POV: Anakin Skywalker

I walked towards Padme's cell the next morning, yawning as I did so. I hated leaving my bed this early in the morning, but I had to make sure Padme stayed locked up right where she was.

As I rounded the corner, I saw Vestara sitting down across from the cell. I stormed over to her and she looked up at me, opening her eyes slowly. "I thought I told you to leave," I growled.

"You told me not to go in her cell. I haven't broken your rules, Daddy."

I growled again and she sighed, motioning for me to sit beside her. I sighed and sat down next to her. I regretted all that I'd said to her last night and it hurt me even after Ahsoka tried to make me feel better. I didn't like that Vestara chose to remain somewhat close to Padme after all that's happened lately. That was why I'd decided to ban her from the cell altogether.

"Did you get any sleep?" I whispered, looking sideways at her.

"I'll sleep when she's dead and gone for eternity," she responded, her voice very rough.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she rested her head against my chest. I was still upset with her for what she'd said to Ahsoka, but Vestara and I were like family. I couldn't just let that bond crumble into pieces and be left for ruin.

Ahsoka. She and Obi-Wan had gone back to Naboo to observe and attempt fixing all that Padme had done while she was there. He and I both knew that she left havoc wherever she was and I encouraged Ahsoka to go with him. I felt sort of… lonely without her.

She knew my thirst hasn't been quenched in quite some time because I wasn't allowing myself to take any more of her blood until further notice. I told her to leave for now until I had everything emotionally under control.

"Please, just try to sleep," I whispered, resting my chin on her head.

She nodded slowly and I felt her muscles relax. I knew how obsessive she could get when it came to Padme. She would purposely allow her health to deteriorate until she was mentally and physically drained unless someone took care of her.

I rubbed her arm slowly until I felt her fall asleep, which only took a few minutes. "Oh, how cute," Padme said from behind the door.

I growled quietly and held Vestara a little tighter. I held her head against my chest, hoping that she wouldn't wake up to hear what Padme was inevitably going to say. Padme was one to aggravate even when she was in a bad situation.

"Oh. It's amazing how many weaknesses you've seemed to acquire over the years, my little Anakin. You've had Obi-Wan around for quite some time, Ahsoka is finally in the picture, and now you have Vestara. I guess you don't abide by the Council's 'no attachment' rule very well," she sneered.

I clenched my teeth together and closed my eyes. "You're lucky Vestara's asleep," I whispered through my teeth. "If she wanted to rip your heart out, I'd just let her."

She chuckled and I rubbed Vestara's arms with my thumbs, trying to keep myself under control. I hated having Padme so close to me for multiple reasons, but, in retrospect, I loved and enjoyed it as well. I loved to hear her scream when I tormented her, when she begged me for mercy that I was reluctant to give.

I heard her break into a laughing fit once more. "And people say I am out of control."

I opened my eyes and felt my body burning up. That was it, the final straw. I pressed a button on my comlink and Dean immediately answered as I'd expected he would. "Yes?"

"Can you come get Vestara?" I said through my teeth, glaring at the door in front of me.

"Sure. Give me a sec." He disconnected the link and arrived exactly a second later. I lifted Vestara as I stood and I handed her off to him.

I was about to storm past him, but his voice stopped me. "Hey," he whispered. "I just wanted to let you know that she came to me, crying, last night."

"Why?" My chest tightened as I met his eyes.

"She said that it was because she was really sorry. Anakin, she told me that she never wanted to see you that angry at her again. It hurt her much more than she thought it would. She tried to brush it off, but she just couldn't."

I gaped. "W-Why are you telling me this?"

"Vestara couldn't bring herself to tell you how horrible she felt for all that she'd said to you and Ahsoka."

I examined him much more thoroughly. "You really do care about her," I whispered.

He nodded slowly and glanced down at her, giving her this… look. I recognized it only because I had given Ahsoka that same look every time I held her or was near her.

"I'd die for her," he said. I could hear the sincerity in his voice and I admired him for caring about her that much.

I stepped forward, smiling a bit. I rested my hand on his shoulder and he glanced up at me. "I'm sure you would, Dean, but, and this is fair warning…" I trailed off, watching his eyes. "If anything bad happens to her, anything at all, I will hunt you down to the ends of the galaxy until I have your head. Vestara is the only family I have that I can relate to and, as you well know, families protect each other."

He gulped a little and looked away from me. "I wouldn't know anything about family," he muttered before leaving with Vestara.

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his response, but I shrugged it off and entered Padme's cell. Her demonic face was smirking at me. "What?"

She chuckled and shook her head. "You honestly don't know very much about him, do you?"

I folded my arms over my chest and shrugged. Did she honestly expect me to be the vampire encyclopedia? "And I assume you do?" I growled.

"Oh, yes. Didn't you wonder why he always did as I asked?"

"You brainwashed him. It's in your nature to do something cruel like that."

"No," she said, rolling her eyes. "I saved him. I was dating this man – after you, of course – and he loved blood more than I ever cared for, although he did shape me into who I am now. Anyway, one night, we stumbled upon Dean's house."

She has this look in her eye that told me she was craving for control and blood. She wanted to believe that I was hurt by the fact that she'd been with other men after me. The fact of the matter was, she was with other men while she was with me. "He was a very strong, athletic boy. He was quite handsome, too, if I may add."

I rolled my eyes. "We slaughtered his parents and I thought the man I was with had killed him as well, but he didn't. I came into his room and found him breathing, barely alive. He was willing to do anything to survive and we struck a deal. If I allowed him to live, he would return the favor, doing whatever I asked of him."

I closed my eyes after hearing this. He and Vestara were more alike than they realized. Both of their lives had been ruined by this thing and their fates had been doomed as a result of her deeds. I guess that's why they were both so taken with each other. He knew how evil Padme had been and how much Vestara needed him as well as how much he needed her.

Padme's laughter brought me back to the harsh reality that I'd tried so hard to escape from. She began to laugh as she thought about the countless lives, including me, that she'd ruined.

I blurred closer to her and snarled as I pulled her hands forward, listening to the beautiful sounds of her screams as the wooden pieces dug themselves into her wrists.

POV: Dean Lexington

I laid Vestara down onto her bed and stroked her knuckles as she slept. She looked like an angel. Our race was supposedly demonic, but I just couldn't fathom how people could think that. She looked so… peaceful, so beautiful.

After a few hours, she finally woke up and opened her beautiful eyes. "Hey," she whispered, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Hey."

I lay down beside her and she scooted closer to me until we were chest to chest. "How long was I out?"

"Just a few hours, my sweet," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Is everything okay?" She sat up a little and gave me a confused look.

I sat up with her. "Everything's fine, Vestara."

"Can we be honest with each other?" she asked, sounding pained by whatever was plaguing her mind. I gave her a curious look.

"Well," I paused. "There is something that you should know about me, Vestara."

I pulled her against me and she sighed contently. "What's that?"

I sighed and slowly began to explain my current situation and about the tragedy my family faced. She listened intently and, even after I told her about my deal with Padme, she still said she loved me.

"I have something for you," I whispered.

"What?"

I got off of the bed and rummaged through my pack, searching crazily for the weapon my father used to tell me would belong to me in the future. I smiled when I felt it. I pulled out an arrow gun and handed it to her. She took it in her delicate fingers and I showed her how to shoot and reload it quickly.

"I love it," she whispered. She glanced up at me. "Don't take this the wrong way, but why are you giving it to me?"

"Because," I began. "If one of these arrows strikes a vampire's head or heart, it can kill them."

She attached it to her belt and promised me that it would never leave her sight as long as Padme was still alive. That, I did not doubt.

POV: Ahsoka Tano

I sighed as I waited for Obi-Wan to finish his negotiations with the Queen. She didn't agree with Obi-Wan's methods of ridding the planet of its terror. He told her that she would have to give the people time to grow from the experience if they'd seen or heard about anything that had happened recently.

I turned around and began to walk through the hallway of the palace, glancing at the beautiful carpet that lined the floors. My comlink began to beep and I closed my eyes, answering it.

"Tano."

"So no special greeting for me?"

I could hear the teasing tone in his voice and I smiled. I glanced over my shoulder. "Hey, sweetheart."

"You're getting better. Hello, my love."

"I miss you…"

"I miss you more."

"Want to holocall?"

He laughed lightly. "That depends on how badly you want to see me."

"How badly do you want to see me?" I teased, smiling as I raised an eye marking.

"Initiating holocall."

Moments later, his holographic self appeared on my wrist. I smiled at him and he smiled back. "Ah, just as beautiful as I remember."

"I've only been gone for a few hours."

"You've been gone for almost a day, little one."

I rolled my eyes. "Only you would keep track. How's everything there?"

"Fine, I suppose."

I frowned and his eyes widened slightly. "Everything's great, Ahsoka. Vestara and Dean –"

"I want to know how you are doing."

He bit his lip and sighed. "Not so well. For starters, I don't have you to cuddle up with right now. It doesn't make me feel any better to have this witch in the temple."

I smiled weakly at him. "Well, I'll be home soon. Master Kenobi is still working things out…"

"I take it things are a bit harder than expected?"

"When aren't they?"

He sighed. "Valid point." He glanced over his shoulder. "I have to go, Ahsoka. Vestara is getting a little out of hand."

"I love you," I whispered, staring sadly at the hologram.

"And I love you. Please, be careful. I want you to come home to me in one piece…"

"I will, Anakin. I promise. You take care of yourself, okay? I want a sane vampire to return home to."

He smirked and blew me a kiss on the hologram. I returned it and we both smiled before ending the transmission.