Dwayne got her down into the cave, just like I knew he would. "Nice," Anna spoke to me, impressed. "Very nice."

I mustered the purest smile I could. "Glad you like it" I couldn't help myself; I grinned at the blonde. Nudging Star with my elbow, I got her attention. "Told you, you wouldn't have to worry about me." I made sure my voice was low enough that none of the others would hear, and casually gestured towards Anna. She was still holding Dwayne's hand.

"Leave her alone, please," Star begged me. "She helped me. She doesn't need this."

"I think this is exactly what she needs," I countered. "Marko. My wine."

Marko quickly moved to fetch the ornate bottle. Now there was someone who didn't try to defy me! Motioning to Dwayne, he walked toward me, not exactly leading Anna, but not giving her the option of staying where she was, either.

Marko brought the bottle back to me. I opened it, reverently. Taking a sip, my eyes closed and my head fell back. There was nothing like blood. I held the bottle out in Anna's direction.

"Drink." It was a command, of course. You had to show authority from the very beginning.

Anna snorted at me. "Not likely."

Slowly I reopened my eyes. "What?" Very few people, mortal or otherwise, defied me.

"No," Anna stated again.

"You don't drink?" I frowned.

"In certain situations, no." Anna pulled her hand from Dwayne's. His gaze darkened.

"This situation?" Paul asked her, laughing.

"One drink," I cajoled, "Won't hurt."

"I don't know where I am, I don't know how to get back, and I don't know who you all are. One drink could very well hurt," Anna crossed her arms over her chest. "No."

"Touché," I smirked bitterly. Anna wasn't a dumb one. She would take a lot more work to get her defenses down. Gently I corked the bottle and set it back on the nearest table. "Not tonight."

Anna nodded. "Not tonight." I could feel her defiance. It made the blood in my veins heat up.

Star moved next to Anna. "Thank you again for helping me," she told her. "But you'd be safer if you didn't help anymore."

Anna nodded back. "I know. But I still will," she replied.

Star shook her head. "You don't know what you're getting into. Just leave." The fear was tangled with her voice.

"So tell me what I'm getting into," Anna frowned at Star. She was way smarter then I'd pegged her at first or she had a thing for empowering helpless girls. "Why are you so scared?"

"You don't know what we are." Star murmured.

"Tell me," Anna said. I felt her curiosity peak. Enough!

"We are simply a Pack," I stated, making my voice cold and leaving no room for questioning. I stepped towards the girls. "Nothing more, nothing less." One more time Star turned and looked at me, the defiance still faint in her eyes. I looked back, domineering. She sighed and moved back to her corner, slipping behind the soft curtains covering her bed.

"Take her back, David, please," she begged me. I was getting sick of this game anyway. There wasn't anything I could honestly do to Anna, except make her dinner. Literally. And I knew Dwayne would reject that idea. I lowered my head.

"All right," my lip twitched as I spoke. The boys knew I was pissed. "Take her back, Dwayne."

Dwayne looked like he was going to protest the order, but stopped short. He turned and left the cave, heading back towards his bike.

"Go on," I told Anna. "You're free to leave."

She frowned at me, turned towards Star. "You'll be OK?" she asked the dark-haired girl. Ok she did have an empowerment thing. I shot Star a look Anna couldn't see.

Star nodded. "Just go. Please," she begged the blonde girl, letting her fear taint the words enough to affect the mortal. Anna shook her head, started to say something, then left, hurrying after Dwayne.

As soon as I knew Dwayne and Anna were well away from the bluff I shot Star a murderous glare. "What were you thinking?!" I growled loudly. She looked away and hid behind her curtains. I swore and shook my head, looking back to Marko and Paul.

"Let's go." I hauled back up the worn stones to the cave entry. They followed me out, unquestioningly.