an: Sorry for the long wait, guys! I wont keep you waiting! Enjoy!

I was on a mission, one I've taken seriously for quite some time now. The weather was cooler today, cold enough to wear I traded my summer gear for a pair of dark skinny jeans and a light sweater, my flip-flops still a must. I stalked across the backyard, thinking of all of the places he could have gone.

"Mr. Cat?" I called. The seriously mangy orange cat that had found its way into the backward a few weeks ago seemed to be made just for me to take care of. My mother and father, being the animal lovers that they are, made me throw the cat out of the house immediately (it stank) and ordered me to never touch it again.

I hadn't listened of course, but instead took it to one of the more secluded pieces of the land that we lived on, where Victoria and I had once built a treehouse, now a humble abode for Mr. Cat. I took some food to him- or her, I haven't really checked- as often as I could manage.

"Mr. Cat!" I called again, this time louder. "You aren't being very sneaky. Why would you want to hide from food?"

No answer.

I sighed and walked even farther, muttering to myself about the idiocy of cats and the bad manners they have.

Once I reached the edge of the tree line, I opened my mouth the call again before walking into the copse of trees. "Mr. Cat," I warned loudly, "if you're in the clubhouse waiting for me, that is so spoiled of you. Plus I've changed the secret password. It isn't banana pancakes anymore-"

But before I could say more, someone had me thrown over their shoulder and began walking away. I knew immediately that it wasn't anyone that I knew; the shoulders were too broad, the build of the body was nothing familiar to me.

So, naturally, I screamed.

"Oy!" the man holding me yelled. "Briggs! Shut that yapper of hers!"

Another man appeared, this one as unfamiliar as the first. This one had shaggy brown hair, cut into jagged lines and lengths, and a large scar on his cheek. His eyes were a certain cloudy color.

Before he could silence me, though, I let another scream out and rolled off of his shoulder.

I hit the ground harder than I realized and sat for a second, stunned. The man that had first grabbed me bounded up to me in one short step and pinned me to the ground. He had long blonde hair, shaved on the sides, and the same cloudy eyes as the other man.

"That wasn't very nice, love," the man rasped in my ear as I squirmed. His breath was hot against my ear, giving me nasty goosebumps. His accent wasn't even attractive. "We were just going to go away for a little while."

The man he called Briggs gave a low laugh that had me fighting even harder against the first man.

"Stop your fussing, pretty. We just want to get to know you, that's all."

"Well, the feeling isn't mutual," I said, still struggling my way out of his grip, "so get off of me."

They both laughed. "'fraid I can't do that," he crooned.

"You have about one more second to," a cool, dark voice said from behind both of us, "and then I get involved."

We both looked up to see Demetri standing, staring at the blond man holding me like he was dead meat already for simply touching me.

While the blond man was distracted, I brought my knee, now unblocked, up between his thighs and shoved away from him as fast as I could.

The man, now doubled over, growled. "You'll pay for that one, vermin."

Vermin? Did he know who I was? What I was?

Demetri came and crouched down next to me, looking so intently into my eyes that I had the strange urge to blush. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded and opened my mouth to tell him to keep my sister away from these two creeps, that I could handle myself, to get lost, but none of that came out. Instead, a small, seriously embarrassing whimper escaped my mouth and I was suddenly enveloped in his arms, safe and sound.

"It's okay," he murmured.

I lifted my head and yelped in surprise. "Look out!" I yelled.

Demetri spun and grabbed the brunette boy's arm just as he swung a thick tree branch toward Demetri's head. I heard a snap that definitely wasn't wood, and the boy screamed and fell to the ground.

But that was all the distraction the blond man needed, grabbing me roughly and pulling me back into his arms. His arm was so vice-tight around my chest I thought my ribs would crack. I almost made a sound of protest until the man shoved something sharp under my jaw, effectively shutting me up.

Demetri whirled and froze, not wanting to upset the man wielding the knife any further. Smart boy.

"Seems like we've come to the wrong girl," he whispered in my ear. "Tell your vampire he's lucky he gets to keep you this time. I might be back for you though, lovely." He nipped my ear and I flinched violently at the gesture.

"Who sent you?" Demetri asked the way only a prince would, like everyone was entitled to give the information he wanted.

"I don't really think you're in the position to be asking questions," the blond man said with a greasy grin.

He stood, then, forcing me up with him. "We seem to be in a little bit of a mix-up," he announced. "You hear that, Briggs?" he called to the boy on the ground. "Wrong girl."

"Stanley," the boy moaned, "he broke my arm!"

Stanley merely rolled his eyes. "Made of brawn, that one," he muttered under his breath. "Well," he concluded, addressing everyone now, "till next time!"

With that, he shoved me forward so violently that I gasped and stumbled, almost losing my balance until Demetri stepped forward and grabbed me.

We both turned once I was steadied, but both men were long gone.

Demetri had not let go of my arms, an act that had not gone unnoticed by me. My arms tingled from the warmth coming from him. He knew a creature that was, well, dead, could be so warm?

He leaned down so we were face to face, his green eyes grave. "Are you okay?" he asked once more.

To give him a perfectly reasonable answer, I slumped forward and he caught me, wrapping his arms around me. This, here, now, I would allow myself. I needed Demetri. It was easy to pretend he didn't have an effect on me when I can avoid him, but he really had no idea how grateful I was that he found me.

It seemed Demetri was thinking along similar lines. With a sigh almost like surrender, he tightened his arms around me, as if I could get any closer, and buried his face into the crook of my neck.

And then I realized how sad the two of us looked, like the poster children for romantically torn star-crossed lovers. It wasn't fair to us.

It wasn't fair to Victoria.

I knew from the moment I fell into his arms that I would have to give him back to my sister. The longer I stayed near him, however, the more I was inclined to be more reckless. I couldn't afford that kind of behavior, especially not when it came to a boy my sister cares about.

I pulled away, looking down so I wouldn't have to see the hurt look in Demetri's eyes, if there was one at all.

When I saw the food lying on the ground I sighed. "Mr. Cat didn't even get his caviar and tuna."

"You should tell your parents," Demetri said after a few moments of silence.

"About the cat's food? No way. They'd kill me."

"About those men that almost kidnapped you." Demetri's voice was stern. He was in a no-nonsense mood.

I was still looking down at the ground. If Demetri hadn't have found me... It was a close call. Too close. "Who were those guys?" I asked.

"If you recall, they forgot to share that information with me."

I looked sharply up at him. Was that sass in his tone? He was always so gentle. Scary, at times, yes; intimidating, sure. But still kindly to everyone.

He was looking at me in a grave way, one that made me want to forget about Mr. Cat, run up to my room, and hide in a fort made of blankets. "Tell them," he said, "or I will."

No matter how green his eyes got, or how deep his voice got, I wasn't willing to back down. "And tell Victoria what, exactly?" I asked, unable to help myself. "Tell her that no matter where I go, you always seem to be two steps behind me?" I shook my head. "That wont fly, Demetri. We'll just hurt Tori."

His face was carefully blank, but his eyes held hurt in them. "Just as long as you don't get hurt," he said so quietly I almost didn't hear.

I took a shock stepped back as if he'd physically hit me. "Don't say that!" I exclaimed. "You love her."

Demetri merely leveled a look at me.

This could not be happening. This kind of betrayal was unheard of to me, and for me to deliver the hurt of stealing a man she cares for was something I simply could not live with.

I clenched and unclenched my fists, not knowing what to do. I was still pumped full of adrenaline from those two men attacking me, and the way Demetri was looking at me wasn't helping my jitters, either.

"Fine," I said, finally. "I'll tell them. But you can't say anything to anyone about this," I warned. I sucked in a deep breath before delivering my last demand. "And," I said slowly, "you can't... interact with me anymore."

He merely raised a dark eyebrow. "Interact?" he repeated.

I got the innuendo. I shook my head and huffed out a breath. "You can't be with me anymore, Demetri. You're either with my sister, or away from this house. It isn't fair to Tori and it's only hurting us more." The words were out in the open, but I did nothing to suck them back in. "You can't talk to me, or look at me, or be by me anymore. Okay?"

If I expected to get a rise out of him, I was in for a sore surprise. He merely smiled slightly. "Okay, Alexa," he said quietly. "Your wish will be granted."

I sighed in what may have been either relief or remorse. "Good," I said, looking down at Mr. Cat's food. "Than I guess we can both just say-"

But by the time I looked back up at him, he was already gone.

"Goodbye," I whispered.

an: Review please my lovelies! Things will heat up once more, I promise!