I kept my eyes firmly shut as I waited for death...

That never came.

I wearily opened my eyes. I was surprised when he was farther away than I expected.

Apparently he had stopped when I had closed my eyes.

"Bella." he murmured softly.

I couldn't seem to find my voice...or move.

It was irrational…the sympathy that rose automatically when I looked into his eyes.

They were haunted…aged. As if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulder.

But even more irrational, was that even through everything, through all of the fear and terror, was the still present instinct that told me I was safe.

For heaven's sake, he was a vampire.

A thirsty, not-so-fangy, red-eyed, human-looking vampire; so the instinct of feeling safe should be nowhere in me.

It was there. But, the fear and the instinct to take flight were stronger.

Fear was the only thing that kept me locked in place.

"Bella." Aaron murmured again. He took a step forward and I automatically pressed myself back against the wall.

I couldn't imagine why, but as he stepped back after he saw my reaction, I flash of pain crossed his eyes.

I mean he was a vampire, why shouldn't I be scarred? It was natural.

He looked down and took a deep breath before he started talking again.

"Bella, you know how much I love you. You may think not anymore because of this new…revelation. But somewhere inside, you know that I still love you. Some of my kind has gifts Bella. I have one. It's the power of control I guess you could say. Blood doesn't affect me the way it does the others. I told you I would never hurt you and I wouldn't let anyone else either. I meant it then, and I mean it now. Nothing will ever touch you while I exist."

He was quiet for a moment longer and then he looked up.

I was surprised to see his eyes brimming with moisture.

As I starred, a wry smile graced his lips.

"The moisture won't fall, Bella. It never will."

I was surprised, but I had more important issues.

I had noticed through the several months Aaron and I had hung out and practiced my bending that his eyes changed color.

I knew what the red was for now-human blood. But what about the other colors?

I took a deep breath. "Your eyes change color. I'm guessing from who or what you…drink from. Obviously, as I'm starring into your red eyes, the red comes from humans. I don't know of anything that has orangish or black blood." I barley managed to get it out. Stuttering over drink and blood.

Too my utter surprise-and my somewhat horror- he smiled slightly.

"Bella, nothing has orangish or black blood. It's topaz by the way. The black eyes come from when we're thirsty. Or for me, since I don't really register the thirst, when I need to go away." He winced on that. I could translate it easy enough: Time to go kill.

"The topaz eyes is when I-" he hesitated. Obviously he couldn't say something but there was no other way to explain cause he continued on.

"When I go hunting for animal blood. I usually stay on that and don't have a problem. But when someone-humans I mean-makes me mad or threatens and poses a threat to any member of my family or someone I've sworn to protect-like you-I don't let them live. That is the only time I take of human blood.

And I only go after the killers and murderers. The bad guys."

His eyes plead with me to understand. I didn't know if I was strong enough to do that.

Because, in his own right, he was a murder too.

I could hardly use the excuse 'you shouldn't exist' because it applied to me too. Yes, I was human. But my powers were supernatural and they were very much a part of me now.

I hesitantly walked over to him. He stood very still and did not make a move towards me.

Shakily, I put my hand on his arm. He looked down at me with grave eyes.

"I can't." I said simply. He understood.

I walked towards the gate where I saw the thing when his voice called me back.

"There is something in the gate that you were clawing at or something earlier. It is for you. It's not from me, but from the elementals. I bended away the grates so you could get it out and not break it or your hand. You need to get your hand fixed too, by the way."

I didn't turn so I didn't know if he saw me nod. So soft I don't know if he actually said it, a murmur went through the air.

"I need no more confirmation of what you are."

When I turned to look at him though, he was gone.

From sight anyways.

I made it to the sewer gate and reached down to pick the thing up.

It was a weapon.

At first glance, it looked like just a long tube.

But as I walked home, I noticed sensors that lined it.

Before I round the corner onto my street, I pointed it at nothing and deliberately touched one of the sensors.

A burst of fire came out.

Perfect.

I smiled as I hooked it into my sleeve and went to my house.

But before I walked in the door, I said softly, "I'm sorry."

I smiled sadly as I heard him sigh.

And then just as softly, I heard "I know."

I felt him leave as I walked through the door.

My parents were worried of course. Luckily, they didn't see my hand.

After a web of lies, I finally made it too my room.

Where I cried.

My best friend was a nighttime monster. How was I supposed to survive with that kind of knowledge?

I sat down on my bed and, after wrapping my hand, looked at my newly acquired weapon.

It was probably one of the most powerful things I had.

Fire killed their kind. It seemed to be the only thing that could kill a vampire.

Wonderful.

I laid it next to my pillow; out of sight but within reach in case he decided it was time to get rid of me.

But another part of me said if he wanted me dead he would have done it already.

I cried myself to sleep that night.

During the next few weeks, I continued to practice my bending skills. I needed to confront Aaron, but I would not go a weak little girl like I had been to those men.

I would be a powerful bender with weapons.

I had seen what my powers could do; air especially.

If I could get a grip on my fear, it he came at me I could fling him away or something like that.

I don't know if he knew the purpose of why I was suddenly immersed in controlling my bending, but I knew he was around.

Sometimes, I could hear him whispering guidance from outside my window.

He never came in. For which I was very grateful, I couldn't see him yet.

I just couldn't.

It was the day after Christmas now.

It had been a chore to act all happy and excited.

At first I pretended I couldn't understand why I was all upset, but if I was truthful to myself I knew the answer.

Aaron wasn't here.

We had been talking before the night, about what we were going to do for Christmas.

It killed me not to be able to spend time with him, but when I thought of him, all I saw was the red-eyed hunter that I had seen on that night.

I didn't see my best friend, even though I wished with everything I had that I could see that.

I didn't trust him.

I understood why, but he had lied to me.

Lied About what he was, about what he could do and the reasons why.

If he had lied about that, was he lying about everything else too?

Did he really want to protect?

Would he really go to all ends to protect me?

Did he really only hunt humans when he got mad or did he just cover that up?

I didn't know the answers.

It had been a month since I had seen Aaron.

New years had come and gone.

I had finally decided to go see him.

My parents had no idea that something was wrong. I would go to the park close to his house for the amount of time I was usually over at his house and head back at the normal time.

Sometimes, I would hear him whispering to me.

Today, it would stop.

Today, I would either become stronger and more informed…or die.

I tried not to concentrate too much on that last thought.

With my new weapon tucked safely inside my sleeve and available for quick operation, I took a deep breath before hesitantly pushing the door open and stepping inside.

The house was bright. He had been waiting, that much I could tell.

The sign that said in the living room was a big clue too…

I hesitantly walked in. He had bought a rocking chair and faced it opposite the couch, which is where he was sitting.

I slowly sat down in the chair.

It was several minutes before either of us spoke.

Aaron looked away at the photo album bookcase for a moment. He got up and took down the album that I had flipped through all those weeks ago.

He sat back down and starred at it for a moment.

About 15 minutes had passed since I had walked through the door.

Aaron looked up at me. "I suppose you would like an explanation now."

I don't know how I managed to find my voice, but I did.

"That would be nice."

A/N: I promise the next chapter will be more interesting.

Thank you too the many that reviewed. Including my anonymous reviewers.

The feedback was wonderful, keep it coming!

Remember, 4 for next chapter!

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years!