I hated core curriculum classes. They were a bore, however, Professor Green managed to make Literature a little more interesting than it could have been otherwise. This month we are studying Homers, The Iliad. If you had ever seen Troy the movie, then you know the story. I knew it back and forth because for a while, it was one of my favorites. It didn't dawn on me that it was the same story until I Googled The Iliad.

Oh, how bored I was sitting there in that chair, staring out into nothing wishing that I had something better to do than listen to the old woman hark on about the battle of Troy, which I already knew about. I suppose it's not all that boring. The story itself was actually fairly entertaining in a cinematic sense. I guess I had a leg up and the ability to picture Brad Pitt as Achilles and Orlando Bloom as Paris. Mmm, they were tasty treats that I would love to dream about any day. Thinking of Brad Pitt too, in those short little pleated skirts they had to wear. What a pity that they showed so much leg.

"Miss Dammen, are you paying attention?" Professor Green interrupted my inner thinking which made me jump and realize that I had sat there with my elbrow propped up on my desk, my chin resting in my palm and looking like a love struck fool in class. My felt my cheeks get a tad bit warmer now that everyone's eyes were pressed on me. I really was pretty good at dozing off in class, which said a whole lot about me and my motivation for being at school.

"Yes, Miss Green, loud and clear," I said as I put my arm down and placed it in my lap. Trying to sit a bit straighter hoping that it would keep me awake and alert.

Professor Green tilted her aging face and looking at me with her deep and dark colored eyes, "Well then, I suppose you wouldn't mind teaching the class a thing or two about the story then. So, Anabelle, please, enlighten us, because you've paid such close attention, what role do women play in this epic poem, or if they play a role at all."

"Ugh," I mumbled, "Well, Helen was a big character, after all, the war was fought because of her."

"Yes, and no. Helen was the wife of Menelaus and then left him for Paris, though she loathed herself for applying misery to the Trojans and the Achaean men because of the war that it started. However, Helen was not a main focus or a main character, though she seemed to be. Helen was merely a tool to be an interlocutor for Paris. It is actually Athena and Hera who are the strongest roles in the poem, had you actually read the book, Ms. Dammen," Professor Green ridiculed me as he paced back and forth, pushing her thick, black framed glasses back up her nose as she continued reading the story.

It was days like this that I missed my friends. I really missed Tristian. He would go with me to many of these classes and usually sense when I was out of it when a professor came near. We would pass notes to one another, and not the same kind of notes you would suspect. Notes from one mind to another. He would send me flowers and I would return the favor by showering him with tulips, like the place he always took me that was so beautiful. I could never forget about it. The rolling, lush, green fields. The windmill farm and the acres and acres of white tulips as far as the eye could see. I think if my feelings for Silas weren't so strong and I didn't have this weird bond thing with Julius, I might have actually loved Tristian. He was easy to be with. Friendly and a good listener. I think I missed that the most.

And apart from Tristian, I missed my friend Portia. Now that she was a blood sucking vampyre, and child of Silas, the man that I was hopelessly in love with, at least at the moment, her career has boomed. Being a Vampyre has opened her mind and many doors to so many different things and area's that should could have only imagined and Portia was relishing in it. Her romance with now boyfriend, which was still awkward to say the least to see, Ruben; who not only was one of my best friends since high school, but also my boss; was buying up most of her time now too. So apart from working, going to class and tending to the horses I had left, I didn't have many out of house experiences anymore. At least not in a few months that is. Portia was wrapped up with Ruben when he was off, so no hanging out during her down time since she was mostly sleeping. Tristian was gone, as I had told him to go. My anger with him wasn't properly directed and honestly, I regret the fight we had that evening. He was only trying to protect me. I knew that and yet we both said things to each other that I'm sure we both regretted. Or at least I know I did.

The mute sounds of Professor Green calling on another student allowed me to daydream once again. Trading Brad Pitt for Tristian this time. Tristian did have a great body and imaging him in his dark armor from his great battle against the original Morrigan. How flawless he was. How beautiful. His muscular arms and legs how they pounded and pumped as he raced towards Morrigan with his obidisan sword. The battle cry that imited from his lungs as he jumped and lunged at his opponent. Just before he was about to strike the Morrigan dead, his body shimmered and the whole dream fell away to a new one.

As if my vision of Tristian had faded and gone to Brad Pitt again with his long braided blond hair that hung in my face. He looked down at me and kissed me passionately. It felt pleasurable, but the pleasure wasn't mine. I was confused, I knew that much, but I did not feel pleasurable. I opened my eyes and searched the room. What could be causing the vision? I closed my eyes again and the dream returned, only of Brad mounting me and riding me over and over. His hard, sweat slick body pressed against mine as he moaned in delight.

Opening my eyes I realized I wasn't having the day dream. This wasn't my own. Turning towards the back end of the classroom I found one girl, arms propped up on the desk, her forehead in her hands as if she was looking down and reading the book. I focused my energy on her and noticed that she was fast asleep before I was sucked into her head once again.

"Melody, oh, Melody," Brad cried as they came together.

"Oh! Brad!" her delicate hands rubbed his chest as they collapsed on top of one another panting hard.

I felt like a third person in a bad Roman movie when people had to watch while two people had sex in front of them. I looked around the room and found a sword and shield. Grabbing the sword I thrusted it into the back of Brad Pitt, as much as I hated doing it, I knew it was only a dream. The girl screamed and held her hands out, which were already covered in blood. I pulled the sword out of his back as he image of Achilles faded from the dream, "Who are you?" I yelled.

The girl looked scared and surprisingly familiar. The girl in class. This was her dream. I had walked into her dream. Then suddenly, I was out of it. My head picked up from the table as a scream filled the room and the girl that I had seen in the dream fell back on her chair, crying. Everyone rushed to her side just as the class was near a close. I decided it was better to get up and leave now before she discovered it was me that had killed her shot of truly being with Brad. And as freaked as I was to walk into another person's dream without touching them was enough for me to pack up and leave as well.

I kept my head down and got into the Jeep where I drove like a bat out of hell to get home. I wasn't far from my house so it didn't take me very long to get there. Though there was a car in the driveway that I didn't recognize. I pulled up along side the little red sports car that resembled my coveted Vauxhall VXR8 that I always wanted to drive. Coming along the front I realized it was a Vauxhall and I just had to touch the hood of the car. It's strength, speed, sexiness and raw power in a small little compact car no bigger than a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Wondering who the car belonged to so I walked towards the door to see a tall man with ear length blond hair that was slightly curled at the ends peeking into the windows. From behind, he had quite the ass, perfect for grabbing. He had a slender physique that were overrun by bulging muscles, which was very attractive on him. Now if only I could see his face to distinguish rather he was worthy of such a God like body. "Excuse me," I said as he man turned around.

"Anabelle," he answered after letting out a huge sigh.

"Julius?" I asked questioningly. It didn't even look like him anymore. Granted he always had a hot body and as bad as I hate to admit it, I've seen it all, but he looked so unlike himself. Something changed.

Julius ran up and picked me up into his arms, swinging me around. His hold was tight and fierce as if it was ages since we had seen each other. "I am so glad you are safe," he said, whispering into my ear as he placed me down on my feet.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" I said. "Did you see Silas?"

I noticed the change in his face from ecstatic to demise once Silas's name was mentioned. Oh no. I knew that they didn't exactly get off on the right foot the other morning. "No, but I heard his message."

"Well, what brings you here?" I asked, not wanting to get into a touchy personal subject with him that he obviously didn't want to talk about.

"I came to check on you and apologise," he admitted, running his hand through his short hair or at least short in comparison to how long it used to be. I suppose he thought it was time for a trim, since after all, it wouldn't grow back so quickly now that he was human.

"Apologise for what? It should be me apologising to you," I said, stepping closer to him. I looked up at his massive frame, his gentle and enticing emerald green eyes that looked down at me. His soft blond hair that blew in the breeze and hid his eyes. I reached up and tucked a stray hair behind his ear.

"You don't need to say anything, it was Silas that spawned the whole thing. If anyone is to blame, it is him," Julius said as he grabbed my hand and placed it in his own.

I shook my head, "No, Julius, it's not just one person's fault. I am just as much to blame as he was. We were so wrapped up with how you were doing that...that..."

Julius touched my lips, "Shh. No need to explain, I know the tangled web he weaves."

"No, no weaving web. I love him," I blurted out.

Julius touched a lock of my hair and kissed it lightly, "For now you do."

"Look, what do you want? I have some things I have to take care of, so if you're here to denigrate your cousin who is out there right now searching for you, trying to make sure you are safe, then I suggest you just go," I said as I backed away from Julius and walked towards my house.

Julius grabbed my shoulder and I saw a flash of what looked like a mangled car, "Please, wait, I must speak with you."

I turned, tucked my hair behind my ear and looked him in his gorgeous eyes. Eyes that until just now, I hadn't realized why they were so familiar. I gave him a once over, it couldn't have been. I'm sure there were plenty of people with those eyes who were possible Vampyre's as well. And who's to say that what I saw that night was indeed true. "Fine then, come inside, I need to change. You can help me with the horses."

I walked inside, Julius following, and placed my things at the table by the door. Hung my keys up and my coat in the closet in the hall before I went upstairs. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right down," I yelled from the top of the stairs.

I quickly changed into some work jeans which were torn and stained as well as a long sleeve shirt with a leather vest as I pulled on my riding boots which were still covered in muck from being out in the stalls. I came downstairs to see Julius eyeing the picture of my parents and I. The same picture that Tristian picked up and belittled me about when it came to being human and how I wasn't one anymore, or actually, maybe I never was.

"Do you miss them?" he asked.

"Everyday," I answered with a little choke to my voice.

Julius put down the picture and looked at me with a smile. "You look like a rider from the wild west. Are we going to rob a bank or something?"

I gave him a face and stuck out my tongue before I pushed past him to grab two water bottles from the fridge. "Catch," I said as I threw one at him. Seems being human he hadn't lost his lightning quick reflexes. "Come on, you can help me out in the barn."

Julius silently followed me out to the barn where I opened the large steel doors that let the light in. The horses neighed and scrapped their hooves on the ground in anticipation. The mid-afternoon exercise. Most of the time they were pinned up, but on the afternoons when I didn't have classes and it was nice out, I would let them roam the pastures, eat the sweet grass and fill up at the small pond at the far western end of the property. I didn't normally let them out on their own without someone being here, well, that meant when I was home. Too many strange things wandering the woods, I couldn't have any more horses stolen. "Have you ridden recently?"

"No, but it's not difficult. You forget, I've been alive for over five thousand years. Cars have only been in production for less than one hundred," Julius explained as he grabbed the saddle and reins from the saddle room and walked til he found a horse of his choosing, Cruz.

Cruz was my American Paint horse. Mostly fawn colored with white splotchy spots all over him. His face was completely white except for his ears and just around his eyes. He had wild and crazy looking eyes, one brown and the other the whitest of blue. Almost like Silas's eyes when he was hungry. How any Vampyre's eyes turn when they are thirsty. Cruz was generally a laid back horse. He didn't like to go fast or much of anywhere, but Julius's presence, I could sense was throwing him off just a bit. Maybe Cruz would just buck and throw Julius off his back, that would be quiet a sight to see. I giggled silently to myself thinking about Julius being pelted off the back of the horse.

I put Julius out of my mind as he tended to Cruz, grabbing the brushes and patting him down before he started to put the reins in. I tended to Star, my newest horse, who was always happy to see me. I looked over at Romeo's stall and how empty it was. I wish I could have ridden him. He was a match for Cruz who like his heritage for being the chosen horse for many Native Americans was quite swift. Swift should have been his name, but he reminded me of a guy I knew once who was fast on his feet and thus was named after him. Cruz may be lazy at times, but when he needed to move, he would move.

I saddled and bridled Star before I leaped up on her back, taking the reins tight in my hands we pranced and practiced up and down the barn. Having her step as if she was a show horse, picking up her hooves in perfect recall. She was as graceful as any Royal bred horse, fit for a queen. Julius laughed at my cantering and jumped up on Cruz effortlessly. As Cruz trotted out of the stall he buckled and kicked up his ear. Julius holding tight to the reins as Cruz lifted his front, trying to make Julius slid off. I had a good laugh, but quite amazed at how well Julius had a hold of the horse. Steadily getting Cruz calmed before he nudged him with his heels, yelled and off they took into the pasture.

"Well now, Star. Seems we have quite the rider to catch up to." I said as Star's ears turned to the sound of my voice and we took off into the green hills and beyond.

I caught up to Julius at a large tree at the top of the hill about a mile out. We were far from my property at this point and encroaching on another. The horses were lathered thick and huffing. Nearby was a watering hole so Julius jumped down, careful not to let go to Cruz's reins and grabbed Star's as I trotted over to them. He held her steady as I slid down from the saddle and stretched my legs. Julius walked both horses over to the little creek that ran between the two hills and they drank up.

Julius sat at the stream with his legs outward and his arms behind him, propping his body up and his head tilted back into the sun. I plopped myself down next to him and mimicked his motion as I felt the warm sun on my face.

"Calming, isn't it?" Julius said without opening his eyes.

"Yes," I answered, sneaking a peak at him with one eye and he caught my gaze.

"You know, I haven't felt this good in centuries," Julius started to speak as he turned on his side, his hand propped up on the ground and supporting his head. His left leg bent while his right was out straight. He looked directly at me and smiled.

"See, being human isn't all so bad," I answered with a shrug of my shoulders. Not that I could really attest to being human as, according to Tristian, I was a Halfling.

"Yes and no," Julius answered as he scooted his way closer to me until we were just inches apart. His free hand caught mine and he held it there in his hand, rubbing his fingers in circles over my palm before his emerald gaze caught mine. He almost looked sad.

"What's wrong?" I asked, not moving, not pulling away either as Julius got closer. Flashes of images flowed through my brain. Darkness, lights and screaming. Cars colliding. Then nothing. I felt my heart beating faster and faster. I could feel what he was feeling and I knew he could feel what I felt as well. There was no denying that fact we still had a bond and it wasn't broken despite what's happened.

"I..." Julius started and then looked away.

I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to face me, "What?"

He sat there and stared at me, his mouth agape, just looking until finally his mouth formed a firm line across his face, "Nothing," he whispered.

"I know it's not nothing. You forget, we're bonded." I pointed my finger between us, "No hiding from me."

Julius chuckled as he laid on his back, intertwining his fingers together behind his head, "Do you believe in destiny?"

"Destiny is made. We are our own destiny with the choices we make. Now fate," I shook my head, "is something I very much believe in."

Julius didn't answer or say anything for many moments. He just sat there and looked out to the mountains, to the next house, who knew, not speaking. He was still, almost as still as he was when he was a Vampyre. Scary still and always beautiful.

"You're much more beautiful than I am," he spoke but without looking in my direction.

He startled me, as if reading my mind. Yet again, I wasn't sure how the bond necessarily worked. Could he read my mind? I knew he could sense my feelings and I his, but I had never tried to read him before. Maybe because I couldn't. Now that he was human I could just simply touch him. Instinctively I reached my hand out.

Julius jerked away, "No," shaking his head.

I pulled my hand away, "What?"

"I don't want you to know like that," he said hurriedly.

"Know what?" I asked wanting to put my arm around him, seeing how his face was flush and almost brimming with tears. "What are you hiding that you don't want me to know about?"

"It's not for you to know now," Julius said with a straight face as he looked on into the horizon. The sun was starting to set. We had been out for hours riding around and sitting there in the field for a good bit just relaxing.

Julius stood and brushed his pants off, "I'll fetch the horses."

"Julius, I..." was all I got out as he went running down the hill to catch Star and Cruz who had wandered off. I had a feeling he wouldn't be telling me much and that if I was just patient enough, he might tell me in time. But what I saw, made no sense and yet put everything together. I saw the visions of the crumpled car. The screaming and the large lights. I knew that dream too well. They were his memories, so he had to have been there. Maybe it was just as hard for him to talk about as it was for me. So I backed off for now.

When Julius came up the hill with Star and Cruz in tow he was careful not to actually touch me when he handed me the reins. Of all the times to avoid touching me, this was it. Afraid of me finding out about something I was probably just as confused about myself, and something that would answer so many questions I had. I had to push them down. The most important thing was making sure he was okay and safe. I've lived several years after my accident, no sense in bringing it up now.

We rode on towards the barn taking a straight shot to the pasture. He mucked Cruz's stall without having to be asked and brushed him down after he took off the reins and saddle. Julius took the saddle and reins from where I placed them on the stall door and put them away for me. "Thanks," I said as he walked past with the saddle in both arms.

When we were both done we walked out of the barn and into the yard as I closed the doors. Now the sky was turning a purplish color with blue and orange mixed in. It was beautiful seeing the colors of the leaves and the sky blend in together as the sun started to set. I found myself dwelling on thoughts of Silas and how he loved sunsets and sun rises. That's when I realized I still hadn't heard from him. Julius went inside to wash his hands and I went to grab my phone from my purse. No new messages. It was so unlike him. Why hadn't he messaged me back. I had never seen him without his blackberry before.

Julius came out of the bathroom at that moment and I bombarded him with questions, "When was the last time you saw Silas?"

Julius's look to me was like daggers, "I have not seen him since you both were naked at his home."

"Have you talked to him at all?" I pressed, not caring if he didn't like the line of questions.

"No, not personally. I did receive the message he left me at Ilona's though," Julius said bitterly.

"Ilona's?" I thought back to the woman that entered the cottage when Julius was first hurt. The Vampyre Queen. Ilona Tempes. "What was he doing there?"

"You didn't know?" Julius laughed, "He wanted to leave me there. Feed me to the wolves. Said he could care less about me because I was human now. That he wouldn't have to compete for your love. I dare him to challenge me, even as a human!"

I shook my head, that didn't sound like Silas at all, "No, no. Silas was off to search for you. He was worried about you."

"Worried, I'm sure," Julius said sarcastically.

"No, really. He was so upset. He said he was going to the club and then to your home to see if you had gone there. Why would he have gone to Ilona's?" I asked.

"Because I wasn't at either of my other usual spots. Now I can't go to my place of work. Not that I could anyways. Ilona made that clear that all property I owned as a Vampyre was now theirs," Julius seethed.

"Well, he has to still be there," I said, trying to bring some clarity to the situation, "and that can't be good because he's not picking up his cell phone and he always picks up or texts me back. It's been two nights since I've heard from him."

"And you're surprised that he would suddenly dump you? Sweetie, do yourself a favor and don't worry about it. It's what he does best," Julius said as he reached for the front door and opened it.

"I'm not your sweetie and don't call me that," I said, "Anyways, you're going to help me."

Julius continued walking towards his car, I was following. "And why would I do that?" he asked as he opened his door.

I was at the passenger side and opened the door as well, got in the car and buckled up. "Because, Silas has to be in danger and only you can truely help him. I honestly believe in my heart he did not give you over to them and would not leave you to die anywhere. So you're taking me or so help me god I will lay my hands all over you until your little secret you want to hold onto is revealed."

Julius just looked at me and with a small little grin said, "Buckle up."