A/N: Hello again! I didn't disappear, I promise that I didn't. Here's a little update for you to enjoy…

OOOOOOOOO

Iona rolled over on her bed, covered in a thin film of sweat. Her chest rose and fell as she fought off the memories of the dream that she had just awoken from. One where she had lost everything that she had ever loved. Including Dwayne.

"Why is it so hot in here?" she muttered, lifting her head from the pillow.

The gypsy girl heard the guttering of the air conditioner as it tried to fight for its life. With a thud, the machine lost the battle and went dead. Iona sighed and buried her face in the pillows.

"Figures," she muttered against the dampened fabric. "Everything around me is starting to die. One by one…"

Iona pushed herself onto her elbows and then knelt on the bed, throwing the sheets towards the end of the bed. She glanced down at her oversized shirt and saw that it was twisted around her stomach, revealing her underwear. She chewed on her tongue as she touched her bellybutton ring.

I wonder what Dwayne would think of this, she thought before shaking her head and fixing her clothes. I really don't need to think about him right now. I shouldn't think about him right now. He's giving me time to think about what he told me. The options that he's given me. The options that are the key to my continued life….or non-life, depending on what I choose. Grandmother…this is something I really need your help with.

The heavens didn't let her grandmother talk to her, so Iona climbed out of bed and headed over to the window. Peering outside, she saw that the sun was just beginning to set. The gypsy dancer ran a hand through her knotted hair, blowing a curled tendril out of her face.

"I've got time," she muttered, letting the curtain fall back into place.

Iona went over to her bag and fished out some clothes before heading into the small bathroom. Her body shivered under the cold spray of water as she braced herself against the wall. Iona closed her eyes and rubbed her hand over her body, spreading her scented body wash and imagining the feeling of Dwayne's hands doing the same thing.

"Damn girl, you've got it bad," Iona commented, lifting her eyes to the spray. "Just imagine what would happen if you had to be away from that sexy beast for more than a week. You can hardly stand being away from him for a night. You'd never survive without him."

Iona blinked against the water that pelted her face. She hadn't known the man – the vampire – for more than a couple weeks and yet, she felt so close to him. He'd become part of her life. The only good part of her life that she had left now that Roma was safely out of town and that Grandmother Ruby had been taken away from her so suddenly. He'd made his way into her bed, taking away her innocence and she had been all too ready to give it to him.

Dwayne made her feel safe. He made her happy in a way that nothing else had. He was her best friend and he had given her a family.

A smile touched Iona's lips as she thought about the Lost Boys that Dwayne lived with. The strong and confidently cocky leader, David with his fiery redheaded mate, Faith. Wild and crazy Paul. Cute and cherub-like Marko. Always hungry and sticky fingered Laddie. That was the family that Dwayne had offered to her. And they all seemed willing to accept her.

They had accepted her already, she realized. Even though she hadn't become a vampire and hadn't joined their ranks officially, they had pulled her into their fun. She hadn't gone to the boardwalk without having them around her. They fed her from their favorite restaurants and took her on wild adventures.

"And I love them," Iona whispered, scrubbing her hair until it was lathered with sweet smelling foam. "I love all of them…"

Except for one.

The only one that no one could ever love.

The one that had taken away Iona's birth family.

The one that had tried to win her heart by isolating her.

"I will never forgive him. I will not let him win," Iona hissed. "He will not make me his vampire bride. I won't let him take me away from the people that I love."

The gypsy girl turned her face up to the spray once more and closed her eyes. "I love my Lost Boys…"

OOOOOOOOO

Iona moved through the crowd at the boardwalk, her hands shoved in the pockets of her jacket. She'd left it open, letting her midriff shirt bare her stomach to the world. Her feet carried her to the spot where she had once danced for money and she paused, seeing Dwayne standing there as if he was waiting for her.

Okay…I can do this.

"Dwayne," she said, moving over to him.

The dark vampire turned and wrapped his arms around her. Iona took a deep breath, letting her lungs fill with the musky scent of his skin. He pulled back a little and looked down at her, his dark eyes searching hers. Iona shook her head at him.

"I haven't decided yet," she told him with a small frown. "Sorry."

Dwayne shook his head and brushed his knuckles against her cheek, pushing back a tendril of dark hair. "Don't worry about it. I don't want to rush you into anything. It's a big decision that we're asking you to make."

"Thanks." Iona bounced onto her toes and gave him a quick kiss. "I promise that it's on my mind every moment of the day – er, night – that I'm awake. Even when I'm asleep." Her brow furrowed and she looked away from him. "I had a dream that scared me last night…I lost you in it, Dwayne."

The vampire wrapped his arms tighter around her and pulled her close so that their bodies were flush together. "You'll never lose me. No matter what happens."

Iona wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled. Dwayne kissed her again, wiping away her negative thoughts.

OOOOOOOOO

Dwayne walked with Iona along the boardwalk, his arm wrapped around her waist. He could feel the warmth of her flesh and couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have her lose that. Faith had been warm before she had become a vampire – something that had made her special to the Boys, but the vampirism had wiped away the warmth. If Iona was to become a vampire, she would lose her body heat and become as warm as the air around her. Just room temperature and nothing more.

She won't even be able to blush anymore, Dwayne thought sadly, smiling when Iona pointed at something that interested her. I won't be able to see the color flame up her cheeks when she's embarrassed or shy…It will all be gone.

But he realized that he was jumping the gun with these thoughts.

Iona had not agreed to become a vampire. She hadn't agreed to follow any of the options that he had laid out before her. And he knew that he couldn't rush her into it, even though he and the others knew that time was ticking.

"How are the Boys?" Iona asked as they walked over to the ride part of the boardwalk. "And Faith?"

"They're good," Dwayne said quietly. "Agitated, but good. Faith's keeping them away from us for the night." He glanced down at her. "A privacy thing."

"Oh."

The dancer leaned more into him, stirring her scent in the air. Dwayne breathed in slowly and held her closer to his side. He could see the looks on the faces of other men as they openly stared at Iona. Something stirred in Dwayne's body, bringing a low growl out of his throat.

"Easy man," David's voice floated into his head. "You know that going off on all the horny males on the boardwalk won't do anything to help your case with the dancer. So don't do anything stupid."

Just like that, Dwayne's mind was empty of his brothers' voices.

"Dwayne?" Iona asked, bringing him back to the present. "Are you okay?"

The dark vampire nodded and offered a smile to her. "Yeah. Just thinking about things…"

Iona tipped her head to the side and looked up at him. "Things like other guys staring at me like I am a piece of meat? An exotic bed warmer?" She reached up and tapped her temple when Dwayne looked at her in surprise. "I come from a long line of gypsy women. We have our ways of knowing things. And I know that you hate how men look at me."

Dwayne looked away from her for a moment. Iona stopped walking and moved to stand in front of the vampire. She spread her hands over his bare chest, looking up at him.

"Dwayne, don't worry about them and their thoughts," Iona ordered softly. "You are the only person in the entire world that is ever going to have me in bed. You are the only person that will be close to me in that kind of situation." She tapped her fingers against his chest. "Do you want to know why?"

The dark vampire looked at her once more. "Why?"

"Because I love you and only you."

Dwayne smiled to match the one that crossed Iona's face. He slid his arms around her, pulling her flush against his body. Iona tipped her head back, presenting her lips to him and he gladly kissed her with all the passion that he could muster.

"Woo, dizzy," Iona commented when Dwayne pulled back to let her breathe.

Dwayne's smile grew as he held the gypsy dancer in his arms while she caught her breath once more.

"Do you want to go on the Ferris wheel?" Iona asked, pointing at the giant ride. "We can do more kissing up there, if you want?"
The vampire turned Iona around in his arms and propelled her in the direction of the giant glowing wheel. Iona let out a laugh as they moved through the crowd.

OOOOOOOOO

Iona was still at his side when they got off the Ferris wheel a half hour later. Her lips were slightly swollen from all the kissing that had been done on the ride. Dwayne was proud of what he had done, hoping that he had conveyed all the feelings that he had for the girl in those deep kisses.

"Dwayne, we've got a problem," David's voice floated into his head, cutting into the happiness that Dwayne felt around Iona.

What?

"Max has his eyes on taking Iona tonight and making her his bride. Time isn't a luxury that you have now. The dancer has to make a choice and she has to do it quick. Or else."

OOOOOOOOO

A/N: I think I see the end in the future and it's coming closer. Please leave a little note in the box as it may encourage me to try to get another update on here. (Or not.) See ya all later! -Scarlet