The full alabaster moon illuminated the rapidly flowing stream of water at the river's edge.

The handsome, vampire lay his injured beauty down on the soft blanket of grass. The young woman groaned in pain, the throbbing was so intense she shuddered while desperately hanging on to consciousness.

He sat against a tree propping her head onto his lap. He hissed softly, and with a click of his fangs, he quickly bit into his wrist; his blood pooled and trickled. He positioned his wrist to her mouth urging her to drink. She gurgled, allowing the blood to slide down her throat.

"Why would you do that Tara?" He said as he looked down at her divine face, "Lover, why do you want to die?"

Although disoriented; she heard him clearly, the pain made it hard to breathe let alone mutter a response. Still, she thought about what he asked.

And after everything she'd been through, Tara wasn't certain why she took a bullet for him.

More likely it was the fact that she was just as fucked up as he was, and despite everything, despite how crazy it sounded in her own head: she didn't want to see her kindred spirit go, just like that. Tara shifted, crying out sharply when the pain shot through her chest, but stiffed it just long enough to actually meet Franklin's gaze.

She looked up at those ocean blue eyes so full of emotion and it was at that moment she grasped the level of Franklin's affection and devotion for her. Everything he'd done since the day they met was for her. All because of his love for her, to him, she was everything.

Unable to speak above a raspy whisper she softly replied, "I wasn't expecting to fall in love…especially not with a vampire but now…now I can't imagine a world without you."

Captivated by her declaration, Franklin reached out and tenderly swept Tara's hair away from her forehead, his fingers caressing lightly over the cheek.

"And I don't want to imagine a world without you..." he murmured, pressing his lips to her forehead.

She tried to smile but coughed and drops of blood from the corner of her mouth oozed down her chin.

"Drink some more my sweet." His self-inflicted bites had healed, so he bit into his wrist again.

Suddenly she was unresponsive, so he called her name over and over, gently tapping her cheek, desperately trying to rouse her.

"Tara...Tara…Please...Please, Tara…"

She had lost too much of her own blood and had not drunk enough of his to heal.

"Oh no my love, you're dying." He cried out as bloody tears began to rim his eyes.

"Please don't leave me, Tara... let me turn you... I promise to make you happy." He began to plead with her hoping that she would cull death and choose to be with him.

Memories of her life began to flash in her mind up until the night she met Franklin; until that very moment, she lay dying in his arms. She knew exactly what she wanted: a new beginning; a chance to start over and make things right…a chance that she now had right in front of her.

She gasped, her eyelids felt so heavy she struggled to lift them. She spoke, but it was so faint Franklin had to lean forward and place the shell of his ear, close to her lips.

"Promise to never bite or kidnap my friends again, asshole..."

As he grasped her words, his saddened face washed way, shifting into his signature smirk.

"Deal."

With his bare hands, Franklin dug a large grave for two and turned Tara into a vampire that night...

The succeeding night, he drove them to their new home located on forty acres of land, in a secluded area outside of Dallas, Texas. He made all the arrangements in the hours it took to drive them there.

He hoped Tara would like it there it was his favorite house; he wants to make it their new home. If not, Franklin owned other homes in different locations that she could choose from.

They arrived at the colonial style home and Franklin carried an exhausted Tara over the threshold. Despite her discomfort and the fact that Franklin's body was ice cold, Tara felt safe and protected in his arms and found herself snuggling closer.

Garry Burger, one of Franklin's trusted, human friends, greeted them, in the vast foyer. He escorted the couple to an underground room he had prepared. Franklin softly placed Tara on the bed and closed the door.

He asked Garry, who's a computer hacking genius if he was successful in his attempt to secure his trust fund account.

Garry assured him that his funds were successfully transferred to a safe and easily accessible location. Garry handed him the documents to prove it. Franklin showed his gratitude by handing the man a large bundle of cash before bidding him farewell.

Franklin quickly returned to Tara who was still peacefully asleep. He removed her bloody torn clothes and delightfully noticed her fatal wound had already healed. Delicately, he placed a silk sheet over her lovely body and lay down beside her; the whole time thinking about their future.

For the second time in his immortal life, he felt calm, sane and at peace. He hoped when she emerged as his new vampire bride, she would have a taste for human blood.

Just in case she didn't, in the refrigerator was a case of True Blood.

The Begining...