under my feet, and I panic in case Dalton heard me. I settle my racing heart and I walk along the wide hallway. I reach the front door and I quietly push it open. I step out into the bitter night, and I don't look back. I run along the driveway in the direction of the woods. I glide through the trees at lighting pace, and I don't stop until I reach Portland. The town is dead and there is no one around, so I take advantage and I run along the streets. I reach my house, and I see that there is a light on in the lounge. I take a deep breath and I walk up to the window. I peek in through the tired curtains. I can see that my uncle is sitting in his chair. The TV is loud. I can hear that he is watching the latest game through the walls of the house. My eyes focus on my uncle's face, and I sense that he is tired and lonely. As I stare at him more, I feel the urge to go in and wrap my arms around him. But that isn't possible –I need to be invited in. I quickly scan the streets to make sure that Dalton hasn't followed me, and I sigh when I don't see him. I can hear my uncle sighing as he watches the game –can I bring myself to knock on the door? My frozen heart is pounding through my shirt and I can feel my eyes stinging. I remember Dalton's advice, I breathe through my desire until the stinging stops. I make a brave decision; I walk over to the front door. My cold hand rises and meets the wood of the door. I bang my fist against the door. I can hear my uncle shuffling off his chair. The light in the hallway lights up and then the door opens. My uncle can't believe his eyes when he sees me, and he wastes no time in telling me how happy he is to see me.

"Bugs, you're home." He gushes. I smile at him, whilst I continue to breathe through my desire –you won't hurt him Rose.

"I'm home," I say with a huge grin on my face.

"Why are you standing in the cold, get in here?" My uncles words ring in the air –was that an invitation? I move my foot forward, and I smile when it passes the door frame. I walk into the house and my uncle escorts me into the lounge. He sets himself back down onto his chair, and he turns down the volume –it's still deafening to my ears. I nervously sit down onto the sofa, and I wait for uncle's disappointed words. But I am surprised when he doesn't have something negative to say. "Did you have fun with Dalton?" My uncle asks in a smooth tone. My eyes jump out of their sockets –he isn't mad at me?

"Yeah we had a great time. I thought that you would be mad at me?" My uncle nods at me and then he pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. He adjusts himself in the chair and then he locks his eyes on mine.

"I'm not entirely happy with you, but you're an adult now. I can't force to stay away from him. I'm not gonna to tell you what to do. You are your own woman, and you can make your own decisions. I don't particularly like the guy, but I know that you do. I'm willing to tolerate him." I smile at my uncle –he is amazing. I lunge forward and I wrap my arms around his neck. He flinches and shivers at my touch. I pull away from him –I can't risk his questions. "Wow Bugs you're freezing. You'd better get off to bed." I laugh at him, and then I nod and make my way over to the door. I stop in the doorjamb, and I look back at my uncle –I'm going to miss him so much when I leave.

I have brushed my teeth and changed into my oversized t-shirt. I scrunched my hair into a bun and now I am settled nicely into my bed. My head rests against the soft pillow, everything feels familiar. I can smell my scent on the covers, and I can feel the energy that burns through the room. I have had many wonderful nights in here. Sleeping, watching movies and let's not forget about my nights with Dalton. I remember when he fed on me. I felt an overwhelming pleasure erupting through my body; I didn't want him to stop. I close my eyes and I can see him lying on my bed, that morning I decided to ask Nicholas to change me. A vision of him is in my mind, and a crippling fear takes over my vampire body. He is going to be so mad at me for running out tonight. But I was willing to risk his wrath, because I wanted to prove to him and to myself, that I could be around my family and not hurt them. When I was with my uncle, I felt normal. I didn't want to feed on him –I love him too much to risk hurting him. My icy hearts stops, when I hear my windows blow open. I jump out of my bed and I rush towards the window. I jump when Dalton stumbles in through the window and crashes against me. His body is jolted onto mine, his breathing is heavy. He looks at with me with that red stare, and my heart breaks. I have caused him pain and I need to apologise for my actions. I part my lips as I prepare to speak, but Dalton talks first.

"Rose, why did you run off like that? I was so worried about you. I thought that you... left me." Crap, I hate that I have made him feel like this –sort it out Rose, now. I run my hands across his broad shoulders and I walk him over to my bed. I fall onto the surface, and I pull Dalton down next to me. As he crashes down onto the bed, he pulls me closer to him and he forces me to rest my head onto his chest. He holds my icy body close to his, and I begin to tell him how sorry I am for running away.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I just needed to see my Uncle. I wanted to prove to you and to myself that I could be around him." Dalton sighs and he flashes me his red stare –this is usually the part where he would feed on me. Now I am a vampire, he doesn't have that luxury. I feel bad that I have taken his pleasure away from him, but at the same time, I am glad because now I can be with him forever.

"When you went behind my back and asked Nicholas to turn you, I was heartbroken. I felt useless and pathetic. I never wanted this life for you. But now you're a vampire, there is nothing that I can do to change that. I know that your family means a lot to you, but you have to accept the fact that we can no longer stay in Portland. Your friend knows what you are, and it won't end well for him. No matter how much you believe that he won't tell anyone, you can never fully trust him. Knowing about vampires eats away at humans. They're either scared, or they want us to turn them. It isn't fair to put the boy through that; we need to leave, Rose." As I run my fingers along his chest I sigh. I know that he is right, we need to leave. But the thought of how my uncle will react, numbs my vampire body. I can't begin to think how upset he will be, he will be heartbroken. I will bring him stress that he doesn't need, and that thought cripples me. My uncle has a hard life. He works hard to pay the bills, and Rachel tortures him. I have tried to be the good one in the family, but now I am about to be the worst of them all. I'm going to break my uncle's heart by leaving him, forever.

"I understand that we need to leave. But what am I gonna say to my uncle? He's not gonna roll over and just let me leave." Dalton exhales and he bites his lower lip. He locks his eyes on mine and he smiles.

"You'll tell him that you're going to see the world, and that I'm going with you. Tell him that we are gonna spend the summer in Italy, and the winter in England. We're gonna take trips to China, Australia and India. You'll write to him, and you'll tell him all about your adventures. You'll be happy and you'll tell him that if he loves you, then he will let you go." I bask in his words –that sounds magical and I would love if all of that were true. I reach out and graze his cheek.

"That's a wonderful story, but it's a lie. I hate lying to my uncle." Dalton laughs at my words and he leans in and kisses me. His lips are firm and warm, and I smile as he pulls away from me.

"It's not a lie. It's the start of our new life together."

Five

The next morning I wake up and the blinding sunshine is tearing through my curtains. I open my eyes and I hiss and pull the covers back over my head. The sunlight is burning my retinas, and the heat feels horrendous against my skin. My throat feels dry and I could really do with something to drink. My eyes begin to sting under the covers, and I jolt out of bed when I hear my uncle climbing the stairs. I fly over to my mirror and take in my reflection. My eyes are burning red and my lips are white. I close my eyes and I take slow sharp breaths. I sigh when I overcome my desire, and I run over to the door. I pull it open and my uncle is standing in the doorjamb. He is holding a cup of coffee in one hand, and a plate of pancakes in the other. I smile at him as he hands me my breakfast.

"I thought you might be hungry, Bugs."

"Yeah, I'm starving." I say as I glug down the coffee. The heat warms my throat, and I can feel the caffeine pulse through me. My uncle is smiling at me, and I can hear his heart start to race. I pull the cup away from my mouth and I focus on him. He looks, worried and my thoughts run riot. What if Ryan has called my uncle and told him what I am? I turn my attention to George –pry Rose. "You seem a little nervous. Is everything okay?" My uncle nervously pushes his hands into the pockets of his greasy jeans. He looks at me, and I know that look –he knows something.

"I'm fine Bugs. It's you that I'm worried about." My heart races and my temper is bubbling away at my surface. Calm yourself Rose.

"Why would you be worried about me?"

"You just seem a little... off. Is that yahoo treating you right?" My mind clears, and a vivid reminder of my looming talk with my uncle takes over me. I need to tell him that I am going away with Dalton. I am dreading telling him, and I don't know if now is a good time to tell him. Dalton and I agreed that we would leave town, but I don't know if I'm ready yet. I want to say goodbye to my friends, and that includes Ryan. He was such a big part of my life, and I feel that I can't just leave Portland without saying goodbye. Then there's Elliot and Charlene, I haven't stopped to think about how much I am going to miss them. They have gotten me through so many ups and downs. I am going to miss our crazy nights out. I am going to miss hanging out with them at the Cineplex, and laughing at their stupid jokes. I'll miss working at Subway with Ryan and fighting off his flirting. I sigh and a soft smile comes to my lips. I am giving up all of this to be with Dalton. He means more to me than anything else in my life. I love him with all of my vampire heart, and I know that changing my whole world to be with him, was the right decision. I clear my head, and I focus back on my uncle as he stands in the doorjamb.

"I'm fine. Dalton always treats me right. Actually George I have something that I need to... talk to you about." My uncle nods and I can hear his heart rate increasing. I sip some more coffee, and then I step out of my room and into the hallway. I close my door behind me and I look into my uncles eyes. "Can we talk, downstairs?" George considers my words and then he nods and rushes down the stairs. I feel like flying from the top to the bottom, but I compose myself and I walk extra slow down the staircase. I reach the bottom and I can hear Jen humming in the kitchen. I smile and I focus my ears, Rachel is in the shower. I can hear my uncle breathing from inside in the lounge. I don't want to keep him waiting, so I walk quickly into the small sitting room. The news is on in the background, and the smell of coffee and pancakes fills the entire house. I sit down onto the sofa, and I smile as I look outside. I can hear the birds singing in the trees, and the kids next door climbing onto their bikes. Being a vampire is awesome; I know that I was born to be one. It feels so natural to me, and I can hardly remember what it feels like to be human. My life feels like a distant memory, but one that I can remember vividly. It's as if I was asleep for the last nineteen years, and now I am awake. Every sense in my body is alive and urging me to live my life to the fullest.

"So what's bothering you, Bugs?" My uncle says as he meets my stare. I clear my dry throat –God I'm hungry. I inhale a large gulp of air, and I fight back my stinging eyes. I part my lips and here I go –I am about to tell my uncle that I am leaving. Wish me luck.

"George you know that I love you right?" My uncle laughs at me.

"Of course I do Bugs. What's all this about?"

"I'm leaving Portland." I just blurt it out. I don't want to waste time with all the build-up. I just want to hear how my uncle feels about me leaving. My frozen heart races, as I wait for his reply. George sits up in his chair, and he throws his hands into the air.

"Leaving? What has brought all this nonsense on? Where are you going? Is that yahoo forcing you to leave?" His voice is loud and very deep. I can hear his heart pounding, its making me feel a little uncomfortable. I readjust myself, and I try not to focus on the bulging vein that has formed on his neck.

"George, I just feel that I need a change. Dalton has asked me to go traveling with him. He wants to take me to Italy, England and any other country that I want to go to. This is a massive opportunity for me, and I would be foolish to turn it down. I know that you're gonna have a hard time processing this, but my mind is made up. I'm leaving." My uncle lunges from the seat and he rushes out of the lounge. I can hear his harsh footsteps against the floor, and I can hear him shouting at Jen. I feel awful that he has taken the news so badly, but what was I expecting? I didn't think for one second that he would be okay with me leaving. My uncle holds onto me like I am his possession. He wants me to stay with him, because I am the last piece of his brother. I feel for him, I really do. But I can't live my life without Dalton. I need to leave in order to be with him. George rushes back into the lounge with Jen at his side. He starts to pace the room, whilst Jen begins to interrogate me.

"What's all this about you leaving?" She says in a smooth voice. I rise up from my seat, and I walk over to my uncle. I gently place my hand onto his arm and I look into his eyes.

"You have to let me go. I'm old enough to make my own decisions, and I choose to be with Dalton. There is nothing here for me. I work a dead beat job for so little money. Dalton is offering me a wonderful life, and I love him. Let me be happy." He considers my words and then he lunges past me.

"No, I can't just let you leave." He screams. Jen walks over to him and she tries to soothe him.

"Calm down dear. Rose is a smart girl, and she knows what's best for her. You can't hold onto to her forever. You need to let her grow up and make her own choices." I shoot Jen a darting look –man she was quick to agree with me. It's almost as if she wants me to leave. I try to shake off my burning annoyance, and I walk over to my uncle again. I don't touch him, I just look at him.

"I love you Uncle George, but I'm leaving and you can't stop me." George throws his hands into the air again and he snarls under his breath. I feel my eyes start to sting, so I quickly excuse myself. I rush up the stairs and I meet Rachel on the landing. She is wearing her light pink bathrobe and her hair is loose and wet. Her hands graze her hips as she looks at me.

"Wow, what's up with you?" She says in a sarcastic voice. I really don't want to get into another bitch fight with her. So I ignore her sly comments, and I smile at her instead.

"I'm leaving." Rachel's eyes widen, and she can't believe the words that have passed from my lips.

"What did you just say?" Rachel snarls at me.

"I said I'm leaving."

"Don't get smart with me. What's going on?" I feel my temper rising –calm yourself Rose.

"Dalton has asked me to go traveling with him, and I have said yes. We're leaving, soon."

"This is unbelievable. Why does everything good happen to you?" I laugh at Rachel, and then I stride forward and wrap my arms around her. I pull her close to me, and I inhale her sweet scent.

"I'm gonna miss you."

I quickly get dressed and then I rush out of the house. I climb into my truck and I head in the direction of work. I reach the Wal-Mart supercentre; I park my truck and then jump out into the lot. I dart over to the entrance and I rush into the store. It's busy in here today, and everyone seems to laughing and shouting extra loud. I try to ignore the voices and the tempting heartbeats as I run towards Subway. The restaurant is crowded; I have to push my way through the sea of people. I reach the counter and I see Shelby, the blonde who just started to work here a few weeks ago.

"Hey Shelby have you seen Ryan?"

"Yeah he's in the back." I smile at her, and then I walk over to the heavy door that leads into the workers lounge. I glide into the room, and I see Ryan sitting at the small table. He's nibbling on a sandwich; he looks worried when he sees me. I smile at him and I walk over and take the seat next to him. He places his food down onto the table and he wipes his mouth with his fingers. I take a deep breath, and I begin to wonder if he remembers what I told him last night. He was really wasted, and what if he can't remember that I am a vampire? My head starts to spin and I meet his stare.

"Ryan," I say in a desperate tone. I reach out and try to grab onto his hand, but he pulls away from me. He is looking at me differently. He looks worried and scared. He does remember what I am. "Ryan please we need to talk about this. You need to let me explain."

"Explain what, that you're a vampire? How can you explain that to me, it's crazy?" Ryan's voice is sharp and I can feel my temper staring to rise. His heart is beating fast and pumping blood through his veins. I wonder what he tastes like. My mind runs away from me, and I quickly snap back to reality.

"I know it's beyond crazy. But it's true, I'm a vampire. I want to tell you everything, but you have to promise me that you will keep my secret."

"Explain first, and then I might consider doing what you ask." I smile at him, and then I begin. I tell him about how I met Dalton, and how I felt in his presence. I tell him how I found out about vampires, and I explain how Dalton made me feel safe. I have told him about the pleasure I felt when he fed on me, and that he could read my mind whilst he indulged on my blood. I reassure him that this was my decision, and that Dalton didn't force me into anything. I have told him how wonderful it is to be a vampire, and that I don't regret anything. He hasn't spoken since I started talking. He just listens with his heart beating fast. His eyes widened when I told him about my vision, speed and hearing. He seemed intrigued, but he didn't question me. I have told him that we need to leave, and that I probably won't see him again. He seemed quite shocked by that, but he still didn't utter a word. I think that he is in shock, or maybe denial. "That's quite a story. Is any of it true?"

"Of course it's true. Everything I have just told you is the truth. Now that you know what I am, and how I got to be this way. How do you feel about me? Are you scared of me? Tell me what you're thinking." Ryan sighs, and he runs his fingers through his hair. He rests his arms onto the table and he meets my stare.

"You said something about pleasure, what kind of pleasure exactly?" I shift around in my seat and I almost feel my icy cheeks blush. Ryan continues to stare at me, and he is making me feel uneasy. I don't know how to respond, but the truth seems like a good way to go.

"Like I've already said, Dalton feed on me when I was human. The pleasure that his feed brought me, was out of this world. I felt unique, powerful and connected to him. He could feel every nerve in my body screaming out at him, and it made him enjoy the feed even more. I can't describe the feeling; it's like nothing I've ever felt before." I laugh at my own words, and I can't hold back my smile. I can vividly remember Dalton's feeds, and my whole body is longing for that feeling again. But now I am vampire, and that wish is never going to come true. I will just have to make-do with the memory of that pleasure. Ryan reaches out and he grabs onto my hand. He looks into my eyes. He has a very serious stare. His heart is now beating so fast, that I am scared it may jump out of his chest. His hand is lightly squeezing mine, and I can tell that he is about to ask me something that I don't want to hear.

"I want to experience that pleasure. Please feed on me." I am shocked at his words. I can't believe that he would want me to feed on him. What's wrong with him? Has he lost his mind? My head clears and his words are on repeat. How can I think that he is crazy when I forced Dalton to feed on me, so many times? I begged him and I desired his daggers on my skin. Why I am so shocked that Ryan would want the same? My head is rushing and I stare at his neck. My lips part and tremble at the sight of him –I wonder what his blood tastes like? For a second, I let go of my control and my eyes begin to sting. I want to feed on him, but I can't. I really care about Ryan and we dated. What if his blood is my weakness? I am scared, but I can't hold back my nature. I want to feed.

"I can't. What if I hurt you?" Ryan laughs and he pulls me closer to him.

"You didn't hurt that guy last night. C'mon don't you wanna taste my blood?" My lips part and I can feel my daggers extending, as I roll my tongue over them. My throat is dry and I can't resist his offer. I am going to feed on him. I clasp his face with both of my hands and I tilt it to one side. I can feel his pulse beating too fast as I move closer. I drag my seat along the floor, and now my face is less than inch away from his neck. I can see his vein bulging through his skin, and I lick my lips at the sight. I feel my eyes stinging and burning red. I press my lips onto his neck, and I run my tongue along his skin. He flinches at my cold touch, and then his breathing steadies. I part my lips and I sink my teeth into his flesh. His blood is warm, sweet and I feel fuzzy as it runs down my throat. I draw some more blood, and then I can hear him. He loves the pleasure and he wants more. His hand grips onto the back of my head and he pulls me closer. My teeth sink further into his skin and I suck stronger. His mind is rushing and he adores his new found pleasure. He holds onto my head and when I try to pull away, he stops me. I give in and feed for another few seconds, and then I force myself to stop. I push Ryan away from me, as I pull my teeth out of his neck. There are two little puncture wounds on his neck, and I can feel a trickle of blood running down my lip. I extend my tongue, and I force the blood into my mouth. I smile at the sweet taste and then I look at Ryan. He is lying back in the chair with a massive grin on his face. I lean back against the plastic of the chair, and I fold my arms across my chest.

"You okay?" I ask in a soothing tone. Ryan can't contain his smile as he replies.

"I feel... awesome." I laugh at his words and then he starts again. "It was incredible and such a rush. Do you really have to leave?"

"Yeah, we need to leave." Ryan presses his eyebrows together. He looks frustrated, and I have a feeling that he is about to tell me exactly how he feels.

"You can't just leave. What about your family, your job and... me? I can't bear the thought of not seeing you, Rose. You're my oldest friend and I... love you." Crap, I feel awful. I always knew that Ryan still had feelings for me, but love? I never expected him to go that far. My lips start to tremble, and I can feel cold tears forming in my eyes. I quickly paw my eye-area to prevent my sadness, and then I focus on Ryan. Just say goodbye Rose.

"You will always be my best friend, and you'll always be in my heart. You were my first... everything and you mean the world to me. But I'm no longer a human and I can't stay in Portland. I love Dalton and he and I are leaving, tonight. I'm gonna miss you like crazy. But I won't forget about you. I'll call and write you, and I'll always be there if you ever need me. All you have to do is look deep into your heart, and I'll be there." Ryan lunges out of the seat, and he glides over to me. I stand and he pulls me into his strong arms. I grip onto his back and he sighs and takes in my scent.

"Goodbye Rose."

Six

After Ryan and I said our goodbyes, I rushed back into my truck and I headed in the direction of Charlene's house. I reached her front door, and of course I couldn't enter the house. I wasn't invited in, and Charlene surprised me when she didn't ask me to come in. Instead, she came outside and we sat on the porch swing and talked. I explained that I was leaving –off to see the world and she was sad, but excited for me. She had loads of questions, and I was pleased with myself when I managed to answer all of them. She asked me why I wanted to do this, and why now. I told her that now was the first time in my life where I actually felt like I belonged to someone. Then she asked me about Dalton and if I love him. I told her how he makes me feel, and that I could never be without him. Charlene then asked me how long I was going away for, and I said that I wasn't sure, but she shouldn't expect me home anytime soon. We talked and laughed for ages, and then I had to force myself to leave. We hugged, cried and held each other for what seemed like forever. I told her to say goodbye to Elliot for me, and she broke down into tears –again. When I finally left her house, I was in floods of tears. I watched her looking after me as I drove away, and my heart ached, because I know that was the last time that I would ever see her again.

"Rose," I hear Nicholas shout from the kitchen of his large house. I slowly pull myself off the sofa and I make my way into the wide hallway. After I spent time with Rachel, I decided that I needed to see Dalton. So I drove to his house, but when I got here, he wasn't in. Nicholas told me to come in and wait for him, and that's exactly what I did. I flopped myself down onto their large, soft sofa and I haven't moved since –that was over an hour ago. I felt drained after saying my goodbyes. As I enter the large kitchen, I see Nicholas pouring two cups of coffee. He is smiling at me as he holds one of the cups in the air. He makes eye contact with me, and he urges me come closer. I march over, and I take the cup of coffee that he is offering. I take a small sip and then I sit down in front of him, at the breakfast bar. Nicholas glugs down his coffee and he slams the cup down onto the counter. I jump from the noise, and Nicholas laughs at my reaction.

"Do you have to bang things like that? It's really annoying." I say as I take another swig of my drink.

"I'm Sorry that I annoy you, little lady." I roll my eyes at his thick southern accent. "You seem a little... upset. Is everything okay?" Nicholas asks as he rests his arms onto the kitchen counter. I push my loose hair away from my face, and I meet his stare. He looks very handsome today dressed in a dark blue suit. His hair is pushed back from his face, and his eyes are a deep shade of brown. I realise that I may be staring at little too hard at him, so I close my eyes for a brief second and I exhale. My eyes open and then I answer his question.

"I had a pretty rough day." I say as I swirl the coffee around in the cup. I can hear Nicholas's breathing increase, and I get the feeling that he is nervous. I stare at him again and my mind begins to rush. Why is he being so nice to me? Nicholas isn't the most approachable guy, but somehow he makes me feel at ease. My brain freezes, and I remember that Nicholas killed his own parents. How could he do such a thing, and what was his reason? I don't understand why he is compassionate towards me, when he was so hurtful towards his family. Why does he care about me, and why did he agree to turn me?

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I'm so confused right now and I don't know how to respond. Is he fooling me into thinking that he is a nice guy? I stare at him more and I try to see into his head. Imagining what he is thinking and what his motives are for being nice to me. I will always be grateful that he turned me, but that doesn't mean that I am under his command. Dalton has told me about his brothers past, and the things that he has gotten up to. Nicholas has lived a very different life to Dalton. He doesn't like to travel the world; instead he chooses to stay in the USA, at all times. He moves around from place to place, feeding and lusting on girls. Dalton has said that Nicholas would get close to a girl, feed on her and then turn her. All of his antics were just for fun. He didn't care about any of the fifty or so girls that he has turned. He saw them as easy, vulnerable and someone to pass the time with. He would make them into vampires, and then into his slaves. I don't know the extent of what he did to them –Dalton thought it would be best to spare me the gory details. But as I look at him with my new vampire eyes, I know for sure that I will not become one of his slaves.

"Not really," I say as I place the cup down onto the counter. Nicholas presses his full lips together, and he glides over and takes the seat next to me. He reaches out and places his hand onto my shoulder. I flinch and pull away from him –he isn't impressed.

"Relax I'm not gonna bite, unless you want me to?" I frown at him.

"That's not funny and so inappropriate."

"Relax it was a joke. But seriously do you wanna talk? You look sad little lady."

"Stop with the 'little lady' it's annoying. I look sad, because I am sad. I had to say goodbye to my friends today, and it was a lot harder than I thought it was gonna be." Nicholas flashes me a wicked a smile, and I know that he is going to poke holes in my words.

"Forgive me, but didn't you want this?"

"I did... I do. It's just hard to let go of my family and friends. I truly believe that I was born to be a vampire. But it still hurts me to say goodbye to the life that I always knew. I don't expect you to understand." Nicholas scowls at me –he isn't happy with my choice of words.

"And what is that supposed to mean? Are you forgetting who turned you?" Crap, here he goes with the guilt. I turned you, you owe me. I get it; do you have to be so smug about it? I shout at myself, but I hold my tongue. I owe him for everything, and I can't bring myself to get mad at him.

"Sorry I didn't mean to sound harsh. I really appreciate what you did for me. It couldn't have been easy for you. I put you in an awkward position, and you didn't have to say yes." Nicholas sighs and he slides his hand through his silky hair.

"I did it for him. Dalton and I haven't had the best relationship, and I saw that you made him happy. I knew that he loved you, but he would never have asked you to change for him. He doesn't do selfish. As a human my brother was kind, loving and a wonderful son. He cared about people and their feelings. He was such a soft hearted guy, with warm feelings towards animals. He wouldn't even go fishing. My father used to take us out on the lake when we were kids, and Dalton would scream and cry until my father took him home. He is a lot softer on the inside than he lets on." I take in his words and my mind is forcing me to think about their parents. A vivid flash of Nicholas in his vampire state is rushing through me. I can't erase the image I have of him, as he killed his own family. A shiver runs through my body and I squirm in the seat. Nicholas is staring at me –wondering what I am thinking. Then my frozen heart sinks into the pit of my stomach at his next words. "He's told you about what I did, hasn't he?" I feel really uncomfortable, and I don't know what to say. I squirm again and Nicholas reaches out and steadies me with his strong hand. My eyes dart to his, and he looks as if he wants to talk about this –crap. I don't know how I will respond to what he has to say. I don't understand how he could be so cruel as to kill his own family. Now that I am a vampire, my feelings for my family are multiplied. I care deeply about them and I am dreading spending time away from them. I just don't know why Nicholas would hurt his family? Surly he felt something for them. No one could be that cruel, yet he was.

"Yeah, he told me about your parents and that..." I can't finish the sentence –it's too painful.

"I killed them. I know what you must be thinking. How could I do such a thing, right?" My lips start to shake and my heart rate is very high. Nicholas has a way of making me feel uneasy, and I feel compelled to answer his questions.

"I was shocked when he told me. May I ask why you did it?" Nicholas runs his fingers through his hair, and then he folds his arms across his chest. He leans back in the chair and he breaks eye contact with me. He stares out at the black kitchen cupboards, and he exhales just before he begins to explain.

"I didn't have a reason for killing them other than I was new, and I couldn't control myself around humans. You have to understand something about being a vampire. The blood of the people you care about is the blood that you crave the most."

"So you did care about your parents?" Nicholas laughs and he meets my stare.

"Of course I cared about them. My father and I had different opinions, but we still loved each other. I had a wonderful relationship with my mother. She was a lot like Dalton. Very kind and soft-hearted, she loved to help others, and I can never forgive myself for what I did." I stare into his brown eyes, and I know this is going to sound crazy, but I feel for him. At first I thought that he was just ravenous and didn't care about anyone. But now that he has opened up to me, I am seeing a different side to him. He is gentler than I could have ever imagined. He hurts over what he did to his family, and as I look at him I realise that he loves, and would do anything for Dalton.

"I'm sorry. It can't be easy for you talk about what you did."

"It's not easy, and what hurts the most is that Dalton will never forgive me."

"Why did you turn him and not your parents?" My question is a little to firm and Nicholas parts his lips as he slides off the seat. He flies over to the sink and he runs the water under the dirty cup. He slams it down onto the counter, and he rests his hands on the cool marble.

"I was too late. I already killed them. When Dalton came in and found them, lying lifeless on the floor. He went into a state of shock, and he couldn't speak or even move. My family was gone, my parents were dead. I turned Dalton because I didn't want to lose him. My baby brother means the world to me. Even if he hates me for an eternity, I will always love him."

I hold back my tears as my ears adjust to the roaring engine outside of the house. I recognise the sound –Dalton is home. I smile at Nicholas and he returns my gesture. I leap off the seat and I run towards the front door. The door opens and I lunge into Dalton's arms. I inhale his scent, as he holds me and struggles to find his footing. His body crashes against mine and he laughs at my affection. He pulls back from me, and he takes in my appearance. He smiles and then he kisses me gently. I melt into his lips and I grip onto him firmly. His lips move away from mine, I frown at him. He smirks and then he leads me into the house. He drags me upstairs and into his bedroom. We crash down onto the bed and he wraps his arm around me, pulling me close to him. I kiss his neck and then his soft lips. He kisses me back, but then he pulls away and asks me about my day.

"How did everything go today? Did you talk to your Uncle?" I readjust myself, so that I can see into his eyes as I reply.

"I talked to him, he wasn't entirely pleased, but he'll heal in time." Dalton presses his eyebrows together, and he runs his finger along my lower lip. His eyes narrow and he leans down and runs his tongue along my lip. My eyes close at his behaviour, and my head starts to pound. Dalton drags his lips away from me, and stares deep into my eyes –crap is he upset with me?

"You fed today, didn't you?" His stare is intense, deep and scary. I don't know why he is so anxious to know if I fed or not. How else does he expect me to survive?

"Yeah I did." He snarls at me and he pushes me away from him. I stare at him in disbelief. What is wrong with him? "Did I do something wrong?" He snarls again and then he meets my stare.

"Did you kill anyone?" He snaps.

"Of course not." I snap back. Dalton throws himself back down onto the bed, and he pulls me close again.

"Then you didn't do anything wrong." I sigh –thank God. "So who did you feed on?" Dalton quizzes. My icy heart starts to do somersaults. He isn't going to be happy when I tell him who I fed on. I can hardly breathe as I reply.

"Ryan," Dalton lunges off the bed and he pulls me with him. He slides his hands onto my shoulders and he holds me in place. I could easily break free from him, but I don't.

"You're kidding, right?" I shake my head –I can't force myself to speak. "That's insane. You fed on him? What were you thinking?" Dalton shakes me and I feel myself spinning.

"I was thinking that I was starving and that he wanted me to do it. I didn't hurt him, and he wasn't scared of me. It was my way of saying goodbye." Dalton laughs at me.

"Couldn't you just hug him and say 'see ya later'?" I laugh at his strong southern accent. He shakes me again and he forces me out of my laughing fit.

"What do you want me to say? I fed on him; maybe it wasn't the right thing to do. But it's done and I can't take it back." Dalton's eyes soften as he leads me back over to the bed. He pushes me down onto the surface, and my head falls onto the feather pillow. He slowly climbs onto the bed and he hovers above me. His eyes are sinfully gorgeous and his lips are shaking with desire. I have seen this stare many times before. Warm and lustful, dangerous and playful, it's his hungry stare. He stares at me with those red eyes, and he places his hand onto my neck.

"Will you do something for me?" He asks in low voice.

"Anything," I say defeated.

"Let me feed on you, whilst you feed on me." My eyes sting, his offer sounds amazing, but is that even possible? I thought that we needed human blood, not vampires? Dalton senses the anguish on my face, so he explains in full detail why he wants to do this. "When we feed on one another, it's like a life force running through us. It bounds us together, it connect us, forever. When we feed, our souls intertwine and lock in place. The blood connects us, and you're bound to that person. You don't want to live without them, and the blood seals it so that you can't. I love you Rose and if you let me do this, then you and I will be together, for as long as we live. Do you want that?" My heart is racing, and I want this. I want to give myself fully to him.

"Yes I want that. You're all that I want. Let's do this." Dalton smiles and he slides further along the bed. He crashes against me, and I grip onto his back. He places his lips lightly onto mine, and then he moves them onto my neck.

"Grab my hand." He urges. I do as he says, and I firmly pull his hand towards my mouth. "Good, now when I bite, you bite. You got that?"

"Yeah," I say too eagerly. I hold his wrist at my mouth, and I wait for his daggers to enter my skin. My eyes are stinging, I can hardly contain myself. I want this. I want to be with him forever. I feel his lips part, so I part mine against his wrist. Dalton pauses and then he sinks his teeth into my flesh. On cue, I do the same. His blood tastes stronger than humans, and it's a lot more powerful. It's icy and sends shivers throughout my body. The taste wears off, and now an overwhelming explosion has filled my entire body. I can feel every fibre of Dalton's soul screaming out at me, as he feeds from my neck. My mind shows me images of how we met, and how we got to where we are now. Everything is swirling like crazy in my head, and as I taste more of his blood, I can hear his thoughts. He is speaking to me, telling me how much he loves me and that now we are fully connected. I can feel his senses and I can share his pleasure. He adores the taste of my vampire blood, and he wants me. He is telling me that he can't live without me, and somehow I feel that he truly can't. His energy is colliding with mine, and I know that I could never be apart from him, ever again. He is now what holds me to the planet, him, Dalton Clark, my soul mate.

(Dalton)

Her blood is unique, delightful and my greatest desire. I love her and I never want to stop feeding on her. She is my whole world, and I have waited all my life for Rose Peterson. As I feed on her vampire blood, I can feel everything that she feels. She is telling me how much she loves me, and how lucky she was to meet me. Every sense in her body is tingling; she doesn't want me to stop. I sink my teeth further into her skin and I suck firmer. I drain her blood, and I lust for the bitter taste as it flows down my throat. Rose isn't holding back how she feels about me, and it's only fair that I do the same. My mind clears, and I decide to let her into the darkest part of me. I have never fully told her how we met. Our first meeting wasn't at the Wal-Mart where she works. I first met Rose when she was six years old. I open my mind, and I let her in. My memories flash back to that day when I first saw her.

"Hey there little lady," I say as I approach the little girl that's sitting alone on the swings. She has long brown hair and deep eyes that are kind, warm and sad. She looks up at me and her eyes lock into my soul. I can hear her tiny heart pumping blood through her veins. Her scent sticks in the back of my dry throat, as the icy wind blows it in my direction. I can feel my eyes starting to burn, and my desire is slowly creeping up on me. But as the little girl continues to stare at me, I hold back my burning hunger. The park is quiet, and I am surprised that a small child like her is here alone. I move closer to her, and I see that the swing next to her is empty. "May I sit down next you?" I say in a smooth tone. The small girl looks at me, and she shakes her head.

"My Mommy said that I'm not allowed to talk to strangers." I laugh at her reply, and her cute smile melts my icy heart. I ignore her words, and I insist on sitting down next to her. The air is cold and I can hear the little girl shiver. So I take off my sweater, and I offer it to her. The little girl lunges off the swing, and she snaps the sweater from my hands. I laugh at her forwardness. She is a feisty little thing. The child pushes the sweater over her head, and then she jumps back onto the swing. Her eyes fix on mine, and my mind erupts. Her little face is cute as she plays with her hair. I smile at her and she smiles back at me. She has perfect pale skin and large rosy lips. She doesn't look real, I am really confused. My heart is pulling me towards her, and I feel drawn to this child. I have never felt this way about a human before –what is wrong with me?

"Are you here alone?" I ask. I am worried about this kid.

"No my Mommy's over there." The little girl points over at a dark haired woman. I focus my ears, and I hear that she is discussing some play that she and her husband are going to see. My mind spins and I focus back on the child.

"What's your name?"

"Rose," I smile –what a beautiful name. "What's your name?" She asks with a wide-eyed grin.

"My name is Dalton and it's very nice to meet you, Miss Rose."

I clear my thoughts and I can feel her brain trying to process what I have just told her. Rose can't believe that we met so long ago, and she is desperately trying to remember our first meeting. A faint image of that day enters her head, and she excels with excitement. I can feel her happiness, as I continue to drink from her neck. The taste of her blood is toxic and from that very first meeting, I knew that I was destined to be in her life. In the days that followed our meeting, I watched her house. I saw her playing by the fire with her parents, and I heard their voices as they read bedtime stories together. She was so happy, and her family adored her. I was there the night that they were killed. I watched from the window as her uncle came to collect her. I could feel the confusion in her eyes, and I could hear as she sobbed her little heart out. I have loved Rose from that very night, and I watched her grow up into the wonderful woman that she is. I was always there in the shadows, looking out for her and watching as she lived her life. I saw her the night of her first date with Ryan, and I watched as he kissed her. I didn't feel jealous of him, because I knew that we were destined to meet. From the very first moment that I saw her, we had some electric connection that I couldn't explain. It was as if I was brought to look after her, until she was ready to excel as a vampire. I left for a while, but somehow I always found myself coming back to her. I had planned our first meeting, but that day at Wal-Mart wasn't planned. I had literally just moved back to Portland. On my way to our new house, I decided to stop for coffee. I parked in the lot, and I couldn't believe my eyes, when I saw her lying face down in a puddle. I saw that as my opportunity, and I grabbed it with both hands. I helped her off the ground and when I touched her, I felt a jolt of electricity crusading through me. I needed her, I wanted her, but I was scared of what she would think of me. I told her that I wasn't capable of love, because I was frightened that I wouldn't be enough for her. I didn't want to admit my feelings for her, so I made her believe that I didn't care. But inside, I was screaming. I wanted to shout how much I loved her from the roof tops. I wanted to be with her, but I was scared to show her the real me. I feared that she would reject me, but she didn't. She accepted me for who I was, and that made me love her even more. She welcomed me into her life, and I still don't know what she sees in me. I felt guilty when I fed on her, because I knew that she was thinking I just saw her as an easy feed. I didn't correct her; instead I let her believe that a good meal was all that she meant to me. I know that I was cruel for the way I treated her, but I didn't want to admit my feelings. I knew that if I told her how I felt, then she would want to be a vampire. I could never be selfish with her, she means everything to me, and I wanted the best for her. I wanted her to be free to make her own choices. I didn't want her to choose vampirism, because she loved me. I wanted her to grow up, and have a family of her own. But she defied me. She went to my brother, and he made her into the immortal that she is. I have had my differences with Nicholas, but I will always thank him for giving me the gift of love. I love Rose, she is my everything and I will love her for an eternity.

Seven

My mind is rushing. I can't believe what Dalton has showed me. We met when I was six? How is that possible? Why don't I remember meeting him? My thoughts are pulsating through his mind. I am worried, excited and scared by his revelation. He was there throughout my entire life. He saw me the night my parents died, and he watched as I sobbed for them. He felt my pain, and he cared deeply for me. My mind is exploding with all this new information. Dalton's daggers are still lodged into my neck, and I am still feeding from his wrist. I feel weak, and ready to stop. Dalton hears my wish, and he pulls his teeth out of my neck. He gasps as he wipes the excess blood away from his lips. I push his wrist away from my mouth, and I lick my lips as the blood flow stops. The after taste of his blood is intoxicating. It fills me with deep pleasure, and I feel powerful. My mind is strong and my feelings are clear. I love Dalton more than ever. Dalton falls down onto the bed next me, and he wraps his arm around me. I pull my body close to his, and I rest my head on his chest. I feel connected to him. I never want to be apart from him, I need him. I run my fingers along the fabric of his black t-shirt, and it somehow reminds me of the first time we met. I can remember the sweater he gave me. My heart freezes –I still have it. I try to process my thoughts, and I mentally scan my entire room. My mind clears, and I remember were the sweater is. I can remember the soft feeling and the strong scent that soaked into my skin. I remember wearing it, other than that day. For about a month after he gave it to me, I wore it all the time. I used to sleep in it. It made me feel secure, and special. I can't remember seeing Dalton; I just have a vague image of him sitting on the swings with me. But my first meeting with Dalton is documented. The sweater is in an old shoe box under my bed. I put it there for safe keeping. I didn't want anyone to touch it, especially not Rachel. I don't know what made me keep it all those years, but there was something about the scent that spoke to me. Whenever I was scared or sad, I would put on the sweater and climb into my bed. I would fall asleep and have images of a beautiful man buzzing through my head. My eyes widen, the beautiful man was Dalton.

"I still have the sweater." I say as I lock my eyes on his. He smiles at me, and he runs his finger along my chin. His eyes are soft, and I feel bad that he had to hide his feelings from me. He told me how much he loved me, and that he kept me in the dark about how he truly felt, because he was scared of losing me. I felt his love for me, and I also felt the way he was scared when he told me that he was a vampire.

"Are you mad that I never told you about our first meeting, sooner?" I shake my head at him. I could never be mad at him.

"No, I'm glad that you waited to tell me. I thank you for opening up your mind and letting me in. I love you so much, Dalton." His eyes deepen and he pulls me onto his chest. He grabs both sides of my face in his firm grasp, and he kisses me. Our lips move like clockwork, and I melt into his kiss, over and over again. He holds my lips onto his, and when he finally pulls away from me, I'm gasping for air. I flop down onto the bed and Dalton stares at me. His eyes are a cool shade of blue, sinful and lusting for me. His lips part and he whispers.

"Are you ready for an eternity with me?" I lunge forward and I grab his face.

"I was born ready."

Dalton and I have decided to leave tonight, and I am little worried about saying goodbye to my family. We are currently sitting in his car, the trunk is loaded with his stuff and the engine is loudly roaring. The air outside is smoothly warm, so Dalton has dropped the hood of his Porsche. I'm sitting nervously playing with my hair, as we stare out at the large house. It never occurred to me that Dalton would be sad about leaving. He is looking out at his house, with passion in his eyes. He loves this house, and what's inside of it. We told Nicholas that we were leaving tonight, and he was surprisingly upset about it. He seemed quiet and guarded, like he didn't want us to go. He stood in the doorway as Dalton packed his clothes into a suitcase. He didn't say much, he just watched as we walked straight out of the house. I know that he has done some pretty awful things, but I can still see the good in him. He didn't have to turn me, but he did. He risked losing Dalton, so that he could give him his dream, and I will always owe him for what he did. I meet Dalton's stare and he looks sad. Comfort him Rose.

"Are you okay?" I ask, as I caress his hand with my fingers. He looks at me and he clears his throat.

"I'm gonna miss this place, you know?" I nod; I know exactly how he feels.

"Yeah Portland has some pretty addicting qualities. You're gonna miss Nicholas too, aren't you?" Dalton bites his lower lip, and he squeezes my hand. His eyes fill with passion and his hands start to shake. I can feel his body, pulsating and its sending shivers down my spine. This feels weird. I can feel everything that he is feeling. I know that he is scared, worried and upset about leaving. I can feel that he has strong feelings for his brother, and that he is going to miss him like crazy. Why I am feeling this way? My mind tries to think of an answer, and then it hits me. I can feel him, because I have his blood running through me.

"Despite everything he's done, he's still my brother." My eyes fill with water, and my attention turns to the front door of the house. It bursts open and Nicholas is standing in full view. I can hear his heart beating fast as he runs towards the car. Dalton throws the door open and he lunges out into the driveway. Nicholas reaches him, and tears begin to pour from my eyes, when they embrace each other with a bear hug. My heart melts at the sight of them, and I smile when Dalton pulls back, and throws himself into the car. Nicholas is at my side, and I roll down the window. He leans in and grabs me in his arms. He gently brushes my hair away from my ear and he whispers.

"Thank you for bringing my brother and I back together." I cry and my tears soak his shirt. He pulls back from me, and he gently wipes the water away from my face. "Don't cry little lady." He says in his strong accent. I laugh at him, and then I turn to face Dalton. His eyes are deep and intense.

"What's next for you? Are you gonna stay here in Portland?" I ask. Nicholas slides his hand through his silky hair and he smirks at me.

"It's time for me to move on too, little lady." I nod at him and he smiles. "Don't worry; you'll see me again in a decade or two!" I laugh at his words and then Dalton clicks the car into gear. He spins the car around so that it's facing the right way, and my eyes fall onto Nicholas as he stands frozen. "Ya'll have a good life together, now won't you?" Dalton and I both laugh at his accent, and then he speeds out of the driveway. The car cruises onto the road, and the wind blows through my hair as he picks up speed. My mind is rushing with thoughts of him, and I can't tear my eyes away from him. He is too perfect, too wonderful, and I love him with all of my heart.

We reach my house and Dalton pulls into a tight space at the front gates. He flicks a button and the roof closes in around us. I stare out at my house, and I smile. I have so many wonderful memories of living here, and I am going to miss this old house. I focus my ears, and I can hear my uncle and Jen talking in the lounge. Rachel is talking on her cell in the kitchen and the TV is loud. Dalton reaches out and grabs onto my hand, he slides it up to his mouth and he gently kisses my ice-like skin. I can feel my body pulsating. I am nervous about seeing my uncle –I hope he isn't mad at me. My skin tingles when Dalton kisses my hand again. He slides his free hand through his hair, and he sighs.

"Don't be nervous. Your uncle will understand." I nod at him. But I am not just nervous about seeing my uncle. I am nervous about packing up my life. I have never known anything other than Portland, so I am very anxious and nervous to see the rest of the world. Dalton jumps out of the car, and he rushes to my side. He opens the door for me, and I slide out and stand firmly on the sidewalk. My vampire heart starts to pound, as Dalton leads me along the garden path. We reach the front door, and I can hear my uncle rushing to greet us. The door bursts open and there he is. My uncle George is standing in front of us, with his dirty jeans and greasy shirt hanging from his body. His eyes are spiteful, and intense. I can hear his heart pounding through his shirt, and his anxiety levels start to build. I can't bring myself to speak, and I am surprised when Dalton breaks the silence.

"Mr Peterson, I would just like to..." Dalton's voice instantly stops when my uncle butts in.

"No look here son; I don't appreciate you trying to manipulate me. I am not happy that you're taking Rose away from us. But I'm not stupid. I know that you care about her, and that you would never to do anything to hurt her." I smile at my uncle –is he accepting my decision? Dalton is staring deeply at my uncle, his intense eyes are locked onto his and his hands are firmly lodged into his pockets.

"I'm not trying to manipulate you sir. I just wanted to explain my reasons, for asking Rose to go away with me. Will you give me ten minutes of your time to explain?" My heart melts at Dalton's words, and I shoot my uncle a darting look. George rolls his eyes, and then he nods and makes a hand gesture for us to enter the house. Dalton and I slide into the house, and Dalton tries to lead me into the lounge. I fight against him, and I look up at him.

"I'm gonna pack. You talk to my uncle, okay?" Dalton smiles at me, and he leans in places a soft kiss onto my forehead. My legs start to shake from his touch, but I manage to compose myself as he pulls away. He brushes past me, and I watch until he is out of sight. I focus my ears on the lounge; I can hear my uncle offering Dalton a beer. He politely refuses, and then he crashes down onto the sofa. I shake my head as my uncle begins to interrogate Dalton. I climb the stairs and I walk across the landing towards my room. I push open the door, and I smile when I see pebbles sleeping on my bed. I fly over to her, and I stroke the top of my cats head. Her bright green eyes widen at my touch, and she begins to gently purr. I scan my room, and I force myself to start packing. I kneel onto the floor and I pull my old suitcase out from under my bed. I set the suitcase to one side, and I search under my bed again. I extend my arm as far as it can reach, and I laugh when I feel the old shoebox. I slide it out and I thrust it open. My eyes fill with water when I see the black sweater. I lift it out of the box; the fabric is still as soft as I remember. I hold the sweater close to my face, and I inhale the scent. My eyes close and I recognise the smell –the fabric smells like Dalton. His strong cologne is soaked into the sweater, and as I hold the clothing next to my face, I have a flashback of him. My eyes close and there he is. I remember sitting on the swings. I was with my mom; she was talking to her friend. It was cold; I can remember him as he walked towards me. He was like a movie star, and I remember thinking that he looked like Leonardo Dicaprio. I smile at my memories, as I continue to remember. He sat next to me on the swings, and he asked me about my life. He called me 'little lady' and I can remember that he made me feel special. He was like no one that I had ever seen before. He didn't seem real. I held onto the sweater as a reminder of him. I remember curling up my bed as a child, and dreaming of him. I move the fabric closer to my nose, and I inhale another gulp of the scent. Why did I forget about him? My mind completely erased our first meeting, and why I am remembering now? That question is unanswerable. I just need to accept that I forgot about Dalton, and move on. I am lucky that I met him. He changed me forever, and I am going to love him for an eternity.

I have packed the contents of my closet into a single suitcase. My overnight bag is filled with my possessions. I didn't know what to bring with me –I have a lot of junk in my room. But with my lighting speed and HD vision, I managed to search the entirety of my room really quickly. A lot of my stiff is worthless and junk, but I have packed the things that matter most to me. I have packed my photo album of when I was a kid. My diary and a few CDs that Rachel gave me, when she was a kid. All in all, I have crammed my life into a suitcase and an overnight bag. I have said my goodbyes to pebbles, and as I stand in the doorjamb of my room, I take one last look. My eyes fill with water, but I hold back my tears. I am not going to let myself break down. It's not fair for Dalton to see me like that. He would only end up feeling guilty, and I couldn't handle that. Although I am sad about leaving, I know it's the right thing to do. I chose to be a vampire; I chose to be with Dalton. From the first moment that I laid eyes on him, I knew that he was what I wanted. He makes me feel safe and secure when he holds me tight. His soft kisses send tingles throughout my entire body. I wake up every day just to be with him. He is my world, and I would rather die than be without him. I never felt like I belonged. I never had a real family. My uncle was great, but he has his own family. I always felt alone, until I met him.

I slowly walk down the stairs and I set my luggage down onto the floor. I can hear my uncle talking loudly in the lounge. I walk towards them and I push open the door. George is sitting in his favourite chair, a beer at one side and the remote at the other. I laugh to myself –something's never change. Dalton sees that I have entered the room. He stands and glides over to my side. He slides his hand onto my waist, and I melt at his touch. My uncle fixes his eyes on us, and I begin to gently panic as I await his words.

"You all packed Bugs?" He says in a bright tone. I smile at him –is he okay with me leaving?

"Yeah, all packed." I say, blushing –well I feel like I am. My uncle takes a step closer to me, as I stand perched at Dalton's side. His eyes look sad, and I know that he is hurting. I press my lips together, and I hold back my hunger as I fill the space between us. I take a deep breath, and I slowly lean in towards my uncle. I wrap my arms around his neck, and I sigh. I feel his heart beating fast against my skin. His breathing is shallow, and his neck is tempting. I can feel my eyes beginning to sting, but I manage to breathe through my desire. I lightly squeeze my uncle as he whispers.

"I love you Bugs." I can feel tears building in my eyes, so I pull away from him. I quickly compose myself. I don't want to breakdown. Jen bursts into the room, with Rachel at her side. They are both smiling at me –I think they are happy to get rid of me. Dalton pulls me close, and he drapes his arm over my shoulder. I smile at my family, as he leads me out of the lounge and into the hallway. George, Jen and Rachel have followed us, and they are standing together, as Dalton scoops my luggage into his strong hands. I walk over to the door and I push it open. Dalton walks out first, but he makes sure he nods at my uncle before he leaves for the car. I flash my family a smile, as I say goodbye for the final time.

"I guess this is it." I say in a broken voice.

"You'll take care of yourself won't you, Bugs?" My uncle says in a firm voice. Jen slaps his chest as she reassures him that I will be fine.

"Leave the girl alone. Now have a wonderful time, dear." I smile at Jen and then I fix my eyes on Rachel. She is standing in all her teenage perfection. Her hair is perfect. Make-up is immaculate, clothes are pretty and feminine. I am going to miss her, even though we drive each other crazy.

"I will. Well, goodbye." I take one last look at my family, and then I walk out of the house. I close the door behind me, and I can hear Rachel mumbling.

"She's so lucky!"

I lightly laugh at her enthusiasm, and I smile when I see Dalton leaning against his car. I walk over to him, and he pulls me into his arms.

"Are you okay?" He says as he lightly kisses my neck. I inhale is strong cologne and then I pull back from him. His eyes are playful, and I could swim in their blueness.

"I'm perfect." I gush. Dalton smiles at me, and he holds the door of the car open for me. I jump in and I sink into the seats. I turn around and Dalton is sitting next to me. He roars the engine, and he grabs my hand as he presses his foot down onto the gas pedal. We speed through the streets of Portland, until the road directs us towards to Boston. We plan to leave the car at the airport; we are taking a flight to Rome, tonight. My mind is spinning with all sorts of things. I can't believe that I am a vampire, and that I have found my one true love. So much has happened to me, in such a short space of time. I met this wonderful, gorgeous, compelling guy and I fell in love with him. He exposed me to a whole new world, and now I am a vampire. I'll live forever with him by my side. The freeway is calm and the night is slowly getting darker. Dalton flicks the neon lights of the Porsche on high, as he presses his foot harder onto the gas pedal. He reaches out, and he pulls my hand towards his lips. His eyes lock on mine –he doesn't need to watch the road. Our senses know when we are in danger. Dalton's lips part, his tongue extends and gently collides with my skin. He is so gorgeous that I can't stop staring at him. His light blonde hair is slicked back, and he is smartly dressed in suit trousers and a black shirt. He looks sinful, and I can't breathe at the sight of him.

"Are you happy?" He asks as he focuses his eyes back onto the road ahead.

"Extremely, I love you Dalton." I gush. He laughs and he meets my stare. His smile is playful and cute. I love this side of him. He makes me feel unique and when I am with him, I feel like I could take on the world. He has brought the best out in me, and I can't describe how much I love him.

"I never thought that I could feel this way about anyone. You complete me Rose and I can't describe how lucky I am to have you." Dalton's voice is sweet and sexy. He's irresistible and I lean forward and kiss his cheek. I pull back from him and I squeeze his hand.

"I'm forever yours!"

Forever Yours Series

By Deila Longford

For more information on any of my books please email me,

deilathreethousand@gmail.com

