It has been three months since I became a full-blooded vampire. I no longer live in the cave that I shared with the others. I found an abandoned cabin on the far end of the beach. No one ever ventures far from the boardwalk so it's secluded and, after I added some adjustments, safe from the sun.

I discovered that I do not need a coffin, just a dark place to lay my head, so I got myself a comfortable bed, which I may or may not have stolen from the back of a furniture store. They won't miss it … I think. I tidied up the place and made it my own, I even got a TV that I can actually use.

Getting sustenance, however, was not going as well. I've been eating the local animal life, which I have to gag down. It's horrid but keeps me alive; weak but alive. A blood drive happened at the local homeless shelter a month or so ago and I was able to steal a few bags but I had a similar reaction as I did with the animal blood. It was cold and tasteless, even after I heated it up, it wasn't the same.

So I dealt with the gagging and the weak strength so I wouldn't have to feed on humans. I didn't know if I could control myself or use my powers to make them forget. If I couldn't do either, I'd kill regardless and I wasn't going to be like the others. I wanted to be the best I could be, even if I wanted to give in every single day.

Star and Laddie came to visit on occasion but once school was back in session it was far and few between. They're staying with Michael until they can get on their feet, Star working extra hours at the boardwalk to save money for an apartment.

The Frog Brothers still work at the comic book store and let me buy without the judging stares. They still don't love that I'm a vampire but I've shown them I'm not the bad guy and they believe me. They trust me or as much as they can trust a vampire at least.

While Sam … Sam and I have been distant. The others are trying to return to normal while I do my best to figure out my new life. Sam wanted to be there for me but I needed time. I didn't need to complicate his life with my vampire problems. He needed to get back to normal and I was going to let him.

I hadn't seen him since the night he saved my life. I had been avoiding him at every turn, that is until he literally showed up on my doorstep. I opened the door and found him standing in the pouring rain. He rubbed his arms for warmth as he looked at me with one of his famous smiles.

"Hey," he whispered. "Can I come in?"

"Of course."

I moved aside as he walked through the door. He made his way into the kitchen, leaving puddles in his wake. I closed the door and followed him, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"What are you doing here, Sam?" I asked with crossed arms.

He turned to face me, shaking the water from his sleeves. "I wanted to see you."

"I told you I needed time."
"You've had three months, Dawn," Sam whined, stepping toward me. "I gave you space even when I wanted to help. When I wanted to be by your side … I gave that to you. How much more time do you need?"

"Sam, I don't want to make your life difficult," I admitted, looking down at my feet. "You've gotten back to normal. A new house, starting school, meeting … normal people. I don't want to ruin your chances by getting in the way."

He closed the distance between us and placed his hand on my cheek, looking down into my eyes. "You will never be in the way. You're important to me, Dawn. My normal is nothing without you."

"I can't be what you need, Sam," I sighed, tears fighting their way to the surface. "I might hurt you."

"Nothing you do will ever hurt me," Sam insisted, wiping the tears away. "I'm not afraid of you, Dawn. I wasn't before and I'm not now. I don't want normal. I want you. I just want you."

He bent down and placed his lips on mine. That familiar shock went between us as he kissed me. It was a feeling I had missed and one I welcomed happily. But that happiness was short-lived when the hunger rose up in me. I pushed him back, placing a hand over my mouth.

"I'm sorry, I can't," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze. "I just can't."

"Star's told me what you've been eating and how much pain it's putting you in. That can't sustain you, Dawn," Sam admitted, twiddling his fingers.

"What other choice do I have!" I snapped, baring my fangs at him. His jump of fear made my anger dissipate as I lowered my voice. "I won't be like them. I won't kill."

"You don't have to kill. You just need to feed and erase their memories," Sam insisted.

"And if I can't, what then?" I huffed. "I don't know if I can and I'm too scared to try."

"Which is why I've come to help," Sam said, removing his jacket and sitting down at the table, pulling the collar of his shirt down. "Feed from me."

I immediately shut that down with a frantic shake of my head. "No, I can't. I won't hurt you. Not again."

"Dawn, you need to eat. Once you're fed, we'll figure out how to get you food without killing, but they'll be no one out in this weather and you don't look like you can wait another moment. Come here and let me help you," Sam said, relaxing against the chair.

"I'll go look for a deer or something," I suggested.

"Not in this weather you won't and even if you did, you want to choke down that garbage when there is a perfectly good meal in front of you?" Sam asked with a raised brow. "I know why you hesitate and I assure you I've thought this through. I want you to."

My eyes traveled to his throat, his heart pulsing beneath the skin. I felt my face transform and his heart's tempo rising told me I was right. I licked my lips, swallowing the spit in my throat.

My gaze met his. "Are you sure?"

"More than anything."

I appeared before him, coming to straddle his waist. His eyes locked on mine as he brought me in for another kiss. The kiss deepened in passion and when he pulled back, he was completely out of breath. His gaze traveled to my fangs as he laid his head back against the chair, turning to the right to reveal more of his neck.

I wanted to sink my fangs into his flesh and feel him writhe beneath me. Have him moan in my ear as I took what I wanted. But I knew that was dangerous. If I lost control, he wouldn't be able to push me away.

I instead turned my attention to his arm and lifted it into the air, sliding his sleeve to his elbow. He saw what I was doing and nodded to tell me it was okay. I nodded back as I looked at his pulse that beat just below the surface. A scar lay across the flesh from the last time I had bitten him; the night he saved me.

I traced the outline with my finger, Sam shivering under my cold touch. He noticed my hesitation as he whispered. "It's okay."

"I know…"

I gazed down at the scar a second longer before embedding my fangs deep into his flesh. He gasped at the sudden pain, clenching his fist as I took my first sip. I held onto his arm with one hand and used the other to push him back onto the chair, resting just between his pecs.

The bite only hurt for the first few seconds, but if you did it right, it brought pleasure to the victim. I had watched this on occasion with the other four, but rarely since they enjoyed the fear they caused. Sam's painful gasp turned into a moan as his eyes rolled into the back of his head; he liked it.

His blood was just as delicious as it had been before. Hints of vanilla and cinnamon mixed with an irony aftertaste. It was like enjoying the last piece of devil's food cake, each bite better than the last.

His heart skipped a beat as I pulled back, his blood dripping down my chin as I took a deep breath. When I gazed back at Sam, he looked tired but happy, trying to catch his breath as I did. I licked the wound clean, wiping my face afterward.

"Are you okay?" I asked, catching my breath.

"Yeah, this juice box has some life left in it," Sam joked.

I punched his arm lightly. "Don't say stuff like that."

"Ow!" Sam groaned, rubbing his arm. "Fine, I won't say something like that ever again. Just don't hit me."

"Good."

Our gazes met and we smiled, holding back our laughter. I got off his lap and walked to the window, pulling back the thick curtain. The rain had gotten worse, lightning cracking across the sky. I realized then I couldn't let him leave, not in this weather.

I turned back from the window and leaned against the counter, meeting his gaze. "Would you like to stay the night? The weather's bad out there and I won't take the risk of you getting struck by lightning."

"Are you saying that because you care for my safety or do you want to take advantage of a weak man who can't fight off your advances?" Sam asked with a flirty smile.

I spoke in the same tone. "Maybe it's a little of both."

"Oh really?" he asked suggestively. "Well, if that's the case, I'm in."

My smile widened as I walked over to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet. I looked back at him as I pulled him forward. "The bedroom's this way."


Four motorcycles pulled into the parking lot in front of an abandoned frozen yogurt stand. A group of leather-clad girls got off, walking up to the door with their helmets still on. The one at the front grabbed the doorknob and snapped the lock, allowing the four to enter.

Inside the place was trashed, graffiti lining the walls. Movement could be heard at the back of the store. The four walked through the dilapidated building and found a pair of homeless teens sitting on sleeping bags. When the two noticed the group, they quickly got to their feet.

"Who are you?" The boy asked.

His hair was matted with dirt, his curls covering his eyes, which he constantly had to move. His clothes matched his dirty hair, most of the fabric worn to shreds. The girl that stood beside him was about a foot shorter with blond hair pulled into a messy bun. Her clothes were in almost the same condition, aside from the new boots on her feet; most likely stolen.

The motorcycle riders stopped, the one at the front pulling her helmet off. Her black hair fell just below her shoulders in loose curls. Her eyes were just as dark as her hair, her porcelain skin standing out against the dark color of her clothes.

The other three behind her did the same. One was blonde, one was ginger, and the other was brunette. All were pale and all were beautiful. Not a blemish stained their skin. They were perfect.

The one at the front spoke for the group, most likely their leader. "We're going to be staying here."

"This is our home," the boy confidently spoke. "Find somewhere else to crash."

The leader smiled at his confidence. "I suggest you leave before I make you leave."

"Zachary, let's just go," the girl whispered, tugging on his sleeve.

"I'd listen to your friend," The ginger said. "She knows what she's talking about."

"We're not going anywhere." he looked back at his friend before returning his gaze to four. "Leave."

The leader looked at her three friends as they began to laugh. The laughter died down as the leader's gaze returned to the pair. She appeared before the boy, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him into the air. He grabbed at her hand as his friend began to cry, begging for her to let him go.

"I warned you nicely and you didn't listen," she whispered, pulling him against her so his ear was beside her mouth. "Now I have to make an example."

She pulled back as her face morphed into that of a beast. Her bones arched from beneath the skin, her eyes turning yellow as her canines sharpened. The boy's face lost all its color as his eyes went wide.

His friend saw the change and tried to pull the leader off of him, but the leader backhanded her across the room into her friends. They grabbed the girl's arms and kept her from escaping as the group watched the boy's life come to an end. He struggled against her but with each sip, he lost the strength to fight.

When there was nothing left, she dropped him to the ground, his lifeless body making a thud against the worn wood flooring. She turned back toward the group, wiping her lips as her face returned to normal. His friend had stopped struggling as her face soaked with tears. She was terrified.

The leader motioned to the others as they held the girl up. She appeared before the girl, causing her to jump. She grabbed a strand of hair and twirled it around her finger.

"Are you going to kill me too?" the girl asked between sobs.

The leader stopped twirling the girl's hair as she met her gaze. "I'm not going to kill you, Little One. I'm going to make you one of us."

"One of us?"

"A vampire."