-----PART TWO--------

The rest of the evening had Jimmy and I standing on the sidelines as the three played with their toys. Jimmy was there, more or less for brawn, I was usually wanted. But this time was different, I was the nascence. Feeling like that was effecting me deeply. A haze of blackness was seeping into me again, it was scarily familiar.

"We'll take surveillance shifts," Frohike set out the plan, "Since I told that Nigel we were astronomers that'll cover the equipment." I couldn't tell if he was talking to everyone, just the gunmen or himself.

"I'll take the first shift," Langly pulled on his coat.

Byers turned to me, "You should take the bedroom, that way we won't disturb you," he smiled his usual warm grin that matched his eyes.

I know he was just being thoughtful, but I felt like I was being banished. The way it sounded to me was, 'take the bedroom so you don't get in the way.' So I half smiled and got out of their way.

"Don't forget your garlic," Langly got one last shot ion before he stepped out onto the deck.

I still didn't know if he was either hurting me or pissing me off more. I just know it made me a mess. I choked out a "Night" before tears fell down my cheeks. I threw myself face down on the bed, crying into the pillow. I could only think about how much no one wanted me around. And how much better it would be if I didn't exist. And even how easy it would be to leave this, one bottle of pills or a quick slice. The dark thoughts completely filled my head as I fell into sleep, into again into another dream.

It was like the dream from the van. Only this started earlier....

I stormed out of the cabin and into the woods. Cold tears were falling down my face. It was dark and cold, just dim stars in the black night sky. This time I was being called. My name was being whispered in my ears only with no one around. I was running to the same clearing as before, through the patches of trees and along a beaten path. This time *he * wasn't waiting for me, but appeared behind me.

"Anderea. Let me make you happy," It was Nigel's hot breath in my ear and on my neck, "I want you around Anderea. I want YOU."

He sent shivers through my body. I could feel his presence as his hands caressed the side of my body and side of my neck.

"Living is easier at night," he went from one ear to the next, "Let me take you away from the pain. Let me take you away to the middle of the night."

It was the most intense, erotic dream experience.

Waking up I could barely remember where I was, or that I was alone. It was so vivid it was spooky. I left the room, intending to share the bizarre dream with Langly. Mostly because it creeped me out, and because I always share things with him and wanted him to tell me it was alright. And I was afraid of how tempting his offer was. But when I walked into the living room area, he was curled up in a blanket.

"You should really invest in a real coat," Byers told the chattering bundle, "You wouldn't get chills like this." He handed him a cup of hot coffee.

"Or if we weren't on some stupid no where assignment in the middle of no where I wouldn't get sick," Langly's glare must have been as cold as he felt, since it made me shutter.

----------

Since the morning had continued much in the same way the rest of the case was going, me being the problem, I thought it best to blend into the background as much as possible. The rest of the day continued almost normally. The guys were routinely checking all the equipment, Langly was still whining and they were all in some way stumbling over Jimmy. I figured that's how it must have been before I existed in their world, since none of them noticed I was there. So alone I sat, ignored all but with this creepy feeling that someone was still watching me.

It wasn't until after dark and after the wireless connection disconnected that anyone remembered I was there.

"Just perfect," Langly turned toward me, "Now we don't have decent communications with the real world."

"That's right Langly, it's my fault! It's all been me," I rolled my eyes, "It's not like I begged you and dragged you off away from your real world. So you can just stop your goddamn whining!" I didn't even stop there, "Real world ha! Is that what you call those RP games you're always playing with your virtual friends?" Yes, I was extremely angry. He had been blaming me for everything.

"I'll tell you one thing. I'd rather be playing D&D with virtual space than have to be out here on this stupid fucking vampire hunt with you! I can't believe I've put up with you! You're not worth the time I've spent on you. You're not worth anything. If you weren't Frohike's niece I wouldn't have kept you around so long! The only good thing about you has been the sex and even that isn't worth keeping you around," Langly wasn't screaming, he seemed so calm. It wasn't like him at all.

No matter if it was his words or not, it killed me. I ran out of the cabin into the cold night. Wishing with everything I had that I had succeeded in dying before, anything to avoid this pain now. Tears ran down my cheeks. They bit at me from the cold as I ran deeper into the woods. I wasn't thinking of where I was going or that I was running into strange woods at night. My mind had gone blank, a black cloud covering me. I had stopped in a clearing. Maybe twelve feet round, encircled by trees. There was no clear break in the trees to enter or exit. I stayed standing near the centre, waiting…..

"Anderea," the whispering of my name filled the empty space, "You came to me." Slowly the voice became clearer along with its direction and owner. "Anderea my dear," Nigel's voice and hands came from behind me, one wrapped around my stomach and the other wiped the tears from my cheeks.

His body was cold against me, colder than the degree outside would explain.

"Let me take you away from here," his breath felt hot, but left no steam in the air just goose-bumps on my neck.

"I can't go with you," I struggled to deny him.

"He doesn't want you, not like I do," his lips brushed my ear.

"…but he loves me….." my throat was tight and dry. I could have cried out if I felt that I was physically able to.

"The truth," Nigel's hands slowly moved upward, "he never really wanted you. He said it himself."

His words hurt, confirming what was already in my head. His hands soothed me, feeling that I was wanted.

"Does he ever tell you how exquisite you are?" his fingers slowly traced my lips, "soft lips," over my breasts, "full bust," and along my neck, "curved neck." His lips soon replaced his fingers on my neck.

Tears fell from my eyes, "I love him," I choked on my words.

"But he hurts you, and will keep hurting you," he was trying to convince me, "Don't you want to get away from the pain? I can take you away from it. Keep you away from it. Anderea come with me."

"Where?" my head felt light and hazy, "How?"

"Just let me taste you."