I knew I was sleeping; it was more of a gut feeling than anything else; I knew I was having a vision because, even though it was through the eyes of someone who had clearly had too much to drink, the vision was eerily realistic. Ordinarily there's that slight difference; the colors are duller, the people aren't as extreme. In this vision, there were several white college-age jocks, meeting around a large table in a familiar college hangout: The Riv. I groaned mentally—not my favorite, but it was right downtown and the food was cheap. I recognized several from the vision at Troppos—that was a vision I wouldn't soon forget. When the drunkard checked his phone I caught the date and time for the clandestine meeting. They will be there tonight at 11 o'clock.

When I woke with a start, David had replaced my pillow with his lap and was smoothing my fly-aways from my face. "Hello," he said with a smile. He automatically flicked back the tendrils of his own hair that fell across his eyes as he looked down at me.

"Hi," I whispered as I eased the kinks out of my body. Waking up from visions is always disorienting, but opening my eyes to a handsome man really does help the transition. His fangs ran out as my head rubbed against his lap. I giggled as I sat up and kissed him.

He fingered the necklace Sydney had left for him. "Who, or what, do I need protection from?" he whispered as he pulled me into his lap. His mind was going one place and one place only—to the bedroom.

I was surprised he not only knew what it was, but also what it meant. "Me, if you're not good to her," Sydney said as she came down the stairs, fixed herself another mug of tea, and went right back up the stairs with only a glance in our direction. He and I both snorted at her response.

David noticed my amulet after he managed to unwrap my cocoon enough to sneak a hand up under my shirt to my bra. "Luck?" he asked with a gentle caress.

My mind was quickly pacing David's, which was making staying on topic difficult. "Ask Syd," I said as I pried myself out of his lap. I hid the evasion with the excuse I was going to the kitchen for a glass of water. "Who's on babysitting duty tonight?" I asked as I was walking back into the living room.

David rose from the couch and wrapped his arms around me. "I am on babysitting duty every night," he murmured lasciviously. He started tugging at the hem of my top up with one hand, using the other to lift me off the ground by my butt. "Shall we?" he asked as he started to carry me toward the stairs.

"Mmm," I moaned, letting him have me for a few moments more. "You're making this difficult." I gave him another kiss for the road before wiggling out of his embrace. I pulled my shirt back down and righted my clothes before asking, "Are you ready to go?"

He looked slightly disappointed, but his interest was piqued. And focused below the chin. "Where?" he asked, only barely able to keep his hands to himself.

OK, just one little touch. "I had a dream," I said as I cuddled right up into him, leaning my body against his from knee to shoulder. He sighed happily in response, his hands automatically going right back to what they were doing before I wiggled free. "Here's what I think the plan is. The Fellowship hired a bunch of goons to do some sort of surgical strikes against you guys. When it didn't work, thanks to me, they started planning something bigger. They're meeting at The Riv tonight, and we're going to eavesdrop."

"No, we're not." He lowered himself back onto the couch, pulling me down with him.

I popped right back up, saying, "OK, then just me." Quickly, I grabbed my purse and headed for the base of the stairs. "Syd!" I yelled up to her room. "I'm going out. Be back late, so don't wait up." Before she could respond, I was out the door.

Damn vampire speed. David was leaning against the driver's side door before I even rounded the corner to my driveway. "I thought you understood I wasn't letting you out of my sight," he said tightly. Uh oh, angry vampire. I walked to him, smile on my face, and cuddled up against his side to diffuse some of that anger. Almost instantly he was doing the vampire equivalent of purring; a small hiss of pleasure coming from between his lips. When I pulled away to shoo him out of the way of the driver's side door, he grabbed the keys out of my hand and pocketed them. "I'm driving," he said as he lifted me off the ground, forcing me to hold on for dear life. I ooffed as my back hit the passenger side door of the car, but his lips were right there to muffle it. "I would much rather spend the night with you wrapped around me," he whispered into my mouth between kisses. I moaned at the sensuous picture he painted.

"Keep you safe, first," I whispered back, my body (or, more appropriately, my libido) and my mind warring on what to do next. "Then I'm all yours."

He growled before setting me back on my feet and opening the door for me. "I will hold you to that."

.

His car was truly divine, now that I had a chance to actually enjoy it. The leather smell, the sleek wood. And it was just like him, beautiful. The 10 minute drive to downtown East Lansing was entirely too short.

The Riv was a zoo, as was all of downtown. It was the Friday before classes started, a time lovingly known by the community as Welcome Week. It's just after all of the students have moved back in and the parents have gone home, leaving the students without some much-needed supervision. All the bars were packed with the 21 and up crowd who, after a summer under their parents' roof, are just ready to break some laws. The underage drinkers clustered at one of the many house parties held up and down Albert Street, drinking themselves into oblivion, more worried with getting caught then getting alcohol poisoning. Luckily, the bouncer recognized David as the owner of Rum Runners, and as a courtesy let us in immediately. We also miraculously nabbed a booth in the corner, pushing past throngs of students in various stages of stupid on the way. Maybe this rune thing really worked.

I settled into the booth and closed my eyes to focus while David went over to the bar to get us drinks. He was gone before I could tell him non-alcoholic for me; I guess I would just drink what he brought me. Besides, a little alcohol might help in the vision-goading process. Trying to force a specific vision is impossible, so I didn't try. Instead, I focused on why I was here and what I was going to do. I replayed my dream in my head, focusing on different aspects of it on each replay. I focused on me approaching the table. Suddenly, I got what I was looking for—the weakest link. "Yes!" I shot up from the booth. David had silently slid across from me when my eyes were closed. He looked startled. "I'm going to go talk to them," I said excitedly. "Stay here." Before he could object, chugged half of what I assumed was straight lemon vodka and stumbled toward their table. At least now I had the smell down.

I stumbled up to the table, purposely bumping into the weakest link: a tall slender collegiate type with thick glasses and a shy face. "Hey, sorry." I mumbled as I staggered past. Acting drunk was harder than it seems. I purposefully took an obvious double take at Mr. Shy. I tried to make my voice sexy and slur at the same time as I purred, "Hey, you." I set my drink down on the table before I sat on his knee, wrapping my arms around his neck playfully. This felt ridiculous to me, but I had proof it would work.

He blushed. "Do I know you?" His voice was deeper than I expected it to be; a medium baritone. Of the group, he was probably the most sober, but also the most starved for a woman's attention, which was the only reason this was working.

I giggled and brushed my chest against him as I pushed some wispy strands away from my face. "Do you want to?" I asked. The rest of the table was stunned. At the moment, I was glad I had worn a top that showcased my ample chest. I also had a feeling the tight jeans that hugged my hips would come in handy later. After his cronies at the table settled in to watch their buddy play this out, they kept encouraging him to keep me at the table.

He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me more securely onto his lap. "Sure. Whatcha drinking?"

I looked down at my glass, genuinely confused as to the answer. I looked back up at him and giggled again. He liked giggly airheads. "I don't know!" I glanced up at the booth I had left David at, but it was empty. Quickly I scanned the room. He had deposited himself at the bar, as close to the table as he could get. He was cradling an untouched beer in his hands and glaring at me.

Mr. Shy took a sip of my half-empty drink. "Vodka and lime." I was almost right. He motioned to one of the scantily-clad waitresses and ordered another round for the two of us.

I took another big gulp of my drink and fake-hiccupped. "Let's dance!" Before he could do the usual guy thing and decline, I grabbed his hand and pulled him from the chair. There was a deejay set up in the corner of the bar, close to where David was sitting. I pulled him onto the makeshift dance floor, right next to the angry vampire, and started grinding up against him. "What's your name?"

He was content to just stand there and let me rub myself all over him. Typical. "Tim. You?"

"I'm Anne." Sloane is an unusual name, and I didn't want this coming back to bite me in the ass. I giggled again for good measure. "Nice to meet you, Tom." He didn't correct my mistake. He would have been almost cute if he wasn't planning to kill people. "Are your frat brothers mad at me for stealing you?" I drunkenly nodded, then stumbled, toward the table.

He caught me and pressed my back up against him. "I'm not in a frat, and they'll just have to wait. We were almost done with the planning, anyway."

It was working too well. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself up to his ear. "Are you guys going somewhere?" I pressed myself harder against him. "Can I come? When are you leaving?" Making your voice sexy, heavy, and drunk at the same time was a feat. I should get an Emmy for this performance.

"We're not going anywhere, but you're welcome to come home with me tonight." He reached down and squeezed my ass. Oh, ick. I turned to so I didn't have to look at him while we were dancing. I found David, and made an 'ick' face at him. His angry face lifted slightly. He stood from his stool and raised eyebrow. I mouthed 'stay there' and turned back to Tim.

I giggled and winked sloppily at him. "Are you planning a party?"

He smiled slyly as he reached for my chest. "You could say that."

I was about done with this. If he didn't spill soon, I was going to knee him in the balls. Stealthily, I slapped his hand away with a smile. "When? I'll be there."

"Tomorrow, but I hope I don't see you there. It's not for…nice girls like you." I fake pouted.

I had probably gotten all I was going to get out of him. "Hey, I have to go to the bathroom. Stay here," I said as I deftly dodged his next advance on my chest. I gave him a wink and stumbled toward the small one-stall ladies room and locked the door, just glad to be free of him. I looked at myself in the mirror, readjusting where Tim and pulled my top to the side and undoing my now messy braid. When I took another look in the mirror, I got a flash. I was seeing me, in this bathroom, being pushed up against the wall. I was fighting a male arm, which was trying to tear my top off.

"Oh, shit." I unlocked the door, but before I could escape, Tim and two of his cronies were standing in my way. Tim pushed me into the opposite wall, while his friends closed and locked the door behind them. I screamed, but I was drowned out by the blaring music on the other side of the door. Tim slapped me across the face, effectively stopping the scream. I tried to fight back, but the goons each grabbed one of my arms, holding me in place against the wall.

"This would have been so much easier for you if you didn't leave me high and dry. Now I am going to have to take what I want." Tim was right in my face, trying to unbutton my jeans. I spit in his eyes and tried to kick him. He caught my leg mid swing and wiped the spit off of his face. "Feisty bitch." All I could do was grunt and double over as he punched me in the stomach. He yanked me free of the goons by my hair and bent me over the only sink. He was holding me down with one hand on the back of my neck as he tried again to unbutton my jeans with the other. I was scrabbling for purchase, but since he was behind me and I couldn't grab onto anything. I mule kicked, hoping my heel would do some damage. I connected, and Tim went down to his knees, clutching his junk.

I made a dash for the door, but my feet got tangled up with the asshole on the floor and couldn't work the lock and make it out of the door before one of the goons snagged me and threw me back into the room. The door was still open, so I thought I'd at least try. "David!" I screamed.

The goon threw me into the wall so hard I could hear my head crack. I tried to fend him off, but I was seriously disoriented by the head/wall encounter just a few moments ago. He had me pinned against the wall, yanking at my top just like in my vision when David rushed into the room. Tim, who was still uncoiling from his fetal position, tried to grab David's arm to stop him, but he got thrown across the room like a rag doll for his troubles. Next was the goon trying to get through my shirt. David grabbed him and threw him into the other goon. The two of them landed on Tim in the corner. Without the goon's arm holding me in place, I sagged to the ground. I could feel a sticky wetness pooling at the back of my head, my jaw was sore, and my stomach leaden.

David was next to me in an instant. "Dammit, Sloane. I need to get you out of here." He picked me up gently, laying my head against his shoulder. As he swung me around and out the door, I could see a dark red smear on the wall where I had been slumped.

Instead of going out the way we came in, which would have required a march through the crowd, David went farther down the narrow hallway to the kitchen at what felt like blazing speeds. My vision blurred and grayed. I must have lost time, the next thing I knew I was lying in the back of David's car and he was racing through the streets of East Lansing. I raised my arm to feel what the wetness in the back of my head was. When it came back, it was red. "I'm bleeding?"

David glanced back at me. "Yes, head wounds do that."

I lost more time. Next I knew, David was carrying me up a flight of stairs. "Where?" I could barely manage one word statements. My head and stomach ached heavily, and my body was very cold.

"We're at my home." He stood at the door and kicked at it slightly. Immediately Emma opened the door, and David whisked me into his living room. After grabbing a hand towel from the front bathroom (why does he have hand towels?) and pressing it to the back of my head, he laid me on his couch. Fuck, that hurt I thought as pain gripped my stomach. I meant to say it out loud, but my lips wouldn't form the words. Once I was as stationary and as comfortable as possible, Emma lifted the hem of my shirt to expose my stomach. She started to feel around lightly, until she hit a spot that blazed pain through my body. I jerked involuntarily as a scream escaped my lips.

"She's bleeding internally; she needs a hospital," Emma said as David cleaned the tears from my face. Does Emma have medical training? Why does a vampire have medical training?

"No hospitals," David responded quietly as he looked down at me, one of his hands wrapped around mine and the other touching my hair. He turned my head so I was looking at him, ducking his head enough so that I could see his eyes. "Sloane, I want you to drink my blood. It will make you feel better." He brought his wrist to his mouth. Seconds later, he pulled it away, both his wrist and his mouth bloody.

I closed my eyes. I'm not usually that squeamish, but blood is my own personal trigger. Seeing him bleed made me feel even more light-headed. "No," I whispered. I didn't want to become a vampire, especially not now. I needed to be breathing to finish my thesis.

His voice came from right beside me; deep, low, and only for me. "I can't risk losing you, Sloane. I think I am in love with you. It's the only way you'll heal." I tried to say no again, except I couldn't do anything but open my mouth and cough. I could hear the crunch as he reopened the now healed wound and shoved his wrist to my mouth. "Drink." I had no choice, drink or drown. I swallowed several mouthfuls of metallic blood before he pulled his wrist away and laid a light kiss on my now bloody lips.