Thank you to everyone for your reviews/favorite story/story alert adds! They make want to keep writing =D Also, I want to apologize in advance for the crude language in this chapter... but it had to be done.

Song used in this chapter is Disguise by Colony of Echoes.

"Well, I made a fool out myself," I said. "I can rest easy tonight." The vulgar taste of that blood substitute still lingered on my tastebuds.

"Don't feel bad, Annabel," said Godric. The smooth, buttery sound of his voice could lull me into a trance. "Your actions are quite endearing. I've never met a human who tried TruBlood."

"I can't imagine why," I replied, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "But seriously, that stuff is delicious to vampires?"

"Well, blood is the only thing we consume."

I propped my elbows on the table. "What happens when one tries to eat food?"

He was taken aback by my question. At least I thought he was. Deciphering him is not an easy task. "We would have no problem swallowing it, I suppose."

That's what she said. I would have blurted that out loud if I wasn't so afraid of his reaction. I had a feeling that he didn't know what that phrase meant, despite him being so worldly and all-knowing.

"But it would just stay in the body. It wouldn't be absorbed into the system the way blood is," he continued. He was being very casual talking about guzzling the life essence of a living creature. But I should have expected that, considering he has been doing it for two millennia. "You know, I've never given much thought to it."

"I still don't get it the whole drinking blood thing. I'd be mighty upset if I had to give up my favorite foods."

Godric gave me a sad smile. The poor thing looked so melancholy for some reason. I could see it in those perfect green orbs of his. "So is it true that garlic doesn't affect you?" I said, steering the conversation to a lighter topic.

"Yes but it irritates newer vampires."

"Can you see your reflection in a mirror?"

"Yes."

"What about holy water?"

"It's only water."

"Does silver do any damage?"

"It can temporarily weaken us and burn the skin."

So that's why Carrie gave me that silver chain. "Can you turn into a bat?"

"No. We aren't shapeshifters."

"Do you own a cape?"

He laughed. "I don't. I can't speak for every other vampire, however."

Godric and I continued our conversation for about another hour until I decided to head home. It was getting late and I needed to start a normal sleeping schedule in preparation for my new job.

He led me outside the door of the bar. "Shall I walk you to your car?" If he wasn't such a supreme being, he would have sounded eager.

I smiled in appreciation, fiddling with the strap on my wristlet. "It's only a block away. I think I'll make it."

"Very well." He took my hand and kissed the back, just like he did the night before. Again, it sent a shiver down my spine. "Come back soon, Annabel."

Oh that's a promise you can count on, sweet thing. Of course, I didn't say that out loud. That would be too bold. I smiled again and turned on my heel, walking in the direction of my car. I prayed I wouldn't trip and fall because I wasn't used to wearing anything with a heel higher than that of a flip flop or a sneaker.

As I was nearing my car, the night seemed to grow darker. Even though it was a Friday night and the downtown area should be bustling with activity, it was quiet where I was. It was too quiet. And I was alone. I wished that Godric was by my side. But no, I had just had to be stubborn and decline his chivalry.

I heard footsteps behind me so I whipped my head around. I saw a group of men, there were four of them, only about ten feet away. They looked like total thugs, dressed in large sweatshirts with the hoods up, even though the night was warm and rather humid. I gulped and quickened my pace, zipping open my purse to fish around for my keys. My gut told me I had to get the hell out of there before those men came near me.

"Hey there, baby," one of them said. They were too close now. "What's a pretty little thing like you doin' out here by herself?"

"Going home," I stated. The car was only a few feet away.

"Why are you in such a rush? The night is young!" came the voice of a different man.

I ignored him, reaching for the door handle on the driver's side. But before I could open it, I felt one of them roughly grab my upper arm.

"Oh come on now. Don't you want to spend some time with us?" said the owner of the hand that latched onto my arm.

I tried to yank away from his grip. "No," I firmly asserted.

I was being dragged away at this point. This time, two hands held me and I couldn't break free. I clawed and pushed to no avail. "Let me go you bastards!" I yelled.

"Quit acting like a prissy little bitch. We're gonna show you a good time!" This man's voice was seeping with dangerous lust and in that second, I knew I was a goner.

My breathing grew heavier and I hopelessly cried out for help, still trying to run away.

I felt a cold piece of metal touch the front of my neck. "Now, don't you make any sudden movements!" The metal was sharp and it started to pierce the skin. I glanced down at the man's gloved hand. Oh God, he had a pocket knife on my throat!

I was dragged up a set of stairs. I looked up and saw the words Dallas High School engraved on the front of the building. I had seen this place earlier in the day. It was the old, abandoned Dallas high school. I had a feeling that this place was rife with criminal activity.

Thinking I would surely meet my end here, I kicked and pushed, my body thrashing violently, ignoring the pain the knife caused my throat every time I moved. "Help!" I screamed. I had never heard myself sound so helpless and petrified before. "Somebody, please!"

The thugs kicked the door open and dragged me inside. I could feel the warm blood trickling down my chest. My eyes shifted around frantically, as if I was mapping out an escape route. Darkness was everywhere. The only light came from the windows that weren't boarded up. From there, the streetlights flooded inside.

I was pushed to the ground. My palms met the dusty floor, trying to push myself up, but I was met with a hard kick to my side. It sent me reeling over in pain. I rolled into a ball, my arms flying up to shield my head. More kicks followed that and soon, tears started to flow from my eyes. One man grabbed me by the arms and turned me around so I was on my back. A wave of adrenaline came over me and I spit right in his face.

"You little cunt!" he yelled, then punched me square in the nose.

I yelped out. The pain from that blow radiated throughout my entire body. My nose was broken. I could feel the blood trickle out of my nostrils.

Apparently, retaliating wasn't a smart idea, because the kicks grew harder and the intervals between them grew shorter. I then felt a hard kick to my jaw, and blood came bubbling out of my mouth.

"Please stop!" I pleaded. I thought I might choke on my own blood.

"Oh not just yet, baby!"

A body straddled me and a pair of hands lifted the hem of my dress, reaching for the thin strap on my panties.

Oh please, God, no! I can't go through with this again!

In my disorientation, I felt those hands release the straps and soon, they were no longer touching my skin. I heard a scream. In the dark light, my eyes saw the man who was on top of me being pulled backwards by some unseen force. I heard a loud crack, then saw his lifeless body fall to the dirty floor.

By that point, I was slipping in and out of consciousness. One second, everything became black and the sounds I heard were muffled. The next second, I could see what was going on.

The other two men screamed for their lives and started to run as fast as they could. One of them was picked up off the floor and thrown across the room, crashing into the hard stone wall, his head leaving a smear of blood that ran all the way down to the floor. The last man met his end in the same fashion as the first, a snapped neck I assume.

What the hell just happened? More importantly, was I going to die next? Would I too, meet my demise at the hands of this invisible killer that just appeared out of nowhere? I tried to move, but even the slightest flinch make my body tremble with intense pain. Pain I had never felt before. I was short of breath, so I sucked in some air. I almost choked on the blood, coughing uncontrollably.

Something materialized next to me, a body that blocked out the light in front of me.

"Annabel," said a gentle voice I knew.

My eyes moved up as far as they could, since moving my head was too painful. I saw what I thought was Godric kneeling in front of me, eyeing me carefully, inspecting my horrid injuries.

"Annabel," he repeated. Yes, it definitely was Godric.

I spit out some blood. "Godric," I breathed out helplessly. "I, I can't move. I can't get up." My voice was panic-stricken. I started sobbing again. "I think my nose is broken."

"Listen to me, Annabel." His cool voice tried to soothe me. "I have to move you. This might hurt."

At that moment, he shifted his body so he was on one knee. He lifted my back off the ground, that's when I felt the agonizing pain. I cringed and let out a small whimper.

"It will be okay," he whispered. I felt so close to death that I had nothing but faith in him.

He cradled my back against the inside of his outstretched thigh. I gazed up into his eyes. They were full of determination, compassion, urgency. I struggled to stay awake, to stay alive.

Suddenly, Godric's fangs popped out with a click. They shined white in the shadows. He rolled up his sleeve, raised his wrist up to his mouth and bit down on the vein, his dark red blood oozing out. Had I been fully conscious, I would have freaked out.

He held out his wrist. "You must drink from me if you want to heal," he said.

I stared at him like he had two heads. "I'm not drinking your blood! I don't want to be a vampire!"

"I promise you won't be. Now drink before the wound closes," he said hastily.

He forced his wrist onto to my mouth, the blood touching my lips. "No!" I cried out, pulling my head away. The blackness of my impending mortality pulled down on me.

Godric clamped a hand around the back of my head, preventing me from moving. "You will die if you don't drink my blood." I never heard him sound so commanding. "I won't let that happen."

He wasn't fucking around.

I gave in and started to suck in the blood. To my surprise, it tasted, well, good. It was ambrosial, enticing, saccaharine. Within a matter of moments, my physical suffering grew less severe. My hands rose up to bring his wrist closer, to swallow more of this sweet, elixir of life. I closed my eyes, feeling the pain subside. My nose was no longer throbbing and shattered and my abdomen no longer turned over in agony. The bleeding in my mouth ceased.

Finally, my head lolled back and I fell asleep.