PART 3

"No, Diane! The streamers go around the room not from the ceiling!" I sighed dramatically while Diane, a new freshmen, scrambled to undo the damage. I was surrounded by idiots, but I kind of loved it.

For a long time my world had been chaos and the only peace I found was planning the school's dances. Only issue being that I had graduated. But when Jer mentioned how no one had volunteered to plan homecoming I stepped in with no sweat. Not much had changed since I graduated, it still felt like home.

This homecoming's theme was Luau in Vegas. The school picked the theme, which is probably why no one wanted to touch the train wreck. Somewhere along the line the council thought sand in Hawaii and sand in Las Vegas was the perfect combining feature and ran with it. There was imported sand all over the gym that badly clashed with the mandatory inflatable palm trees. As if that wasn't tacky enough someone had decided to hang christmas lights from the branches.

It took all of my strength to not tear it all down in what would surely be homecoming justice. Instead I swallowed my pride and used it to distract me from the new vampire in town with an unfortunate interest in me. My instincts all screamed to leave it alone and stop thinking about him, but remembering his face couldn't be that bad. I was just preparing myself, for safety reasons, right? It wasn't my fault that his strange bluish-green eyes were as gorgeous as they were haunting.

"Caroline!" I looked up, it was Jeremy staring concernedly at me.

"Oh hey Jer. I didn't hear you," I replied, a little taken aback by his presence.

"Yeah, I noticed. I've been yelling at you for like ever and you were just gone. Whats up with you?"

"Nothing, Jeremy," I smiled, trying to look like nothing was actually up, but he didn't buy it. His face actually looked more upset. Damn it.

"Caroline. I don't like it when you lie, when people lie around here they-" he stopped suddenly, unable to finish his thoughts. He looked down quickly and cleared his throat before trying again. "Things happen when people lie here Caroline. You know that."

Now it was my turn to look down.

He was talking about Elena. When all of these crazy vampires came back to town Elena had been the one to jump head first into the fray. As her problems got bigger, she never told Jeremy the truth about any of it, always hoping to protect him. Then she got into a problem that couldn't be fixed and Jeremy was left alone to wonder if he could've helped her.

The answer to the question that haunted my friend was probably a no. What could a teenage boy do against an angry vampire after his sister? Nothing but die with her. Sometimes, though, I thought that's what he would've wanted.

"Look Jer, I'm really sorry I zoned out. Nothing is going on. You know I'd tell you about it, right? I just have a lot on my plate with school and stuff. I didn't want to burden you with college when you haven't even graduated yet," I smiled sheepishly at him. It was a genuine smile, because it was mostly true.

His face seemed to relax then, as his boyish grin took over. "Yeah I know you would. I guess I'm just on edge because the trees are blossoming."

He looked away again. Elena had died around the time our plants started blooming. The trees being the most noticeable. I had noticed them too.

I wrapped my arms around him in a tight hold, "I know Jeremy. I miss her too."

We stayed there for a moment, fighting off tears, and for me fighting off guilt before we went our separate ways. He had to get to basketball practice and I had to finish decorating. Everyone had already left for lunch by the time we finished and I was way behind.

After Jeremy had collected himself he made me promise again to tell him if something was wrong. I had agreed for his sake, while fighting the growing lump forming in my throat. When he had gone I looked up and saw Diane had left some of the streamers taped to the ceiling.

"Grr, Diane." I said under my breath. If I ever got my hands on her she'd never volunteer for another dance again.

I grabbed the nearest ladder and started plucking streamers when I heard his voice: "Need some help, love?"

I gasped, losing my footing on the ladder steps and grasp on the streamers all at once. I saw my life flash before my eyes as I fell from the sky, followed by an abrupt stop and the feeling of strong arms cradling me.

I was afraid to open my eyes. I knew what I'd see if I did and I didn't know how I'd handle it.

"Caroline?" his voice was concerned.

I opened my eyes in time to see the absurdity of the situation. The handsome blonde vampire with blue-green eyes had caught me in his arms. His face looked worried and was dangerously close to mine. This alone was enough to stop my heart, but fate wasn't done. At that moment the streamers I had dropped fell behind him in fantastic ripples like they'd decided to throw a party and he was the guest of honor.

You have got to be kidding me.

"Caroline answer me! Are you alright?" his voice was angrier and somehow louder. I had clearly zoned out again.

"Yeah, I'm great," was all I could muster, too busy wondering why fate was screwing with my head.

"You're great? Bloody hell woman, the way you were staring I thought you had a concussion and then I'd have to turn you."

My brow furrowed, "a concussion isn't bad enough to need turning."

"Yes well, how else would I make you mine?" He grinned a predatory smile that I ignored.

"You could try being nice to me." I blurted out. I must have a concussion because real Caroline wouldn't be telling a vampire how to flirt with her. Stupid Caroline, stupid!

"Oh but that's the problem love," he whispered, "I'm not a nice man." He sounded serious, like whatever he was saying he wanted me to know was the truth.

Before I could figure out what to say to that I was left alone on my feet. Shocked I looked around me half expecting him to be gone, but he was now by the faux palm trees.

"Nice theme," he chuckled, "you pick it yourself?" His gaze was on our giant "Welcome to Luau Vegas" banner.

I guess the candid moment was over. "Um, no. It was the school," I said trying to hide my confusion over the situation.

"Ah school. Was never a fan. Some vampires like to enroll and graduate again and again, never getting bored. Poor fools. You can only read about the Spanish Inquisition so many times..." He was pacing around the gym, gingerly inspecting all the cheap decor.

"Were you around for that?" I asked quietly. Interest in vampire back stories usually went against my code but I was curious.

He looked at me again with that smile that stretched widely across his face. "No, I don't believe I was around then. I kept to myself mostly." He replied cooly as he traced designs in the sand with his fingers. "Human matters are generally stupid."

I flinched. Though I wasn't sure why, a lot of vampires found humans inferior.

"Right, I'm sure," I tried not to sound offended, it seemed to work because he didn't notice.

"Why Hawaii and Vegas?" He asked, dusting the sand from his palms off on his pants, "they couldn't be more different."

I wanted to reply but a voice inside my head said this had gone too far. I didn't need to know him like this. This is how girls like me die in this town. "I don't know," I sighed "is there something I can help you with?"

He looked up to meet my gaze again. Unlike the last time we did this it was free of the violent tension. Just my eyes and his, alone together. To my unsure mind it almost seemed like he was wondering why he was there too.

He finally looked away, breaking our gaze. "Yes I suppose there is. I need you to break into your mother's files and fix something for me."

"Ex-cuse me? What makes you think I can do that?" I couldn't believe him, asking to hack into the police system. I wasn't freaking Sherlock Holmes.

"Well, your mother is the Sheriff, so that gives you access to passwords and such. Oh and to cover both possible meanings for that question I'll kill her if you don't." He sounded like a spoiled child. His expression had changed to what I can only describe as "any questions?"

"You can't do that!" I yelled, "That's my mother!"

"Oh, but I can Caroline and that's something you'll need to understand about me." His voice was low and serious now. The warmth in his eyes had turned ice cold.

"What makes you think I want to understand anything about you!?" My rage for vampires had returned in full force now. Threatening my mother was completely unacceptable, even to whatever part of me that found him interesting.

My intense response caused his eyes to widen.

"That's not what it sounded like earlier," he said quietly, almost like he was hurt.

It made me madder, how dare he threaten me then expect me to be okay.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Was all I could think to reply without being truly offensive.

For a moment he kept his bewildered hurt expression, then the clouds came, masking his face in solemn darkness.

"I suppose you don't," all emotion but controlled anger had left him. "I'll be seeing you at ten tomorrow Caroline. Be prepared." With that he stormed out, jaw clenched tightly and fists balled at his sides.

I'd angered the monster. The monster that wanted to kill my mother. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding in. I felt I should be more worried about the consequences of my actions but I couldn't find it in my rage to care.