Song: By Your Side by Sade

You think I'd leave your side baby

And if only you could see into me

Oh when you're cold, I'll be there

Hold you tight to me

When you're lost and you're alone and you can't get back again

I will find you, darling and I will bring you home

TARA POV

When Eric asked me to live with him indefinitely, it didn't take much convincing for me to agree.

Truth is, I'm afraid to be alone these days. I didn't know what I was capable of now that I've been infected- possessed by the demon.

I never ever want to sleep. I drank coffee all day until I shake and at night, I shamelessly follow Eric around the house like a lost puppy. I fight my sleep like a gladiator would his formidable opponent. Of course, there's no winning the battle with nature, and sleep is inevitable. Once Eric retired to his coffin in the wee hours of the night, I was all alone and pure exhaustion invaded my body.

And that's when the demonic nightmare assaulted me.

Like a 'Nightmare on Elm Street', the horrible images are so real. I'd turn into that twisted face demon, who attacked me, then I'd commenced to roaming the city streets, terrorizing; hell bent on hurting- infecting innocent people. I wake up every morning nauseated, in a cold sweat. The smell of sulfur permeated from my flesh. I didn't know what to make of these convincing nightmares. One thing for sure, if my nightmares came to reality and I did turn into a demon; I know Eric is powerful enough to stop me before I actually hurt anyone. And that's what I want. I want him to end my miserable existence like he did to Desmond.

Although I've only known Eric a few months and lived with him for just a week, I know he has my best interest in mind. He's proven that to me in all of his actions. The night after I moved in, he settled up my motel bill and sent for my things. The night after that, he hired a maid to assist me while he slept during the day.

Bettina Gage is the best housekeeper; she never makes me feel like the hot mess that I am. She never questions why she has to launder my sweat-soaked sheets and nightgowns every morning. Or why Eric is always absent during the day. Eric clearly stated she does not know he's a vampire. And I'm certainly not going to tell her. I don't want to scare her off. She cool, an amazing cook and I desperately need her company during the day. Even though most mornings I don't have much of an appetite, she'll still take the time to make me breakfast. At noon I tag-along with her to the market to pick out dinner. For the past five day's I've gotten somewhat acquainted with the forty-five-year-old, Texas-born, mother of two. She's an outdoorswoman who loves to camp. It's a good thing too; she's only allowed to cook in the garage or on the patio, due to Eric not liking the smell of food inside the house.

Oddly, every night, the tall hot vampire gets dressed for the evening and brings me a gigantic bowl of ice-cream. I guess the smell of sweets doesn't bother him...I wonder, how'd he know what tastes good? How'd he know that Bunny Tracks with maraschino cherries and caramel drizzle are yummy? I'm always surprised with the wonderful flavor choices he comes up with. It's really a sight to behold watching a vampire make an ice cream sundae. Tonight, he has a business engagement and he'll be out for a few hours; but not before we chat over a bowl of ice-cream. It's adorable the way he's consistently trying to put me at ease. And although his efforts are appreciated, I'm still troubled.

"Tell me again, about how the blood bond works?" I've asked him this question every night, but if anyone was in the predicament I was in, they'd measure twice as well.

"The bond is immediate upon the final exchange. Our bond shall last up to a decade, we'd mutually become aware when the bond begins to wane." Eric began, "The bond can only be broken by death, time or by one or both of us bonding with another," he didn't seem irritated or insulted by my constant questioning. My hesitation to bond with him was perfectly reasonable. This was a choice with long-lasting, luminous results.

Just the idea of the blood-bond always left me deep in thought. Pulling me from my rumination with the motioned his hand, he gestured towards my bowl of ice cream. My treat was slightly melting. I shovel up a big spoonful and shoved the yummy-stuff in my mouth.

"As your bonded, our emotions shall infuse. I will feel all of your most intimate feelings. Such a bonding will alert me if you are in danger and you shall feel my emotional state as well."

I took another scoop of sweet goodness and forgetting my manners I spoke with ice cream still in my mouth.

"How many humans have you bonded with?" This was a new question. But I needed to know if this was something he does when the mood strikes him.

"You shall be my first. I've never been entertained by such a perpetual act. I find human emotions bothersome." All I could do was giggle (on the inside of course) at that. Eric seems perfectly willing to engage himself with my bothersome human emotions.

"I shall belong to you, and you to me, much like a marriage, of course, it is not legally binding except to the vampire community. No other vampire, two-nature or demon will violate our bond."

"Like a marriage," I repeated aloud, not really meaning too; at the same time my mind took off, taking me to risky places, that I was unprepared to venture.

"It is a new moon, Tara," He said leaning in swiftly and placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. I was startled by his actions, the cool softness of his lips sent a delightful shiver down my spine, "an ideal time to bond, the magi believe this is the time to relinquish negative spiritual energy. If what they say is true, we need to seize the opportunity."

"What is- who are the magi?" I asked, but he didn't answer.

"Tara, I shall wait for you no longer. Upon my return, you must decide." He didn't give me time to respond, he simply sped out of the room, and I could hear the double doors in the foyer shut in finality. He'd left the house.

If I say no… then what?

ERIC POV

Upon my persistent request to allow me to keep a watchful eye on her condition, the beautiful Tara reluctantly accepted and has been in my presence for seven days now. From downstairs in the kitchen, I could hear her as she leisurely exited the shower and prepare for bed. I brought her the sweet, cold concoction humans eat for comfort to her bedside. Indulging in her first taste of the frozen treat, her habitually accelerated heartbeat slowed, her inhalations steadied. She didn't seem to realize that her consumption caused such a response in her.

Beautifully, the doe-eyed -doll face woman reclined back onto the propped pillows and smiled her lovely smile at me. I find myself in a perplexing situation with the enchanting creature. Her internal spirit remains resilient, neither mine, nor the demon has full dominion over her. Thus trapping the troubled beauty between both worlds. Tara questioned me about the final blood-bond, understandably, she held a healthy dose of trepidation that equaled her curiosity. On the contrary, Tara did not have the luxury of time. Every day that passes, our blood exchange steadily wanes and every day I could smell the demon's blood infiltrating my blood inside of her –taking further hold of her, soon it shall dominate her and she will lose her soul.

Tonight she must give herself to me, there is truly no other way...