A/N- just a note: I got a very well appreciatted review from someone (not naming) who said the usual and also asked if the vampires i create are different from the usual. The answer: Basically, yes. So you'll have to wait to understand if ya don't, k-ies?

"I have what?" He looks horrified. "That means I'm-"

"Wait." I say. He does so. "Can… what can you hear in the room?"

"Um…" Tala thinks. "Only your voice and the vehicles outside…"

But I shake my head. "You're not a vampire then. Vampires can hear heartbeats and pulses within a room and such, and since you can't hear mine, you're not a vampire."

He blinks at me confusedly. "Then why do I have fangs?"

"There's a sort of boundary between mortal and vampire… there is a slight chance that I overstepped that boundary slightly… we'll have to see if you are, though…" I look away. "Sorry…" I add in a murmur.

He reaches up and cups my cheek with a hand, smiling. "Doesn't matter… whatever I am or you are, I will lo- stay with you always."

Was he about to say what I thought he was going to say? The 'L' word? The one we used to despise saying when we were younger… despise so much we used to punch people if they said it; including ourselves?

He pulls himself up just in time to hear the front door open and voices drifting in. He smiles. "Kai's home…"

"And Granger…" I add.

"Great…"

I watch him pull a random pair of jeans on and he grabs a black polo neck, pulling it on too, making sure the collar covered his neck sufficiently; nice thinking… I just sigh and lie back, closing my eyes in peace.

Minutes pass by while I listen to Kai and Tala greeting each other; Tyson too. Deciding to be social for once in my whole damned life, I stand and (not bothering to grab a shirt myself, but I do put some jeans on as well) I walk out the door.

Phoenix sighs when he sees me; I see him note the fully bandaged chest and shoulder and hand. "How are you, old friend?"

I snort. "Who are you calling 'old'? I am only a few months older than you…"

"Yeah, but in mental age you're like a hundred; your grammar and manners are unimpeachable."

"Ooh, long word Tala; been reading the dictionary lately?" I ask sarcastically.

"You wish." He mutters.

"You've been reading my journal, I see."

"Why you-"

I grab his wrist as he goes to hit me over the head and pull him into a kiss. I feel him smirk against my lips.

"I knew it…" I hear the Phoenix mutter.

I pull away from Tala. "Knew what?" I ask.

"That one day you two'd fall in love."

Tala smirks and launches himself straight at Kai, knocking him down to the ground and giving him a punch in the shoulder.

"HA! You said the 'L' word!" He crows in triumph.

Tyson, forgotten for most of this time, is looking down with an amused, yet confused, expression. I simply laugh and move over to the couch, sitting on it, breathing a slight heavy sigh (because of my injuries).

"Tala, we're not kids anymore." Kai states, glaring at Tala, who's still straddling him.

"Speak for yourself." I mutter as Tala rises and helps Kai up.

Tala walks over to the couch on which I sit upon and dumps himself next to me, leaning on my shoulder; fortunately my uninjured one.

"So," Kai begins, wrapping an arm around Tyson's waist, "since when have you two been in-" He fixes Tala with a glare, "-in love."

I snort. "We're not in-" I grab Tala's fist as it make for my arm, "in love."

"So it's just a… casual commitment, then?"

I shrug. "Jealous?" I ask deviously, giving him a small wink. He rolls his eyes.

"So what happened last night?" Kai asks.

I remain silent for a few minutes, trying desperately to piece together what had happened last night… Tala and I had made out, yeah, but what had happened before that…?

"Need help?" Tala whispered.

I look down on him. "Yes… I don't remember much… only that Ehoin attacked me at the Blood Bank…"

"Who?" Kai's confused; aw, cute… "What were you doing at the Blood Bank anyway?

"Animal blood doesn't satisfy my thirst for long periods of time… I know you told me not to rely on it so much, but…" I sigh. "Ehoin is the vampire that turned me… I guess he likes to hunt others… either that or the Fates aren't on my side…"

I see Tala give me a sympathetic look in the corner of my eye.

"Need me to carry on?" he asks; I nod. "I found him in his room at what must've been eleven o'clock… one in the morning at the latest. He was badly bleeding… chest, head… he has a cut on his shoulder so deep you can see the bones… but he…"

And so he carries on, explaining that I had lost control, almost turning him into a monster (though he didn't phrase it like that) or killing him… I was abhorred by the fact that I had committed such a sin; especially upon him… such a gentle and angelic creature…

He eventually got up to the part where he had offered himself, but his words failed him… he is a far too modest individual…

So I explain, clarifying how Tala had agreed to let me have his blood. I saw the look of surprise upon the other two's faces, so I looked away, hoping not to see odium…

"It's okay…" I hear Tala say. "I'm fine." I watch him pull down the collar of his polo neck; the two dots stand out clearly against porcelain skin… the look on his face; it seems like he wears them with pride… "See? Nothing to worry about."

Kai turns to me, a stern look on his face. "You didn't hurt him, did you?"

I frown. "I would never hurt him, Kai; never. He's too… he's all I have, as well as you…"

I look down at him and returns the look. Our eyes seem to start in a conversation of their own and we slowly lean in for a kiss. We savour the kiss as if it were our first. It wasn't the most intimate kiss ever, but simple and… (dare I say it?) loving…

A/N- by the by, Unimpeachable means 'cannot find fault with'…

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