I stared out my window, simply listening. The rain pounded against it, branches scraping across the glass. A flash of lightening split through the darkness, quickly followed by the crash of thunder. I shuddered, rolling over to face the wall. I just want to sleep, I thought exasperatedly. Why can't I just sleep

"Emily," a voice whispered in my ear.

I sat up in fear, looking around me. Only darkness was there. I couldn't contain the shiver that racked my body. Gulping, I tried to stop my heart from racing.

It's ok, I told myself. It was just the wind. Nothing else.

Lying back down in my bed, I pulled the covers up to my chin. I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes.

"Emily."

My eyes jerked open again. Fear tore through me. Jumping out of bed, I dashed for the light switch, flipping it up.

Nothing happened.

I stood in the dark, paralyzed. W-what's happening? A flash of lightening ripped through my window again. I jumped when the thunder rumbled louder, closer overhead.

"Emily." This time I felt the breath on my neck, sending goosebumps down my arms. I whirled around, ready to attack…

Nothing.

I felt as if the world had begun to spin, faster and faster it went. Closing my eyes, I steadied myself against the wall.

Help me, God, I prayed.

"Emily," the voice whispered again. I froze when a hand brushed my hair away from my neck, fingers lightly trailing across it. Spinning around, my heart nearly stopped.

A young man stepped closer to me, his black hair seeming to blend in with the darkness. His violet eyes glittered, sending a shiver up my spine.

He smiled.

Instinctively, I opened my mouth to scream, but it caught in my throat when the man hastily covered my mouth. He shushed me, raising a finger to his lips, still smiling. "No, don't scream, Emily."

Him! my mind cried in agony. When the lightening flashed again, I could see his teeth. I almost fainted at the sight of those two sharp incisors.

Slowly, he uncovered my mouth, letting me take deep breaths of air. I looked away from him, trying to still my racing heart. His arm encircled my waist, gently pulling me to his rather unusually cold body. I tried pulling away, but I didn't have enough strength.

"Oh Emily," he sighed. "How long has it been?"

If I wasn't so scared, I would have answered, Too short. But that wasn't the case, and I was terrified.

His gloved hand tenderly stroked my cheek. "I've come for what is rightfully mine."

I shook at what he meant by those words, trembled inside and out. A finger lifted my face up, his violet, haunting eyes capturing mine.

"You're scared," he murmured, his fingers caressing my neck. "Maybe I can take care of that." He leaned toward my lips and I tried to suppress a shudder, unsuccessfully.

"No," I whispered.

Drawing back slightly, he looked into my face. Suddenly, he grinned. Maybe he was trying to scare me even more by showing those teeth, or maybe he just found it amusing. Whatever the reason was, though, it frightened me even more.

"You've grown since I've last seen you," he said admiringly. Catching my hand, he spun me around, his eyes gazing lovingly over my body. Snatching back my hand, I hugged my body, willing myself away from this spot, wishing to be anywhere but here. I could feel myself falling, falling into the darkness, and I welcomed it.

"Oh no you don't, my love," I heard him say. His arms caught me and I could feel myself coming back to him. I slowly opened my eyes. He was kneeling on the ground, cradling me in his arms.

"Let me go," I whispered. "Just let me go."

"You belong to me."

"I belong to no one!"

His eyes became filled with pain and sorrow. "You promised."

I was delusional, I thought in despair. Blinking away the tears, lest he know how weak I really was, I tried hard not to remember that fateful day when I was seven years old.

"A promise is a promise," he whispered. "No matter how old."

"I-I…can't," I cried, struggling to rise out of his grasp. Standing quickly, I felt dizziness overwhelm me, making me sink back down into his waiting arms. I blinked, breathing heavily.

"You're exhausted. Why don't you lie down? I'll watch over you," he said.

I shook my head. "You'd kill me in my sleep."

I hurt him again, again with my words. The anguish in his eyes made me swallow uncomfortably, made me look away, wincing.

"Is that what you think?" he whispered.

I couldn't look into his eyes, couldn't face the pain emitting through them.

"It's not true. How could you ever…think that of me?"

"You tried killing me when I was seven," I said. My words hit him hard; he flinched.

"You weren't going to die, at least not by my hand. I wasn't killing you."

"No, you were only trying to suck the blood from my body!" I exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

Yes, he was a vampire. I'd met him when I was seven, shortly after my birthday. He tried killing me then. I couldn't trust him. Didn't want to.

"You were poisoned! I saved your life!" he cried.

I pushed away from him at those words. "Who would poison a seven year old?!"

"Ask your parents," he bit out.

My eyes narrowed. How dare he! How dare he accuse them of doing something like that!

I slapped him hard across the face. Slowly, I came to realize that I had just slapped a vampire. A dangerous vampire. I stared at my hand in shock, which was slightly tingling from the slap. I…I…Oh crap, I thought.

His eyes bore into me, his mystifying violet eyes that could easily mesmerize me if I let them. I flinched when his gloved hand touched my cheek gently. He slid it into my golden hair, forcing my head closer to his.

"You owe me," he whispered. "I didn't deserve that and you know it."

I trembled.

"You owe me a kiss," he said, smiling.

"I'd rather die," I gritted out.

"Then at least say my name and I'll leave you."

His name… No. I couldn't. If I were to do that, I'd acknowledge him. This might all still be a dream.

"It's that, or a kiss. It's your choice, my love."

I quivered when the name rose unbidden from the depths of my memory. It was like tasting blood in my mouth, metallic and bitter.

"Say it," he whispered. "Say my name, Emily. At least let me have that."

The name came surprisingly easily to my lips. "Alec," I whispered.

"Louder."

"Alec!" I said loudly, pushing away from him. "Are you happy now?"

"Yes. I think I am."

"Leave then."

Alec was silent for a while. "I'll come back."

"No. Don't come back," I said forcefully. "I don't want to see you."

He stood abruptly, making his way to the window. Opening it, he turned. "A promise is a promise, my love. I will be back to take what is mine."

And he was gone. The rain pelted in from outside, the thunder still rumbling in the distant. Slowly, I rose, walking to the window and looking outside it.

"That was it?" I whispered. He's…really gone. Sighing, I whispered, "Good."

I closed the window, turning back towards my bed and crawling into it. I fell asleep instantly.