CHAPTER 2

Amy pondered about the strange hedgehog in front of her. His scent was fresh and wind-blown, just like the mountains from which she assumed he came from, but there was a layer of mud and pine to it, suggesting that he had been lurking around the forest for quite some time. Furthermore, it was pretty obvious that he was a vampire since his blood levels were abnormal. She could sense his growing thirst as the time passed. No doubt he was hungry. In fact, he was blatantly eyeing her. He was definitely hungry and if Sonic didn't hurry up and move along, she might become his next meal.

She grimaced at that thought. The whole idea of any part of her belonging to him disgusted her. She was Sonic's exclusive pet. She wouldn't...no, she couldn't allow him to feed off of her.

"Oh, Sonic. You're so brave!" a shape-shifter said, her voice bleeding with affection.

Amy couldn't help rolling her eyes again. It was the same lie everytime. She had actually been in the battle with the lupines that night. It was traditional for the male shape-shifters to fight alongside the lupines against the vampires every once in awhile. Females were not forbidden to join, but were usually excused from such bloody experiences. Amy had decided that she wanted to know what it was like at least once, so she joined the party one night. Sonic had been the first to enter the battle scene, but he was also the first to leave. That was when they first met. After the battle was over, Amy had found Sonic licking his wounds in a hollow oak tree not far from the battle scene. She still remembered.

*flashback*

"Is the battle over?" Sonic asked between licks.

"Yes." Amy replied, sinking down so as to look at him in the eyes as she spoke. It was rude not to.

"Who are you?" he frowned. "I haven't met a female shape-shifter in battle before."

"My name is Amy Rose." she said. "A panther shape-shifter."

Sonic glanced over Amy, who was currently in her panther form. However, he couldn't see her properly at all. Just her lanky form that was silhouetted against the moonlight and her luminescent, green eyes. The two of them were barely thirteen when they met and were still maturing.

"I see." Sonic said. He shifted back into his blue hedgehog form and stared at her until she shifted too. "I like your pink form better. It's easier to know where you are at night."

Amy frowned. "That's exactly the reason why I should be in my panther form. With these pink quills, even a baby vamp will spot me from a mile away right now!"

"That's okay. I'll protect you." Sonic shrugged, then seeing her confused expression, he grinned a cocky smile. "You're my pet from now on, so you'll always be safe."

Amy's heart stirred, but she was still annoyed. How dare this lupine just claim her as if she was an object! Strangely, however, she had no will to go against him that night and let him do what he wanted- she became his first pet. Of course, the moment Sonic turned sixteen, he started to collect more and more pets for himself. He became more confident and flirty.

*end of flashback*

Amy sighed. Sonic haven't matured at all.

Suddenly, she flinched as Shadow's tongue rasped over her wrists.

"What do you think you're doing, vamp?!" she hissed.

"I'm thirsty." he whispered. "I want your blood."

"Ha! I don't think so!" she whispered-yelled.

Sonic and the girls were still roaming around close to their location. One wrong move and both Amy and Shadow could end up dead. Lupines weren't very forgiving creatures to those who were a vampire and to those who were found with a vampire for any reason other than fighting. Given Amy's posture at the moment, it would be easy for a lupine to misunderstand, then it was bye-bye world!

"Huh, do you smell that?" Sonic's voice floated around them. "That scent...it's Amy isn't it?"

Amy flinched as he said his name. The possible dangers were getting closer, but the vampire beneath her was still licking her wrists. What. The. Heck? This was why she didn't like vampires. They lost their senses the moment they were thirsty and smelled blood. Useless.

"Amy?" a shape-shifter said. "She said she was going to take a bath, so she would have walked along this path today."

"No. Her scent is fresh." Sonic said.

'Curse the lupines' extra sense of smell!' Amy thought bitterly, her jaw clamped together.

"Amy!" Sonic called. "Amy, you here? Ammmmyyyyy!"

Shadow growled softly. His eyes were flashing red. Amy could tell that he was completely hunger-driven now. Suddenly, he flipped Amy over so that their positions were switched. Then, he took her in his arms and fled. It was incredible. They moved extraordinarily fast as if time had stopped, but the ride ended as quickly as it began.

The moment she was sure he had stopped, she pushed herself out of his arms and backed away. Looking around, Amy was shocked into silence by the amount of ground they covered. They had practically gone from the eastern parts of the forest to the western parts of the forest, almost at the foot of the mountains. While her quills had been roughly tossed about so that it now stuck out in all directions, Shadow's quills were perfectly intact. She frowned as she caught a glimpse of their images in the glassy side of the mountain.

"Oh, look at my quills!" Amy moaned. "They're a mess!"

Despite his flashing red eyes, Shadow chuckled amusedly. "Come here, Amy."

Amy glared at him.

Shadow continued to smile pleasantly until she finally rolled her eyes and walked back to him. Without a word, she let him groom her- using his tongue to smooth her quills down into their usual style. The area was nearly silent except for the occasional twitter of a bird and the rhythmical sound of his tongue sliding down her quills. His nose was buried into the crest of her neck. His breath coming out in satisfied sighs.

But Amy could only endure it for so long.

"Stop." Shadow growled lightly. "If you move now, I might just bite you."

"Don't. You. Dare." Amy snapped.

Shadow could barely hear the threat in her tone. The flowing blood within her veins smelled delicious. Her racing heart beat a lovely rhythm for his ears and he swore that it pounded faster whenever his nose brushed against the base of her neck.

The sun was barely up now. Three seconds until sundown. He had to get going soon or else his coven will wonder where he was. But it was almost impossible with such a delicate meal right in front of him. In his arms. And he was so hungry...

Drawing in a shaky breath, Shadow finally released Amy.

Amy, in turn, leaped away quickly and glared at him darkly. He grinned at her weariness and his predator instincts screamed to hunt her down. The adrenaline working into his system. However, Shadow had the strength to fight it down, so with a polite bow, he leaped away into the night, heading back towards his mansion.