I stumbled groggily into my apartment and collapsed onto the comforting couch. The coarse fabric scratched my cheek as I lay down my head and yet it felt like the softest velvet to my tired body. I swear I don't think that I had ever been so happy to see the familiar red, worn out piece of furniture. This thing had been through a lot with me. I would even take being hungover and lying painfully across the cushions than the ordeal I had just been through. Actually, I was glad that I hadn't had much to drink at the club or I would be dealing with both tomorrow morning.

Now my thoughts drifted back to my eye-opening experience. Really I could barely process what had just happened. I mean Demons? Vampires? Witches? It was just all too much. I couldn't even tell Izzy. She'd think I was crazy! Hell, I thought I was crazy. Maybe I should check myself into the loony bin for vivid hallucinations? As sad as it was...that would make me feel better. Or Maybe all of this was an elaborate and cruel nightmare? As much as I hated it when a book ended like that I wouldn't mind waking up right now.

Lying on my stomach, gazing at the red fabric, my mind turned to another red substance. One that had so casually been taken from me. Again I had the urge to be sick as the image of blood being drawn out of my veins caused an unpleasant shiver to creep along my spine. I scrambled off the couch, nearly falling onto the carpet. I rubbed my arms to rid myself of the feeling and glanced around for a on cue the phone rang and the caller ID said Isabella Griffin. I reached over and picked up.

"Hey Iz," I supplied wearily.

"Hi Tori! Hey, you don't sound very good. What's wrong?" Truth or lie?

"It's nothing Iz, I'm just really tired that's all." Lie it is. She wouldn't believe me anyway. "Hey listen, can I call you back tomorrow morning? I'm a little out of it today," I told her. Understatement of the century...

"Of course you can! I'm sorry Tori! I hope you feel better soon! But hey, we're still on for the movie tomorrow right? Cause Zoe is really looking forward to it."

I considered. After being attacked twice and with the vampire's promise of seeing me again something so normal seemed almost wrong. But it might do me good to see my friends.

"Alright Iz, I'll see you there."

"Great!" she exclaimed. "We'll have a blast! Bye Tori."

"Bye." I hung up and placed the phone down on the counter top. Wincing, I stood up and headed to the bathroom. I pulled my hair away from my neck and looked in the mirror.

Right on the carotid artery that ran down my throat were two punctures. They were already partially healed but still very sore. When I brushed my fingers along them a shadow of the pleasure and pain from when he bit me flashed through my body. I jerked my hand away and shuddered. Something like this shouldn't make anyone feel like that.

I pulled my hair back down, not wanting to see any reminder of the night, and went back out to the kitchen. Hell, I needed a drink. I grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass, fully intent on forgetting tonight's disastrous outing. I poured the wine and raised it to my lips.

"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you," a silky and familiar voice warned.

In my shock I dropped the glass, which promptly shattered all over the tile floor, and spun around. The vampire was lounging against my wall looking nonchalant and slightly bored. Any shock I might have felt was overwhelmed by my outrage.

"Get out of my apartment," I growled.

He raised an eyebrow. "I was just checking to see if you got home alright, little witch." He told me.

"Why should you care? You're the one who bit me! And stop calling me that! I'm not a witch!" I snapped.

He looked even more amused and shrugged. "Blood doesn't lie little witch. And I don't care. I just think you're interesting. Plus, if you had adequate training you could easily be one of the strongest witches in history. Wouldn't want that to go to waste." He drawled. What was it with supernaturals and power?

"Not to mention you should be gad I'm here. It wouldn't have been advisable for you to drink after that amount of blood loss. You need to get your blood sugar back up. Not drown your sorrows in alcohol." I nearly growled in fury. Who was he to come into my apartment, after biting me and then tell me what to do?

"And whose fault is that? You could have left me alone, leech! And I still want you to leave me alone! I don't care about power! I just want you gone," I stated. His eyes went dark with anger, the color of a quarter instaed of quicksilver.

"Don't be stupid. That power is like a beacon to all supernatural creatures out there. And half of them want to make you a snack," he warned.

"Like you? Quite frankly, I don't appreciate being used as a juice box. People tend to get a little pissed when that happens to them. Strange right? I mean who wouldn't want to be munched on and then tossed away like trash? Next time I'll even wear a sign that says 'eat me' so it'll be easier for you to spot me. Would that be more convenient, your highness?" I asked angrily. Each snide word was simply dripping with sarcasm and I forgot for a minute that he could drain me without blinking. His eyes glinted. I had gone too far. With a rush I was pinned to the wall yet again. This was becoming a familiar position lately…

"I assure you there are much worse things then me out there who would love to devour this power of yours," he whispered into my ear. "And yet you couldn't stop me from draining you dry if I really wanted to. I guarantee something will be munching on your bones within a week if you don't want my help. Good luck."

With that he released me and stepped back. At that moment an uncontrollable rage swept over me. That was the last. Freaking. Straw. The anger seemed to burst through like a dam giving way before a torrent of water. Concentrated heat flowed through my body until it simply exited all at once and I saw the vampire thrown across the room into the wall.

His body slammed into the plaster full force and left a gaping crack in my newly painted walls. He fell to the ground with a muffled thump on account of the carpet. It probably saved him a great deal of pain. Even so he had to place a hand on the wall behind him to stand up. The vampire rolled his shoulders and neck and I winced. The audible cracks carried across the room to my ears as bones jumped back into position. He had an expression of disbelief painted on his face as if he didn't think anyone had the nerve to cause him pain. Cocky bastard.

Then what I had done hit me full force. What the hell? How had I…?

He stood up, the shocked expression gone. He shook his head slowly.

"Power but no training…like I said, you won't last a week." Then he disappeared into the shadows again.

I growled in frustration and turned around to clean up the shards of glass scattered across the tile. Then I dug around in the fridge for something edible. Ten minutes later I was sitting with a steaming bowl of ravioli and a glass of apple juice in front of the TV. He might be a pompous, arrogant jerk but he probably knew best in this case.

And then I realized that even after all this I still didn't know his name.

A/N: I know, I know. Wayyyyy too short. I promise the other chapters will be longer :)

R&R!