With the speed of light, Edward's silhouette spun around behind the man, gripping his face and holding it back and off to the left, then he bit into his neck, swallowing hard, holding the limp struggling man up on his feet.

The man didn't scream or fight much, just groaned and twitched a bit as Edward's mouth widely covered the hole he'd made with his normal looking teeth. She saw no gushing blood, but it was obvious that all the blood was running down Edward's throat, he was not losing a single drop of it.

And Edward's voice sounded like a purring cougar, the sound of him swallowing liquid made her blood curdle. She couldn't move or even look away, as if being held there in shock by his evil spell.

In minutes, the man Edward was killing stilled, not even breathing anymore. Grumbling a little wordless complaint, Edward jerked the body violently, getting a little more drink, then sounded so satisfied, like she would sound if she were drinking hot cocoa after being out in the snow all day.

Samantha held her stomach with her hand, afraid she'd vomit right there. She was going to die anyway, she told herself, 'You were going to be his next meal.' He had been feeding her, fattening her up. No, she pushed that thought away, she didn't really believe that. All she knew was she had to get out of here, right this very second.

She threw open the door explosively and ran her ass off, past Edward and the dead man. Her days in track kicked in, ignoring the pain as she ran into the woods, her bare feet hitting rocks and sticks as she sprinted into the thickness of the forest before her. If she could make it there, she might be able to hide.

"Samantha!", she heard his voice scream far off behind her but she didn't even think of slowing.

She stared at the full white moon above, it gave her strength. The wind on her face and in her lungs was cleansing. She was nearly there where she would be buried in the trees, invisible as the air.

"UGH!", she slammed into something, dazed. Everything spun upside down at once as she tried to see what she'd hit. The field was clear seconds before.

"You just refuse to LISTEN, don't you?!", his voice shouted closely, shaking with rage. She realized now she was over his shoulder, hanging there upside down as he held her legs against his chest. They moved so fast that the forest and moon blurred away like dust in the wind, and a door slammed behind them, back in the garage in seconds.

"I tell you to STAY.", he raged on, "but you DON'T!"

SLAM – another door shut. Now they were back in the basement again, the TV still playing to no one.

This was it, he was going to kill her now and drink her blood. She began to mutter her prayer again out loud as he tossed her onto the leather sofa again, her back aching as she landed there.

"I TOLD YOU I WAS A MONSTER, I TOLD YOU TO STAY HERE!", he was screaming in her face now, his eyes on fire, bright red in the blackness. She was crying in terror, trapped there as he grabbed her wrists, shaking her roughly, "WHY DID YOU FOLLOW ME?! WHY?!"

"I don't know.", she cried, seeing the full fury of him now. She felt like a kitten fighting against a howling grizzly bear.

"I could KILL you, don't you GET IT ?!", he screamed, grabbing her hair, "Is that what you WANT?!"

"I'm SORRY!", she screamed back, "I'm sorry ! I'm sorry!"

"I've had it with you!", he raged on, sounding upset now, going into his jacket pocket and taking out a little plastic bag, removing a white pill from it. Time to go to sleep for a couple days Samantha, he growled to himself. At least this way, he wouldn't be tempted to drink her blood.

"Open your mouth!" he moved his legs around until he was sitting on her chest, pinning her arms at her sides, under him.

"NO!", she screamed, not sure what the pill was, she shook her head in resistance, kicking her legs under his too strong body.

"I said OPEN.", he shouted, grabbing her throat and giving it a gentle squeeze so she'd open her mouth. When she needed air, she'd have no choice.

"Edward !", she choked for air, begging, "Listen, I can't !"

"I am going to hurt you.", he decided, looking completely evil to her eyes now, "Open your mouth."

He tried to force the pill inside her clenched mouth. If he tried any harder, he'd certainly break her jawbone and some of her teeth. He was out of control and something inside him knew it. The boy Edward used to be from 1918 was in the distance, shouting against the howling wind at the monster to stop it. The demon sat on top of his female prey, turning towards the weak little man and sneering.

He let her throat go and lifted his hand up, about to backhand her across the face but she screamed and turned her head away, readying herself for the blow. It would've killed her instantly if he let go now and slapped her.

"EDWARD MASEN JR!" a male voice from long ago shouted, "Don't you DARE strike a female, boy! I'll tar and feather you MYSELF!"

Everything in him froze, his hand still in midair, stopped. It was his father's voice, his real father, Edward Masen, Sr.

She was gasping over and over again, staring up into his face. Total fear was in her wild expression. The transformation is complete, he said to himself, you are truly a monster now, all of you.

He leapt off of her body instantly, moving as far away as he could without leaving the room. In the corner, almost cowering, he sank along the wall, sitting on the floor, shaking, grabbing his hair in his fists.

She thought she heard him crying in the dark as she slowly sat up a bit, not daring to leave the couch right now.

Neither said anything for a long time. It was she who broke the silence.

"I have cancer.", she said simply, looking at the dark figure in the corner, "I can't take any kind of pills. It could do me major harm."

His face rose up from his hands slowly, silently.

"I just figured to tell you, since, now, I know – your secret.", she tried to sound brave, "It's only fair you know mine now."

She heard him try to choke back a sob. He couldn't say anything, just shivered, so ashamed of himself.

"What am I? ", he trembled in his voice as he spoke, to himself, "Why didn't he just let me die? I should've died…"

She thought of trying to run again but she told herself no. Amazingly enough, she overlooked the fear she was feeling and found herself crawling off the sofa and onto the floor, trying to make eye contact with him in the darkness, still not getting that much closer.

"It's alright Edward.", she spoke like an angel, "You're not alone. I can reach you, if you let me."

"How?", his voice broke as he looked at her with his wet red eyes, "I am this…fucking THING. You can't change that. Everything good I ever was is – dead, like ME."

"No.", she felt tears in her own eyes now, feeling his pain, "If that was true, you wouldn't have stopped, you wouldn't be crying now."

"I'm not crying.", he sniffed stubbornly, his fingers clutching his hair again.

"Okay.", she let him be a man and deny that one. The male ego is in there, so he can't be totally inhuman.

"I'll take you home in a minute.", he said.

"What about those other girls?", Sammi asked, frowning, "You said that-"

"I can't save anyone anymore!", he shouted in agony, "I'm a piece of shit, I shouldn't even be around people at all, let alone act like some Superman ! I'm bullshit!"

"That's not true!", she made her voice rise up, louder, "You did save me from those men! You have to do the same for those other girls, too! No cops are going to do it and you know it!"

"Too bad for them.", Edward snapped back.

"If that's what you really feel, then you're right, you are a piece of shit!", she found herself getting angry at him now, "If you can help and don't and they die or get raped, then you ARE REALLY A MONSTER! And nothing will change that ! Or you can stop crying, get up, and act like someone who cares! REAL HEROES do that everyday. It's hard as hell, but they DO IT! And they don't give up. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, you're not the only person hurting in this world."

Edward's gears suddenly switched and his eyes went from angered monster to concerned man. She said she has cancer, he realized.

"Samantha.", he swallowed, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine.", she smiled a bit, tilting her head, glad to see the nice Edward was back.

"I'm going to need a new pair of shorts, but I'm fine.", she joked.

He let out a laugh and she joined him in it.

"Do you need anything?", he slowly got to his feet, slowly coming over to her, helping her up gently.

"This is why I don't tell people I have cancer.", she looked at him as she stood in front of him, "Please don't treat me like I'm made of glass."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.", he began, "It's just, to me, every human is made of glass."

"Oh.", she answered, not sure what to say.

"Why don't you sit down and finish your dinner?", he tried to return things to normal now, as impossible as that seemed, "You have full use of your hands from now on cause I can see me tying you up is not going to stop you from doing as you please."

"Are you…", she gulped, "Going back to finish – your dinner?"

His eyes looked darkly back at her. He wasn't used to having a human know his secret.

"No.", he said awkwardly, "I -- finished. I'm just going to – tidy up the yard."

"Who was that man?", she had to ask.

"A drug dealer.", Edward informed, still sounding ashamed, "He deals to kids in schools. He was a bad one."

As if he wasn't a bad one himself, Sammi thought to herself. And Edward heard this thought in his mind. And that hurt him more than he wanted to admit.

"I have to.", Edward defended himself weakly, "I live on blood. I choose to drink on those that are not innocent."

"None of us are innocent, though, Edward.", she said softly, "That's only an excuse to ease your guilt. Every life is precious. Don't you see that ?"

He bit his teeth down and gritted, "I have to go, stay here."

He left and slammed the door again, the walls giving a jump.

Hit a nerve, I guess, she sighed, looking around her. She wasn't thinking of running anymore. She had work to do here. Like it or not, she cared about Edward now. She couldn't turn away from him in his time of greatest need. He needed a friend.

This was a turning point in his life, and she knew it. From here, he could turn into a real evil vampire, killing anyone for any reason, anywhere…or he could be better and find peace. If she could help him, even a little to go in that direction, it was another way to do something good while she was still here.

Strangely enough, she sat down and finished her food, glad to have her hands back. Remembering that feeling of helplessness as Edward fed her, she felt a small tingle of excitement. Was that arousal ? She smiled to herself, surprised.

He had gotten the drink wrong, she smirked as she drank thru the straw, her favorite was lemonade, but she liked soda, too.

It seemed like a long time until he came back. The door slowly opened and he peeked his head in.

"Can I come in?", he asked softly, almost afraid to ask.

"It's your basement, Edward.", she gave him a strange look.

"Yes?"

"Yes, come in.", she sipped the straw.

"Yard all tidy?", she asked, trying not to think about the job he'd just had to do. She used to work with teenagers who battled addiction. Maybe she could make herself handle this, too.

"Yes.", he replied, closing the door behind him as he came inside, walking over to the bar area again, afraid to come near her now.

"Good.", she stared at him, watching him closely.

"I want to apologize for my behavior.", he said sorrowfully but gentlemanly, "I have no excuse for treating you that way. It won't happen again."

"God you sound so stiff.", she smiled a bit, being honest, "It sounds like you're reading a letter."

"What?", he sounded taken aback by her comment.

"Come here.", she patted the sofa next to her, "I'm giving you a lesson."

Not knowing why, he found his legs slowly walking over to the sofa, standing there.

"Sit down next to me Edward.", she took his hand and pulled him down beside her.

"Okay.", Sammi took a breath, "Apologizing to someone is a little tough because they're upset with you and you have to get back on their good side. You've hurt them or wronged them and now it's time to make amends. It's scary because some people won't forgive you, some will. But the secret is, a true friend WANTS to forgive you. However, you have to do the apology right."

"I see.", Edward smiled a little at her, watching her jabber away. She seemed much more relaxed and herself now that she wasn't tied up and under his complete control. He decided he liked her personality. She was very like Alice in a way. And it had been ten years since he'd actually talked to anyone.

"Now, because I'm a girl, it won't be hard for you to get forgiveness.", she pointed out, "You have your looks on your side and that voice."

Edward laughed a little, not believing this girl, she said whatever came to mind.

"You don't have to make a big speech like you just did.", Sammi grinned, watch me, I'll be you, okay ?"

"Okay."

She took Edward's cold hand into her little one, gave it a stroke and looked into Edward's deep eyes as they stared back at hers.

"I am so sorry Samantha.", she said in her own voice, pretending to be Edward, "Please forgive me."

"Now you.", she gave him back his hand and waited.

It seemed easy enough. He took her tiny hand into his white one, made a little circle there and looked down into her waiting face. She was to tiny next to him.

"I am so sorry Samantha.", his voice was softer than wind, "Please…forgive me?"

"Wow.", she blinked her eyes a couple times, laughing with him.

"You're good.", Samantha graded his apology, "A plus ! A girl would melt from that apology. Good job!"

"So," Edward kept looking at her, "Am I forgiven?"

"Maybe.", she teased, getting a laugh from him.

"Brat.", he commented, letting her hand go.

"I ate it all.", she announced, changing the subject quickly, both her fingers pointing at the table near the sofa.

"Oh good.", he stood up, going to collect the trash from the table, "I can't believe you could EAT after what you saw me do."

"Oh yea.", she understood that, "Well I've been in hospitals so much since I was 2 that blood and urine and sickness is not that repulsive to me."

"It's been that long since you first got sick?", he asked, really caring, looking at her as she spoke.

"Yes," she sighed, "I can't remember NOT being sick at some point in my life. I have periods like now when I'm in remission and those are great. I really get to live to the fullest until I start to feel sick again."

"I feel sick all the time, too.", Edward wanted her to know he understood her feelings.

"How did you die?", she asked abruptly, making Edward look up at her, shocked.

"I'm sorry.", she looked down, "That wasn't right for me to ask. I just have this curiosity about death. I have done so much research on it, to prepare myself for it. I want to die well, you know? No blubbering or begging."

"Wow.", Edward stared at her with admiration, then snapped out of it, putting the food cartons in the big brown bag, "Umm, I think I died well. No begging or blubbering, but lots of coughing."

"Oh no.", she winced, "What did you have?"

It felt so great to just answer her questions like this, without fear or shame. He liked this so far. He liked Samantha, he decided.

"Spanish influenza.", he informed, not looking up as he cleaned up the bar area.

"That's a long time ago, then.", she said right away, very bright, he observed.

"1918, August." , he said quietly.

"Did it hurt a lot?", she asked, now a well of questions. It was impossible to interview the dead and get real information, until now.

"Yea." , he said truthfully, "My lungs were killing me, and you feel that in your back. I couldn't eat so I was starving and couldn't sleep so I was exhausted. Then I started coughing up blood and that lasted for two days. That was the end."

"God that's so awful.", she felt such pity in her heart for him, "No painkillers or anything?"

"No.", Edward answered, "So many people were infected, there wasn't enough medicine for everyone. I let my mother have my share."

"Oh Edward.", she felt her eyes become wet with tears.

"That wasn't the worst part.", Edward shared, closing his journal book and putting it away on a shelf.

"What was the worst part?", she frowned, wondering what could be worse.

"I died alone.", Edward said simply, wiping the blood from the bar counter with a wet rag.

"What about your family?", she asked, "Where were they?"

"Dead already.", he said, trying to hide the pain behind his eyes, "They caught it from me and died before I did. I was younger and stronger so I held on a day longer than they."

"Heartbreak first, death second.", she said with a shaky voice.

He did not say anything to this. Maybe he couldn't.

"I can't imagine facing death with a broken heart like that.", she said.

"Well, I guess I wasn't completely alone.", Edward breathed, raising a brow, "Carlisle was with me."

"Who's Carlisle?", she asked, "Your brother?"

"No, he was the doctor at the hospital.", Edward informed, "And also, the vampire who bit me and made me what I am today."

"A vampire doctor?", she asked, getting a nod from Edward, "Creepy."

"Not really.", Edward said, having to defend him somewhat, "He's a good man, for a vampire. He means well. He overcame his addiction to the blood and learned to save people instead of drinking them. He wanted me to be his son, like, he was adopting me in a way. He was a good teacher and he cared about me."

And I let him down, Edward wanted to add, but didn't.

"What happened to him?"

"He lives in New York now.", Edward said, "With the rest of the family."

"You have more family?", she brightened at this, maybe he did have some hope to be okay after all. It sounded like his father had this thirst thing under control, and he could teach Edward to be like him.

"No I don't.", he answered bitterly, "They're not my family, not really."

"I'm missing something." Sammi said, confused.

"They don't drink human blood.", Edward didn't know why he was explaining this, "They live under a rule, no human blood, only animals."

"That's nice.", she heard herself say, unsure.

"I guess.", Edward replied, looking insulted now, putting the cap on his ink bottle.

"Oh you don't like animals?", she guessed.

"They're okay.", he shrugged, looking away. She can't understand, he told himself, he was addicted to human blood now, like it was a drug. He didn't WANT to give it up.

"Okay, if I'm pissing you off, just say RED and I'll stop." Sammi said, "If you want me to slow down, say YELLOW."

He smiled, not wanting to. He did like her.

"Let's talk about you now.", Edward turned the tables, "Let me ask you some ."

see next chapter

WinndSinger