Going away next week, so may be slower updating than usual. But I'll try and pack in a lot before I go ;)

Eva Hunter was curled up in the large armchair, staring at the wall with red bloodshot eyes and mascara smears on her cheeks. It was well into the early hours of the morning, and the vamps were still awake in the Pyramids of Giza hotel.

There was an urgent knock on the door, but Eva just curled up further. She didn't want any more conversation with menacing, toying or threatening vamps tonight. There was another resounding knock and the sound of splintering wood.

"Oh shit," exclaimed a mumble voice from behind the door."Well if it's already broken…"

The door flew open, the lock shattering and the hinges whining painfully at the force of the battering. Lucio stamped in like it was his room, an expression deeply set on his face that was a mixture of confusion, anxiety and nervousness.

"Why are you crying?" he demanded, unangerily. Eva hated people to see her cry; she couldn't bear it, and instantly burrowed her face in her hands. Lucio sighed, and with the grace of ten, slide to his knees in front of her. Gently, he took her arms away from her face and smiled at her.

"I'm sick of your kind, I'm sick of you all playing around with me, I realise you've all forgotten what feelings are but that doesn't make me feel better," she snapped in his face. Lucio looked stung, and slowly let go of her wrists. Eva began to regret taking it out on him; really he'd only been good to her.

"Would you like me to leave?" he asked quietly. Eva paused for a moment, looking at his doglike eyes.

"No," she replied softly, taking his hands. He smiled softly, and nodded at her to move up. Eva shuffled to the side of the chair, and he hopped on with swiftness like a ballet move, and then pulled Eva into his side.

It was a cosy set up she never envisioned herself in, but she was happy. Due to Lucio's lack of life, he didn't breathe, so for the few long minutes they were just sat in each other's company, the only sound was Eva's deep harsh breathes. Then as her breathing grew more steady and calm, Lucio began lightly tracing his fingertips in circles over her arm. She sank into him, warm and comfortable and growingly sleepy.

"You smell of Eric Northman," he said eventually. Eva sighed.

"We didn't do anything."

"I wasn't accusing you of anything, I was…just saying."

Eva looked at him curiously.

"And what if I told you we had?"

Lucio stared at the wall with a struggling expression.

"I'd be bothered," he said conclusively.

"Tell me," Eva continued, "Why did you break down my door?"

"Oh sorry about that, I was worried about you."

Russell Edgington's comment played on her mind again – "If he cared, I'm sure he'd appear while you are so distressed."

"Why?" she found herself asking. Lucio raised an eyebrow.

"Well I've tasted your blood, and even though you haven't had mine, because we're…friends…I can somewhat hear you when you're in a state – and earlier I was hearing you loud and clear."

"Why didn't you come earlier then?" Eva nagged like an old wife.

"I and Vincent were busy, I couldn't get away," he replied apologetically, "I assure you, the minute I got free from engagements and business, I came straight to find you."

"You're so unvampire-like," Eva blurted randomly.

"What?"

"You're not cold or aloof or creepy,"

Lucio snapped his fangs in place, and grinned mischievously.

"Nope, you're still just like…a guy," she giggled.

"I know," he sighed, retracting his fangs. "Vincent said it was like I always had vamp in my blood, even when I was turned I was less…carnivorous…"

Eva giggled again, but was confused. Could vampires vary as humans do, they are portrayed as these all right cold hungry creatures of night but here was a clear contradiction to that image. Unless it was a long complex act?

"Tell me about being turned."

Lucio's fangs appeared once more, he appeared pained almost.

"My life was taken away from me, it's not a quirky interesting anecdote, it's not enthralling or riveting."

"I didn't ask for a fairytale," Eva assured softly.

"It will scare you though,"

"Why?"

"It's like yours."

Eva froze, she didn't like where this was going. Though she was curious now, she couldn't just let it go. She nodded to indicate him to carry on.

Lucio sighed, and held Eva tighter, s if for fear she'd literally fall apart in his arms.

"I was a student of the Nevada University, living in Las Vegas. I was in my last year, making me twenty one. Student debts are pretty impressive, so I was living at home to save money. My Mum was an alcoholic, which can easily lead to many other stories but for now I'm telling you this one. I couldn't bear to see her in such a helpless, and stupid state, so I'd do what I could to stay away from home…I didn't even consider it a home."

"Your father?" Eva inquired.

"Never knew him, again, another story. Anyway, I worked two jobs, and one was at a bar."

Lucio was quiet and looked at Eva as she caught her breath. Just like Eva, the waitress.

"You've got to remember, vampires came out from the shadows six years ago, this being eight years ago. I had no idea us creatures of the night existed. A woman came in one night, I'll never forget her. She was pale and beautiful, and everything about her screamed seductive. When I walked past her, it felt like time slowed down. I didn't speak to her while she was in the bar, but when I left in the early hours of the morning, she was waiting for me. That's where my memory of the night disappears into a big black hole."

"She glamoured you?"

"Yes. It pains me to not know what she did…or what I did…but that Glamouring for you. Next thing I remember, I was on my doorstep. I went to work as normal the next night, and the night after, but I didn't see her again – until she came in with company. Five of them sat at my bar, three woman and two men. One was Felipe himself, but at the time he was just a creepy guy at a bar. Again they glamoured me when I left, and again I remember next putting my key in the front door, but it being 5 hours later…and I had bite marks on my neck."

He paused for a moment and looked at his hands.

"Just like you, I don't know why they were attracted to me. I don't know why they all swarmed to me like bees to a hive. One day my life was normal, next I was being sucked into this other world. I was so scared; I wore my collar up and walked around like a nervous wreck. One night a few nights after I received the bites, my Mother was in a particularly bad faze. She screamed at me, she threw bottles at me. Being already on the edge I couldn't take it, and walked out randomly into the night. Prowling the streets I felt lost, which is when the beautiful vampire appeared to me. She's dead now, executed for staking a sheriff. But then she introduced herself to me as Carina. She was blonde and breathtaking and made me nervous. She told me I was irresistible to her and she'd felt and heard how distressed I felt that night because she'd tasted my blood and I hers. I was thoroughly shaken and tried to run. She tackled me with ease, promised me she cared for me, promised she'd take care of me. I screamed and seeing it as a rejection, she howled and bit down on me."

He sighed and looked back up at the wall.

"Finding out about vampires back when they we're all hush were a big deal, and Carina was one of the vamp authorities. Felipe was livid, and she begged him for mercy. Felipe decided I was a curious character and didn't kill me, but kept me in their lavish lair. I became like a pet to them."

"They found you interesting and you became their mascot?"

"Pretty much, told you it wasn't that interesting…"

"No but it's still scary. What am I doing right now?"

Lucio look pained again, and looked at his thumbs.

"It's not exactly the same," he finally hissed.

"How so?" Eva cried, shifting out of his arms to face him. "You all took an interest in me, and now here I am, being your pet. How exactly is it different?"

"You have me."

Eva's stomach tightened, as while she felt a rush of affection for Lucio, a realisation came to her.

"When I asked you how you were turned before, you wouldn't tell me. You thought it would scare me off, before I met Felipe De Castro and got in deep. I could have got out then, now I'm staying in the same building as you…"

Lucio clenched his fists and looked guilty as Eva continued, tears wetting her cheeks slightly.

"You roped me in, you acted like you cared, and you did to me exactly what Carina did to you."

When she turned, red stained Lucio's cheeked. He looked aggrieved, and wounded.

"I did what I was sent to do, I met you, I escorted you. Eva, if I ever did little things to try and not scare you off, I am so sorry. But after I met you, I knew it would pain me to see you walk away again. I believed Carina acted like she cared for me up till a few days ago. I figured I just tasted good, or smelt good or something. Then I met you, and experienced the curiosity and endearment someone like you or I compel in people. "

Another stream of blood dripped down his cheek, and Eva, who never imagined herself having a tender moment with a vampire, nestled back into him.

"I'm sorry I played a part in your growing involvement with our kind."

"I'm not angry."

"You're not?" Lucio whispered his face close to hers.

"No, I'm just scared," Eva admitted, wiping his cheekbone. The red stained her fingers, but for once she wasn't fazed by it all. "You're so humanlike."

"Funny, when I was human they said I was so vampire like."

They were comforted by each other like old friends. Like two people who are wholly understanding of one another. Despite one being human and one being a vampire.

"So eventually they turned you…?"

"Yes," Lucio replied quietly. "It got to the point where they had to decide whether to kill me or turn me…deciding I was too interesting to lose, they turned me…Victor to be precise…"

"Victor Maddens your maker?"

"Yes."

"Not Carina?"

"No, Felipe wanted me loyal to someone he wholly trusted. I was turned to be a vampire serving those that are authority, not to be Carina's plaything."

Eva nodded slowly, looking down at her red fingers.

"Taste it," Lucio urged randomly, holding Eva's hands out so the blood glistened in the light.

"Ew! No," she exclaimed, wrinkling her nose at it. "I may be a bit more at ease round you lot these days, but that's something else all together…"

"Never wondered what it's like?"

"Not in the slightest."

Lucio grinned.

"It will make you stronger if you drink vampire blood, and more alert, and sexier," he teased.

"I'm pretty damn happy being as alert and strong as I am now."

Lucio gave her a sideways glance, and Eva didn't let emotion show on her face.

"A blood bond would come in useful you know, I would hear you better, sense your every emotion."

"Is that what you're after?"

"The slightest sign of trouble I'd be there for you."

Eva laughed, taking Lucio by surprise.

"That's very nice, but I don't intend to get into anymore trouble."

Lucio scowled for a moment, and then raised his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah yeah I know, trouble will probably find me. For now though, I'd like to envision a bright future…"

"Fine," he grunted.

"If you're trying to seduce me though," Eva said bluntly, "You're wasting your time right now. I'm not going from lying under Eric Northman at the beginning of the night, to lying on top of you at the end of the night."

Lucio looked at her horrified.

"Lying under him? I thought you said nothing happened!" he cried.

"Nothing did happen; I pushed him of at the last minute."

"But something almost happened?"

"Honestly, yes?"

"Then what?"

"Don't ask personal questions," Eva muttered, turning red as she remembered Eric's insulting question while he was stripping her off.

"Oh go on, confide in me, it will be fun. Like on girly nights you gossip about what happens in you love life," he urged unconvincingly.

"Ha, nice try," Eva snorted.

They stared at each other for a suspenseful few minutes, until Lucio finally sighed and looked away.

"Fine, be secretive. But you managed to push Eric Northman of you? You amaze me."

"I am pretty amazing," Eva grinned, stretching lazily.

"So tell me, did anything specific happen to trigger the tears and the…" Lucio indicated to the shreds of dress around the chair, "rage?"

"Oh," Eva mumbled, remembering her encounter with the King of Mississippi. "I met Russell Edgington…"

Lucio looked alert; sitting up and gave Eva a stern look.

"And?"

"And he talked to me, made a comment on how I should be escorted better as I was 'stumbling into danger', and just thoroughly creeped me out."

"Right…" Lucio mumbled, appearing deep in thought.

"Oh, and turns out the dress was from him."

He sighed, then noticing the shreds of the material, grinned slightly.

"Money well spent on his part evidentially…"

Eva giggled.

"I got a bit carried away."

"A bit! A wild animal would do this scale of damage to it…"

"Or a vampire?" she teased.

"Or a vampire," Lucio smirked.

"I have my little savage side."

"Yes you do," Lucio agreed, brushing back the tangled waves of hair from Eva's face. "You seem to be somewhat underestimated."