A/N:I need a beta...anyone want to be it? PM me!

When Claire woke, she was alone. She turned over and buried her head in the pillow Shane used and was happy to find that it still smelled faintly of him. Lingering there for a moment, she pushed off the bed and padded downstairs to find only Michael sitting at the table with a cup in one hand and a newspaper in another.

"Where's Shane and Eve?"

"Eve had to go to work and Shane had to go out for something: he wasn't really willing to share exactly with me. So it's just you and me this morning." She nodded and heated up a Hotpocket. With a cup of apple juice, she sat beside him and started eating.

They didn't talk much, the night before hanging heavily over them, before Claire hugged him and ran back upstairs to get ready for class. She'd just finished packing her bag and was wondering how she was going to fight Oliver's compulsion when she tried to open her bedroom's door. It wouldn't open. She dropped her bag to the floor and yanked on it a couple of times before realizing that the door was locked.

"Michael?" She called, confused.

"Yea?"

"Why is my door locked?" There was thick silence on the other side of the door. "Michael?" She started to worry.

She heard a sigh. "This is for your own good Claire."

She caught on to what he was saying and gasped. "No Michael! No!"

"I'm locking you in your room until a couple minutes after night fall."

"No! I have classes, Michael! Classes! I can't skip them!"

"You said it yourself Claire: you're afraid of what he's going to do today. This is the only way to keep you safe and away from him. Your classes can wait a day: your safety comes first. I'm not trying to hurt you but this is for the best." She sighed.

He was right, but what was she supposed to do in her room all day? She looked around her room.

She could read? But she already knew most of the books in her room cover to cover.

She could do homework? Claire laughed. She had finished her homework before class was even over.

She could get on the internet on her laptop? And do what? She wasn't one for games, browsing got boring after a while, and Facebook was pointless. Well, there was one thing she wanted to know…

Sitting down at her desk, she goggled what time the sun would be setting. 6:48 pm. She looked at the clock and groaned. Why did she have to wait nearly nine hours to leave her room? She threw herself away from the computer and stood.

After that she was at a loss for a while as she paced her room until it finally hit her: sleep. She could try to sleep.

The past two nights she hadn't been very successful at it. Both times she'd just lay there, once alone and the other with Shane, until she fell back asleep only to repeat the process ten or fifteen minutes later. The reason being: that stupid nightmare.

Well, maybe she'd be able to rest now? The least she could do was try.

Claire laid in her bed for a while staring off into space and, not realizing how tired she actually was, fell asleep for a long time. Her sleep was blissfully dreamless and empty and deep and peaceful until the last thirty seconds.

A figure appeared in the darkness of her mind. Pale, cold, and utterly emotionless, Oliver stood in the depths. As her mind tried to find a reason for the mental invasion, Oliver smiled, fangs glistening, and said, "Come."

Claire woke with a startled gasp. She sat up in her bed, gasping and making sure she was completely alone. As she tried to settle her heart, she looked at the clock on her bedside table.

Six, wow.

She didn't know how she'd slept that long but she had and now there was something strange going on in her body. It was hard to explain or describe: it was like something was…pulling her, pulling her somewhere she was unsure of. It wasn't strong or worrisome so she ignored it and busied herself with finding clothes and getting dressed. She paid great attention to what she was doing: making sure every single thing she was wearing matched color for color, even her bra and panties matched. She didn't stop to think until she was pulling her shirt over her head.

What am I doing?

The thought stopped her in her tracks and the shirt fell through her fingers, covering her torso. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror and was surprised to see that she looked as if she was about to go out on a date. Why did she even bother changing when only her bedroom would see it?

She shook her head and started to get undressed when she felt it again: the pulling from earlier, only worse. It felt as if it were ripping her apart from the inside, it was so bad. She screamed from the pain and, wanting to get rid of it, moved toward whatever it was pulling her too. Turned out, it was leading her to the door. In a flash of understanding, she knew where it wanted her to go.

Common Grounds.

"No." She said and braced herself against the door. "I'm not going." At her flat out refusal the pain got worse and spread from her stomach to her entire body, making her cry out even more. "No, no." She sobbed repeatedly as her body acted on its own, pulling at the door that wouldn't budge.

It wasn't long before she heard someone walking down the hall. By the heavy footsteps, she knew it was Shane.

"Shane. Shane!" The steps hesitated then came closer.

"Claire? Are you okay?"

"Please, Shane: let me out. Please, I need to get out of this room."

"But Michael said-"

"Forget what Michael said! He doesn't know what he's talking about. Please, just let me out. I need to use the restroom really bad. Please."

"I'm not suppose to Claire. We were told not to let you out til seven. It's for your own good."

"But Shane! I really need to pee! I've been locked up in this room all day! Please, Shane. Please?" Her voice softened, hoping to get him to obey but she hoped he wouldn't in her head. She felt him hesitate and the next words were out of her mouth before they even formed in her head. "What if something happens in the house and you can't get to me? Do you want me to end up like Alyssa?" She hated herself immensely immediately because she knew that had been a low blow but it had the desired effect.

After a short silence, Shane unlocked her door.

She swung it open and he stood on the other side of the door looking down at her. Claire leaped up and kissed him multiple times. "Thank you." She said and kissed him repeatedly until he had a dazed look on his face. As soon as she saw it, she made a run for it.

"Claire!" He tried to grab her but she was quicker than he thought. She made it out the front door before he caught her.

"Let me go."

"No."

"Trust me Shane: this is something I have to do alone. I don't want to, I really don't, but I have to. Please."

He sighed but let her go. "Come back to me."

"I will." She vowed. With that, she dashed off down the street.

She tried to stop herself multiple times and multiple ways but her body just wasn't having it. As the sun set and darkness descended over the town, Claire took a step into Common Grounds.

When Oliver saw her, he smiled. He was behind the counter in his hippie clothes, as usual, with one of his employees whose name Claire did not know. When she stood in front of him, he turned to the girl.

"I have a very long and important meeting to go to, Kate. Tell so to anyone who may come looking for me." The girl, Kate, nodded as Oliver led Claire through some doors and into a room that looked like the employee's break room. There were chairs, a television, a refrigerator, some counters with a microwave and sink on them, and even a little bed in one of the corners. The bed made Claire nervous as she heard Oliver close the door behind him. She jumped when his hands fell on her shoulders and he leaned in close to whisper to her.

"Where shall we begin?" He teased as one of his hands dropped to her waist and started to pull up her shirt. He spotted the bruise she still sported from his bite and smiled. "Maybe I should start by keeping my promises?" He smirked and her heart stopped.

Shane felt awful.

Michael gave him one job. Do not let her out and he did exactly the opposite. He got played and now she was out there somewhere doing something that Michael had labeled as horrible and dangerous for her health. When Michael got home from his important vampire thing and saw the dejected look on Shane's face, Shane saw his anger.

"You let her out?" He nodded. "And she's gone?" He nodded again and disappointment entered his eyes. "Shane!"

"I know, but she tricked me. She brought up Lyssa and how if something happened…and I just couldn't help it. I'm so sorry Michael."

Michael sighed and settled down on the couch next to Shane. "It's okay. She would have found a way out sooner or later. At least she didn't hurt herself this way."

Shane agreed. "Where is she going anyways?"

Michael ran a hand through his golden hair. "You don't want to know, man. You really don't. I wish I didn't know. It'll only make you feel worse because you won't be able to do anything about it." He mumbled something else that Shane couldn't quite hear, picked up a controller, and started to kill zombies.

Shane joined in but wasn't really into it. He had noticed that both Claire and Michael had said how they wish that they didn't know about whatever was going on. It made him really wonder if he truly wanted to know if this thing was so horrible that the people involved felt horrible about being involved, but Shane already knew the truth. If he was honest with himself, Shane knew that the answer to his wondering would be yes despite how everybody who knew felt. Claire was his girlfriend, someone he honestly felt something for, and he wanted to know what was up with her and all the secrets revolving around her. And, regardless of how tight the two of their lips were now, he was going to find out.

Kate was not a happy camper.

Oliver had gone to some meeting and left her to man the counter alone. It wasn't their busiest times of the day, but it was fast and not easy…but she managed it. The customers had slowed down and there was barely anyone there and she thought Oliver would not begrudge her a short break so she headed back to the employee's lounge to grab a quick snack.

The halls were deathly quiet, too quiet for a meeting. She shrugged. She wanted to be nosy but Oliver was a vampire-she was a native Morganville resident so she knew-and he'd know that she was there.

Kate walked into the room, prepared to grab her sandwich from the ice box, when she looked up and noticed the scene unfolding in front of her.

Oliver, her boss, had some girl, the one who'd walked in earlier, up against the wall in a very compromising position. Kneeling in front her with one of her legs thrown over his shoulders, it was impossible to not realize what he was doing. One of his hands held the girl in place by the waist and the other one was out of sight and Kate didn't really want to think about what it could be doing. The girl seemed to be enjoying it. She wasn't moaning, thank God, but she was writhing and panting with one hand twisted in his hair. She, thankfully, still had on her bra-a pink frilly thing-but the rest of her was bare and hidden by Oliver's clothed body.

Kate was surprised witless.

He left her up front at a busy time to come back her to have oral sex with some girl? Some important 'meeting' this turned out to be.

She was still frozen at the door, it had only been a few seconds, when Oliver pulled away from the girl. With his mouth away from her, the girl continued to pant and Kate could guess what his other hand was doing.

"Get out."

Stunned, Kate could only stare. "But-"

Hearing Kate's voice, the girl against the wall jumped and looked at Kate through the hair falling over her face.

"Get out." Oliver said again not even bothering to look at her. "And if you tell anyone of what you've seen here, I will drain you myself. Understood?" Scared now, Kate mumbled a quick yes and apology and got a good look at the blushing girl's face before retreating from the room.

Claire was mortified.

Someone had just walked in on Oliver doing…things to her!

What if she's been completely naked? What if it had been someone she knew? What if he'd been doing something else to her? Why hadn't he locked the door? She wanted to ask these questions, she wanted to glare at him but as soon as Kate was gone Oliver reattached his mouth to the most sensitive place on her body.

The one knee she was standing on went weak. She would have slid down the wall if his hand had not been on her waist holding her up effortlessly. He was good at what he was doing because she felt it coming and was powerless to really do anything about it when it crashed over her. Her whole body went still then shuddered.

Claire tried to control her breathing as Oliver moved away from her and but he wouldn't stop the torment. His hands slid up her body and undid the clasp of her bra before she could even blink. It started to fall down her arms but she caught it before it could reveal her chest.

Oliver rolled his eyes. "No need to be shy: I've seen them already." He mocked but she shook her head.

"Lock the door."

He smirked. "No need. Kate knows what will come of her if she dares to come back here again. Now go ahead and drop it."

She shook her head again and turned her back on him knowing that his next step would be compulsion and she would not look into his eyes no matter what he did. "Lock the door."

It was silent for a second before he spoke. "Claire," He purred softly. "It would please me very much if you would drop your bra to the floor and show me your beautiful breasts." Claire felt her brain fog up, to her surprise, and allowed her bra to fall. His cold hands replaced it instantly and she felt herself harden against his cold.

"How did you do that?"

"A different type of compulsion: one where you want to please me because it pleases you. You can think of it as a…special gift I had in my human life that was only amplified when I was turned." She could feel his lips brush against her ear before he started to trail open mouth kisses down then back up the side of her neck until he got to where her pulse was strongest, and where it felt the best.

Claire, like the night before, felt nothing but pleasure spread throughout her body as he focused all of his attention on that spot. She felt her knees grow weak again and was only able to remain standing when Oliver's hand moved from her chest down the top of her stomach, holding her up and against him. He bit her with no fangs but she couldn't stop herself from thinking about how it would feel if he really bit her, fangs and all. As if he could hear her thoughts, Oliver's fangs snapped down and pressed dimples into her neck.

"I can feel that you want it, Claire. Your blood is screaming at me that you do. All you have to do is ask." She almost did but her brain stopped her.

He's going to kill you if you let him! It screamed at her. She shook her head slowly. "N-No. You'll kill me! I'm not stupid."

He chuckled. "Clearly. And as much as I'd like to, I can't, remember? But I can make it painless. All you will feel is pleasure: pleasure like this…" His hand trailed down her stomach and lower.

It was so hard to think through his ministrations but she did. She shook her head again. "No."

Oliver pulled away and sighed again. "Smart girl." He threw her on the bed in one fluid movement and his shirt was gone the next second. "Either way: I'm still going to get what I want." He smiled viciously and approached Claire.

Eve was very pissed at the moment. She had just received her last check from Common Grounds and he had robbed her! Only one week's pay? That was total bull. She had worked her full last month there and he was only paying her for a week? She was going to have words with Oliver. She stepped into Common Grounds and scanned the room for her ex-boss and, when she didn't see him, marched up to the counter where Kate was wiping down the bar.

"Eve! How's it going? Haven't seen you in a while!"

"Good, just been working at the college coffee shop." She smiled but frowned again. "I'd like to catch up Kate, but I really need to speak with Oliver. You know where he is?"

A weird look came over Kate's face. "Um, is it possible for you to come back later? He's kind of in a meeting."

Eve put her hands on her hips. "How long will it be before he's finished?"

Kate's face colored a bit. "They've been back there for a while." She glanced at the clock. "Maybe an hour, and hour and a half? But I don't know how much longer. Oliver really seems to be into it and enjoying himself."

Confused about the last part, Eve shook her head. "I need to see him now." Kate shook her head this time.

"He doesn't want anyone disturbing his meeting. I did and he threatened me. Trust me: you don't want to go back there. Come back tomorrow."

Eve thought for a second. "No. I need to see him now, sorry." She walked around the counter and headed toward the back.

"You really shouldn't do that!" Kate said but Eve was gone. Kate sighed. "I tried to tell her."

Eve walked down the familiar hall and straight into Oliver's office to find nothing. "Seriously?" She stomped her foot and walked into the hall again. 'Guess I'll just come back tomorrow.' She thought and headed toward the front…until she heard quiet noises coming from the employee's break room.

"Weird place to have a meeting." She mumbled as she pushed open the door. She took a few steps through the door, mentally preparing her argument, and looked up and opened her mouth to speak. No words came out as her mouth dropped open as she stared in shock at the scene before her.

Oliver, her vampire ex-boss, was having sex some human girl.

To say it shocked her would be a major understatement.

She stood there for a moment, frozen. Oliver had to know she was there, he was vampire after all and her heart was beating rapidly, but he continued what he was doing for a few seconds before addressing her.

Not even bothering to look at her, Oliver smirked. "Are you enjoying the show, Eve? I never thought you'd be one for watching others pleasure themselves." This seemed to knock her out of her shock and she spun away from them.

"N-No. I don't like walking in on people having sex. You should really have a sign or something."

"The door was closed." He pointed out.

Eve took a quick glance behind her. "Why does she have a pillow over her head? You into rough stuff or is she ashamed of being a filthy fang banger." Eve sneered. To her surprise, he didn't respond back immediately. There was silence for a minute or two and she was tempted to see why but before she dared turn around, Oliver answered.

"Did you really come to talk about my personal life, Eve, or was there something else?"

"Um, yea. You owe me three more weeks of pay. I worked my whole last month here and I want my money." She knew him well enough to know that he was either shrugging or rolling her eyes…or both.

"Whatever. I will find the mistake and fix it. Now if you do not mind…"

Eve, though she really wanted to turn around and get a better look at the girl, high-tailed it out of there. She guessed her face showed what just happened because Kate almost smiled.

"Told you not to go back there."

Eve looked at her with wide eyes. "You knew that he was-"

"Yeah. I walked in on them earlier when I went to take my break."

"Why didn't you warn me?"

"I tried. Oliver threatened to kill me if I told anyone."

Eve sighed. "Do you know who the girl is?"

Kate shook her head. "Her hair was in her face and I didn't recognize what I could see of her face." Kate looked around then leaned close to Eve. "What kind of person would want to sleep with Oliver?"

Eve shrugged. "Someone either really brave or really stupid…or both. I'm neither so I'm going to get out of here before the wrong person overhears us. Later."

"Be careful out there in the dark!"

"You too!" Eve shouted and dashed to her car.

Claire, again, was mortified. Someone had walked in on them…again!

This time, luckily, Oliver heard them approaching. He was behind her in this very dominant position which made it very easy for him to shove her face into the mattress and throw a pillow over her head. She started to panic, thinking he was about to suffocate her, when he shushed her.

"This is to conceal your identity, girl. If you don't want your friends knowing what you've been up to tonight, you'll say nothing and will not remove this pillow. Understand?" She nodded. Then, of all people, Eve walked in and said what she said.

"Filthy fang banger."

She had tensed at that moment and sucked in a breath to say something but Oliver gripped her waist in silent warning so she said nothing. It hurt that Eve would say that about her-indirectly but it still felt the same. She had no choice in being a fang banger and now, if Eve ever found out, she'd know what she'd be even if Eve never said it out loud: a filthy fang banger.

Thankfully, Oliver was finished with her soon after.

As soon as he let her go, she jumped off the bed and got dressed in a hurry. She was just about to run out the door when he put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. She ignored how her body hummed with the closeness of his.

"Not so fast. I need you to do something else for me." She spun around, confused, and unthinkingly looked directly into his eyes. Her brain went fuzzy and she smiled.

"Anything."

He smirked. "Well it's good you feel that way. But before I tell you what you're going to do for me, I must tell you this:" He leaned forward so his mouth was by her ear. "I am going to ruin your life." She jerked away and stared at him with big eyes.

"What?"

"But the good thing about what's about to happen is that you won't remember a thing." He smiled down at her as her mind went completely blank.

The next thing Clare knew, she was standing on the porch of the Glass House. It was pitch black out and she was bathed in nothing but the porch light. She was left with only a few seconds to wonder what had just happened before Michael flung open the door. He nearly crushed her as he hugged her and she could barely breathe. Sitting her down on the ground, he put his hands on her shoulders.

"We were so worried. You've been gone for hours. Are you okay?"

She nodded but her face crinkled in confusion. "Michael…what time is it?"

He looked back at the clock on the wall. "Almost one in the morning. Where have you been?"

Even more confusion flooded onto her face. "I…I don't know. Last thing I remember is getting ready to leave Oliver around nine and then nothing." She looked at him as she started to panic. "How did I lose four hours? Why can't I remember? Michael?"

"I don't know but-"

"Claire!" Claire looked around Michael to see Eve rushing over to them. She bear hugged Claire with almost the same strength as Michael and looked a little pissed.

"Where have you been?"

Claire thought very fast. "Sorry. I had work to do for Amelie and I fell asleep. Sorry for scaring you."

Eve breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, Claire nod in approval: her lie was believable. "Good. Don't you ever scare me like that again you bitch." Eve said playfully and kissed her cheek. She pulled away and frowned. "Wherever she had you working at has you smelling weird." She turned and walked away as Claire gave a questioning look to Michael who shrugged.

"All I can smell on you is coffee and another vampire which is Oliver, right?" She nodded and started to go upstairs but Michael put a hand on her shoulder. "You know I'm here for you right? If you need to talk or anything…" She nodded.

"I know." She looked around. "Where's Shane?"

"In his room. He feels guilty about letting you out and you missing for the night."

"He shouldn't be. I would've found a way out eventually."

"I tried to tell him that…but maybe he'd take it better hearing it from you?"

"Probably. I'll talk to him after I shower: I don't want to smell like him when I go to Shane." Michael nodded and she headed to her room.

After a quick shower, she quietly went into Shane's room. "Shane?" It was dark and she couldn't see if he was on his bed or not. So naturally it scared the crap out of her when she felt arms around her. She panicked for a second before recognizing who it was and melting into his embrace.

"I am so sorry. I should've listened to Michael."

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought up Alyssa like that."

"It's okay. Michael told me it wasn't your fault: you were compelled."

"Yea, just like it wasn't your fault for letting me out. I wouldn't found a way even if you hadn't. You stopped me from potentially hurting myself."

"I know but still-" She cut him off with a kiss-which she didn't feel guilty about because Oliver had made no move to kiss her on the lips tonight-and felt him relax.

"No buts. I'm okay. I didn't come back with any fang marks or deadly injuries so I'm good. We're good." He nodded and they held each other for the rest of the night.

Please R&R!
Bre