Bloodlines

Teren and I didn't talk much about Carrie after that and he didn't meet up with her while she was in town. I think he wanted to; sometimes when we were at home, I'd catch him staring at the door, lost in thought. I think he wanted to see her, just to make sure she was okay, that her life had turned out well. As if he were somehow responsible for every bit of sadness she may have had over the past ten years, because he'd let her remember one tragic event that had happened when they were kids. But he didn't leave my side. Maybe he felt like he'd done enough damage, and was kissing up to me by not seeking her out or maybe he was nervous that she'd notice his changes. Either way, two weeks went by, and while I wasn't sure how long she was in town for, most vacations don't last longer than that.

I relaxed tremendously after that second week passed and I didn't see her again. I know it wasn't her fault that she had a history with my man, but I didn't exactly want to sit around and compare notes with her or anything. Once she left, I surprisingly found myself grateful that I had run into her at all. Teren may have never brought up that part of his history without a little prodding. He could just be secretive like that, if he thought he was protecting someone, and he didn't want to hurt me or expose Carrie to his family.

I was getting to be a little better with the fact that he hadn't told me. I mean, we really did jump right into this relationship head first and never really sat down to discuss our pasts. And there were certainly a lot of things in my past that he didn't know. For instance, I've never told him about the guy who slipped me a roofie at a party (thank god for girlfriends and nothing happened) or the guy who had become so obsessed with me in college that I'd nearly had to get a restraining order on him to get him to back off. There were a lot of little skeletons in our closets that Teren and I had just never had the time to sit down and look at. And he repeatedly assured me that Carrie was the biggest, the one he'd been trying to hide from his family, and had inadvertently hid from me as well.

But he couldn't hide her from his family forever, not thanks to my sort of public declaration of their past, and eventually Alanna or Imogen did tell Halina. It became immediately apparent when they did. She showed up on our doorstep, looking hot and fiery, a thoroughly pissed off vampire. I hid out upstairs while he and Halina "discussed" the situation that was Carrie. I'm not sure what they said exactly, since most of it, at least from Halina's side, was in heated Russian (apparently being really mad got her to revert to her native tongue). Teren responded in English for the most part, but catching just one side of a conversation was frustrating and after awhile I stopped listening.

When she slammed the door and left, all I'd gotten was the fact that Carrie had indeed left town and Halina wanted to know where to find her. Teren didn't know, or wouldn't say, and Halina was on the warpath to find out. She wanted her wiped more than anything, much more than she'd wanted Ben's memories. I had a feeling that she'd take everything from Carrie, just to teach Teren a lesson. Assuming she ever found her that is.

But not everything was stressful. Amid the drama of Carrie's surprise visit, Teren and I had the big ultrasound. He walked me into the lab where they ran the tests, his nose wrinkling at the antiseptic smell that bothered even my sense of smell. We sat in padded waiting room chairs and he rubbed my shoulders while we waited. He'd been doing a lot of massaging after our spat. I didn't tell him that it wasn't necessary, that he really didn't need to keep buttering me up. He was good at massages and my body was sore, and aching in spots I hadn't expected to ache in, and I wasn't about to ask his heaven-sent fingers to stop.

A short, plump woman with platinum hair and raspberry scrubs called my name and after Teren helped me stand up, we walked over to the doorway to greet her. She held her clipboard to her chest as her pale eyes took in our excited faces. "First timers?" she asked brightly.

I nodded eagerly and Teren chuckled, rubbing a spot on my back as we followed the nurse through the door and into a hallway leading to several small exam rooms. She nodded her head as she walked us by spaces full of various complicated looking equipment. We passed other patients, some getting tests done that were not nearly as joyous as the one we were about to take, and I tried to contain my joy and not smile merrily at the more dour faces.

Sweeping her arm, the chipper nurse said, "Well, we'll take good care of you." I bounced into the room with her and plopped my growing body down onto a flat, padded bed.

Teren walked in before her and she encouraged me to lie down while she shut the door and flicked off the light. The room had no outside windows, like my doctor's office did, and the space darkened dramatically. Teren froze where he was by the closed door, momentarily closing his eyes as he didn't know how dark the room was, didn't know if that odd glow he couldn't control would be too bright. The nurse didn't catch his pause and walked over to me, turning on a couple knobs to warm up the machine as she started going on about how exciting the first pregnancy was. I only partially listened to her as I stared at Teren. He was still standing close to the door, behind her, ready to slip out of the room if his eyes were too perceptible.

It wasn't exactly dark though; a couple nightlights cast a soft light and the machine itself had a glow that made it almost seem bright, the closer you got to it. My breath held as I watched him put a hand in front of his face and open his eyes to look at it. I could see the glow from where he stood, back in the darkest section of the room. He could see it too. He looked up at me, tossing a quick glance at the nurse. His face looked torn; he wanted to stay, but he couldn't if she'd notice.

I felt tears sting my eyes that he may miss this and found myself reaching my hand out for him. He tilted his head as he watched me, even more torn. And then he took a deep breath and came over to me. My heart increased as I watched him walk past the technician. She was busy prattling on about the miracle of life while she ran through a few steps on the computer, and really wasn't paying any attention to the undead man walking past her.

Keeping his gaze down, he went around to the far side of the bed and sat in a spinning stool. He shifted the rolling contraption so that he could both hold my hand and be closer to the nightlight. Taking another deep breath, he lifted his head to look at me. I swallowed as the glow was still really perceptible to me. But then again, I knew it was there. I tried to see the whites of his eyes as an outsider would, but I was so used to it, it was a little difficult. I shrugged, not knowing if it was noticeable to others or not.

"Hey, relax, dear. You're all tense." The jolly nurse was stroking my arm and I made myself not worry. She started taking my vitals and asking me if I'd loaded up on water (because apparently having a bladder close to bursting is how they get the best picture), and then she looked over at Teren, finally.

She was listening to my heart and I knew it had just started spiking as her gaze locked on Teren's. He immediately shifted his gaze to my face, but the nurse frowned and tilted her head, like she swore she had just seen something weird, but wasn't sure what. Teren's fingers tightened around mine and I was pretty sure he was holding his unnecessary breath.

The tech turned back to me. "You nervous or excited about this, honey? Your heart's all over the place." I let out a nervous chuckle and felt Teren's fingers relax as he lightly laughed as well.

Without looking at Teren again, she squirted some really cold, blue liquid on my stomach and rubbed it around. I had to laugh as the twins started to kick and squirm. The liquid was as chilly as Teren's touch and they were responding, just like they did when he touched me.

"Oh, active aren't they? Well, that will ease up when things start getting tight in there." She took what looked like a handheld grocery store scanner and rested it over my stomach. As she twisted it around, she shook her blonde head. "Twins. Brave woman. A girlfriend of mine had twins and those two have aged her at least a decade." She laughed and looked up from the computer monitor to my face, looking a little worried that she'd offended me, or scared me. "I'm sure it won't be like that for you though." Her tone clearly said that she thought it would be just as tricky for me, but she didn't want to freak me out.

I smiled and nodded encouragingly, like I was sure my children would be perfect angels and nothing like her girlfriend's. I wasn't sure what they'd really be like, but I'd love them no matter what. Just as I was busy picturing black-haired, blue-eyed toddlers crawling around my feet, the nurse pointed to some hazy, gray blob on the screen.

"And there is a good one of a face." I stared at that stupid screen until she shifted it, nodding, like it was the best face I'd ever seen, but really, all I saw was an abstract gray and white swirl of indistinguishable features.

Teren squeezed my hand, and looking back at him, I saw tears in his eyes. He'd seen it, whatever it was. His eyes faintly glowed at me as he smiled and stroked my hand. I sighed and looked back at the screen, hopeful to see something that resembled a child today. Then she spotted something and focused the image on it. Then I gasped. It was five perfectly distinct digits that were unmistakably a hand. I started to cry and felt Teren's cool hand brushing a tear off my cheek. The nurse smiled over at us and went on about other body parts that she and Teren could clearly see. He was quiet, listening to her, but not commenting, not wanting to drawn her attention back to him, but he squeezed my fingers whenever he saw something. I never saw anything else that resembled anything other than a gray blob, but that one hand made my day.

At the end of the test, she looked at each of us with a crooked grin. "Do you want to know the sexes?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Teren and I both looked at each other and then simultaneously shook our heads. That was one thing we'd both agreed on earlier. We wanted the surprise. It had annoyed my mom to no end when I'd told her that we weren't going to find out. She'd used the excuse that she needed to know if she should buy pink things or blue things, but I'd been firm on my decision and told her to stick to yellows and greens. We'd decided that some things were just meant to be surprises, and babies were one of those things.

The technician nodded and wiped off my belly, helping me adjust my clothes and sit up. Teren wrapped a cool arm around my waist, his slightly glowing eyes beaming at me. She flicked the light back on and we both blinked in the suddenly bright room. I exhaled a true sigh of relief that we'd gotten through that without him getting caught, and without caving on the babies' sexes. And as the nurse merrily tucked away the machine, she assured us that everything was well within the spectrum of normal, and she saw nothing to worry about. It made me obscenely happy to hear that my kids looked normal.

When we left the lab it was dark outside and as we walked through the orange light of the parking lot lamps, a happy smile was on my face as I thought about that tiny little hand floating around in my body. I imagined the baby attached to it was sticking it into its mouth and sucking on it. I'd read in one of my baby books that they sometimes did that in the womb. Teren was grinning ear to ear as he described the face to me. His vision had seen it in even more perfect detail than the nurse had seen it.

He was describing the tiny, button nose he'd seen, when he suddenly stopped walking, grabbing my hand to stop me as well. I looked back at his concerned face searching the darkness. I looked over the lot to the other side of the street where a cluster of trees were thick with shadow. Teren made no protective move like he did sometimes, so I thought maybe he was sensing something he knew, like maybe a relative.

"Halina?" I whispered, hoping the vamp hadn't decided to come pick another fight with Teren right now over Carrie or Hot Ben.

He tilted his head, his eyes still glued to the trees. "No, she's not in the city tonight." I nodded, grateful she wasn't around, and curious as to what he was sensing. Then he moved in front of me, a low growl coming from his chest. Recognizing that move, I stayed safely behind him, my hand clutching his arm in case he got the stupid idea to check out the oddity without me.

"Teren, what is it?"

He straightened then and looked down the street. Whatever it was, had apparently run off. Teren turned to look at me behind him. His eyes went down to my stomach, concern evident in his face. "Nothing, Emma."

I furrowed my brow, knowing he was lying. "Teren, just tell me."

He shook his head. "I'm not sure, Emma, but..." he looked down and then peered up at me, "I think someone's stalking me."

My eyebrows shot right up my forehead and the icy panic that I'd kept at bay ever since our abduction, flooded my chest. I put a hand over my stomach and searched the darkness. "A hunter?" I whispered, my hand on his arm clutching him tight.

I looked back at him and he shook his head. "I don't know. I keep smelling..." He twisted to put both arms over mine. "Please don't go out alone anymore." His face searched mine frantically. "Please, I can't lose you, Emma." His hand drifted down to rest over mine on my stomach. "Any of you."

I nodded and hugged him tight to me, my eyes darting out over the suddenly vast and terrifying world we lived in. I squeezed him tighter, trying to block out the irrational fear I felt now. It crept in though, and the icy tendrils snaked around my core as Teren took my hand and led me to his car. He helped me inside and shut the door, a low growl issuing from his throat as he took a final look around. I thought maybe Teren was feeling that icy fear too.

I spent the next few days keeping close to home and close to Teren. Tracey noticed my behavior and asked if everything was alright. I assured her that it was, that I was just exhausted from the pregnancy and wanted to sleep more than anything. Which was true, I just found sleeping difficult. There is nothing quite like your supernatural husband telling you that someone is stalking him, and subsequently you, to make sleeping soundly near impossible. I tossed and turned at night while he whispered in my ear that he heard nothing, that I was safe.

I tried to take that to heart. He wasn't exactly easy to sneak up on and he'd never let anyone harm me, but he wasn't infallible either. When Hot Ben came over a few nights later, I thought we looked similarly exhausted now. He asked Teren to, yet again, wipe him, and for the first time, Teren seemed to think maybe he should. Ben had lost a good ten pounds in his stress and had deep circles under his eyes now. I'd heard that he and Tracey hadn't spoken in nearly a week as his constant fear had put the brakes on their relationship.

I hated that, but found I understood Ben's fear. I was constantly looking over my shoulder now too. While Hot Ben was explaining to Teren that he saw something move faster than humanly possibly (which may have been true or not), I made the mistake of telling him about Teren's worry that someone was watching us. Ben latched on to that and we spent an entire evening going over what could possibly be hunting us. I was convinced it was another sanctimonious do-gooder with a stake and a vendetta, Hot Ben was convinced it was a werewolf.

As Teren ushered Ben out for the evening, walking him to his car, he whispered to me, "I'll call Halina tomorrow night." I sighed, thankful that at least Ben's life would get back on track. He could probably still repair things with Tracey, although she was still convinced he was sleeping with Halina. Picturing Hot Ben returning to his normally easy going self, I started thinking that maybe Halina could mind wipe me too? Just about the stalker thing, just so I could sleep. But, I knew that hiding from the problem didn't make it any less of a problem, and I should be aware, just so I could be extra cautious if anything. Still, it was a tempting thought, knowing I didn't necessarily have to remember. Maybe I'd have her take the memory of Carrie too.

The next night Teren and I had gone out to eat at a nearby restaurant (well, I ate, Teren watched, ordering food for himself but letting me eat it, since I could pack away a deceptive amount now) when we'd decided to take a detour to the gym to tell Hot Ben the news. Tracey had told me this morning that he was subbing the kickboxing class tonight. She hadn't been excited about that, but had decided to go anyway, not wanting their estrangement to ruin her routine. I ran into her in the lobby after class and explained that we were going out with Ben. She looked over at him talking to Teren after I said that and glared. I asked if she wanted to come, knowing what her answer would most likely be, and she predictably shook her head no. They hadn't been out together in a while and she had no desire to see him until he could explain some things to her. I gave her a swift hug, hoping that, if anything, at least their relationship would be better after tonight.

Ben walked in-between us as we made our way to our cars behind the gym. I took in his workout shorts and sweaty hair and sighed, sort of missing working out; I hadn't been to the gym since my body had seriously started expanding outward. Teren heard my sigh and looked over at me, giving me a small, sad smile. He knew it was time to release this burden from Hot Ben, but he was still reluctant to do it.

Ben stared at our surroundings, not noticing anything other than the threat that being out in the open posed. His antsy energy as he looked from car to car, from light to tree, started infecting my antsy energy. I started looking around too, a little scared that something was going to jump out at us. Teren's plan was to drive Hot Ben to our house and then call Halina. I think he hoped that he could take the short time it would take Halina to arrive, to convince Ben that knowing was a good thing. That he should consider keeping his memories, and that he really didn't need to be so afraid.

As we approached the side parking lot where the employees of the gym parked, even I noticed the emptiness of the enclosed space. It was blocked in on three sides by high concrete walls and as we walked in, it started to feel sort of claustrophobic. Ben felt it too, wrapping his light jacket tighter around his firm body as he seemingly tensed every muscle.

Teren glanced around the area, but didn't appear concerned. I relaxed that he wasn't. Of all of us, he would have the most accurate senses. He walked Hot Ben to his car, explaining that he wanted to do this at our place and Ben should follow us over there. Ben looked a little disappointed, like maybe it could just happen right now in the parking lot. Eventually he seemed happy that at least it was happening tonight though, and resigned that he'd have to see Halina again, for it to happen.

While Teren was talking to Ben at his car, he started tilting his head and listening to something other than Ben. That worried me some. It worried me even more when he stopped talking mid-sentence and closed his eyes. Alarm shooting through my body, I watched him raise his head to the sky and slowly shake it. He muttered, "Damn it," right at the same time Ben and I asked what he heard.

Looking annoyed, Teren turned, right as someone hopped up effortlessly onto the six foot wall behind us. Hot Ben scrambled backward s a few steps while I inhaled a quick, scared breath. Teren only sighed and shook his head. "I thought you'd linger by the wharf for a few more hours."

The dark form on the wall, dark except for the faintly glowing eyes, jumped down into a pool of light and I exhaled in relief - Ben did not, backing up another step. Halina strolled into the lot, her dark hair mildly lifting in the breeze. Her short skirt had shifted higher up her thighs from jumping up on the wall and she did absolutely nothing to change how much skin she was showing. She languidly strolled towards Teren, her eyes focused on Ben a few steps behind him. When Teren sighed and put his hands on his hips, she brought her attention back to her great-grandson.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I finished my meal early. Thought I'd come say hi." I cringed, knowing what her "meal" had consisted of, and I watched Hot Ben do the same. His haggard face paled even more as Halina threw him a crooked grin. Directly at Ben she said, "Are you interested to know which lowlife will no longer be bothering your kind?" Ben sputtered and backed up a step as Halina started to walk past Teren to follow him. Grinning ear to ear she added, "I believe he was on one of your most wanted lists."

Teren grabbed her elbow as she walked past. "That's enough," he whispered harshly as she snapped her eyes back to his. She glared at him, probably still a little irritated at the whole Carrie thing, but finally left Ben alone.

Pushing aside the fact that she'd just admitted to killing someone, I walked up to her as genially as I could. She turned her head to me at my approach, her gaze softening as her pale eyes rested on my stomach before flicking up to my face. "We're glad to see you, Halina. We were just going to call you when we got back home. We need you to do something for us."

She tilted her head at me while Teren frowned. I gave him an apologetic look as I'd just confessed that we needed her help. Teren had been secretly hoping that he wouldn't have to call her tonight. He was still hoping Ben would come around. Left to his own devices, I think Teren would "hope" Ben into an early, stress-filled grave.

"Call me? Why? Did you find her?" She immediately grabbed my arm, her eyes intensifying in the orange parking lot light around us.

I shook my head, carefully removing her clenched hand from my arm. "No, we haven't heard from Carrie." Truly, we hadn't been looking either. Teren was content to let that go and I was content to never think about her again. Even Tracey had finally stopped asking me if I was okay with her revelation. As Halina's face scrunched in disappointment, I nodded my head back at Hot Ben. "For him...he doesn't want to know anymore."

I heard Teren sigh and watched his head slump, but Ben took another step back as Halina's gaze fell solely on his again.

"Do you now? Shrugging free from where Teren still held her, she walked around a suddenly immobile Ben. He stiffened and jutted his chin out defiantly as she walked in a circle around him, lightly trailing a finger over his body as she did. Knowing how intimidating that could be, I felt some major sympathy for Ben, especially when she leaned in, her hand shifting to his more...private areas. He inhaled and froze, too terrified to do anything else.

"You don't want to remember? Do you realize all the wonderful things we could do together, before I make you forget?" Ben started lightly shaking as her hand gently squeezed. "I could make you scream, and you wouldn't even remember it."

Before I could tell her to knock it off, she was suddenly sitting on her ass. I blinked, not seeing the actual move that had gotten her there, but with Teren standing over her, looking sort of pissed off, I could only imagine that he'd had enough of her teasing and had finally stepped in. Ben hunched over on his knees, cupping himself with one hand while muttering thanks, as he tried to get his breathing back to normal.

Halina looked up at Teren, pure shock on her face. I got the feeling that Teren had never physically stopped her torments before. I had no idea how she'd react. I knew they loved each other, but I was pretty sure Halina would rip Teren a new one if she felt he needed it, especially without the other vampires there as witnesses. And even though Teren was strong, I knew Halina could throw him through a brick wall without breaking a sweat.

Not knowing what I could do, only hoping that Halina wouldn't hurt me, or more appropriately, the twins inside me, I took a step towards them.

Keeping their eyes locked on each other, Halina humanly slow stood up, her youthful face looking like the petulant teenager she pretended to be. With Teren not backing down from her gaze, he slowly spat out, "I said...enough."

As I took another step towards them, Halina slowly started to bring her hands up to Teren's chest. He didn't react, only kept up the stare down they were having. I was pretty sure once she touched him, Teren was going to end up in the next county. I could just barely discern Teren bracing his body and thought maybe he was aware of that too.

I was standing right next to her, as her fingertips just brushed over his shirt. I heard Ben say Teren's name in warning and I mentally braced myself to grab the female vampire, to stop her from flinging my husband a town over, somehow. My hand was just on her arm, her hands just on his chest, when both vampires suddenly looked over at the wall that separated the gym parking lot from the accountant's parking lot next door. That wall was around five feet high and brick, just like the back wall. I stared at it as well as the vamps, the hairs on my neck sticking straight out at what had grabbed their attention from the tension that had been escalating between the two of them.

That feeling of unease only amplified as they moved as one. Halina took a protective position in front of Ben and me, slightly crouched for action as a low growl rumbled from her throat. Teren stepped a few paces in front of her, also assuming a protective position, only he was protecting all of us. I clasped Ben's hand as we hid behind Halina, and Teren's familiar rumble joined with hers.

They were both intently focused on the edge of that wall and my mind started spinning over what on this earth could so provoke two powerful creatures. Was I right about a hunter or was Ben right about a werewolf? Ben beside me started to shake and I was a little surprised to find myself slinging an arm around his waist, supporting him. I was terrified too, but only of whatever was out there. Poor Hot Ben was sort of scared of everybody.

A chuckle filled the still air, emanating from behind the wall and I crouched down, prepared to run if needed. Expecting a burly man yielding a chainsaw or something, I blinked in surprise at the short man who kind of looked like the guy who used to do my mom's taxes, before I got her hooked up with the firm I worked for. Briefly, I wondered if the guy worked at the accountant's firm next door and had just gotten off work. Maybe he'd heard a fight starting and was foolishly trying to stop it. I reconsidered that as Teren and Halina had not eased up their guarding stances.

The short, middle-aged man had his hands casually in his pockets and strolled into the lot lights as casually as if he were taking a stroll through the park on a sunny, Sunday afternoon. But that's when I noticed his eyes, and realized that this man hadn't been anywhere near a sunny day in quite some time. His eyes had the same faint glow around the whites that Teren's got in dim lighting. While not noticeable to someone not in the know, it was a neon sign to me, and I clenched Ben's hand, hard.

The accountant making his way over to Teren...was a vampire.

He laughed again and shook his head. "My money's on the woman." He laughed at that thought, his voice coming out with a southern drawl to it. It didn't match his average height, average looks and averagely plain blue jeans and brown jacket. Added to his dull brown hair and dull dark eyes, this guy's accent was the most interesting thing about him. Oh, that and the fact that he wasn't alive.

Not relaxing his defensive posture, Teren tilted his head at the man. "Who are you?"

The man stepped up to Teren and grinned, his fangs extended as if to show to Teren that they were alike. As Teren didn't react to the show, I was pretty sure he'd known exactly what this man was, and hadn't needed it. Of course, super ears, used to hearing thumping hearts everywhere around them, would instantly pick up on a walking body without one. The move did finally clue in Ben though, and I heard him curse beside me and squeeze my hand so hard, I heard something pop.

The man extended his hand out in a friendly handshake to Teren. "So sorry, name's Thomas, but you can call me Tommy."

Teren looked at the hand, but made no move to touch the man. Shifting slightly so he was still in front of us, Teren inhaled deeply and a low growl escaped him before he spoke again. "I recognize your scent. You're the one that has been stalking me. Why?"

Halina hissed at the man after hearing that. Regardless of her irritation at Teren, he was family, and she didn't like hearing about someone watching him. My eyes were huge at the revelation. I'd suspected something much different than a vamp watching us. I didn't know if I should feel relieved at the news, or worried.

Tommy looked back at Halina, gave her a suggestive smile and a wink and them shifted his focus back to what he probably deemed the bigger threat, Teren. "Sorry about that." He tilted his head as he shoved his hand back in his pocket. "I was just so curious...you smell so odd. I've been trying to figure out what you are. You're not like me, but, at the same time, you are like me." He leaned in as Teren subtly straightened. "What are you?"

Tommy seemed genuinely intrigued by the mystery that was Teren, and I relaxed. Maybe our stalker had just been trying to piece things together before making a formal introduction, and meant us no harm. Being a vampire didn't automatically make you evil after all. Teren completely straightened, relaxing his posture as he seemed to realize this too. Halina and Ben did not, and I hoped my hand didn't go numb, since no blood was getting to it anymore.

Giving the man a cautious look, Teren said, "I'm mixed - part human, part vampire - that's probably why I seem odd to you. I was born this way and I'm not...hampered by all of the side effects of vampirism, so I don't smell exactly like a pureblood."

Tommy's dark eyes widened as he absorbed that. He grinned than let out a low whistle, slightly shaking his head. "Part human, huh? Fascinating." He cocked his head at Teren's chest, probably noting the absence of a heartbeat. "Born? But, you're dead?"

Teren nodded. "I recently died. One side effect that even humanity can't overcome for long."

The man shrugged, not too moved by hearing that. "Ah, well, I'd sympathize, but I died over fifty years ago." He grinned and rocked back on his heels. "I've been vampire longer than I'd been human. And being human was no picnic, I was happy to give it up." Teren frowned and I saw some of his defensive posture return. Tommy's eyes shifted back to Halina, a slow smile spreading as he took in the wild beauty crouching in front of Ben and me. "You though..." he inhaled deep, taking her scent in as well, "are pure vampire, like me."

Halina hissed again, not looking like she was in a friendly mood. The man chuckled at her and then cocked his head at her still protective posture in front of us. Confusion passed his face as he looked between Teren and Halina. His finger came out of his pocket and he pointed in my direction. "Are you protecting ...humans?" His drawl couldn't have sounded more surprised by that. "And I've seen you with these humans several times." He gave Teren an odd look as he gestured with his thumb over his shoulder. "You do know there's an ocean of them out there, don't you?"

The man seemed truly baffled as to why two humans would warrant such a strong reaction in his kind. My stomach twisted as I realized he didn't share Teren's views on mainly eating livestock. Ignoring the throb in my hand, I shifted slightly behind Ben. My movement brought Tommy's eyes right to me and I froze.

"Ah, and one with child...my favorite. No blood is sweeter than a woman filled with life." His grin turned into a leer and my heart shifted into triple time. He heard it and smiled wider. That was all the reaction he got though.

Teren was on him in a flash, his hand securely around the man's throat, his fangs extended now too. I prayed no one happened to walk past this tension-filled parking lot while the supernaturals were being, well, supernatural. "She's mine," Teren growled.

Tommy batted Teren's hand from his neck like Teren was a child, his strength superior to Teren's mixed blood. That made me swallow, but Halina stepped forward to stand closer to him, to back him up if needed and I relaxed a little. Two-to-one odds were better.

Tommy glanced at her and then back to Teren. "Relax. It was just an observation. It's not like there aren't more like her out tonight."

He rolled his eyes after he said that, like he didn't understand why Teren was being so rude. I hated the feeling of being looked at purely as dinner, and wanted this...creature, gone. Teren seemed to share my feelings. "It was nice to meet you, but we have somewhere to be."

Tommy frowned as both he and Teren retracted their fangs. I relaxed further as the sudden tension started dissipating. "Oh, I was hoping we could get to know each other better. I do get bored being on my own all the time." He tilted his head at Teren. "And you...fascinate me."

Teren smiled tightly as Halina stepped up to his side. "Another time perhaps? When it's just you and me."

As the vampires seemed preoccupied, I pulled Ben's hand, urging him back towards the car. He didn't move though, his perfect face glued onto Tommy's. He was shell-shocked, too scared to do anything. I silently cursed my luck at being pretty much glued to him and whispered his name repeatedly, to try to break him out of his stupor.

Tommy flicked a glance at me, a disappointed look on his face. "Yeah, alright, since you're busy with your...humans. I was about to get something to eat anyway." His eyes lingered on Ben, contemplative. Bringing his attention back to Teren, he casually asked, "Do you need both of them? Since you seem so partial to the female, can I have the male?"

He'd asked that as if we were nothing more than Thanksgiving turkeys at a store, being divvied up between customers. Ben beside me groaned softly and finally took a step back with me. As quietly as we could, we started walking backward. Teren tried to distract Tommy by stepping into his line of vision, but Tommy looked around him, watching our slow retreat to Teren's car.

Answering Tommy's question, Teren calmly said, "No, the male is ours as well."

Tommy brought his attention to Teren again, sighing sadly as his dinner sulked away. "Didn't think so. Fine. Like I said," he flung his arm out to indicate the neighborhood, "an ocean of humans awaits."

Fixing his face and his stance, Teren firmly said, "No."

Tommy grinned, like Teren had made a joke, and then blinked his dark eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

"There is no killing of humans, in or around the city." Teren's voice stayed remarkably steady when he said that. I nearly expected Halina to scoff at his remark, but her face was equally as serious as she eyed the strange vampire.

Tommy started laughing and then stopped when he saw that Teren was not even remotely joking. Looking between him and Halina he sullenly said, "I'm hungry, I need to eat. What are a few cattle, in a city this size?"

I cringed at his word choice as Ben and I finally backed into Teren's car. I tried the latch of the door behind me, but the stupid thing was, of course, locked. I cursed under my breath as Teren laid down the law for the vampire. Even terrified, I had to admit that his authority was sort of a turn on.

"You are in my territory and you do not have my permission to hunt here. You will leave every...cattle, in my city, alone."

Tommy scoffed at that and gave Teren a once over. "Permission? I don't need your permission, boy. And why should I deprive myself from the best meal in town? It's not like they're endangered. They breed like rabbits. They spread over this world like cockroaches. I'm simply doing my part, to thin the herd." I really hated this guy referring to us as much lower life forms.

Teren took a step towards him menacingly, having a good half foot over the short, plain vampire. I knew that was misleading though, the vampire's strength didn't come from his size.

Halina stepped forward as well though, her strength equal, if not greater than Tommy's. I jiggled the handle of the door uselessly as she calmly told him, "This is my city too and since I've been vampire longer than you, that makes me your elder. And you will listen to me when I say, back off. Why don't you try farther south? There are some wonderful specimens in Brazil."

Surprise flitted through me, mixing oddly with my fear, that Halina would care if he hunted here. A part of me wondered if he simply irritated her and she sided with Teren just to piss him off. Or maybe it was just a show of family unity. Either way, she was more imposing than Teren at the moment and the man paused, considering the threat of her before him.

"Well..." he sniffed and brought his hands out of his pockets, flexing them, "maybe you and I could hunt together, little minx?" He eyed her up and down, a little more seductively than he had Teren. "You could...approve my meal choice and then perhaps we could find a hole to hide up in until dusk?" He leaned toward her, running a hand up her thigh. "I'm sure you have one, somewhere."

She scoffed and batted his hand away, crossing her arms over her chest. "I got a more appealing offer from a junky down at the wharf earlier."

He bristled at that, anger clouding his face. "I think I will go." He glared at Teren and then Halina. "The hospitality here is not what I expected."

Teren stepped back, bringing an arm out to his side in a gesture of dismissal. "We're sorry for the rudeness, but this is our home, and we do have rules here."

The man made no move to leave, only frowned at Teren further. "You disappoint me half-breed. I was so hoping we could be friends."

Teren raised his chin, shaking his head. "I have enough friends."

Tommy's lip twitched at that, and although I couldn't see it, I thought his fangs had dropped down again. I quietly asked Ben if his car was open, desperately wanting to be behind a sheet of metal instead of standing out here in the open. Ben didn't answer me, too caught up in the showdown going on in front of his face. I jabbed him in the ribs, but he still paid me no attention, only grasped my hand like I was his lifeline.

Tommy heard me whisper to Ben and shot me a glance. I met his eye and froze. His lips curved up in a cruel smile. It made me think about how a cat about to pounce on a mouse would look, if their faces could show emotion. His eyes gleamed in the orange lights and his body sank down just a fraction of an inch. Halina and Teren looked at each other briefly while Tommy held my gaze. Not looking away from me, he told them, "Fine, I'll be on my way." He tilted his head, his mouth opening enough so that I could indeed see his fangs. "But first...maybe a snack."

That line brought Teren's attention back to him, but he was too late. That plain looking vampire was fast, faster than I'd ever seen a vamp move, and that was saying a lot. I saw nothing at first. In fact, I was only aware something had changed, because I felt it. My brain couldn't track him, and I still saw him standing by Teren. But he wasn't. Before anyone else could do anything, I was suddenly shoved against Teren's car, my bulging body trapped by one as hard and commanding as stone. By the time my brain could comprehend that he had moved, that he was pinning me to the car, my head was tilted so hard to the side, I thought it might break.

Before I could scream at that pain, a searing pain burst open on my neck. Then all I felt was pain; my entire body burned with it. My vision swam and faded, the orange glow of the parking lot warping and distorting, and I never did actually see him standing in front of me. The pain intensified to a level that made speech impossible and I'm pretty sure no sounds ever even left my body. I felt warmth being pulled from me, as fire burned through my head, neck, shoulder - everywhere. I heard muffled shouts, but they were distant, like everyone was suddenly miles away from me, or I was underwater. Then the pain started to fade and my vision dulled, started shifting to a sheet of black, like someone had turned off every light in the city and pulled a blanket over the stars.

As every muscle in my tense body started relaxing, and one long, raspy breath left my body, "seven seconds" kept replaying itself in my head. That's how long an experienced killer took to drain a person dry. It felt like the pain had lasted an eternity to me, but I wondered if really, only a few seconds had ticked by. As thoughts started getting harder to keep, harder to hold onto, my very last one was, 'I love you, Teren'.

Then I felt nothing.