I'm not sure how long I was unconscious before I woke at the sound of David's voice.

"Baby, wake up. I'm here."

My eyes stayed closed as my head lolled to the side, "You never call me baby."

"And you never drink dead blood," David shot back. "There's a time for everything."

A small laugh shook my chest, "I'll enjoy it while it lasts."

David's fingers trailed over my cheek as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

Instead of answering with words, my body contorted to the side and I vomited another stream of blood into the basin sitting beside me on the bed with a cry. That particular bout lasted more than a minute and once I was finished, I opened my eyes – now pale and bloodshot – and looked to him, "Peachy."

"Eh," David cringed. "This happened to Marko once. It passed in less than a day. You just have to suffer for a while."

"Wonderful," I muttered under my breath as my head fell back onto the pillow – I had long since refused to sleep upside down in the caverns. "I suppose you'll be leaving me for the bat feet come sunrise."

"I resent the nickname," Dwayne spoke up from the doorway which was really no more than rock and debris which had caved in appropriately.

David ignored him to answer my question, "I would like to actually get some sleep." I frowned and he pulled his lips together in a grimace. "Don't do that. You made the suggestion."

"I'll stay with her," Dwayne crossed the room and took a seat on the opposite side of the bed. "Sun's up soon – go ahead, man. I've got her."

David nodded in appreciation and leaned down to press a kiss to my lips before faltering and settling for my cheek instead, "You've got some blood left over. I'm not risking it."

"Ass," I muttered as David got to his feet.

"Yeah," David smirked as if the insult was a badge of honor. "I'll see you in a few hours."

When he was gone, I turned my head to face Dwayne, "You don't have to stay with me. You should rest."

"Hush, Rhi," Dwayne shifted the basin into his lap and moved so that my head was rested in the crook of his shoulder. "I stayed with Marko when this happened. I already know the drill."

"Hm," I hummed as I nestled into his side. "Dwayne?"

He tilted his head down, "Yeah?"

"I only attacked the body because of the smell coming from near him," I turned my warped eyes upwards. "Paul couldn't smell it. It was so sweet and perfect. It felt like my body was on fire and my senses were alive." I let out a cough and covered my mouth to avoid the spray of blood spreading. "I felt alive for a moment. That's never happened."

Dwayne was silent for a good while and I could feel him tensed and lost in thought before he finally spoke, "Did you tell David this?"

"No," I shook my head and turned enough so that I could stare at the tanned vampire. "Your hesitance on asking makes me think that I shouldn't."

Dwayne ran his fingers through my hair as he explained, "It's just… What happened to you? It's rare; so rare that neither Paul nor David picked up on it. I, on the other hand, have had it happen to me."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "And?"

"That blood, whoever it belonged to? It was your Caller. Did it feel like you were being summoned?"

"As if I didn't have any choice in the matter. It wasn't Calling to me… it was screaming."

"It's all the same – some call that human your Caller, some Singer. There are many terms for it. It penetrates your mind. It enhances things."

My lips quirked into a frown, "And you've felt this?"

"Yes," Dwayne confirmed and I could see something dark flash behind his eyes. "It was right before we met in Santa Carla – several weeks, actually. If I look back, it explains why I became the silent brooding type for a while."

"I always wondered why that faded away – I hoped it was my dazzling charms."

Dwayne chuckled, "We could pretend." He sighed and pulled me in closer. "There was a girl named Cassie and she smelled like jasmine – warm, sweet, rich. I can still remember her. She was… overwhelming."

My lips popped open at Dwayne's tone, "You cared for her."

"The boys don't know this."

"I won't tell them. You know that."

Dwayne let his eyes drift shut, "I didn't tell them because I thought they might try to go for her – they're assholes, they'd do it. The first time I smelled her, the only thing that had kept me under control was a full stomach. The second time, I couldn't get her alone. By the third, I just wanted to talk to her."

I slipped an arm around his waist and hummed for him to continue when he stopped.

"She was beautiful… for a mortal. She was so different from me. Cassie was sweet and innocent. She hadn't been around long enough for Santa Carla to corrupt her. I pulled her in so easily… She loved me, so I wanted to make her like us."

"Apparently that didn't end well."

"No… because I was greedy. I just needed one taste… one small taste before I'd lose the chance," Dwayne swallowed hard as his eyes popped back open. "Cassie's blood was the purest thing I've ever tasted. It was intoxicating. And even when I knew I should stop drinking it, I couldn't. I drained her dry."

"Dwayne…" I reached up and pressed my palm to his cheek. "I'm sorry, truthfully."

"It was a long time ago," Dwayne went from pained to neutral in a flash.

"But, that won't happen to me. I'm with David – I'm happy. It will just be a meal."

"I'm sure you're right," Dwayne was quick to agree. "I still think it would be best if no one else knew. If David knew that you had a Caller? Well, you know David."

I did know David. I knew that while he loved me, he could be more than possessive. He would want the person with the perfect blood eliminated immediately.

And me? I wanted to know them before I killed them.