~Claire's POV~

Class was really wierd that day. I spent the entire day wondering where Alex had gone. I couldn't help but think it was my fault. "Come on, Claire! Come swing with me!" I sighed and did as Sophie asked. She was trying to make things better. I appreciated that.

"You guys won't believe what happened to me last night!"

"What happened, Jen?"
"Well, I was walking around after my parents got home. It was one of those days." Jen's parents were complicated. Sometimes they were fine, but others they came home crunk and... things happened to Jen that shouldn't. Her brother had left for college, so he couldn't protect her anymore. "Anyways, so I was walking around and this like, really hot vampire guy totally took me in when i told him about it! Like oh my god!"

"really? A vampire?" Honestly, Jen needed a guy in her life right now. Especially one who could protect her. But I still couldn't help but feel jealous. At least she had a fraction of a chance of getting the vampire that I wanted.

"yeah! I mean, nothing's happened between us yet, but I think things might change on that front." She giggled and I sighed.

"Come on," Sophie whispered. We both snuck away as jen was daydreaming about her hot vampire soon-to-be-boyfriend. I don;t know what I would do without Sophie.

"Hey, have you met Luke?"

"No, but I've seen him around. Why?"

"He's my new boyfriend." She looked down and blushed while I gaped at her.

"You got a boyfriend without telling me?"

"Well he just asked me out like ten minutes ago."

"Oh my God, Claire! I'm so hapy for you!" We both jumped up and down squealing for a few seconds (everybody's got to have their girl moments) before going back to being serious. "I can not believe you're going out with him. Why didn't you tell me as soon as it happened?"

"I told you now! So shush!"

"Is there a problem ladies?"

"No." Sophie started giggling uncontrollably and looked down to hide her blush. I felt a smile tugging at the corner of my lips. It was funny to watch how my sister reacted to him.

"Hi. I'm Luke."

"Hi. Claire, Sophie's sister."

"I can tell. the purple haired girls always stick out." I rolled my eyes, but smiled anyways. Luke didn't seem so bad.

"If you ever hurt her, I'm coming after you." I said it jokingly, but he knew that I meant it completely.

"Don't worry. i don't intend to." I nodded and left, giving them some time alone. Sophie had a boyfriend, Jen had a vampire, and i had ruined a perfectly good thing for a dilusion. Great.

~Alex's POV~

I woke up and opened my eyes, only to immediately shut them again. The light was too much to take. It took a minute for me to gather the courage to look again, and it was then that I realized why it was too much to take.

My vision had completely changed. my eyes absorbed everything in exact detail. When the door opened, the small creak it made was enough to hurt me ears. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"Well I changed you, silly. I told you you were awfully attractive for a human. you didn't think I meant it?" I looked at Marcy with fuming anger. "Just calm down. Honestly, you're worse than a two year old." She rolled her eyes as i crossed my arms over my chest. I officially hated her.

"Now, now, then. Eternity is a long time. It'll be easier on both of us if you just went along with this."

"Why on Earth would I spend eternity with you?"

She ran up to me and pointed to my neck. "Because of this." I examined it in the mirror. It was a small design that looked like a tattoo on my neck. What in the world was that? And why would it make me spend eternity with this nightmare? "It's a mate mark." She whispered in my ear. My eyes widened.

"A what?"

"A mate mark. See, these are my initials, and this is the crest of my family. It won't go away until one of us dies." She batted her eyes at me like this was the most innocent thing in the world she was telling me. The growl that errupted from my throat surprised me more than her. She just giggled. "You're so cute when you're angry." She ran up to me and her lips crashed onto mine before i could react. the kiss was really quick, but the disgusting effects were long lasting. "You'll get used to all of this, you know. I'm really not that bad, am I?"

I had her pinned to the wall with such speed and strength that I never thought possible. "You couldn't hurt me. A vampire can't hurt someone they share the mark with. It'll hurt you too." I pressed her into the wall until she gasped of pain. Suddenly, I felt myself gasping out in pain as well, and we both slid down the wall. I looked at her incredulously. She nodded. "I told you. Whether you like it or not, you're mine." She grinned. I just got up and walked away, slamming the door behind me.