Dwayne watched Elizabeth sleeping deeply, breathing evenly. Her hair was fanned out across the pillow and over his arm, her white blanket was resting just below her bellybutton. Had he been mortal, his arm would have given way to uncomfortable tingling and then outright pain long before sleep had claimed her. But he was comfortable. Beyond comfortable. They had been lying like this for hours, with him just studying her. He smiled lightly, brushing a strand of her hair before moving down to trace circles around her steadily beating pulse. Her breath hitched in her sleep and his hand stilled.

"Soon..." he promised in a whisper, kissing her temple.

She murmured something intelligible in her sleep and moved her body, turning on her side and nuzzling closer to him. He smiled in satisfaction. Even in sleep, she craved him as much as he craved her. He felt her soft breath on his neck and smiled wider as her small movement released the smell of her blood once more. He inhaled deeply, relishing the scent, before placing another tender kiss on her forehead.

He looked down at her neck, once again studying the deep, rich bruise decorating it. It looked striking against her skin, like it belonged there and he couldn't help the pride that coursed through him.

She was his.

He had her heart, he had her body.

He watched her pulse as it beat steadily, rhythmically.

The last thing…

He frowned in annoyance as his thoughts were interrupted. He heard the sound of feet approaching the house, heavily trudging along the drive. Elizabeth's younger brother. Michael had returned hours ago, their Grandfather was still out. There had been no phone calls, no attempts at contact, not even from their mother. Michael had gone straight to bed without so much as a shower, he hadn't even come close to Elizabeth's room. She had been left alone for the whole night, as far as her old family were concerned. Nobody cared. His frown deepened and he softly stroked her neck. While Elizabeth's room was too far for the sound to travel, he listened intently and easily to the young boy's movements as he entered the house. He heard him call out a quiet hello, move to the kitchen, drink, wash. The fridge was opened, closed. Cupboards explored but nothing eaten. He heard every murmur, every mutter. He heard the boy walk upstairs and pause at the bottom of the stairs leading to Elizabeth's room.

Dwayne's hand reached momentarily for the blanket, ready to cover her breasts, to protect her modesty, but the boy turned away.

Of course he did. It was no surprise. Clearly nobody cared for her, nobody worried about her.

He looked down at his sleeping mate.

"I found you..." he told Elizabeth quietly, tenderly dancing his fingers across the porcelain skin of her back, her side, "you're mine"

He heard the younger boy finish in the bathroom, heard him settle into his bed. The Emerson kid really didn't even care to check on his sister? How was he to know she was safe? How was any of them to know that she was safe? Dwayne didn't want the interruption but Elizabeth deserved better from her family.

Her old family, he corrected himself mentally.

It was a good thing the young boy had left and gone to bed...Dwayne didn't know if he would be able to control his urge to hurt him, punish him for the shameful neglect he showed Elizabeth. He didn't know if he wanted to control that urge.

But he would.

For now.

For her.

Dwayne continued his subtle ministrations, memorizing every each of her body.

The clock on the floor beneath her window ticked steadily but he tuned it out, along with the dull, small snores of the younger Emerson sleeping below them.

He sighed.

The sun would be rising soon.

"Elizabeth" he whispered, running his hand down her face and neck. She blinked, her eyelashes brushing against the skin of his neck.

"Good morning" he whispered as she blinked again, slowly registering where she was. Who she was with. He could almost see the cogs in her brain turning as she took in her surroundings and he enjoyed the endearing little blush that formed on her cheeks. She had obviously felt the cool air across her breasts and he watched as she shyly reached for the blanket covering her lower half. He softly stilled her hands, he didn't want her to cover up.

He kissed her and immediately felt her shyness ebbing away. She smiled against his lips.

"Good morning…" she whispered, yawning a little, turning her face downwards as she did. She was so innocent, so pure in her actions and he found it impossible to take his eyes off her. She shuffled her body to the side a little more, giving them more space, more space to talk. She smiled sleepily up at the man beside her.

He watched closely as she winced a little. He knew why, he knew that when she moved, when she shuffled her body, she had felt a sharp, stinging pain at her core.

"Ow" she muttered unthinkingly and he watched as her face tinged with a stronger pink blush when she glanced down and saw the sheet underneath them stained with a deep red. He knew that she could feel it on her thighs, too, drying.

He clenched his fist. He wanted nothing more than to taste her, to bathe in her blood, to enjoy her sweetness until she exploded with pleasure but he knew it wasn't the time. She was too innocent, it was too soon for her…his mate needed patience. He felt his nails digging into his palm with the effort of his restraint.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice caring and showing no sign of his inner struggle.

Elizabeth nodded softly, "sore, mostly…"

"I'm sorry" he whispered, leaning over to kiss her. He was thrilled that she was his and his alone but he hadn't wanted to hurt her. He never wanted that.

"No…" she mumbled, drowsily and he knew what she was thinking. He knew her feelings perfectly…I don't want you to apologize, I don't need you to apologize.

She yawned softly again and he could see that she was beginning to give up her battle with wakefulness. She carefully shuffled forward to her original position, sinking back into his arms.

"It's early…" she whispered, her lidded eyes staring up into his.

"Sunrise isn't far away" he replied, placing yet another kiss delicately on her forehead.

She said nothing, merely closed her eyes.

"I don't think your brothers should see me…" he whispered. He knew that would get her attention, though he hated himself for stooping so low.

"Stay" she whispered thickly and he knew that didn't want him to leave. He knew she was thinking, dimly, that maybe he could sneak out later?

"I don't want you to leave" she whispered into his neck and he tightened his arms around her.

He didn't want to leave her, either.

"Stay with me tomorrow" he invited, lips resting against her forehead. It was a little faster than he had originally planned but why not? He had her, they were mates.

"Really?"

"Really" he confirmed. He could feel her smiling against his neck.

"Where should I meet you?" she asked sluggishly, sleep coming fast.

"At the boardwalk, of course" he told her softly, kissing her once more as sleep claimed her.

He held her, massaging her back softly, taking in her scent, enjoying her breath against his neck. Ensuring she would sleep soundly, Dwayne reluctantly pulled away. He slid off the bed with supernatural ease, disturbing nothing and in utter silence. He carefully covered Elizabeth with her blanket.

He easily slipped on his clothes, folding hers as he did, and left her bedroom and the house with all the silence of a practiced predator.

The sun would be up in an hour. He needed to feed.