Hey guys, I'm back. :D I'm really excited to be posting this right now. I never thought I would have another Ruby Red, but here it is! I thought about it for a while and decided to go through with it, and I already have the whole story planned out. :D

Well I don't want to write much, cause I have a lot of homework and It's getting late so...

ENJOY. :D

"Who's afraid of the big bag wolf?" I heard Collin growl in a jokingly way. "I think a small little vampire is afraid of the big bad wolf."

I giggled behind a tall leafless tree; hiding from him. I heard leaves crunch from under his feet so with my vampire speed, I ran to the tree next to me.

"I'm gunna huff—" I saw him quickly peak behind a tree. "I'm gunna puff—" He swiftly turned on his heels and peeked behind the tree behind him, while listening to his surroundings. We have been playing man hunt for a while and he still hasn't found me yet. "I'm gunna--." In just seconds he was gone from my sight.

What the..

I felt his hot breath on my neck as he whispered in my ear. "—get you." He tightly wrapped his arms around my shoulders, while laughing his booming laugh.

"Got you." I looked up into his hazel eyes which were turned upward into a smile, following his pink lips which were turned upward as well.

"You did, finally, after almost thirty minutes of looking for me." I giggled and popped kissed him on the lips. "It's time to go. Too bad, I won't be able to show you my amazing seeking skills." I raised my head, acting proudly and confident.

"Well let's see who's the faster one, whoever gets to the house last has to—" I bolted before he could finish the bet. In the distance, being not too far from home, I could hear Kelly wondering where we both were and that she wanted us to help set the table. As I made it to the yard, I slowed my pace and walked to Kelly's garden where my mother's grave rested among the dying roses and bushes that couldn't make it through the cold weather. Written in the stone was my mother's name and under it said, 'To a great mother, friend, and fighter.'

A warm arm wrapped around my shoulder, squeezing my shoulder every once in a while. It has been about two months now, since my mother's death, and they all know not to talk about her. If I don't talk about her, they don't. I just mourn silently to myself.

"Let's go inside. It's the temperature is dropping." He squeezed me closer to him, the warmth radiating from his body created chills over mine. I knew my cold skin felt like ice on his, but he never complained. We walked into the warm house, which smelt of turkey and a mixture of thanksgiving food, making me sick to my stomach.

"Hey little rascal." Mike said while rustling my hair as he walked by. Caleb walked up with his unusual but friendly smile and wrapped his arms around me and picked me up so my feet weren't touching the ground.

"What's up little buddy?" He swung me back and forth in the air and squeezed me tight. "Sucks you can't have a good turkey dinner." He dropped me back to the ground unexpectedly, and thankfully Collin caught me before I fell to the floor from uneasiness. Everyone made their way to the dining room where the small dinner table usually sat which now occupied by a table big enough to fit everyone. I seated myself in between Collin and Caleb, making me feel squished. When we were all finally seated—the werewolves, Abigail, Andrew, Kelly and Chris and even Faith— the dogs started to dig in; unwrapping everything.

"Wait a minute." Kelly held up her hands in protest. "We all have to go around the table and say what were thankful for."

Murmurs and 'ughs' were exchanged around the table, but they all seemed to end with a 'fine'.

"Okay, we will start with you Faith." Faith looked up from her plate with wide eyes, like a deer in headlights.

She cleared her throat before beginning. "Um, I'm thankful for…" She paused and looked around, giving out a cheesy smile. "I'm thankful for my family." She breathlessly finished. Kelly nodded her head in agreement but quickly shifted her gaze to Mike.

"Well, I'm defiantly thankful for my family and friends. I don't know what my life would be like without you guys." Collin and Kyle jokingly awed causing Mike to flash a dirty look at them.

They went around the table, claiming what their thankful for. Abigail and Andrew both said their toys and fought over who gets to be thankful for what toy. Most were the same, family, friends, Kyle said his cars; and then it was my turn.

I hesitated. I didn't want my answer to be just something said to help me move along quickly; I wanted this to be a truthful and honest answer.

"I'm thankful for," I started but hesitated once more, thinking really hard at what I should say. I opened my mouth and looked around at the waiting faces and continued. "I'm thankful for you guys, all of you. For the past couple of days, I have been thinking about the recent families I have encountered with, and none of them were as good as you guys are to me." I took a breath and no one said a word; knowing that I was going to continue. "I have been through some tough times," I breathlessly said and continued once more, "and all of you played a small part in my life to help me get through them and make my life better. I don't know what I would do without any one of you. So I'm thankful for all of you, and everything that surrounds me each and every day." I finished, waiting for someone to say something, or do something.

In the corner of my eye I could see Kelly using her finger to catch a tear from her eye and wiping it on her napkin.

"That should be on a hallmark card." Kyle muttered from across the table. Daniel punched him on the side of the arm. "I was just joking." He explained quickly.

Collin's arm fell into his lap and he reached over—under the table—and grabbed a hold of my hand; squeezing it gently. I looked up into his bright hazel eyes and he flashed me one of his bright white smiles that shined against his tan skin.

"Well Tori, were happy that your apart of the family." Daniel said happily while fighting off Kyle also. "Yeah, our lives wouldn't be as exciting." Caleb added with a laugh.

I smiled. This was my family. Nothing will ever change this, nothing.

"Okay, I think we should dig in." Kelly clapped her hands together and started to reveal the mashed potatoes placed right in front of me.

The guys didn't even hesitate to dig in; aluminum foil flew in all different directions and spoons clattered against bowls and plates.

"This looks great Mrs. Blaine, thanks." Caleb claimed before stuffing his face with some sliced turkey.

I sat through the whole meal, holding my breath. I knew Kelly and Chris liked me being there, and I didn't want to miss my first thanksgiving as a part of the Blaine family.

I helped clear the table, which was covered in small bits of thanksgiving dinner. Messy pigs. I thought to myself. I brought the last bit of the dirty dishes to the kitchen and placed them in the sink.

"Honey, you don't have to do anymore. Go hang out the living room with everyone, me and Faith can do the rest." Kelly replied while clearing off a dish.

I smiled and nodded my head and headed out of the kitchen. Faith flashed me an evil glare, obviously mad that I don't have to help.

I walked into the packed living room where the couches and chairs were filled up with people. I looked around for the one person I really wanted to be with, Collin. I spotted him sitting on the floor with his back resting against the couch. He motioned for me to sit next to him, which I happily skipped my way over to him and rest alongside him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and I snuggled into him, resting my head on his chest; he kissed the top of my head, creating a smile to appear on my face.

He lowered to my ear; feeling his warm lips touch my skin. "You are truly amazing." He whispered. My smile widened and I looked up to meet with his hazel eyes. Before I could ask any questions or say what I wanted to say, he read my mind and answered for me. "Everything you do and say just makes you truly amazing." He explained with a smile on his face.

I stretched my neck as far as it could go and our lips came crashing together. It didn't last as long as I wanted it to, but lasted just enough to satisfy me. I rested my head on his chest again, hearing his racing heart; I chuckled silently to myself.

They were watching the thanksgiving football games, cheering loudly every time their team did something right. My eyes started to droop, swallowing me into the pit of darkness. I wasn't sure if it was the football game that was making me sleepy or the constant beating of Collin's heart next to my ear. But in a matter of time, I was out like a blown out match.

Darkness clouded my vision, and fog appeared all around me; closing me in, suffocating me. A dark figure crept towards me, getting slower each step. I wanted to brush the fog away and to reveal who it was. As it crept closer, my breath caught from the sight of my mother with Aidan's knife through her heart. I felt dizzy as I clutched my stomach, feeling a little sick.

"Mom?" I wondered aloud. My voice sounded cloudy, in which I started to question myself on whether she heard me or not.

She walked towards me, slowly, acting as if the knife through her heart wasn't even there. She stopped in front of me, her brown eyes watering at the rim of her eye, and a tear escaping falling down her soft skin. She reached up relaxed and unrushed, and cradled my face in her hands.

"V-baby," She whispered while another tear escaped the rim of her eye. My eyes started to do something that I wasn't familiar with. My vision blurred and I felt a warm tiny water droplet slide down my cheek, reminding me of the little thing humans do called crying. I slowly reached up and wiped the tear from my cheek and after; examining it. I'm crying? I thought to myself, but I soon didn't care because I went back to realizing that my mother was standing before me with a knife through her heart.

"V-baby," She whispered again, "I've missed you." My head started to shake back and forth before my mind comprehended what I was doing, but she ignored it and continued. "You look so happy with your new family." She motionless held my face in her hands and sighed. "Victoria, if I knew…" She choked on her words. "…If I knew you were happy with your new family, I would have never brought you away from that." Her hand fell to her side and her head followed; falling to her chest. "I'm so sorry." She whispered.

My heart seemed to twist into knots and fall into my stomach. If this is a dream, why couldn't it be a enjoyable one? I thought to myself.

Before I could think of anything to do, my hand reached to my mother's face and raised her head so she could look at me. The tears that fell one by one, started to come down endlessly. "I failed you once again Victoria."

My head started to shake again. "Mom, I understand." I started to choke on my own words, which whispering seemed to be the only thing to help. "I understand that the decisions you had to make were to save the both of us." I sighed and with my arm feeling like lead, it fell to my side. "I just wish I could have saved you." The tears were now flowing endlessly from my eyes, and my body shook from the sobs. "I want to let you—" I wiped some of the tears falling down my cheeks. "—know that I forgive you. And that I love you—" A certain glow started to form around her; a golden and white light. "—I love you so very much."

The glow increased, shining off her dark brown hair and a smile started to appear on her face. I stepped back a little; a little startled by what was happening. The knife that was sticking out of her chest started to gradually disappear, and the blood that stained her shirt disappeared as well.

I gasped at the sight; my breath being taken away. The glow behind my mother grew, causing me to shield my eyes from the light. Her bright white teeth shined even brighter as her smile increased from ear to ear. The wrinkles that were formed on her forehead and around her eyes faded and her pale skin turned back to her usual tan skin. She looked like the mother who used to take me to parks, who'd let me help her bake our favorite dish, or who would let me put make up on her.

"I love you V-baby, and always know that I will constantly be with you where ever you go." She titled her head to the side and gave a half smile. She reached out for a hug which I so happily accepted. I closed my eyes; concentrating on the warmth radiating from her body. She leaned away from the hug, smiled and kissed me on the forehead.

As I stepped away, my mother's glow disappeared and my vision blurred; this time, not from tears. I tried rubbing what was shielding my vision, away but nothing was working. Suddenly, I was on my hands in knees in the grass, on top of a familiar, headless vampire. As it clicked in my head—that this was at the time my mother was being killed—I had already arose from the ground and headed to where my mother was. I saw Aidan run towards her in vampire speed as she turned around just in time for him to stab her in the heart with a knife. My breath caught and I started to feel dizzy. I opened my mouth to scream but nothing was coming out.

As I stood there, motionless and about to faint; Aidan started to walk over. This is just a dream...This is just a dr—

"This isn't a dream my love." He hissed, humorously. He stepped closer; his lips at my ear. "If you came with me with no problems, none of this would have happened." I shivered from his cold breath, as I closed my eyes. "It's all… your fault." The word seeped out of his mouth like venom, making me cringe from every word.

This is just a dream… This is just a dream… I kept repeating over and over in my head. I opened my eyes, revealing Aidan with his black, side-swiped hair covering one of his ruby eyes, and a glare that scared me. In a flash, his hand was clutched around my neck, getting tighter and tighter.

"I seemed like you didn't care too much about your mother, since she ditched you. But you seem to care a lot about Collin." I didn't like the way he said Collin's name, so I tried to get out of his grip; but no luck. His face turned into a sarcastic, shocked look.

"Oh… I see." His glare returned. "So if I were to kill Collin right now, you would be devastated." I didn't want to react, so I stayed motionless. He didn't like the fact that I wasn't affected by his words, so he smiled. "Oh the different ways I could kill him." He thought to himself. I bit my lip, holding back a scream. "I could so easily snap his neck, or maybe feed him to a bunch of hungry vampires. Which by the way, I have a lot of. Or maybe—"

"You can't!" I screamed; before I could think of what I was saying or doing.

The smirk returned and he chuckled a bit. He released his grip from around my neck but held a grip at my chin. "Don't worry my love, there's a chance that it might be quick and painless for him."

"No!" I started to kick and punch while screaming at him.

Suddenly I sat up in my bed, the sunlight blasting through my windows. I shielded the light from my eyes, but then felt something heavy move next to me. I ignored the pain in my eyes and looked over to a drowsy Collin.

"Collin?" His hair was in disarray and he frowned.

"Tori are you okay? Did you have a nightmare?" The concern in his voice made me realize I must have slept restlessly. I looked down at my sheets and started to straighten them out. Collin's warm hand reached over and he brought my head to look at him.

"Was it Aidan?" He whispered and brushed a piece of hair out of my face and behind my ear. I shook my head and sighed.

"It was Aidan and my mother. She was glowing and looked like she used to when I was younger, but then that night when my mother was killed, it took all that away and replayed in my dream."

He held his warm gaze, and he frowned. "I'm sorry, I tried waking you but you would wake up." He sighed.

I shook my head, but then wondered, "But I fell asleep downstairs. And how did Daniel and Kyle let you sleep here?" Collin's face lit up with a cheesy smile.

"Well I carried you up to your bed when you fell asleep. And they don't know that I'm up here. I told Mike that I was sleeping over at a friend's house." He chuckled then fell back onto the bed.

"I think we should go and get some fresh air." He climbed out of the bed and opened my window-doors. "You need some fresh air, and plus, it's a beautiful day out." He turned on his heels; his usual bright smile clashing with his tan face.

I smiled in return and jumped from my bed. "I think your right, fresh air is what I need." I looked down and realized I was in the same clothes I was in last night. So I walked over to my closet and slipped on a pair of shoes and a jacket.

"Let's go." I said joyfully.

We walked out on the balcony and I looked at him. He obviously got what I was saying and rolled his eyes while grabbing my arm to wrap around his shoulder. I held around his neck and closed my eyes; feeling the air rush past me, and a somewhat large thud.

I opened my eyes and released my grip; landing on the ground. I looked up at him, not sure on where we were going.

"What are we going to do?" I asked.

His eyebrows frowned, covering half of his hazel eyes as he thought. "Do you want to go to the cabin?" The smile appeared on his face again, but this time he there was something more to it.

I smiled also and said, "Bet I can beat you."

He glared at me jokingly and replied. "You're on."

I bolted from where I was standing and in vampire speed, ran into the woods. I dodged the trees that were in my way and jumped over fallen ones that were in my way also.

When I made it to the cabin, I stopped right out front of the door and turned so my back was to the door.

"I beat you!" I yelled into the woods. I waited a couple of seconds and decided to go into the cabin so I could sit.

I opened the door and it creaked on its hinges. Spider webs formed once again, which I just ducked under them.

As I stepped through the door a familiar scent hit me which I couldn't recognize, but then something awful hit me also. I couldn't seem to recognize the scent.

I looked by the fire place, and Caden's weapons still sat in the same spot from that time he kidnapped me. This time they were covered in dust and spider webs hung from the fire place wall and his weapons. I looked around the room, but abruptly, I paused in that corner. My breathing increased as I started to put the smells and the dark figure in the corner together.

My body disobeyed me and I started to walk towards it, making the figure more visible. I paused in my tracks and gasped, while putting a hand over my mouth.

A body of a teenage girl rested in the corner, body sliced in several places, by a knife or something sharp. Her eyes were wide open; a shock look on her face. She looked terrified, as if she'd seen a ghost.

Or worse… a vampire. I began noticing two bite marks in her neck blood still flowing from her neck. That's when I realized that I should be running away. But my body wanted her. A tickling sensation formed in the back of my throat and a rumbling was forming also in my stomach. Even though I haven't had this feeling in a while, I knew what it was; hunger.

A soft growl formed in the bottom of my chest, as the words 'run away, don't do it' formed in my head. I knew I needed to leave but the smell was too lovely. It smelled sweet, like honey. It smelt so good. I took a step forward, ready to pounce, but I felt a strong grip around my chest pull me back. I kicked in the air and clawed at the arm that secured me, trying to go back to that sweet smell.

I smelt Collin as he pulled me out of the cabin and the fresh air hit me like a ton of bricks, causing me to come back into reality. Collin threw me across the ground, causing me to skid along the fallen leaves and branches. I rested on all fours, becoming disappointed in myself.

I forced myself too look at Collin, which he had his hand rested on his hips, breathing deeply.

"Who would have done something like that?" I asked, not being able to think of who that could be.

His arms fell to his sides and he clenched and unclenched his fists. His jaw tensed and a slight growl crept out of his chest.

"Aidan." He spat.

Hope you all enjoyed, I hope to post the next chapter up next week. But please REVIEW... it would mean alot!

Thank you all!

:D

Oh and Happy New Year! :D