Author's Notes: You will all be very happy to know that I have finished revising what I have already and the characters are demanding my attention so I've been writing pretty constantly. I think I've got like ten or more pages typed up of material that no one but me has seen yet. It won't be coming out for a little while though, simply because I keep going back and adding things to it so I want to be sure that it is perfect before I upload it.

Again though, I do plan to get this finished before the month is out and I won't be working on anything else until then. Enjoy! And please leave a review to let me know what you think of it!

Chapter Two

Audrey paced anxiously in her hotel room, unnerved by the silence that hung over her mind.

Why wasn't he saying anything? Was he still in pain? And why did it bother her so much? She never liked men before. They were just kept around to do manual labor and to look at the pretty ones.

Sighing deeply she glanced out the window, still for a moment before she went back to her pacing the room again.

The brunette watched her quietly, following her with dark eyes before she stood and threw her arms in the air in annoyance. "That's it Audrey, we're going outside for a walk!"

Audrey blinked and glanced at her friend with wide blue grey eyes. Finally a small smile spread across her rosy lips and she nodded. "All right. I think that'll get my mind off of him."

Rebekah watched her friend, a grin slipping into place as one dark brown eyebrow arched. "Him? And who exactly is 'him', Audrey?"

The blonde blinked and then smiled sheepishly, "Promise not to call me crazy?"

"Don't I normally call you crazy?"

Audrey rolled her eyes; "I'm being serious now Rebekah."

The brunette nodded slowly, tilting her head. "Of course I won't call you crazy."

Audrey sighed and glanced away from her friend, unable to look her in the eyes when she told her. "Well… you know when I sort of spazzed out for a minute or two?'

"Five. It was five minutes."

"All right, all right. Five." Her eyes rolled heavenward again. She was always a literalist. "Anyway, well that wasn't my pain."

"So then it was 'his'?"

Audrey nodded smiling, "Yup!"

"And he is who?"

The blonde pouted, her hopes that Rebekah would stopped there obviously failing. "Well… he called himself Ezekiel."

Her friend stared blankly at her for a full minute, before in a dull voice she asked, "He spoke to you?"

Audrey stilled for a second, a smile creeping slowly onto her face as she observed her friend. "You can talk to birds?"

Caramel chocolate eyes stared stoically back at her, before a grin broke out and the two laughed for a few seconds.

"No, but really Audrey he talked to you? Like in your head?"

Audrey nodded, "Of course in my head. If it had been out loud you would have heard him."

Her only response was a heavy sigh, and of course she grinned at that. "Let's go then!" She grabbed her friend's hand and began to drag her outside, muttering random nonsense as they went.

As soon as they got into the nearby forest they both froze. "I don't think it's a good idea to be out here Audrey.." Rebekah's voice was quieter than it normally was, a hushed whisper.

Audrey nodded slowly, "I know.. I feel it too, but I think it's a bit too late for us to go back."

Rebekah frowned in confusion. "What do you mean 'too late'?"

"Turn around…"

She did so, her dark eyes instantly finding the reason it was too late for them.

Something that faintly resembled a man stood before them, hunched over and decomposing. The creature looked as if it had once been a tall, great being but had been reduced to this rag doll being. It's hair, which had once been a coal black, was now oily and hardly present. The skin of the creature was completely missing in places and in others it was pulled so tight over the bones and muscles it could hardly count as skin, the color a sickly grey. Its eyes were sunken in and the area that should have been white was being taken over with blood that seemed to have seeped into the eye. The color of the eyes was a dull black and yet there were bright red flames leaping in its depths. His tattered clothes, or the pieces that were even left of them were covered in dry and fresh blood. His arms had long scars, scars that looked like someone had tried to fight their way out of his grip, ripping and tearing with their nails for as long as they could. Strangely enough it reminded Audrey of a zombie from the Resident Evil series.

A smile spread over his lips as he watched the two girls. "What are you doing out alone this late at night?"

Oh… it spoke. Definitely ruled out zombie then. So instead of running Audrey frowned deeply, raising a brow, "And why does it matter at all to you?"

The creature's grin widened, showing his black gums and allowing more spit to dribble down from the gaping hole. "It matters because I am a gentleman. I could never allow two women such as yourselves to go without an escort."

Rebekah snorted slightly, watching the evil being in disgust. "Because we would be perfectly safe with you I'm sure. And as tempting as the offer is, we know the way back to the inn quite well thank you. Besides you won't have fun with us. Lesbians you see."

Its eyes flared red, anger taking hold of the him as the blonde giggled softly at her friend, nervously. "I'm sorry to say you have no choice in the matter."

Audrey stared at it, her stomach wrenching as it took a few steps closer to them. "If you're going to kill us I'd appreciate if you could get on with it… And not go for the neck."

The grin returned to its mouth and it was clearly amused. "Not go for your neck? Where would be the fun in taking your blood from anywhere else?" He chortled, the sound grating, as if someone had dropped nails into a blender. "Besides I will not be killing you. Your friend however, I have no interest in."

Audrey frowned deeply, "Oh no, you either kill both of us or neither."

"Again you have no choice in the matter. And I will not kill the woman that I have spent the past two years following, not counting the years spent searching."

The brunette blinked, "You've been stalking her?"

"I would not call it stalking. You cannot stalk someone if you are meant to be with them."

"Meant to be?"

He nodded, "Of course. She is my lifemate."

Rebekah laughed again, the thought absurd to her. "Expect you've overlooked one tiny, little detail. The fact that you've already given up your soul! You can't just get it back cause you found her. Besides if you were her lifemate you would have made yourself known a lot earlier. And she's already found hers. His name is Ezekiel. So there." She stuck her tongue out at him and showed him the bird at the same time, rather idiotic as the creature had turned out to be a vampire, the undead, the most evil of all creatures that feasts on human blood.

Audrey gently shoved at her friend's shoulder. "Let's leave him out of this…" She trailed off grinning. If what Rebekah had said was true, and Ezekiel was indeed her lifemate she could reach out to him, get him there to stop the vampire. Not that she actually believed he was her lifemate, but at the moment what other choice did they have?

She chewed her lip, tentatively calling out to him. 'Ezekiel… I hate to be a bother, but um.. There's an undead trying to hold a not so friendly conversation with my friend and I.'

She felt him stir in her mind, offer warmth and comfort even as he searched her memories for information. She heard him growl softly. 'That is Nicolah. You need to be very careful, cara mia. Stall for time and I will be there as soon as I can.'

Audrey sighed and was about to respond when a hand came in sharp contact with her cheek, sending her flying off her feet and into one of the nearby trees.

She groaned, more dazed than in pain at the moment, though she could tell her side would be bruised in moments.

"You are talking to him, aren't you? Bringing him here." He growled, his teeth clenched together and flames licked in his eyes, hatred and pure rage completely consuming him. "I will not let that fool have you. Not after so long of searching for one such as you. You would be wasted on him." He dragged her up, using her long blonde hair to do so and sank his teeth deep into her neck, savagely feasting on her blood, taking as much as he dared to without killing her.

Rebekah's eyes widened in horror and she shoved at the vampire, trying to break its vise-like hold on her friend. It did little good so she began digging her nails into his rotting skin, kicking at his legs and yelling for help. "Let her go you bastard!"

It did nothing other than to shove her harshly away from him while he fed on her friend. Then as he felt the blonde's heart began to stutter he slit open his wrist and forced it above her mouth, commanding she take in his tainted blood. Then as he dropped Audrey to the floor his eyes slid to her friend, his gaze hungry. He hadn't had his fill and stalked slowly to her side, grinning down at her as she glared at him and tried to move to her friend's side. "She is fine.. I would not kill her... You on the other hand are worthless to me… I will leave you as a warning to the hunter." He dragged her up easily and let his fangs sink into her neck, greedily gulping down the blood. But before he finished he felt the hunter getting closer and growled, throwing the girl away from him to land limply on the ground, her neck still bleeding.

Ezekiel stood, glaring at the creature, his body in front of Audrey's, his entire posture protective. His features were set in a glare, his eyes filled with a small glow of red. "You will die this night. You should never have touched what is mine."

"You think to kill me when you still have wounds from our earlier battle?" He grinned, "This will be a most entertaining battle. However, I am afraid that it cannot take place tonight. I have other pressing business that I must attend to." He bowed and before Ezekiel could lash out he vanished, leaving no trail of evil stench or blank spot to follow.

Ezekiel glared and the beast in him demanded he follow the undead, to rip apart the creature that had dared to touch what was his and his only, but a soft moan caught his attention. He turned his gaze to the blonde behind him and he picked her up, cradling her to his broad chest. "Ma petite, I am sorry I did not get here sooner to stop him." He sighed and glanced at her friend. He would take her back to the inn so that he could be alone with his lifemate.

~*~

Audrey stirred slightly, her lashes lifting upwards so that her grey blue eyes could take in the room around her. It most certainly wasn't her room at the inn, and it wasn't the forest area she remembered last being in.

The bed beneath her was soft and felt like it was covered in silken sheets. Glancing up she saw that it was a large four-poster bed, thick, dark curtains hanging from the top so that she could block out all the sun if she wanted. The room itself was colored in black, silver and deep reds. All the furniture in the room was antique and the oak wood stained a deep cherry.

Sitting in a large chair next to the bed she saw a tall, handsome man, one that she knew instantly to be Ezekiel. He was real. So she wasn't completely insane.

She blinked as she remembered the vampire and Rebekah, her eyes going wide. "What happened?"

He smiled tenderly at her, his eyes warming so that his hard-set features became even more sensual. "Nicolah fled. Do not worry, your friend is well and safe at the hotel."

She raised a blonde eyebrow, frowning and her voice turned colder. "And why isn't she here with us?"

"Because I wanted to be alone with you."

Bad. Very bad, especially at the images that flashed through her mind at his voice. She glanced down shyly, suddenly aware of how alone they were. He was a Carpathian and supposedly she was his lifemate. Not at all safe for them to be alone together if she wanted to stay a virgin, which of course she did.

He chuckled, the sound deep and sexy, so much so that her head snapped up to stare at him. He seemed to be shocked by the sound also, as he couldn't remember laughing in centuries. At least not true laughter. "It is perfectly safe for us to be alone. In fact I would not want it any other way. And you will not want to stay a virgin for long." He smiled mischievously, enjoying the thought that they would join soon.

"Oh keep dreaming. No sex. Ever."

He raised an eyebrow, still smiling at her. "It would not be sex between us. It would be making love. Just another way to show how we feel for one another."

"Making love." She rolled her eyes, "Whatever you want to call it, it isn't happening."

He frowned, watching her intently and his face losing all emotion as he stared down at her. "You want me to become the undead then? I will not take that chance now that I have found you."

Audrey sighed deeply, suddenly sad for him. "I don't know you at all Ezekiel. And I'm not sure how comfortable I'll be with the whole 'making love' issue." She shivered as her mind drifted unwanted to memories of her past.

Ezekiel frowned and gently took her into his arms, his large hand stroking her silky hair, trying his best to calm her as he let her feel his love for her. "Do not think of such sad things, ma petite. And you must know that it wasn't your fault at all."

She glanced away, closing her eyes and forcing her mind away from the subject, refusing to think any more about it, especially if he could read her mind. "And that's another thing. No mind reading."

He blinked and then smiled innocently down at her, "What mind reading?"

She smiled in spite of her attempts not to. He was just too damn cute.

His brows came together and a small pout overcame his perfectly shaped lips. "You only find me cute?"

She raised an eyebrow and smiled a bit more, "There you go with that mind reading thing again."

He gently nibbled at her neck. "I cannot stand it when I am not in your mind. You will have to put up with the mind reading."

"Then you'll have to put up with no sex."

He chuckled and kissed her brow, "It amuses me the way you think it won't happen, ma petite."

Audrey frowned up at him, "I'm not small."

He raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"I'm not small. So stop calling me that."

He grinned at her, "You are shorter than me."

"Not by too much."

His grin widened. "By more than enough. Besides it is just an affectionate nickname."

She glanced away slowly, "Well I hate nicknames."

"Do you?"

She made the mistake of looking back at him and her eyes instantly locked with his and she gulped slightly. This was definitely unhealthy.

"Unhealthy?"

She nodded, "It can't be good for someone to be as pretty as you. And it can't be healthy for the other sex to be around you too much."

He raised an eyebrow, looking even better than before.

"Stop looking at me like that." She stood abruptly from his arms and began pacing restlessly, "So can I go back to the inn?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

She groaned, shoving a hand through her hair. Great.. Just great. They were both quoting Clue together. "And just why can't I?"

"Because it is unsafe."

She glared at him then, her eyes burning with anger. "Then why did you leave my friend alone there!"

He sighed, "Calm down, ma petite, she is perfectly safe."

"Oh, but it's not safe for me. What a coincidence."

He smiled softly at her, "Your friend is not the one that the vampire is after."

"She's more psychic than I am!"

He blinked and tilted his head, "Is she? How do you know?"

"Because."

"Because?"

"Just because."

"You are really rather amusing. Especially your logic."

"I was going for annoying so that you would want to get rid of me."

He grinned, "I don't think so. I'll be keeping you around for a lot longer."

She rolled her eyes, "Lucky me."

~*~

A few days later Rebekah nervously paced back and forth in the hotel room. All of Audrey's stuff was missing and so was Audrey and apparently no one else in the inn remembered her coming with anyone.

She groaned in annoyance. "She couldn't have just disappeared! It's not possible! And I swear if that vampire still has her someone's going down."

She plopped down in a chair again with a sigh. "What if that Ezekiel has her?" She sighed again, thinking aloud. "Well if he does why aren't I with them..? Unless they're getting it on, but Audrey would never go for that." She got up and began pacing again. "I can't stand this!" She glanced out the window and sighed when she saw the sun low in the sky. "I guess I'll just have to go looking and hope that my luck leads me to her. I still have an hour or two till the sun goes down."

Grabbing her key and a bottle of water she left the room, heading quickly for the forest they had entered just two days before. She had absolutely no idea what she was doing, but then again she hardly ever knew what she was doing so there wasn't any difference.

And of course it wasn't long before she was hopelessly lost, as is the way with these stories.

"Great… just great. It's dark, cold and evil things will be coming out to play soon enough." Her caramel chocolate eyes easily fixed onto the full, yellowed moon and she shivered. "And spirits. Exactly what I need… Why me? Why always me.."

"It is your own fault for coming out."

She stiffened and turned slowly, her eyes locking onto the man that had attacked her friend. "You.."

He nodded and gave a slight bow. "Yes. Though I am better known as Nicolah."

She blinked at him, looking rather confused. "You… you have a sense of humor…"

He grinned, "Not really a sense of humor.. But well, you'll get used to it."

"I'll get used to it? Oh I don't think so."

He smiled, his disgusting teeth showing once more and causing her to wince. "But you must. You're going to be with me for some time."

"I'm going to be with you?'

He sighed deeply, "Must you repeat me?"

"Well it's hard not to with you saying such ridiculous things!"

He raised an eyebrow, "But they are the truth. You will be coming with me to meet some… friends of mine."

"I thought you wanted Audrey… not me?"

"Well I do, but I have to repay you for the lovely gift you gave me."

"You're talking about me biting you aren't you?"

He nodded, "Besides you'll work as wonderful bait for your friend. She could never let you stay in harms way while she's safe."

Rebekah glared at him, "I don't think so buddy. I won't let you use me like that!"

"Well lucky for me you don't have any choice." He moved forward, taking her by surprise as he thrust into her mind at the same time, commanding that she sleep.

Her lashes fluttered closed and she fell forward only to be caught in his thin arms.