Let's continue! Thanks for reviewing, FFraspberry, Ali6132, DarkQueenOfWonderland, pirateships45, Crystalmoon39, and the guest reviewer (my blood would probably be miso soup, weird but warm and comforting, according to everyone except me – I don't even like it, but my family thinks that's me).

"Come out with me this morning." Alejandro woke up to those words. Heather was already awake.

"Did I..."

"Sleep during the night, yeah." Heather said. "Didn't you hear me? Since you're probably not going to be able to get to sleep again until the afternoon, come out with me for once."

"What are you going to do that's so important for me to do with you?" Alejandro asked.

Heather shrugged. "I don't know. You could call it a date or something. I know we're way past the point of dating, but you never took me out anywhere. Ever."

Alejandro gave a sigh. "Heather, you know why we haven't gone out publicly before. I have to protect my-"

"Protect? More like overprotect." Heather scoffed. "I go out every day, and no one's gone after me with torches yet. Why should you be any different?"

"Because I don't usually go out during the day." Alejandro reasoned. "Most girls know what I am after I've talked to them for a minute. They usually let me do what I want with them, even after that. How am I supposed to keep up a human facade?"

Heather scrutinized him. "Apart from the fangs, you look pretty human." she said. "You don't even look that pale – I'm guessing you had tan skin back then, anyway? And you know perfectly well that the way you act is human. If I can conceal my fangs, you can conceal yours." She paused, and then tried a different tactic.

"Please?" she said, widening her grey eyes and putting on a little-girl voice. "Please take me out? I just want to go on one date with you."

Alejandro could have refused her again, if he'd really wanted to. As it was, deep down, he wanted to give Heather what she wanted, and that meant taking her on the date she was begging for.

"OK." He relented. "But you owe me for this."

Heather smirked triumphantly.

The morning they spent out could be considered pretty mundane if it had been any other couple, but Alejandro considered it more of a dangerous novelty, since he'd barely gone out in the daylight for decades, only occasionally slipping out. Heather didn't really care what they were doing, since she was happy with her victory in getting him to leave the house during the day with her. For the first time, she started to feel like they were a normal teenage couple, although she attempted to stay just the smallest bit unwilling to engage in PDAs.

When they got home, Heather couldn't help the smile that spread over her face. "There!" she said triumphantly. "See? You spent hours in public, and no one seemed to notice anything weird."

Alejandro gave a sigh. "You're right...partially. I assume you didn't notice everyone passing."

Heather frowned. "What? What do you mean?"

"Courtney passed us." Alejandro said. "I noticed, because I saw her staring at us. Which is why I'm not going to do that again – it's too risky."

Heather gave a sigh. "Courtney doesn't even remember anything! You told me most of your victims don't remember much, anyway!"

"Some of them see it as a dream – what would they think if they saw me in real life? And what about those that do remember – Bridgette told you every little detail, didn't she?" Alejandro pointed out. "Besides, even though Courtney doesn't remember me, I know for sure that she's going to start asking you questions."

Heather shrugged. "Whatever. I just wanted to prove that it's not so hard to pretend to be human."

But she was a little sad that he'd said he'd never go out in daylight again. Not because she'd never get to go on another date with him – because she'd have to work harder at persuading him.

But on Monday, she was ready to give up on the idea of dates, because Courtney swooped down on her only minutes after she'd arrived at her locker.

"Oh, Heather, I was hoping I'd be able to talk to you!" she said, as if they were still friends. "I didn't realize that you were seeing someone. Tell me, who is he?"

"Oh, you know, the werewolf I met last week." Heather said, heavily sarcastic. "I decided demonic wild creatures might be more loyal than bloodsucking dead guys."

Courtney looked offended. "No need to be so cold, I was just asking a question. He's hot, I was surprised you managed to find someone like him. And I saw the way he looked at you. I haven't seen that look since-"

"Ever, yeah, I know, since your boyfriends never cared for you as much as he cares about me." Heather said cuttingly. "Farm boys and delinquents aren't my type," she remembered Courtney's two latest, "It's better to find someone a bit more classy, because they know how to treat a girl with respect."

She heard Alejandro talking to her in her head. Thank you, Heather, I appreciate the compliment.

It's only because I'm not having Courtney patronize me! Heather directed her thoughts back to him.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Cut the lying, Heather. I know why he's really with you. I wasn't going to say that he looked at you with love and care and all that sentimental stuff. No, he looked at you like you were a favourite toy and he couldn't wait to get you to himself." She smirked. "I know that look, and it means he only stays with you when you give him what he wants, and to be honest, I'm disappointed in you, Heather. I'd expect you to be the last person who has to offer that up just to feel special."

Heather was enraged by that comment, and Alejandro spoke in her head. Did I hear what I thought I heard? That is over the line. Walk away, Heather, I want to intervene. After all, it's not just you – she's insulted me, too. Don't worry, mi angel, she won't say another word against you once I've had a word with her.

Are you going to feed from her again? Heather asked.

No. Alejandro answered. I simply would like to speak with her, and I'll go and do that tonight.

And sure enough, on Tuesday morning, Courtney didn't come to school. It was only on Wednesday that she turned up. She didn't say a word to Heather, only glancing at her with a look of fear.

What did you tell her? Heather hissed.

Don't assume the worst, like you always do. I simply explained to her what I was, and told her that she would be likewise if she dared to speak out against either of us. I also disregarded to mention that we didn't have some of the more...distasteful universally suggested traits. I didn't tell her anything about you.

Heather couldn't help smiling. Thank you, she managed to think. She was never good at gratitude. I think I underestimated you.

After Alejandro got this, he smirked in his sleep, and took a look into Heather's mind. Sure enough, he could see that 90% of her mind's thoughts were all on him, in a positive way. 1% had some negative thoughts, and the last 9% were on other things in her life – school, her friends, and even her next feed.

He didn't direct the next thoughts to Heather, and she was blissfully ignorant of them. Just a few days longer, Heather, just a few days longer to delete that negative view you still keep there...and then you'll be mine forever. You'll be a slave to your feelings for me. I will make sure of it.

Yeah...I always got the feeling that control is always going to be the biggest issue in their relationship, because they're both the types that like to take charge. Heather's bossy all the time, no matter what's happening, while Alejandro can pretend to step back, but when all's said and done, he's the one controlling everything. Please review!