CHAPTER 8

He looked at me appalled, and then his features softened into thought.

"I'm not sure, I haven't exactly been this way for very long so I don't know how to put it in perspective." he started. "I can understand why you are asking. It is a reasonable question to ask. I guess I haven't really thought about this subject." It sounded to me like he was thinking out loud and I hoped that I would, in the end, get an answer. "I wouldn't have wanted myself to have to live for eternity personally, but everyone does have their own opinion, but it isn't like I had a choice my transformation was…" I opened my mouth to question how his transformation had come about, but was silenced when he held his finger to my mouth, in the universal motion of 'wait'. "I will tell you about it later. I do admit that having you around for eternity with me would lighten things up, that is if you agreed to be with me, which you could very easily decide you didn't want. And I would only let you be changed for my own completely selfish reasons." He said a smirk gracing his perfect lips. "But if I were to change you, you would either be forever one age, never to experience growing up. New things that happen with age. You would never have children and never be able to attach yourself to anyone who would one day die without you, yourself dying emotionally. You would have to leave your family, your friends, your whole life. So for now my answer is no. No, at the moment I am not planning on ever changing you."

"When you say at the moment, does that mean that your ideas on this subject could possibly change?" I asked.

"Possibly, but it is unlikely. Once I decide something it usually stays that way."

"I guess I understand your reasoning, but does that mean I can't hope that you will one day change me anyway?"

"You can still hope, I cannot control your thoughts, but I would rather you didn't get yourself accustomed to the idea of it." He said.

"I would rather live in the moment than fret about the future anyways." I said leaning back.

I apparently leaned to far and was precariously teetering about to fall onto my back, not that it would be a long fall from my sitting position, but still, the ground didn't look exactly soft. The moment I officially began moving backwards of gravity's accord I felt two strong arms wrap there way around me and pull me close.

"I'm glad you see it that way." Rory's smooth voice said in my ear. I sighed and pushed my head against his chest to check for about the umpteenth time that his heart really wasn't beating. It wasn't that I didn't believe him, I just marveled at the idea of him walking around like a normal person when he didn't have a heart beat. Not that he was anything close to a normal person, calling him normal was just about the biggest insult you could give him.

He was beautiful, gorgeous, he took my breath away. He was graceful and polite. He wasn't polite to an annoyance though, he also had his 16 year old side. But he had matured so much since before. I wondered what would have happened if he hadn't been changed. But I needed to live in the present now, not the past. I didn't need to worry about 'what if' s because this was what was happening.

"Rory, I really do love you."

"Cassie, I really do love you too."

"Will you take me home?"

"Sure," he said standing up but never letting go of me.

"You know if you keep carrying me everywhere I'm going to get fat." I said

"I highly doubt you could ever get fat if you tried."

"Ha-ha."

"No really Cassie, you're very thin."

"Um, thank you. I think."

"Your welcome. I think."

We both laughed. I decided that I would never again bring up getting fat because he took it a little too seriously, it was supposed to be a one liner joke to annoy him, but he had carried it on like a real conversation. Instead of running back to his house like I had expected, he walked in a slow graceful gait.

Once at the house he walked into the garage and placed me gently in the car. As he climbed into the drivers seat himself, I thought back on what Triston had said. Why he hadn't been able to use his power on me.

"Why do you think your gift works on me and the others' don't?" I blurted out. He stopped mid-movement, as if frozen like some statue. Then he turned to me a dejected look on his face.

"I don't know."

"Does it upset you that you don't know?" I asked.

"Slightly, more the reason that the others' powers don't work on you."

"Why does that upset you." I asked completely befuddled.

"It more scares me. And it scares me because they all feel that the reason that their powers don't work on you is because they feel that they possess some type of bond with you."

"So…what are you jealous?"

"No, their bond is made because to all of them you seem to significantly resemble or remind them of someone they were deeply emotionally connected to."

The car was parked outside my house. The lights were all off and it was obvious that no one was home.

"I still don't understand why that scares you." I stated.

"We'll talk about it when I come back. Don't worry that won't be long, I just have to bring the car back."

"Fine." I said stepping out of the car. And hurrying to the door. By the time I got there I turned around to see his car one more time but it was already gone. I walked in the house to my room and slipped off my shoes before falling on my bed. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. Today had been a very long and interesting day and it wasn't even over yet.

"Headache?" called my personal angel from somewhere to my left.

"Migraine." I corrected, but I sat up and opened my eyes eager to see his face. He looked at me. I looked at him. I almost had the urge to commence me staring contest but then remembered he need never blink, so I would automatically lose.

"So, why does it scare you that the rest of your family feel that they have a 'bond' with me?"

"Maybe I shouldn't tell you, it would only intensify your migraine."

"I don't care, I just want to know."

"Fine, it scares me because all of those emotional bonds that were made with people with my family were all murdered." He said bluntly.

"That could be just a coincidence." I said feebly. The idea scared me but why couldn't it be a coincidence.

"It could…" he said slowly.

"How did they die?" I asked, not truly sure if I wanted the answer.

"Well, I believe that Triston told you about Madelyn." I nodded my head to show him that I already knew that. "Jill had a friend who, after she was changed, was killed in some women's rights act gone riot. She was shot when the police tried to calm everyone down. It affected Jill a lot because when she went to the funeral, she couldn't get in because she had to let everyone believe she was dead. As for Damien, you remind him of his first prey…" he paused as if he didn't want to continue in case I became scared, or something along those lines.

"Continue." I commanded, my face blank of any expression.

"He says you remind him of his first prey, his first human prey. It was the only human he ever fed off of. He says that the girl looked so innocent, good natured, and understanding. He says that she didn't put up any type of struggle, she understood why he was doing it. She was even polite. Damien says that the only thing that she said at all was 'please don't' once." His melodic voice had run soft, in a whisper.

"Oh." My mind was like a turbulent waterfall. One thought running into the next. "Rory, would you mind leaving for a bit?" I asked. I needed to sort out my thoughts without being watched.

He raised his eyebrow. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked worried.

"No, no of course not, I just need some time to think."

"I shouldn't have told you that much." He said hanging his head.

"I needed to know, I'm glad that you told me. " I said, softly putting my hand against his glacial cheek. It sent my heart pounding, and I was proud of the courage I had to initiate such a move. "I just need to have some time to think."

"About what?"

"Life." And when I said this, I didn't mean it in the sarcastic way. I meant that I needed to think about losing it by being changed, and losing it because of the weird 'bond' that I shared with Rory's family members, and keeping it ; but losing it emotionally by leaving Rory and his family like Elyse had told me to. "It will just be for a little while, you can come back at," I looked at my alarm clock. It read 5:52 p.m.. "7:30, if you want to that is." I added hurriedly. I guess I was just assuming that he would be, but what if he wasn't. Maybe he just spent the night because it was the night he had told me his secret.

"Of course I'll be back." He said. He leaned close to me and I was careful not to do anything stupid. I could smell his intoxicating scent oozing off of him. He leaned in closer and pressed his lips against by cheek.

It felt amazing, though my whole body was on fire. I could tell that my face was deep scarlet. I could feel his lips pull into a grin. But I also felt, as a cause of him grinning, the texture of his teeth pressed lightly against my cheek.

I was suddenly aware of everything. How my scarlet blush was my blood pooling near the surface of my skin. How cold and deathly Rory felt against me. I could feel how rigid my body was. I could hear the clock in the kitchen ticking.

Rory pulled back a look of concern in his face. "I should go now." He said.

"Okay." I consented.

He left in a flurry of motion that left my schoolwork from the desk into the air.

I lay on my bed. I was getting distracted by the colors and images on my walls. I grabbed the sheets from the foot of my bed and threw them over my head. I huddled in fetal position underneath them. In the darkness my thoughts inundated my mind.

The first thing I thought that I should tackle was whether or not I even wanted to be changed. I had spoken the truth saying I would rather live in the moment than fret about the future. But I didn't even know my stand point on the topic. Everything that he had said, all of his reasoning made a lot of sense. I was happy how much he was thinking of me. About how he wanted me to experience life and all of its aspects. But did I want to be changed at all? Yes, I did. Maybe not now, but eventually. When I thought eventually I meant soon though. I didn't exactly look forward to withering and growing old. But I was fifteen going on sixteen, I didn't really need to worry about wrinkles yet. But if he waited too long then we wouldn't be able to be together at all. It would be strange to see someone about 27 dating someone who was sixteen. But Rory didn't look sixteen. He could pass as 18 easily, maybe even 19. So I could go a while without feeling like a 'biological time clock' was ticking ( I mean ageing not pregnancy, though it is normally used when talking about pregnancy). That was my answer to my first question. I did want to be changed, eventually.

The thought that confused me the most. The reason why Triston, Jill, and Damien's powers didn't work on me. The 'bond' was unusual. All of these people had had some type of impact on the family. All of them had been murdered. All of these people had some how greatly affected Triston, Jill, and Damien. They had all affected them… I needed to find some similarity. And why could Rory use his power on me? I let out a frustrated sigh.

I wondered if Rory was in my mind right now. I hoped he wasn't, but wouldn't put it past him. I started thinking about his gift, I wondered if the actual gift he had was the real reason that he could use it on me. Could he use it on other vampires or just humans? Humans. Vampires. I repeated to myself. It was like the light bulb in my head had flickered on and off so fast that I wasn't sure if it had really happened.

I got it! I had found some similarity between the stories, the people. All of the people had somehow affected Rory's 'gifted' family after they had been changed. While the victims had been humans the Haven's had been vampires. Maybe this wasn't some huge discovery. Maybe, like the deaths, it was just a coincidence. But I felt content with myself for figuring as much as I had.

I was annoyed that Elyse had advised me to stay away. I didn't give a damn if they were dangerous. Maybe she didn't realize that they aren't the only thing that bites. Dogs bite.

But I knew that she meant well, and was just trying to protect me. The thought of leaving Rory terrified me though. I would die emotionally if he left. I was so close to him. He was like my heart. And I needed both a heart and brain to survive. I wouldn't leave him, the very thought was absurd.

I couldn't believe how long it had been since he had told me. Or rather how short. I had only known for less than a day. It was strange to think. I had accepted it so fast. Welcomed his lifestyle, him. But that was because I didn't care. If I had to put it to song it would be 'as long as you love me' by the backstreet boys.

I did love him, and I always would. No matter what.

"Is that you under there?" Rory asked, pulling me out of my reverie.

I threw the blankets off of me and was overjoyed to see him standing at the side of my bed.

"I love you." I said slightly too emotional, but it was a cause of being left alone with my thoughts. Not that I was sure that they were being left alone.

"Yes, it's definitely you." He said sarcastically. He put his hands to my hair and started to straighten it out. I could only imagine how horrid it looked from being squished under the covers for an hour and a half.

"But I really do." I said. He sat down next to me and looked into my eyes. I felt like a deer caught in headlights. I couldn't move. I needed to blink but his gaze was rendering me useless to my own needs. His brilliant glowing eyes. Though the warning was right in front of me I leaned in slowly towards his cheek and pressed my own lips against it. I pulled away and looked at him.

"I love you too." He told me.

"CASSIE?" my mother called. I was surprised that I hadn't heard her pull into the house. I looked next to me but Rory was gone.

"Rory?" I whispered urgently.

"Yes?" he whispered back.

"Where are you?"

"Under your bed."

"Great, I have a vampire under my bed." I said exasperated. I heard him snicker.

"Cassie, are you home?" my mother said again.

"Yeah mom, I'm in my room." I said then thinking better of inviting her into my room I said. "I'll be there in a moment." I quickly emerged from my room, shutting the door behind me. I walked briskly down the hall.

"Hey honey." My mom said when I entered the living room. "What were you doing, why didn't you answer me the first time I called?" she asked, mild suspicion in her voice.

"I was finishing up a math problem on my homework." I lied easily. I was always better at lying to my mother than anyone else because she always believed me. I needed to do my homework, I had an essay due on Monday.

"Oh good job." She said half heartedly while searching through the mail. She pulled an envelope out and started walking down the hall and into the office. I followed her.

"So why'd you call me?" I asked.

She put the letter down and looked at me. "I just wanted to talk." She said. It was obvious that there was more to this. "How was homecoming?"

"Fine, I guess." I said, not understanding where she was going with this. I couldn't figure out her motive to being so interested in my life.

"Did you go with Rory?" there it was, that was her motive.

"Yes."

"What did you do after the dance?"

"We went to a party."

"Was there alcohol there?"

"I don't know, we left early." I said truthfully.

"What did you do after you left? You didn't get back until 3:50 in the morning." I hadn't realized we had gotten home so late. I couldn't tell her the truth that I went to his house and talked with him and his family about their vampirism.

"After we went to his house with the rest of his family."

"Is that the truth?"

"Yes." And it was, I had just made it sound slightly more innocent.

"I don't think you're telling me the truth."

"Well, you are entitled to your own opinion." I said starting to sound like a smart-alec.

"Cassie, have you and Rory had sex?" she asked in complete bluntness.

"No, I wouldn't do something like that right now. Why would you even think that?" I asked slightly flustered, but not embarrassed because I was mature enough to handle a conversation about it.

"Well, you called him your boyfriend, so things must be serious."

"They are mom, but to have a serious relationship you don't need everything to be physical."

"Well, I'm glad you know." I could feel that our conversation was over so I left the room and walked into my own, closing the door and crouching down to look under my bed. I looked under but saw nothing.

"What are you looking for?" Rory asked. I let out a small yelp.

"Is everything okay?" my mom asked from the , I guessed, kitchen.

"Um, yes. I just saw a spider." I said quickly.

"I didn't know you were afraid of spiders." Rory said.

"That's because I'm not."

"Won't your mom realize?"

"Probably not."

"All right then." He said sitting on my bed and pulling me into his lap.

After a few minutes of sitting I broke our silence. "Things have changed so much since I first met you."

"Well obviously." He chuckled.

"Do you know the first time I saw you I had a crush on you?"

"When Kirsten and I were going out?"

"No, before that."

"I don't think we met before that."

"We did." I said closing my eyes to best recall the memory. "We were in kindergarten and you came with your mother, looking at schools. You stayed the day. I watched you the entire time. Most of it though you were watching Kirsten." I sighed.

"Hmm, I don't remember you from then."

"That's fine, it was six hours in a kindergartener's life, and it isn't an expected memory to keep."

"Well," he stopped.

"What? You can tell me, I won't be scared or upset."

He closed his eyes and said the next fast. "It isn't that I don't remember that day, it's that I don't remember you… all I remember are Kirsten."

I felt a pang of jealousy. I knew it was stupid because that was in kindergarten, but it was still there.

"You're jealous." He stated.

"That's not fair, you need to stay out of my mind."

"You don't need to feel jealous."

"Stay out of my mind." I said giving him my harshest glare, but it was hard because I was distracted by his gorgeousness. "Were you in my mind when you weren't here today?" I demanded.

"Maybe."

I gave an extremely frustrated sigh and buried my face into his chest. When I finally brought my face back up he gave me an apologetic smile. I looked at the clock. I needed to get to bed.

I looked at him then climbed off is lap. I walked to my dresser and pulled out some pajamas. I looked at him deliberately and he turned around. After slipping into my P.J.'s and washing my face and brushing my teeth I climbed into bed and he tucked me in. as he lay on the covers next to me I turned on my side to face him.

"Will you tell me a bedtime story?" I asked, feeling utterly silly.

"Sure, what do you want it to be about?"

"Why don't you tell me the story of how you were changed."

"Okay." I closed my eyes and listened intently to his story, hanging on every word. "When I was in Europe with my parents, we were out late one night wit our cousins there. I had split off from them and was at some party. I was with this girl and she led me into a room. I of course, being a fifteen-year-old boy followed." He laughed lightly to himself at that. I didn't hear the rest of his story. I had fallen asleep. I didn't think he knew though because he didn't bug me about it the next morning.

Over the night I had had the same dream as the night before, waking up to Kirsten's scream.

Sunday was stressful. When I awoke my mother had left to go to her workout class, but she had left me a long list of chores for me to do. Rory had offered to do them, but I didn't let him. These were my chores. He stayed with me the whole day and all night when I flopped on my bed due to extreme exhaustion. I had fallen asleep instantly. That night I had the same dream.

Monday at school dragged on forever while I was bombarded by questions all day about Rory and me. The school was still abuzz about homecoming. I handed in my essay in English. In drama we were divided into three groups and we each acted out scenes from Dracula in spite of Halloween this week. I wasn't in a group with Rory though. But I was pretty sure that I would be fine.

The week pretty much went on like that. I watched as decorations started to go up on the houses. The leaves were changing color. Halloween was truly in the air as the mondo bags of candy went on sale. The whole week I was assured by Rory and his family that Halloween would be great. But I couldn't feel right, perhaps it was because the dream where I was always awoken by Kirsten's scream had been coming all week and it took place on Halloween.

I woke up on Saturday morning sun spilling across my face after my 'Kirsten dream'.

"Happy Halloween." Rory whispered.

'Happy Halloween', I had been saying it my whole life. It had always been my favorite holiday. But this year it felt wrong, off. Perhaps it was because for the first time since kindergarten that I wouldn't be trick or treating with Kirsten. I didn't even have a costume. Of course, no one in Rory's family was dressing up.

"What are we doing today?" I asked. If we weren't dressing up we probably weren't going trick or treating.

"We are going to go to my house, watch movies, and then go to the carnival."

"The carnival?" I said slowly and unsurely. "Rory, I don't think I want to go to the carnival. You've seen my dream."

"Cassie, Damien and I have decided that it would be best to let your dream play out, and see if anything does even happen."

"But, but I don't want to see what happens." I said softly.

He put the back of his hand lightly against the side of my cheek. "We need to."
He said.

"Cassie?" I heard my mom ask from the other side of my door. "Are you talking to yourself?"

"Um, yes." I said.

She pushed the door open; I didn't dare look next to me. My mothers face didn't change when she came into my room. I sat up and inconspicuously looked to my side. He was gone, my window was open. It made sense now.

"Cassie, your spending next week at your fathers, so doesn't forget to pack." She said.

"Okay, fine." I said wonder where my bag was.

"Good, and Cassie, please don't just lie around all day." She said before leaving my room and closing my door.

I closed my eyes and lay in bed until I felt it give a little from extra weight. I rolled on my side and opened my eyes.

I was pretty sure that Rory's picture was in the dictionary under gorgeous, hot, fine, beautiful, and anything else that meant good-looking. I wrapped my arms around his muscled chest and pulled myself closer. He slipped his hand under the bottom of my shirt so that it was placed on my lower back. Nothing scandalous, he had become so much more gentleman like since his change. But none the less my heart was still practically pounding out of my chest as I let his icy fingers dance against my bare skin.

"You have the softest skin" he whispered in his honey smooth voice."

"You have the most luxurious smell." I whispered back, though the sound was more like crushed gravel compared to his heavenly voice.

"I beg to differ." He said, while inhaling while his face was pressed to the top of my head.

I let out a small laugh then pushed the covers off and jumped out of the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"To shower" I answered simply.

"Can I come?" he asked.

"Ha-ha, no." I said sternly. Just the thought of him in the bathroom with me while I showered caused my cheeks to flush a rather brilliant shade of pink. Through the blush I was giving him my best 'don't even think about arguing' face. "I'll be ready to go in about an hour." I said giving a subtle hint.

"Okay…" he said not understanding what I was trying to tell him.

"So you can come back in an hour." I stated more bluntly.

"I'm not leaving." He said informatively. I glared at him lightly; it was hard to form a truly menacing glare when the receiver was so gorgeous. "It's not like you really want me to anyway." He said. It was true, but I wasn't going to admit that.

"And how would you know that?" I demanded. He gave me a cocky grin.

"Lets just say the being a vampire has its advantages." He said, and I knew that he meant his gift. I stormed out of the room and into the bathroom. I flipped on the light and turned the shower on, letting the freezing water pour out until it was warm. While I waited I assessed myself in the mirror. I was still slightly befuddled how he had chosen me. Me with my pallid skin and plain brown locks. But I wasn't going to belittle myself. It was just that he could have any girl in our school and he chose me. Hell, he could probably have any guy in our school.

I stripped off my clothes and jumped in the shower. I let myself be emerged by the burning water. I poured my kids brand strawberry shampoo into the palm of my hand and scrubbed my hair. I still had the feeling of euphoria that Rory had told me that he loved me, even after a week had passed.

Thoughts were swirling around my mind. I loved him. I had my nightmares about Kirsten. My mother had been suspicious today. But mostly my thoughts surrounded Rory and my dream. My Kirsten dream. Kirsten Rory. I knew that Rory had told Kirsten that he loved her.

I was rinsing my hair.

Did he mean it when he told her? Does he mean it now? Am I just a stand in for Kirsten since they aren't together anymore? No, he broke up with her. But did he still love her?

I shut the shower off and grabbed my towel, wrapping it around myself hastily. Not bothering about how I was still dripping water I scurried out of the bathroom and into my room.

"Cassie? Are you all right?" my mother called most likely startled by my sudden need to get to my room.

"Yea mom." I called back.

"Cassie?" Rory asked when I burst into my room. He was sitting in my desk chair looking at my poster board above my desk covered with photos.

"Do you still love Kirsten?" I asked barely above a whisper. He sat staring at me, looking bemused. He hung his head like a child admitting to pulling someone's hair.

"Yes." He said just audible to my ears. I took a small step back. "I do still love her," he said looking up to me giving me the most loving face that my breath caught. "But I'm not in love with her. I care about her but it's the same way that you cared about Jonathon."

If I was like any smart girl I wouldn't have trusted him but I was me and he was Rory, the gorgeous perfect Rory, so I did.

"I'm in love with you Cassie." He said taking a step towards me.

"I'm in love with you too." I said as he put his arms around me. I could tell that the water from my hair was dripping down his arms. I rested my head against his chest.

"I found your bag for you." He said motioning to the corner where my bag was. I looked at him and gave him a grin. I walked to my dresser and pulled out a pair of my favorite ripped jeans. I had bought them distressed already but worn them so often that I created my own rips. Next I pulled out a plain black fitted shirt along with the proper undergarments. I gave Rory my 'turn around' signal. Once I was done dressing, I tiptoed as quietly as I could towards Rory. "I can hear you; you do know that, right?"

"Humph." I said crossing my arms. I picked up my bag and moved back to my dresser, stuffing its entire contents in. I did this because I always wanted something that I didn't bring. "I'm ready to go." I said

"All right, I'll give you ten more minutes then I'll be back with the car. I love you." He said before jumping out my window. I walked to the bathroom and put on mascara. My hair really didn't look bad. I had expected it to look bad, but it didn't. It had a few messy flips and turns from air-drying, but it looked good. I brushed my teeth and skipped to the office where my mom sat.

"Rory's going to pick me up in a few minutes; I'm going to hang out with him and his family today." I was turning to walk to the kitchen for food. But the petulant voice of my mother made me turn.

"Cassie, I don't think that you should spend so much time together." I slowly turned; I could feel my temper flaring.

"Why? I'm fine with spending time with him, what else am I supposed to be doing anyway?"

"Well, you never hang out with your other friends anymore."

"Wow, big deal. I'm not even friends with them anymore. And mother," I sneered "it isn't as if he is a bad influence on me, my grades aren't dropping or anything."

"Cassie, I just don't want you to get too attached. You're in 10th grade, I don't want you thinking that you are going to get married and live happily ever after."

"I'm not being delusional," the truth was that I did believe that we wouldn't break up, that we would get married and live happily ever after. "I'm just living in the moment."

"I just don't want you to become too involved and then when he breaks up with you for you to be distraught and scared to love anyone else."

I was deadly quiet. "So, you think that he is going to break up with me?" there was a car honk outside. I just looked at my mom and left. Walking down the pathway to the car. Once I was in my personal angel clued into my mood.

"I'm picking up that you are annoyed with your mother."

"What are you psychic? Oh yea, you kinda are." I said dryly. He sped off in the direction of his house. When we pulled up the outside was decorated with fake cobwebs and tombstones, each of the tombstones had one of their names on it. I didn't miss the irony that they were all already dead.

He walked me inside. The inside wasn't really decorated. On the coffee table in the living room there was bowls of candies. There were gummies, chocolates, hard candies, taffies, and soda. My annoyance with my mother melted away. I let out a sigh. Rory's family came bounding down the stairs DVD's in hand. We all piled on the sofa.

"It's strange to think that I am currently in the company of people who lived during the time period that this movie was first made." I said as Dracula started. We stayed on the couch for probably too many hours, and my blood sugar was probably much too high.

It was late afternoon.

I stood up off of the couch and stretched. Everyone laughed at me.

"It isn't my fault that your muscles don't get tired from being in one position for too long." I said. As the others got up we started to discuss our plans.

"So we are all going to the carnival, right?" I asked.

"No, Elyse will be going to some sort of party, while Melanie and I stay here and wait for trick or treaters. But you, Rory, Triston, and Jill are." Damien said.

Damien turned to face Elyse. "If you feel that at any time you are losing control come right back here." He commanded.

Elyse just nodded.

We all walked to the cars. Jill and Triston rode in the same car as Rory and I did. When we arrived at the carnival I was so excited. I loved the carnival. I loved rides. Triston and Jill split off from Rory and me.

The first ride that Rory and I went on was the tilt-a-whirl. Then it was the zipper, which I screamed my head off, while Rory sat quiet as if it were some type of carousel. But I guess you didn't need to be scared if you knew that you couldn't possibly be hurt. But the next ride though it wasn't nearly as scary frightened me more than any other ride there. The Ferris wheel.

My heart pounded out a loud steady beat as we stood in line. The sun was perfect to my dream. And before I knew it we were on the ride.

The brisk air outside was causing me to huddle against Rory, not that he was giving off any heat. We were on a ferries wheel. We were descending from the top. Our cart was facing the forest.

I saw some type of vulture circling over the trees. It was nearly dusk and the last glimmers of orange sunlight were reflecting off the clouds. The changing horizon was hurriedly moving us into darkness.

Rory went stiff next to me. I shifted to look at him. He was staring at the guy running the ride then his eyes flicked to the woods.

"Hurry up, hurry." Rory was whispering to himself. I could feel his urgency to this unknown situation.

"Hurry." But I did know it, just not was happening exactly.

We were nearing where we got off of the ride but the guy stopped it so that the people near the top could enjoy where they were. Our cart was swinging from the stop. I grabbed it to steady myself.

Then silence cut through everyone at the carnival. Everyone was listening to the screams that were echoing from the forest next to us. They sounded like they were struggling, writhing in pain. It reminded me of when Rory had broken up with Kirsten; she had been so angry that she screamed like that. But her scream was of fury this scream was from pain, I could tell. Then I realized why it reminded me of Kirsten.

I was 99 percent sure it was her just like in my dream.

The guy running the ride turned it back on. He was about to let us go out through another round but Rory motioned for him to stop. When he did, Rory pulled me out of the cart and rushed me into the forest. Once we were there he scooped me up in his arms and ran. I don't think he had ever run so fast.

Suddenly he stopped. I looked at him and his eyes burned so bright that they gave off light in the surrounding darkness.

"What is it?" I asked though it was unheard to me over the pounding of my heart. He merely looked at the ground disgust tainting his perfect face. I looked to the ground. I could see some sort of liquid covering the ground and could only guess it to be blood. I felt a tickle on the back of my neck and a tremor shoot down my spine. "Is it... hers?" I asked.

"yes." He answered seriously.