Alexander's Point of View:

This was all happening too fast. I didn't want her exposed to my world at all, but especially not so soon. It was like there was some catalyst out there working against me… and succeeding.

Another vampire was here. That much was obvious. But what would he want with Lara… unless it was an old acquaintance of Amelie that wanted revenge on something. As much as he loved Amelie, she was not the innocent French maiden she pretended to be. She was dark and sinful and even deadly at times. Nothing like this sweet yet terrified girl standing before me.

"Do you know what I am… what attacked you?" I asked hesitantly. There were so many more questions I would rather ask but I had to start at the top.

"I know you– you and your brother– aren't human. What are you both? Demons?"

Brother? No, that could not be… "My brother is dead. He died long ago. The story about me living with him in the mansion is false, simply because it is not easy living in this world with the appearance of an adolescent. As for being a demon… well, that's not entirely incorrect."

"Yeah and so is the fact that your brother is dead," she said with venom in her voice. "Not long before you showed up, something that looked an awful lot like you approached me. He introduced himself as Elijah."

I froze. That wasn't possible. Elijah had died the same night that Amelie had been taken from me. His body remained there after I'd woken, bleeding from the gunshot wound he had received to the torso after trying to help me free her from the burning stake. My cravings for his spilt blood drove me away before I decided to drain him dry. I didn't step foot in Beaufort for half a century after that.

"You don't believe me, but it's true. Elijah Nathaniel Fortes–"

"Don't you dare say it," I growled, stunning her into silence as my eyes shifted for a quick second. She glanced back at the tent, shaking from either the chill in the breeze or her fear of me. "I–I'm sorry. It is not my intention to make you afraid of me… I just don't understand how this could be. My brother has been in the ground for three hundred years, so someone must be toying with me. And obviously they knew Amelie if they are using you to do it."

I could see she wanted to ask about Amelie, but was too scared to do so.

"Another problem for another day. What did this creature want from you? What did he do to you?"

She gulped, her heart palpitating nosily. It was distracting me, so I reached out to touch her skin. Lara flinched away from me, making my heart sink.

"It's okay," I said, though not sure I could even make that promise. She didn't exactly give me her hand, but she didn't recoil either. I took that as acceptance.

Immediately, I felt the beast beneath the skin fall into a slumber. I exhaled in relief, glad that I could feel somewhat human.

"Now, what did this thing say and do before you screamed?"

Lara closed her eyes tight and turned her head away from me as she spoke. "Um… he was just standing off to the side watching me. I saw his silhouette from the tent and thought…" she shook her head before continuing, as if worried what I would think, "Anyway, he approached, speaking cryptically. He touched me and then his face… changed. I thought he was going to kill me."

"If I can help it, he won't come back."

"I'd really rather you not bother. If you leave me be, maybe he will. Even if it is not your brother as you so adamantly proclaim, then he obviously knows you and probably followed you here. Now, please… let me go and leave me be," she begged.

What could I possibly say to that? In all honestly, nothing. Except, maybe, one last order. My compulsion didn't work before, but I was holding her arm at the time. When I released her, the monster came rushing back, struggling to take control. I looked into her bright blue eyes and murmured, "Go back into the tent. Forget this night ever happened. Forget seeing me at the beach and the vampire that tried to attack you. You slept the night through and had pleasant dreams."

Lara Jade's Point of View:

As he droned on in the voice as smooth as silk, I knew my only chance of escaping him was to pretend that this never happened. I needed to look glassy eyed and robotic like my father had, when in reality, I just wanted to faint.

I dipped my head in a submissive nod before turning back towards the tent.

It must have been a believable enough act, for his last words to me were, "Goodnight, Lara Jade," as he faded from sight.