Luke said it. It will happen.

Why else would Michel stay friends with someone so violent for so long— apart from the fact that they were like brothers…since the same vampire had made them so long ago?

Michel handed the keys to Luke through the open window, and started to drive.

"Aren't you going to wait for your friend?" Kerry asked, with the slightest emphasize on friend.

"He'll catch up soon enough," Michel told her pleasantly.

And he did. Within minutes he was in the freeway, going faster than Michel was.

"My dad is going to kill me," Kerry said, her hand covering her face.

Michel smirked, but composed himself quickly. Oh, the irony.

No, her father would not kill her. He would. Of course, she would still be alive or…whatever it is that vampires are.

He himself couldn't figure it out yet.

While he lost the time thinking that, Kerry asked him, "Can you please tell your friend to not drive the car too harshly? There's some sort of problem in it."

While Michel just looked at her bemused, Kerry looked nervous. She always looked nervous when he would look at her instead of the road. He never reassured her, since she already knew what he was, but her fear made her heart beat faster.

And to be honest, Michel liked the sound of her heartbeat. It was just so melodic, so…unique. Every emotion contained a special heartbeat. He knew when she was mad, sad, happy, confused, nervous, and just thinking of nothing with relevance.

Well, as of this moment, her heartbeat was having erratic beats. Too fast when she thought about her car; and too slow when she thought about who was driving it. Definitely a mixture of anger and anxiety for her…Ahem…old car.

"He probably took a couple minutes longer than usual to fix any problems it had," Michel said blandly. Luke may sound dumb when you hear his accent, but he would definitely have no problem in MIT or even IIT (Indian Institution of Technology…which over half of MIT students flunk out of. Just an interesting fact.).

Kerry just blinked. Vampires are not nice. She has had experience with that, Michel thought leeringly. Kerry also took into consideration Luke's violence, because for a moment, Kerry sounded as if she was scared.

He directed his attention back to driving, letting her chose how she would feel about Luke: Scared or grateful.

"Well," Kerry said, as if her speechlessness was her being more stunned than anything, "That was…nice of him."

"He usually can't refrain himself from helping a lady," Michel said, still looking at the road instead of her.

Despite his self-assurances that he was not jealous, he couldn't help it. Luke is extremely good looking; he is incredibly nice once you get to know him –and when he's away from violent situation.

In all, he hardly lied. He was straight and to the point. He didn't lie to anyone, because he would rather be honest than protect any human's fragile mind. He only lied when it concerned his pride, with the case of never having bonded to anyone. Or was that just Michel being paranoid about any little lie?

Enough. I do think Luke is lying about the bond, and I'm positive Kerry has no interest in him…I think.

That might have been his first insecurity about himself.

He tried to compose himself mentally. Outside, Kerry was oblivious to his internal struggle.

Well, that in itself didn't make him feel better. He was too good a liar for someone who knew him better than any other person to notice.

Okay, well maybe it does make me feel a little better. I would rather not tell her my plan until I am positive her answer is yes.

It was getting very late, and Luke did not slow down. Heading to Bergen Swamp again in his car was not an enjoyable plan, but having more than one car is so suspicious, the vampire hunters would find them easily.

Kerry stifled a yawn, but groaned when she saw Michel look at her.

"Ethan –please tell me—do you plan on forcing me to fall asleep?" she asked, slowly, deliberately.

"Rest. We have forty-five minutes left. I'll wake you up. I promise."

Kerry did not argue with him. She sighed in relief, smiled at him and closed her eyes. Within a minute, her breathing was deep and relaxed.

Michel sighed. Her heartbeat sounded normal now, but it still contained a hint of a beautiful melody.

The silent car ride helped him to feel better because she definitely trusted him, whether he lied or not. To him, it demonstrated her faith more than when she risked her life for him when Marsala was about to shoot him to death.

To trust someone who has lied so many times…he hoped he could learn to do that. Damn his caginess.

Once he turned off the car, he saw Anne and the guy who saved her. Luke had parked Kerry's car where no one would see it, in case the guy he knocked unconscious would try to follow them.

"Kerry," he nudged. Hmm…must be in her REM sleep.

"Kerry," Michel said, a little more annoyed.

Apparently, Kerry was violent sleeper herself, because she almost slapped him. Maybe .01 mph more and she would have slapped him.

"Okay," Michel grunted. He took off her seat belt and dragged her to the driver's side. Kerry must have felt being moved, because she woke up instantly. Seeing who it was, she calmed seconds later.

She kept her dignity by not screaming, and stood up by herself. That still didn't stop Michel from holding his hand out to her. Turning around, he saw Luke and Anne look at him with a very small shred of their curiosity. They could hide it well, but not for this.

As soon as Kerry saw someone as nervous as she was, she calmed down even more. At least she wasn't the most ignorant about the situation.

"Anne, this is Kerry Nowicki. She saved my…life…two years ago." Anne half-smiled at Kerry and bowed her head. Okay. She mastered the innocent half-smile. And the man has no clue as to what they really are, except that they came close to dying as well.

"Nice to meet you Kerry, this is Seth Sloane. He just saved my life yesterday."

Both Kerry and Michel looked up quickly.

Sloane.

Regina.

Did she have kids before being turned into a vampire? Or did this person just coincidentally share the last surname?

Michel didn't think so, and apparently, neither did Kerry.

"What brought you to Brockport?" Kerry asked off-hand.

"Well," Seth said, looking uncomfortable, but decided to trust them. "I am adopted, and heard that my grandmother Regina Sloane lived here. I came here yesterday, ran into the Laundromat by Main Street and saw her and a couple of guys…hitting her."

Kerry looked away quickly. She had seen Michel bleed, cut him for his freedom, and came close to dying herself.

"How did you get away?" she asked.

"I don't know. I was too shocked at what I saw. I mean four guys attacking a woman. They pulled me in and tried to tie me but I pulled out my knife—" he pulls out his knife and shows it to her, "—and told them to back off. Anne was tied up, so I just took her like she way, untying the one rope that held her to the bench. We got in my car and I drove as fast as I could without rising suspicion. "

Michel took a while to digest this. He had long ago stopped blaming himself for killing Regina, but knowing that people were looking for her in his city and having to tell them that she would never be found just made the blame come back.

Kerry sensed this, and stepped closer.

"Did you find your grandmother?" Kerry asked quietly.

Oh no. Why did you ask that? He'll make the connection.

"She hasn't been seen for—" and suddenly he looked up sharply.

So, I basically wanted to add drama and "oh-the-irony!" kind of thing.

Did I do a good job?