AUTHOR'S NOTES: This chapter marks the point where I am caught up in posting this story. The updates won't be as frequent because of this though but I am trying to keep it once to twice a week.

A lot happens in this chapter! I hope you are ready for it.

Chapter 10- Feeling the Burn

15 Minutes earlier:

Lance watched as the detective exited the station. He knew it would be dangerous to confront him in the parking lot of a police precinct, so it was decided they would have to wait until the detective got home. He was careful to have his associate follow a ways behind as the agents in Lance's employ mentioned they had identified his Mercedes and there was no time for him to change cars.

Eventually the Ford Fusion Carlton was driving pulled into the parking lot of a rather ominous looking apartment complex. Keeping his distance, Lance stepped out of the car and closed the door silently. His associate did the same. They had to be careful because they had no idea how strong or old this vampire was, and Lance was not one to take chances. They would have to be fast and take him down quickly, then ask questions later. Lance nodded at his associate and each sped toward the unsuspecting vampire.

Carlton exited his vehicle. He was tired and hungry, he had not had much blood today because he spent all day at the station and it was Woody's day off. He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to focus but all he could think about at that moment was what was chilling in his refrigerator. Carlton heard footsteps and turned just as two men were charging at him. It was a classic "pincer" move. Carlton had enough time to register that these two were moving too fast to be humans and he tried to remember what Mick said about vampire fighting being mostly grapple and throw.

Drawing his gun and throwing himself to the ground, Carlton was just able to avoid the first tackle before rolling onto his back. He fired four times in rapid succession, hitting the smaller of the two center mass. Unfortunately this move left Carlton prone and Lance was able to knock the gun away and pin his legs.

"Grab his arms!" Lance shouted at his companion, when that was done, he stood and pulled out a custom redwood stake with a leather grip from his coat.

Carlton tried to roll away but the other man held his arms tight. "Get your hands off! I am the head detective for the SBPD!" As Carlton kicked and struggled he was finally able to get a look at his attacker. "Aww… no!" Carlton gazed into Lance's blackened eye with instant recognition realizing Shawn was right. He was one scary guy.

"I'm sorry to have to do this detective. It is certainly not gentlemen like but desperate times…" Lance brought the stake down in a practiced ark straight at the prone Carlton's heart.

"NO!" His cry was cut short as the sharpened wood crushed through his ribcage. Carlton had been staked once before by Mick during training but it was a very small stake and was nothing compared to this. He wanted to scream, writhe in pain, do anything but lay there like a fallen log letting out a choked whimper.

Lance glared down at the detective as his ears started to register police sirens in the distance. Turning to his associate he ordered, "Let's get him to the car."

The other man tried to rise but with a gasp of pain he fell to his knees again. Lance was quickly at his side looking at his torso. There were two bullet wounds that were not healing. He growled and grabbed at Carlton's gun and ejected the clip. Every other bullet was silver.

Lance slowly turned when he heard a coughing and wheezy laugh coming from Carlton. "You are just full..." Lance kicked Carlton painfully in the side, "... of surprises." Lance began to hear sirens far off in the distance. He put the gun in his jacket before quickly picking up the fallen detective and helping his associate to his feet and to the car less than a block away. He threw open the trunk and tossed a groaning Carlton inside before hopping in the driver's seat and calmly driving away as to not arouse any more suspicion.

Lance glanced at his associate appraisingly, wondering how badly he was shot. Silver took a while to heal and he would need to feed, soon. The other vampire was little more than a man servant to him, all of his siblings had one. Cynthia was Coreline's. Scowling and tightening his hands on the steering wheel he remembered how he had not agreed with his sister's decision to give her servant so much freedom, let alone keep her own name. However, after 300 years Lance could say he had grown attached to his associate. "Carlton injuring him will not go ignored." He promised himself.

A phone started going off from inside the trunk. Lance didn't worry about it at the moment. It wasn't like the detective could reach it anyway, and he had other things on his mind as they pulled into the run down hotel where the BCA agents were staying. "Time to put the mules to work." Lance smirked.

"What do you mean you can "feel" his pain Shawn?" Juliet sped down the street back to the station. Shawn had begged her to go back to her apartment but Juliet adamantly refused and reminded him that if it was Gus in trouble he would do the same thing.

Shawn hung up his phone in frustration. Just as he thought, Carlton was not answering any of his phones. "Jules, we don't know who has him yet! It could be Lance for all we know." Shawn hid his shudder at the insane vampire's name. The pain in his chest had lessened somewhat but the burning sensation was still there, as was the gut wrenching panic he felt for Carlton. Or was it Carlton's panic? He didn't know.

As Juliet took a corner at high speeds she said, "Call the station, see if they know anything. My partner wouldn't go down without a fight and he has a lot of guns."

Trying to calm his breathing Shawn looked over at his warrior woman. "You are so hot right now Jules." Grabbing his phone he dialed dispatch.

"Santa Barbara Police Department."

"This is Shawn Spencer, I am with Detective Juliet O'Hara, we need to know if anyone knows where Detective Carlton Lassiter is or if there have been any shots fired reported between the station and his apartment." Shawn said urgently.

"There were some shots fired reported a few minutes ago in the vacinity of his apartment. We sent an officer over there a few minutes ago to check it out."

Shawn grit his teeth as both their fears were confirmed. "Shots were fired near Lassie's apartment." He told Juliet. Her foot pushed the petal harder. Shawn turned his attention back to the phone, "We will be there in two minutes. Call Chief Vick now and tell her that Detective Lassiter is missing!" Shawn hung up the phone and shoved it angrily back in his pocket. He covered his face with his hands and growled loudly in frustration and worry.

"We'll find him Shawn." Juliet tried to calm him down. "If whoever took him wanted him dead they wouldn't have just staked him right?"

Dropping his hands from his face he shouted. "It's all my fault Jules! If it is Lance that has him he will kill him as soon as he finds out he knows nothing, he can't chance anyone finding out what he is doing. The other vampires will find him and kill him for it."

Once again getting the feeling that Shawn had been keeping secrets from her, Juliet glared. "Knows nothing about what Shawn...?"

"I was going to tell you after our date. It is about the cure. We found it." Juliet's eyes widened in shock as Shawn continued. "Cynthia was on the run and for some reason she came to us. She hid the cure in our couch after fleeing her mansion. Gus and I figured it out and right before Lance came to the office I found it."

"Shawn! How could you keep this from us? We are all on this case!" Juliet swerved sharply as she pulled into the station.

Shawn was practically pulling his hair out in frustration, "I was trying to protect you. If Lance found out about any of you actually knowing about the cure it would be a death sentence. I don't know how he found out about Lassie or if it even is him that has him. I just don't know and it is killing me right now Jules!"

Juliet looked deep into his hazel eyes. If he really was feeling Carlton's pain he must be in agony. Giving in for the moment she nodded. "Ok Shawn, but we will talk about this later. For now let's find my partner."

Exiting the vehicle both dashed towards the steps, Juliet having to lift her dress so she wouldn't trip on it. Shawn scooped her up as she approached the steps and set her down as they reached the top. Juliet blushed and muttered thanks as they entered the department.

Apparently word traveled fast and the other officers were bustling to find out what they all could do to help find Carlton. Juliet and Shawn got some prolonged glances due to their formal wear but the urgent situation stopped anyone from asking questions about it. "Did anyone find anything at Carlton's apartment?" Juliet asked as she approached the dispatcher.

"Four bullet casings and some blood so far but they didn't find the gun." The dispatcher replied.

Juliet nodded, "Is the chief on her way...?"

Shawn walked away from the conversation and started to pace. There had to be a way to find him and when he did, whoever took him was going to pay. Stopping and taking a deep breath, he pushed down his rage. He had to be analytical and focus. There was no way to know where Lance had taken him…unless…

Sprinting to his dad's computer Shawn logged on using the password he spied over his father's shoulder the week before and entered the cell phone tracking database. He entered Carlton's cell phone number and got an instant hit. Shawn glanced over his shoulder and made sure Juliet was still busy with the dispatcher. He memorized the address and erased his search. Jules would kill him for this but he was just trying to protect her. He set his cell phone on the desk and before anyone could stop him he rushed out the door. Hopefully by the time everyone else thought to track Carlton's phone he would already have him back.

When Lance entered the hotel room both agents shot to their feet in alarm. Lance was carrying Carlton and his associate was bleeding and barely making it in the door. "What the hell?" Nathan exclaimed.

Lance kept his cool despite the panic. "I told you I would be back. Now come with me. I need you to do something for me." He roughly dropped Carlton on the floor. "There is a package in my car. I need you to take it to the station and await further instruction."

Carlton tried to struggle but to no avail. "What are they taking to the station!?" He thought frantically. He caught one of the agent's eyes and glared. "You..." They had to be the reason Lance had found him out.

"Whoa wait a minute." Gerald protested. "You just told us we were getting information for you. We are agents, not package boys."

Lance shrugged and pointed at his associate who was currently eyeing the agents. "If you want to stay here with him that is just fine... but he is hungry." Both Nathan and Gerald were out the door following Lance instantly.

Carlton's piercing eyes followed the departing men then landed on Lance's associate who had sat down and started to dig the silver bullets out of himself. "You...have to...let me go." It was hard for him to breathe but since the wound had time to heal around the stake it was a bit easier to talk. The man just glared at him as he continued to try and reason with him. "You don't...*Cough* Ow... you don't have to go down...with him." Getting no reply from him, Carlton decided to save his strength.

Carlton's phone started to ring again. It was the second time so it most likely meant that someone had figured out he was missing. "Probably Spencer." Carlton mused to himself. The psychic had a habit of
showing up where he was unwanted, but most needed. The ringing caused the associate to look up but he ignored it otherwise.

Lance came back five minutes later. He completely ignored Carlton and focused on his associate. "You may go get something to eat. Come back when you are finished." The man nodded and whispered something in Lance's ear before quickly disappearing out the door.

Carlton knew exactly what Lance meant by "something to eat." He growled out a fierce, "No..."

Lance walked over and knelt down next to him and raised an eyebrow. "Well, it is your fault now isn't it detective."

Lance reached into Carlton's pocket and grabbed his cell phone. "That is what got whispered in his ear." Carlton reasoned.

"Curious things aren't they." Lance waved the phone at him and stuck it in his pocket. "People just don't know how to live without these anymore. Now, let's get a better look at you." Lanced lifted him up and put him in a sitting position in one of the chairs. Carlton winced from the movement. Lance pulled up a chair in front of him and folded his hands. "I hear you were interested in my work. I must admit murder is a messy business but one does what one has to...but I digress. The humans were saying you were interested in a specific fire... of one Aaron Lonsdale."

Carlton's eyes narrowed and he growled. "I'm going to get those two when I get out of this." He promised.

"So, why would you be interested in this case specifically?" Lance leaned forward, genuinely curious.

"Go to hell." Carlton spat out before wracking coughs stopped him. He tasted blood in his mouth and he was starting to feel weaker.

Lance smiled, "I'm sure you will get there before me detective." Cocking his head and getting an idea, Lance sniffed Carlton's scent deeply. "Almost no smell of decay..." Carlton remembered what he was taught about a vampire's age. The older they are, the smellier they get apparently, so Lance must be trying to determine how long he had been a vampire. "Oh my...you are just a baby aren't you? Couldn't be more than a month turned."

The detective was less than pleased with the analogy and managed to shift his head a little bit to properly glare at Lance. "I am going... to get you for what... what you've done."

"Oh, this is personal for you." Lance's brow creased in confusion, once again he closed his eyes and sniffed Carlton. "That is impossible." Lance's eyes came open and he was out of his chair and in Carlton's face. "I killed Aaron's entire clan a month ago... how do you even exist?"

"I have to keep him talking." Carlton thought desperately. If he killed Aaron's entire family it must have been for a reason and now that he knew it was only a matter of time before he killed him. His only hope was that someone heard the gunshots and found he was missing, otherwise no one would know he was missing till at least morning. Trying to clear his throat of the blood Carlton said weakly, "Escaped...fire. Killed people..." It was becoming more difficult to talk. He was getting so thirsty.

Laughing darkly Lance pushed away from Carlton and started to pace the room. "Well, I knew his line were like cockroaches. He moves fast." Glancing at Carlton as he paced he asked, "How many are there? Aaron was never one to be alone."

"All killed... over a week ago...Aaron was crazy...got...executed."

Nodding Lance reasoned, "Crazy, now that would make sense. You see each line has a gift, not all vampires in the line get it though. No one knows why..."

Carlton tried to keep his face stoic but wanted to scream in triumph. He had the man monologuing. "This is what Spencer must feel like." He thought then remembered that bad guys only monologue to people they are about to kill. Carlton's good mood vanished.

Lance was not finished though, "Aaron's line was one of the most powerful, but worst at the same time. I tried to be merciful by killing them at once." Smiling evilly Lance glanced in Carlton's direction. Carlton tried not to stare at his grotesque eye. "Aaron had to have told you all this, crazy or not we have our laws."

"Never met...him. I was... an...*cough* accident."

"An accident? Well, he is lucky he is dead now anyway. If he wasn't..." Lance walked up and twisted the stake causing Carlton to gasp and let out a silent scream. "He would be going absolutely dare I say, batty to try to get to you." He chuckled at his own joke. "Sires in your line can feel what their fledglings are going through. It wouldn't be a very pleasant experience at this point now would it? But with you, at least I don't have to worry about a sire knocking my door down."

It wasn't a moment after that statement that the door burst inwards. "Guess again Jack!" A voice from the doorway bellowed.

Five Minutes Earlier:

Shawn pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and immediately noticed a familiar looking black Mercedes. "Son of a bitch." He leaned back in his car and took calming breaths. Lance did have him and he was on his own. Searching his vehicle for anything he could use, he remembered his baseball gear was in the trunk. Hopping out of the car and opening the trunk he dug past the gear and grabbed out his wooden bat. He snapped six inches off above the grip and ended up with a rather nice makeshift stake.

Shawn sneaked in the front door and didn't notice anyone waiting in the lobby. Sniffing he smelled a human nearby but also another vampire. Walking quietly towards the back room Shawn almost gasped at the sight of Lance's partner feeding off of what could only be the front desk manager of the hotel. Shawn positioned himself behind the man who was more into his meal than listening for anyone coming up on him and poked the stake at his back. "Get off him. Now."

Finally realizing there was someone there Lance's associate let go and raised his hands. "Stand up." The man stood and Shawn looked down at the manager. He could tell by the lack of heartbeat that he had gotten there too late to save him. Cursing his luck he poked the stake harder into the other vampire's back and grabbed him around the throat. "One wrong move and I will kill you. Understand?" The man nodded. "Now take me to Lance." They began a slow march up the stairs and to one of the rooms.

Shawn could hear Lance speaking to Carlton, "An accident? Well, he is lucky he is dead now anyway. If he wasn't..." A sudden pain pierced through Shawn and he had to stop himself from dropping the stake and clutching his own chest in pain.

As he clenched his teeth he could feel his teeth growing. "That bastard is toying with him." He thought through the painful haze.

He could hear Lance continue talking through the door. "But with you, at least I don't have to worry about a sire knocking my door down."

If that wasn't the best entrance line in history Shawn didn't know what would be. He wouldn't be able to open the door and still keep a grip on his hostage so he turned to the side and kicked the door with everything he had. It busted inwards and revealed a very surprised Lance. "Guess again Jack!" Shawn shouted and brought the hostage in front of him as a shield.

"The psychic?" Lance couldn't believe what he was seeing. The psychic he had accosted yesterday, the man he had let go, had his associate hostage with a stake behind his back. He was also a vampire. "Impossible! How could I not smell you at your office?"

"That is for me to know and for you to find out." He nodded towards Carlton who was propped up in a chair staring at him with a look of shocked amazement. "Let him go or I take out your guy."

Lance sniffed in Shawn's direction and gave him a suspicious look before giving a wide smile. Reaching over to Carlton he grabbed the stake. Just when Shawn thought that his plan was working, Lance pushed the stake in farther and twisted rather than pulling it out. Shawn's vision blurred and he dropped to the ground with a shout of agony, letting go of both Lance's associate and the stake.

"I thought as much." Lance casually walked up and grabbed Shawn by the throat before he could recover. Reaching out his hand his associate put the makeshift stake in his hand. Shawn struggled and tried to push the stake away but it only made Lance push it into his chest that much slower, and more painfully.

Carlton could not watch and had to turn away thinking, "Damn it Spencer! You idiot!"

Shawn felt his body go rigid and felt like a complete failure knowing that no one else knew where they were to come and help them. Fortunately since no one else was coming, no one else would be hurt, especially Juliet or Gus.

Lance placed him on the floor and looked down at his still form. "I figured the detective was lying but I never thought it would be you."

Carlton was beginning to recover enough to speak again but it was more labored. "Thought…what…would be…him?"

Shawn's eyes widened in fear. He didn't want Carlton finding out about him being his sire. Least of all find out like this. The only thing he could do was make protesting choking noises. "Oh this is too precious to break up. He really doesn't know does he?" Lance looked like he was about to continue talking but his associate interrupted him by tapping at his watch. "Oh yes." Lance took out Carlton's phone from his pocket and started to text on it. Shawn's eyes followed every movement of his fingers.

A minute later Lance put the phone back in his pocket and turned to look at Shawn. "As interesting as this is, it will have to wait." He pointed at Shawn. "You and I have a lot to discuss about a certain woman but right now my associate and I are going to go watch some fireworks." Winking with is black eye, the two men walked out of the hotel room.

His associate turned towards him and asked, "Is it safe to leave them there. How do you know he didn't tell anyone where he was going?"

Smiling Lance replied, "Because they would have been here already. Don't ask so many questions." Nodding his associate kept silent as they headed to Lance's Mercedes.

Waiting until he was sure they were gone, Shawn struggled to see if he could move any part of his body. Carlton on the other hand could barely even talk. "Spencer…what was…he talking about."

Shawn ignored the question and continued to struggle to move his arm. If he followed Lance's fingers from the text right, they didn't have much time. Closing his eyes he pictured Carlton's phone. It wasn't a smart phone so Lance had to tap different keys multiple times in order to text out a message. Reciting to himself he said, "6, two 3s, two 3s, 8, 2, 8, four 7s, 8, 2, 8, three 4s, three 6, two 6, four 8, 7, 6, two 8, three 7, 4, two 3, two 6, 8." Putting the message together he came up with, "MEET ME AT STATION 8PM URGENT."

"Spencer…can you hear…me." Carlton saw Shawn had closed his eyes and was afraid he had passed out until his eyes popped open and he looked directly at him.

Shawn tried to speak but was unable. Thinking fast he moved his pointer finger to tap on the ground. He hoped Carlton knew Morse Code. He tapped out. "Lance texted meet at station. Why?"

Knowing Morse Code very well Carlton got the gist of what Shawn was doing right away. He was just surprised that the psychic knew it so well. "BCA Agents…working with Lance. Took something… to station. Were waiting…for his reply."

"Why use your phone?" He tapped out. Lance had his own phone. He knew this because Lance had given him his number after questioning him. Why would he use Carlton's and tell them to meet at the station if they were already going there.

Carlton growled, "I don't know. Easier."

Shawn tried to work everything out but there were too many questions. Why would Lance leave them there? What did the men take to the station? Why did Lance mention…Fireworks? Shawn's eyes registered understanding. He tapped out one word that chilled Carlton to the bone.

"BOMB."

"I'm going to kill Shawn!" Gus grumbled as he entered the station. Juliet had called him and told him about Shawn running off to find Carlton alone. By the time he got there, Juliet was talking to Karen about what they were going to do.

"Mr. Spencer didn't leave anything stating where he was going?" Karen asked.

Juliet shook her head. She was incredibly hurt and angry with her boyfriend.

Karen didn't like it. Usually the psychic left something to go on. "Why would he not leave anything for us if he knew where Detective Lassiter was?"

Walking up to the women, Gus answered, "Maybe he was trying to protect you. You know how Shawn can be."

Juliet gave Gus a warning look as Karen asked, "Protect her from what Mr. Guster?" Before Gus could come up with a good enough cover story, all three of their cell phones went off.

"It's from Carlton!" Juliet exclaimed.

"Mine too." Gus showed Karen and Juliet. Karen's was from him as well. They all said the same thing. "MEET ME AT STATION 8PM URGENT."

Checking her watch Juliet stated, "It is 7:45pm now. Shawn had to have found them and they are on their way back."

Karen's phone went off and she saw it was Buzz McNab. "Chief Karen Vick." She answered. "Ok, yes we got the same message. Yes I would come in." Karen hung up the phone and addressed the two confused detectives. "McNab got the same message. I am guessing he sent it to everyone. It must be really important so I am going to get everyone together for a meeting. Try calling Carlton back and see if you can get any more information out of him."

As Juliet was dialing she saw the two BCA agents climbing the stairs from the basement area. They had gotten there ten minutes before claiming they forgot something in the records room. "Agents, did you find what you were looking for?" Nathan and Gerald looked at each other and nodded. Both were sweating slightly but Juliet attributed it to being rather hot in the records room.

"We will be in touch." Gerald said simply as the pair walked briskly to the exit.

Thinking that was rather abrupt, Gus watched the two leave. "Do you get the feeling that something is up with those two?" He looked at Juliet but she was too busy trying to dial Carlton's phone. Shaking his head he sat down on a bench near Juliet's desk wondering if his best friend was ok.

Carlton tried to move but to no avail. "Sweet justice…we have to…get out of here." Shawn had started to try and slowly move his arm up his body to grasp the stake. He was nearly there before his hand fell down again. "Didn't you…do this…before?" Carlton asked.

Shawn resisted the urge to try and scream. He hadn't told Carlton that it had taken a half an hour to do it last time and last time it wasn't the end of a baseball bat. He didn't even technically pull it out. He had just pulled on it and let his healing push it out like a sliver. A giant sliver sticking out of his heart. Trying once more Shawn managed to get his hand around the shaft of the bat. He started to pull. It was agonizingly slow and painful but he was pulling as hard as he could. Since the stake was so big, it seemed that Lance did not shove it in all that far so it only took him a few minutes for it to leave his heart. Once it was out of there Shawn could move a bit better. He managed to get both hands on the stake and with one last pull the bat came out of his chest.

Carlton watched in shocked horror as Shawn rolled over and started hacking up large amounts of blood as his pierced lung healed. It was not a pretty sight and Carlton was sure if Gus was here he would have fainted for sure.

Once he managed to get to his knees. Shawn crawled over to Carlton and grabbed the stake in his chest. In a wheezy voice he asked, "You ready?"

"Yes." Carlton braced himself. With a yell and a hard yank Shawn pulled the stake out of him and fell back with a shout of pain as Carlton, able to move again, clutched his chest with a gasp. Once his vision cleared he looked down at Shawn who was rolling off his back and breathing heavily. "Spencer. What the hell just happened?"

Shawn groaned and got wobbly to his feet. Steading himself on the chair he deflected the question, "We don't have time to talk right now. We have to get to the station and warn everyone." Looking at his watch he realized they had only about ten minutes left. He grabbed Carlton out of the chair and they each leaned on each other as they hurried out to Shawn's car.

Carlton flopped almost bonelessly into the passenger seat. He needed to feed badly and he knew it. So did Shawn. He looked at the whites of Carlton's eyes and saw they were turning yellow. That was not a good sign. Shawn had lived through that himself and Aaron had told him it was a type of vampire dehydration. "Hold on Lassie. If we get to the bomb on time I am sure Woody will have something there for you." Shawn put the car into high gear and his tires spun as he sped out of the parking lot to the station.

Not letting the subject from before drop, and wanting to keep his mind on something else besides the hunger and pain, Carlton looked at Shawn, "Lance said something about Aaron. About our line's gift. Is there anything you want to say Spencer?" Carlton almost didn't want to hear his answer.

"There are a lot of things I want to say Lassie." Shawn grumbled as he swerved in and out of traffic. "I want to say how pissed off I am that I won't get to wear this awesome tux again because someone rammed a stake through it. I want to say I am even more pissed off that I had to cut my date with Juliet short because of a deranged vampire. But I don't want to say what you want me to say so lay off Lassie!"

Carlton groaned at the other man's stubbornness but before he knew it they were at the station. Shawn didn't even wait up for him. He ran as fast as he could up the stairs and to the bull pen. He stopped in shock with Carlton coming to a halt right behind him with a curse. "Spencer what…" Then he noticed it too. There had to be at least 30 officers standing around the area with Karen addressing them about how Carlton had wanted to meet them all there at 8pm. "Oh no. No no no no no!" Carlton cursed. All heads turned towards them and gasps could be heard from the crowd.

Shawn figured they must look horrible. Both of their clothes were bloody and Carlton was struggling to stand. "Detectives!" Karen started walking over to address them when Shawn glanced at the clock. 7:57pm.

Shawn rushed to her. "Chief! You have to get everyone out of here now! There is a bomb in the building set to go off at 8pm! The text was to get everyone here when it went off!"

Karen glanced at the time and went instantly into authority mode. "Everyone drop whatever you are doing and get out of the building now! This is not a drill there is a bomb in the building!"

Henry emerged from the crowd "Dad, it's Lance. There is no chance of this being a false alarm." Henry nodded and turned towards Gus who was just standing there frozen in panic, "Gus! Help me get these people out!" Glancing at Shawn who nodded at him to go ahead, Gus started to yell for people to get out.

While Karen and Gus sounded the alarm Shawn and Carlton found Juliet who gasped at the red stain on Shawn's tuxedo. "Jules! Did you see the BCA agents? They had the bomb and we need to know where they put it."

Stuttering Juliet answered, "They… they were in the records room. They came up about fifteen minutes ago saying their work was done…" Shawn sped off, pushing through the crowd of fleeing officers to get to the basement.

He was in the records room in moments but did not see anything right away. He stopped and sniffed deeply. A vision of the two agents flooded his mind. They were definitely scared and angry when they were here. Opening his eyes he tried a different approach. Ignoring the screams and shouts of bomb from above he focused in on the almost imperceptible beeps of the bomb's timer. He opened a file drawer and found a duffel bag. He opened it and the timer was now down to 1 minute and 30 seconds. He froze, wondering if he could grab it and move it somewhere before it went off.

Hearing a noise behind him Shawn looked up to see Carlton and Juliet running into the room. They saw him crouched by the files. Shawn turned towards them and shook his head. "We only have a minute left. Get her out of here."

Both started to protest. Juliet protested leaving him here, while Carlton started to get angry that he was going to try to play the hero. In one last desperate move to get them both out of harm's way, Shawn's eyes turned white, his fangs grew and he hissed at Carlton loudly. Carlton cringed away from Shawn's anger instinctively. "Get her out of here NOW Carlton!"

If Carlton had any doubts about who his sire was, they were gone the instant Shawn yelled that command. Without thinking, Carlton grabbed Juliet around the waist and sped back up the stairs and out the door as fast as he could.

Trying not to think what the consequences of his actions would be later, Shawn's face changed back to normal as he started to pull the bag out of the drawer. "If I run in a different direction, or throw it… maybe there will be a chance." Another noise behind him made him made him growl in frustration. 30 seconds were left on the clock. "Carlton I thought I told you…" turning around Shawn's jaw dropped.

Karen stood in the doorway. She had heard that Shawn was still down here and didn't want to leave a man behind. "Mr. Spencer what are you doing?!"

Realizing he couldn't grab the bomb and save Karen, Shawn made a choice. The Chief was going to be a mom again, and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't get her out. Dropping his hands from the bag Shawn charged at Karen, with vampiric speed. She saw his eyes go white as he charged up to her and grabbed her fireman style and ran for the back door next to the garages. All the while mentally counting down the last seconds before the bomb went off.

At three seconds he cleared the building and started trying to get as far as he could away from the blast radius. He counted down… "Two… one…" and dove to the ground covering Karen's body with his. The initial blast was not as large as he thought it was going to be, but then the hydrogen from the Titanium Hydroxide caught and a secondary explosion with a flash of heat seared across Shawn's back. Both he and Karen screamed as the concussive blast hit them and rolled them forward. Pieces of building started falling around them and once again Shawn had to cover Karen from getting hit with any debris. Luckily nothing bigger than a baseball hit Shawn's back.

After a moment the larger pieces of the building had stopped falling and they both sat up. Shawn was looking at the ruins of the SBPD but Karen was looking at Shawn's face. His white eyes caught the firelight with a reflective glow and she could see fangs protruding as he stared open mouthed at the conflagration that was once her precinct.

Shawn finally looked to his side and saw Karen watching him. Flicking his tongue he realized why she was staring and starting to shake in fear. The stress of the moment had caused him to vamp out. He got to his feet and reached a hand down to help Karen up.

She tentatively took it then backed up from him once she was upright. "Mr. Spencer…" she started to say before Shawn's head snapped to look at the front of the building.

"Lassie… Jules…." Shawn gasped and he ran away from the chief into the bedlam of screams and smoke.