(A/N) Hi :) Sorry it took me awhile to update, I was planning on uploading a chapter on Wednesday but then I got sick and I figured no update was better than a crappy update :P

Derek was glancing up at the sky before cursing when he noticed the clouds that were stretching across the darkening expanse. "We need to move faster," He told me, not quite apologetic but not sternly either.

He was glowering at the sky even as he started moving his legs quicker and I had to half-jog to keep up. "How come?"

"The Edison Group got pretty advanced over the past few years." He shrugged. "If we stay in one spot for long, like a couple of days, they'll track us. They track us, they take you away. They take you away and we're all screwed." While he was talking, he continued to increase his speed.

Laughing a little breathlessly, I told him, "Derek, we're not running the marathon." He turned his glare on me. "Seriously, calm down."

He looked almost panicked, and I didn't really understand why. We didn't stay in any one place for more than a single night, so we weren't in the exact danger he was describing. So what would explain his paranoia?

I held out a hand and placed it on his arm. He stopped, and sucked in a breath like he was trying to keep himself from yelling at me, which I appreciated. "What's going on?" My voice was meant to be soft, but it came out more urgently than I'd intended.

"Nothing." He popped his jaw out, another sign that gave away his frustration. "I just told you."

Irritated, I rolled my eyes. "You just told me a lie. I'm not that stupid or sheltered. I know we haven't been that stationary. At least, not stationary enough for us to get tracked. I deserve to know whatever freaked you out."

"I'm not-" He started before reconsidering. "I lost it."

Confused, I chewed down on my lip, thinking his words over. Finally, when no obvious explanation jumped out at me, I asked hesitantly, "Lost what?"

I never liked asking Derek to explain things to me. Something I'd noticed about Derek was that he was smart. Really smart.

The thing about really smart people is that when people less intelligent ask a question, they think you're stupid for not being on the same level as them. They'd always get this look in their eyes that almost screamed, "Why am I wasting my time on someone like you?"

I didn't want Derek to think that way of me. Well, I didn't want anyone to think that way about me, but definitely not him.

"I lost their trail," He reluctantly said after a long and awkward pause. "Their scent trail."

I could feel myself frowning. "Does that happen often?"

His head went back a few inches. Derek turned a critical stare on me. "What? No comments or questions about my weird sense of smell?"

Grinning, I teased, "I didn't know that asking questions was allowed. Figured you'd chew me out."

He shook his head. "You're right. You deserve to know what's going on. I know you can take it."

His praise was offhand, but it still made my heart leap and my smile widen even more. At this rate, I'd have some serious pre-mature wrinkles that my dad's publicist would probably make me get Botox for.

"So, you can follow people's scent?" I asked, ready to test out this new seek-and-ye-shall-find philosophy between Derek and me.

He bobbed his head curtly, black hair falling into his eyes a bit, partially shielding the emerald hue. I clenched my hand slightly so I wouldn't reach up and brush it away. "To a certain extent. I don't usually lose the trail." Bitterness leeched out any of the arrogance I would have thought he'd feel. "I'm a pretty good bloodhound."

"That's how you found me, right? When you were a wolf?"

Derek nodded again. "It's easier when I'm a wolf."

"Is that why you, uh-" I cut myself off, fumbling for the right word. "Morphed?"

Way to make him sound like a science experiment.

He glanced away, eyes finding the sky. "It's getting dark." His head turned, taking in the surroundings.

He completely dodged m question. I fought back a dozen rude things to say, all of them involving how he promised he'd actually answer my questions. But if Derek said he'd answer, then he would. Eventually.

"Yeah," I observed. The sky was streaked through with a dark midnight color, but when I turned my head in the opposite direction, I could see lots of pink and orange. "Pretty though."

He snorted. "Something you would notice."

"Hey!" I protested, lifting an arm to feebly whack him. "What's that supposed to mean?" I could feel myself pouting, so I straightened my mouth to avoid looking like a sulking five-year old. I didn't need any help in the whole "looking younger than my actual age" department.

He tilted his head to look at me. "You're pretty good at finding positives in everything. It's weird."

I ignored the jab. "What would life be without happiness? So what if you have to find it yourself, even in unconventional things. It's better than feeling miserable all the time."

He opened his mouth to say something, but then he just scowled and pointed off in the direction that must have been west. "Let's stop there."

"Where?"

"You don't see that?"

Frowning, I half-sang, "Noooo...?"

"Oh. It's a warehouse."

"Okay. Sounds really great."

He chuckled in what I perceived to be disbelief. "No, not really."

I smiled up at him and we continued to walk, just messing around. It was weird, seeing him so relaxed and almost... playful. Weird, but nice. It was a side I liked a lot better than the angry sad one I saw more often.

Eventually, I could make out a massive building. It was painted a dark color, which was why it'd been so hard to see. "Hey, is that a werewolf thing?"

"Is what?" Suddenly, Derek was guarded again. He seemed cautious, and I knew that this wasn't a conversation he wanted to have.

"You could see the building when we were so far back. So you've got, what, the Superman gene?"

He lifted his eyebrows at me. "The what?"

My jaw dropped. "You've-you've-" I spluttered intelligently for a few more seconds before spitting out, "You've never heard of Superman? Like the cartoon? Or movies? Or comic?"

"No, I have," He smirked at me, and I flushed, embarrassed that I'd gotten all worked up. "I just don't get the connection."

I looked down at the ground and tried to think of a way to explain. "Well, you're freakishly strong. And you've got enhanced senses. But you don't fly."

"And I Change into a wolf," He commented dryly.

I squinted up at him. "Yeah. So, about that... You never answered me earlier."

Clearly he was planning on me forgetting about that. For a moment, I was worried Derek wouldn't answer me. Then he confessed, "No. That's not why I Changed."

"Then why?"

I thought I heard him take a breath, and I took one in too. We were making progress, which was good, because I was genuinely dying to know so much stuff about his powers. They were so much more amazing than mine. "C'mon," He said, pushing open the door. "Let's get settled first."

"Terrible cliffhanger there."

He flashed me a quick smile. "Doesn't that make the discovery more worth it?" But the fact that he smiled and the way he said it was only covering something up. That wasn't what Derek was like - honestly, that was more of a Simon response.

So what was he feeling?

When I passed through the doorway, I caught a glimpse of the look in his eyes. He was nervous. Still worried he'd scare me off.

He led me through a couple of rooms. I tried to make a few suggestions, but he only shushed me, and I huffed but didn't protest. He was probably just doing basic surveillance. Of course, he was taking way longer than necessary and we both knew it. "You can't avoid answering me forever," I finally hissed.

He nodded and led me into one of the first rooms we entered. Typical. "I just thought..." He shook his head, looking a bit uncertain. "Must be nothing." He cleared his throat. "So what did you want to know?"

"Why'd you... Change?"

He shot me a sideways glance, like he was still determining the best way to tell me without sending me into culture shock. "Usually, I Change at least once a week. Sometimes more if I just feel like running around."

"As a wolf?"

"As a wolf," He replied flatly. "But if I don't Change within... maybe two weeks, I get sick. And pretty soon, it just happens." He grimaced. "First it's a killer fever. Then I get muscle spasms, and then it's only a matter of hours before I'm a wolf."

I felt almost stupid for not getting it sooner. "Idiot!" I exclaimed, both at myself and him. "You should have told me," I breathed. "Derek, you have no idea how worried I was."

He sized me up, like he wasn't sure if I meant it or not. But I did, and he must have determined this on his own because he grunted decisively. "I didn't want you to have to see it. A forced Change is always way worse than the ones I start up on my own."

"Then why didn't you?"

"I was worried you'd find out."

I bit back the urge to shout that it wasn't all about me when I decided it was kind of sweet that Derek thought it was. "You know I don't care, right?"

Slowly, he nodded. "I guess."

"Don't do it again, okay?"

Confusion flitted over his pronounced features. "Do what?"

Feeling almost self-obsessed, I ducked my head. "Don't not Change because of me. It was hard, seeing you sick like that. You seemed to handle yourself pretty well as a wolf."

He shrugged. "I'm faster as a wolf, and my senses are better. Plus I have teeth and claws. But as a human I can communicate easier. And it's easier to fight my... animal instincts."

"Whoa, you actually have those?" I tried to hide how impressed I was, but I must not have done a very good job because Derek looked vaguely amused.

"Yeah. They're a pain sometimes," He admitted. "It's weird because I just lose contr-"

His head jerked up, eyes wide. He looked... terrified. His head swivelled around, and he whispered, "No."

"Derek?" I put a hand on his arm. "Derek, are you okay?"

He stood up quickly before reaching a hand out and hoisting me up as well. I was literally jerked off my feet, but he put his hands near my waist and tugged me out of the air. "Derek?" I prompted.

"No, no. Why are they here?" He cussed loudly and profanely. I swear I'd never heard such creative profanities.

"Why are who here?" I was struggling to stay calm. Anything that could freak Derek out this bad was a good reason to be concerned.

He looked at me and the fear in his eyes grew. "Dammit, you need to get out!"

"Derek, what is going on? Who?" My voice shook as I murmured, "Other werewolves?"

He put his head in his hands. "No. Vampires."

(A/N) Okay, just to clarify - I don't read any of Kelley's adult novels. So I have very limited information about her world's creatures except for what we learn in DP. Any reviews that I get telling me that I'm doing my wolves or my vamps right will be ignored because I've warned you about my hopeless cluelessness ;P