Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Vivian, Geena, Faith, Christine, and August.

Chapter Thirteen: Salt in Our Wounds

Ville landed on my balcony just after sunset. He stood and watched me; it was weird; but I could hear his thought. 'Except for the fact that the sheet is moving from her breathing, she almost looked dead. Her skin was as pale as mine; her black hair makes it paler as it surrounded her face.' He lingered only a couple more seconds, and then turned to leave. Vivian reached out and grabbed his and he turned. She kept my eyes closed, but gave him a small smile.

"I saw you landing on my balcony and looking down at me, and then I reached for you when you walked away and woke up to realize that I had actually grabbed your hand. It was kinda creepy."

Ville squeezed her hand, "I saw it too. It's all part of…"

"Yeah, I figured. So, if I was standing over you, would I be able to see into your dreams too?"

"No, you may be able to see what's going on around you in your sleep; but to do as I do; you have to be a vampire."

"I thought you said I was a vampire?"

"A full blood vampire; to be that, another vampire has to drink your blood and you theirs in return." Vivian gave him a repulsed face and couldn't help see the disappointment in his face. "A vampire has two unique traits about it went it is "born". I can read the minds of the human and have telepathic conversations with others."

"Others meaning vampires?"

"Sort of, that really depends," he smiled at her.

"So, what is the difference between telepathic and reading mind?"

"When I have a telepathic conversation, I am talking to someone else with telepathy with out saying a word." Ok, that made no sense. Vivian gave him one of her raised eyebrows to show she didn't understand what the hell he was talking about. "It's…kinda…kinda like… like a text message. You send one to them, and they reply. Back and forth."

Vivian nodded, "and what about reading minds?"

"To read minds I can see their thoughts or dreams."

"Isn't that what you said for telepathic?"

"Close. Except In this case, I can't respond to their thoughts."

"Wow, you could learn some embarrassing stuff."

"Like you wondering what would happen if I kissed you."

Vivian's cheeks turned too many shades of pink to count "Aren't you nosey!"

One second Ville was standing in front of Vivian and the next he was behind her. Vivian felt his arm slide around her waist and put his mouth up by her ear. "Only a little." Vivian jumped. "I can hear what you are thinking if I focus. When you woke up the other night, I decided to come and sit on your balcony.

"How did you know I would choose that balcony?"

"Because I told you to," He whispered in her ear.

"What do you mean you told me?" She asked, trying to keep a handle on her temper.

"All vampires have the power of persuasion. Depending on the urgency or force in there voice or thought. They can give you the choice to ignore it; or with force and urgency, you can't refuse. Did you have just a random urge to go out on the balcony that night?"

"Yeah," This is weird. Not only can he read my thoughts, but also he can control me. "And how do you get these abilities?"

"When you are born you get one from each of your parents. Or if you are turned into a vampire, you get one from your donor and just receive a random one to make up for the other one."

"What about Geena, does she have anything?"

"No."

Then it kinda kicked in that Ville was behind her. "Wait, how did you get there so fast?"

"Talk about delayed reaction."

"Shut up." She huffed while she slid her hand over his and leaned back on his chest, his head was now propped up his hand.

"Vampires are more… er… developed than humans. We can hear things from great distances. We can see things from really far away as long as we focus on it; not to mention see in the dark. We can run faster than any known animal," Ville said, looking down at her.

"Just how well can you hear?"

"This whole city is like an untuned radio, and one individual is like turning the dial so it gets closer to one station," Ville answered after a slight hesitation. He smiled, "I even heard what you said to Geena all the way form the statue of liberty."

Vivian turned pink once more and turned her attention to a loose thread on the sheets, "Oh."

Ville let out a small soft laugh and put his hand on top of hers and laced his fingers between hers, "She really is a bitch."

Vivian finally built up the courage to ask the question that had been bugging her ever since that night in the alley. She looked him straight in the eyes.

"Ville?" She bit her lip.

"Hmmm?"

"How did you escape Geena?"

Ville took his hand away and rolled on his back. Vivian wasn't going to give up that way. She climbed over so that she was on top of him. She clasped her hands and laid her chin on them.

"Persistent, aren't we?" Ville stated more than asked, but he wasn't mad. "There are something's in this world Viv, that are better left unsaid." Ville sighed; it was his turn to pretend there were something more interesting then her staring eyes. Even thought Vivian had seen it in the paper, she wanted to hear it from his own mouth. "I attacked her."

"Just attacked?"

His eyes flew back to hers, disgust flooding his emotions, "She's my sister!"

"She still tried to kill you. It's no wonder she still hunts you, she has to get her dignity back."

"If you already knew the answer to the question, why did you ask it?"

"Ack. Stop reading my mind! It's weird." While she said this, she reached over to he nightstand drawer and pulled out the newspaper article on Geena. She tucked it into Ville's inside pocket and told him to read it in his stare time.

"Vivian, if I killed everyone that attacked me, a third of the world's population would be gone," He stated.

"The doctors said that the force that was needed to break her arm like that would have to be 10 times the normal strength of a human.

"We also have unnatural strength. Like when I lifted you and set you on the roof the night we met; the term, light as a feather would fit nicely.

The moon shone through the open door and the light cast on her and Ville. She stroked Ville's cheek with her fingertips so not to hurt them.

"Why are you so pale?"

"I'm dead, Vivian… To put it bluntly. I have blood left in my body, but only a little, so that leaves me with little color." Ville the hand that was stoking his cheek and placed it on his chest. "I don't even have a heart beat."

It was true; Vivian felt nothing under his 'I love pandemonium' t- shirt. "How do you feed?" Vivian asked still looking at his hand over hers on his chest.

"I persuade them to come to me, and then I suck their blood, just like the stories. I can last on animals as long as they are big. I normally hunt polar bear up north, or grizzly; depending on how much time I have. Animal blood will only satisfy for so long, and then you need a fresh dose of human.

"When you need human blood, how do you decide who to take? Just some random person or what?"

"I try to stick to criminals. Rapists, murders, thieves. The less of them there are in the world, the better."

"But what about you? You fall under two of those categories."

"That's where people like Geena come in. I can't help what I am, Vivian. Would you prefer it was an innocent child or a rapist?"

Vivian caved, "Rapist I suppose. It's still not fair."

"If I could live on just animals, I would. It brings me no pleasure to hear the screams, to see the look of horror. But come vampires don't care, some prefer it that way. This is why I can't let you wander at night, no wouldn't hesitate for an instant to kill you." Vivian was horrified, repulse and had a strong urge to kick Ville out of her house, but just lay there instead. "I'm sorry." Ville slowly and gently pulled her head to his chest and she didn't refuse. He wrapped his arms around her, "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you. I'll rip their head off." She shivered all the way from her head to her toes despite the blankets. "I'll be the vampire that hunts vampires, huh?" She giggled slightly. "Maybe Geena will forgive me and we can work together." Ville's finger was placed under her chin and brought up so he could look her in the eyes. "Don't worry. Nothing will ever hurt you. I promise."

Vivian met Ville's advancing lips. She moaned with pleasure as her mouth had a war of temperatures. When they broke apart, Vivian put her head back on his chest.

"Everyday you were gone, every night I was alone; I felt like I had lost another. When I got the call that they were doing to have to pull the plug on Shannon because his conditions hadn't improved, I couldn't decide which was worse. Letting him die of let him just lay there, day in and day out. I eventually let them do it. Seeing you jump off that balcony, I thought I lost you." Vivian felt him shift uncomfortably under her, but she continued, "I checked every news channel and paper for someone committing suicide. None of them fit your description. All I found was Geena on the front page of the 'times'. Every time I thought about ending my life, there was always one thing still stopping me." She lifted her head and looked it his eyes. "Your voice. 'Don't do it, Vivian', and 'I'll be back.' Ville, you must promise me something."

"Anything." The truth was set in his eyes.

"Please, don't do that again. I don't think I could handle it," Vivian felt a tear slip and fall down her face. Ville reached out a finger and wiped it away. Then leaned in a captured her quivering lips. Just a short soft kiss.

"You have my word." Ville brushed her black hair behind her ears."

Vivian remembered back when Ville had jumped off her balcony. She remembered the last, no, the almost last thing he had said to her. "Ville, why can't I be around you when you're mad?"

"I have been known to loose control when I'm angry. I could have seriously hurt you that night. Fed or not." His eyes turned grave.

Something else was nagging at Vivian, and she knew Ville knew it. "Don't." he urged.

"Why did you choose me?"

Ville gently pushed Vivian off his stomach and turned to sit on the edge of the bed. His combat boots thudded as they landed on the floor. "Can that question wait?" There was sadness in his voice, his head hung.

"I need to know," She could tell this was an important question.

Ville's shoulders hunched further and became ridged. A mix of anger and regret filled his voice as he said, "Can that question wait?" This must have been the voice that he had talked about, because there was no way she could refuse.

"Sure," but the back of her mind was screaming. NO!! Don't give in! He's using his power of persuasion on you!! But she had no power over her mouth, her actions. He did. He turned and looked at her, sadness in his face. "I agree to wait, as it seems I have no choice." She said spitefully. "But don't you ever do that to me again. EVER!" And with that, she slapped him. Ville face twisted sideways, he turned and stared at her, facial expression unchanged.

Her hand felt like solid ice, she let out a small groan and held it in her other hand. Vivian glared at Ville and crawled off the bed; then stumbled in the dark to the bathroom.

Vivian fumed in silence as she ran her hand under the warm water. She looked up in the mirror, the dead was empty. Good, he must have left. She looked down at her hand again. It felt no different. Two gloved hands came from either side and turned off the water. Vivian looked up into the mirror expecting to see his face; but didn't.

"I have no reflection, remember?" He whispered in her ear.

She ignored him and pushed his hands out of the way, turning the water back on. He turned them back off.

"That will do nothing," he assured her as he turned her to face him. She waited impatiently, annoyed, and pissed as he once again nurtured her frozen fingers.

Once he was done, she looked him in the eyes, with sarcasium dripping from her every word, "Thanks a bunch." Then she was serious, "Now get out." Vivian crossed her arms and stared him down.

"Look, I'm sorry Vivian. I asked nicely the first time, but you wouldn't listen. I really am not ready to answer every question you ask me. Just…give me some time."

"Why? Why is it so hard?" She emphasized 'so'.

"I'll see you tomorrow Vivian," he answered stubbornly and turned to head toward the balcony door; but before he made to move at all, he added, "Maybe."

He was long gone by the time Vivian got outside.

She slammed the door and pulled the curtains across. Then for the first time in a long while, she locked the balcony door.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ok. I'm soooo sorry it took so long. I went camping, that was hell. Then I got the Harry Potter book and HAD to read that first. Sorry guys. Then I got a new ipod, so I had to mess with it. And marching band is starting, so I won't be able to update often, so please. Be patient with me. And thanks to PenArtist10000 for getting my ass in gear. If it hadn't been for her, I still would be messing with my ipod. So here it is, and I will try my best to get the next chapter out in a decent time. Not months later. NO PROMISES!!! I love you all, and thanks for waiting. Please Read and Review.