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"Jesus, Evie slow down before you fall off!"

I directed my gaze to John but didn't listen. "I have two more minutes." I panted.

He leaned his arms on the front of the treadmill. "I thought the whole reason for us being here is so we could finish talking."

I pressed the button to slow down the machine and came to a steady slow walk before turning it off. "We will."

"When? After you work yourself to death? Come on, your muscles are going to kill you."

I stepped off and glanced around the half empty gym. It was almost six o'clock in the evening and I honestly thought it'd be packed especially on a Friday. 

"Come on Evie, I can see that you've wanted to say something since we've been here." He sat down and lay back on the weight lifting station. There were so many weights attached to both sides of the pole even a few males were glancing at it like, 'no way could he lift that'. Except John practically flipped them off as he curled his fingers around the pole and did a few reps without even shaking. Vampire strength.

"I don't see why you do this. You're practically carrying the weight of a car."

He chuckled effortlessly as he continued to do rep after rep. "Evie, honey. Tell me what's on your mind."

I sat down on a similar weight station but leaned on my knees. I wiped my hand across my sweaty forehead and sighed. "I don't know if I can do this anymore."

John paused in mid air, holding it above his head like it was a sheet of paper. "Do what."

"I can't... Lie to him. I can't."

John put the weights back onto the stand and sat up. "Evie..."

"It's been eating at me all week," I told him. Monday morning, John and I met again at the same coffee shop except this time all I told him about this meeting is that he took me and threatened that someone would drink from my brother. I didn't tell him anymore just in case. But I didn't lie to him either. "I'm dying of guilt, John. Michael is my heart now; I can't stand lying to him. I can't bare it."

John gave me a heartfelt look. "It's going to be okay--"

"No, no." I squeezed my eyes shut and dropped my head into my hands. "It's not going to be okay. I don't know how long this will last. I don't know when we will finally get hold of these vampires. I don't want to lie to him anymore. I can't do it, John."

I felt his hands around my bare arms and lift me. I was wearing my stretchy tight three-quarter length black shorts and a grey sports top from the Nike store. God, I hate sport bras. They were all tight and confined. Although I had to admit, they were comfortable at times. 

He was very, very careful when he took my right arm and removed it from my face. My arm was healing perfectly. The bone was still bruised but if Michael hadn't given me his... You know... It would be completely broken. The bruise on my arm was still slightly yellow but hey. Can't be perfect. 

He removed my left arm as well and stared into my eyes. "Listen here little Miss negative. This will all straighten out soon. Everything will be okay. Nothing happened this week right?"

I shook my head.

"Exactly. We will all straighten this out. Girl, I swear if you cry..."

"I'm not crying..." An evil tear betrayed me and rolled down my cheek.

"Oh, Evie." He engulfed me into a hug. "Oh, stop it before you make me cry."

I giggled against his chest and rested my forehead on his shoulder. "Don't tease."

He was such a dad. For a moment I let John just hug me and comfort me. I damn near needed it.

"Erm... Coach Harris? Evie?"

We broke apart and sure enough, Damien was stood there staring between us. I'd totally forgotten I'd come here with him. How else would I have gotten in to this gym? I had to meet him here after practise.

I wiped my eyes and turned my head toward him. "Damien. Sorry, we were just..."

"She was upset about something. She needed a hug." John said.

I hid my smile from him as I took a respectable step back from John so Damien didn't assume anything more. "Yes and John decided--"

"John?" Damien repeated.

Oh right. Technically, I wasn't supposed to be close to him. How could I be? John and I never cross paths. Never. So what could be my excuse for hugging him and somehow being on a first name basis with him? 

"I... Uh..." I stared ahead trying to think of something. Nothing. Not a thing.

"Don't worry about it, Damien." John's eyes said, 'Ask anything and I hit you'. So Damien didn't question it.

"Right." He mumbled in reply. "Evie, are you ready?"

I nodded. "Yes, but I'm going to... My parents house tonight." I lied. The lies just continue to pile on, and on. 

He chuckled and waved. "Have fun at your boyfriends. I'll catch the last bus."

I watched him leave and turned to John. "You could get me in trouble."

"You could get yourself in trouble because you're fucking your history lecturer." He mumbled and I smacked his head with my hand. "If I were human that would have hurt."

"What you said was rude." I started walking away.

He followed. "What I said was the truth."

"Jonathan, I swear--"

"Don't call me Jonathan." 

I scowled at him before walking into the changing rooms and grabbing my large bag filled with my clothes and overnight clothes for when I go over to Michael's. I shrugged on my coat and scarf and walked out.

John met me out front, not changed either but he had put on track pants and a coat. I walked straight past him but he caught up with ease. "I was joking back there."

"Yes, well I didn't appreciate it at all. In fact right now I'm kinda thinking you're an asshole."

"Oh, Evie. You're so... Tense. Loosen up. I know this whole thing has you on edge. I know you're hurting because of all of this." He sighed but then clicked his fingers. "Let's go out for a drink."

"What's the point?." I mumbled next to my car. "And besides, the last time I had a drink in my hands you threw it away because I'm not nineteen."

He shrugged. "Under different circumstances. And besides if you're drinking, it will loosen you up. If you can't have sex with your man, you turn to alcohol."

My face started burning. "Uh..."

"I speak the truth young human! Now get changed in your car, I'll be by your door to take you to a local bar in ten."

"But I stink."

"No, you won't. Get changed then meet me in this spot."

I did as he said and got in the car after giving him a mysterious look. I put on my jeans, t-shirt and cream cardigan and met John beside my car. 

"What is it?"

He opened his arms and stepped forward. "Hug me!"

I frowned. "Um... Why?"

He grinned. "You'll see. Or smell is more like it."

I hesitantly stepped forward but he grabbed me and squeezed. Then I smelt it.

To be honest, I'd never noticed John's scent before. Like ever. But as it circled around my head I started to wonder how I could miss it? It was cinnamon and apple. It was impossible to say it was unattractive but it didn't appeal to me as much as Michael's scent.

John pulled away with a grin and all I could smell was him. Even when he stepped to my car and got in that was all I could smell. Well, guess I don't smell of work and sweat anymore!

I got in the passenger side and said, "Thanks for the warning. I better not attract any willing humans ready to have the life sucked out of them."

He burst out into a roar of laughter as he switched the car on. "You won't, I'm sure of it."

John wouldn't stop playing with the music as we drove around town. I had to scold him twice before he broke the radio. I already had to get the car fixed once from a vampire encounter I didn't want a second time.

We stopped outside a bar called Yates that looked nice and calm and stepped out.

The person standing beside the wall near the door shouldn't have surprised me. But for some reason, I still found myself saying, "Why are you here?"

Sam grinned. "Nice to see you too, Evie."

John chuckled. "I assume Kate sent you?"

"Actually no, my grandmother did. She said to keep an eye on this one," He nudged me. "She might be up to no good tonight, who knows." And then he flicked my nose.

We walked into the bar together and damn was I wrong about it being calm. There were men and women filling the tables and seats at the bar. The noise was quite loud but the smell of alcohol overpowered my senses.

John wandered off and Sam kept his hand on my wrist as we moved in and out of the crowd. I looked down at his hand and saw the thin gloves stopping him from touching me. Sam led us to the bar and asked what I wanted. "I don't mind."

"Let's go with something simple then. A Smirn Off Ice will do. We don't want her drunk and out of control do we?" He smiled at the female server. "And I'll just have a Labatt Blue please."

She grinned back and walked off to get the drinks. "Where did John go?" I asked.

"Get a table knowing him."

The woman came back with our drinks and Sam paid. Sam led me through the crowd and stopped at a booth in a corner where John was lazily laying down on one side. I slid in opposite and Sam sat beside me. "So, tell me why you're here today, Evie?"

"John felt like I needed a drink." I said as I took a small sip of my drink.

"She did!" John said as he swung around and leaned forward. "Look at her. She looks so uptight! An elastic band is looser than you."

"Someone's not..." Sam half mumbled as he took a gulp of his beer. 

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What did you say?"

John leaned forward with a smirk. "He said someone's not getting any."

My nose flared. "That is neither of your business. And John just because you know it doesn't mean you have to throw it in my face every few seconds."

He raised an eyebrow with a smile. "See. Snappy, uptight--"

Sam interrupted. "Obviously sexually frustrated--"

"Stop it both of you!" 

They burst out laughing and did a stupid man high five thing. Men. Or immortal beings should I say. 

"Why don't you--"

"It's complicated." I muttered to Sam before taking another sip. "And it's none of your business." I snapped.

I'd been driven to my second drink after the first hour because of Sam and John's damned teasing. We'd finally gotten a decent conversation about stuff like Christmas being in about a month and how college was when my phone started ringing.

I looked down at the name and smiled. "Hello, Stranger."

"Isn't that my line?" His deep vibrating voice said over the line.

"I decided to turn the tables. Hope you don't mind."

"I never mind." He chuckled. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." I rolled my eyes at John's funny faces. "Just having a drink with a two imbeci--"

Before I could finish John snatched the phone away from me and held my phone to his ear. "Hello, Lover."

Johns grin was so mischievous it actually made me laugh a little. "Oh, she's fine... No, Sam and I didn't take her against her will... I'll take her home in a few hours, Michael... No.... No she won't... I'll make sure she won't... If she is then put her to bed when she gets in..." I gave him a sceptical look. "She's a big girl, Mike... Yeah, so? Oh, come on... Come on..."

Sam was laughing at my side and practically crying at John's patronising voice. 

"Okay... Okay! I'll make sure... Not!" Then he hung up and handed me the phone.

I didn't even have to ask.

"Michael doesn't want me getting you drunk." He winked. "I won't of course, that'd be stupid of me! Wouldn't it, Sam?"

"Yes, it would, John. Waiter!" I laughed as one of the bartenders that were cleaning a table walked over with a scowl. "Two shot glasses and a bottle of vodka please."

He looked at me then back to Sam. "I can't hand you the..."

John turned his gaze to him. I watched as his pupils dilated and the male looked directly at him. "Yes, you can."

The male stared into his eyes as if in a trance and nodded before walking away.

I gave John a scolding look. "Should you have done that?"

He shrugged. "I don't use it every day. That was the first time I used it in a while."

The bartender walked back over with a bottle of vodka and two shot glasses obediently before walking off.

"I'm not getting drunk, Samuel."

He poured out the two shots and handed me one. "Who says you have to? Come on, one shot won't hurt! Give you a bit of a buzz!"

"I don't know." 

"Live a little. Which is more than I can say for myself," John winked.

I signed and took the shot. It burnt a familiar trail down my throat and Sam and John made wolf sounds and pumped their fists in the air.

"Children." I muttered as I put the glass on the table.

I didn't see the point in having the vodka bottle on the table because after Sam had his shot we didn't drink any more of it. They made me laugh as they talked about previous things that had happened between them. I made them laugh as I scolded them or commented on their stupid stories. I leaned my head on Sam's shoulder crying with laughter with him as John scowled at us.

"I didn't." He looked down at the table.

That only made us laugh harder.

"I didn't! Anastasia didn't do that! I was so thirsty! I hadn't done that before!"

Sam slammed his fist on the table repeatedly as he laughed even harder.

"I was delusional!! The only reason I ran around naked is because I thought I went mad! Why did Ana tell you that anyway!? She didn't tackle me to the ground! Stop laughing!"

"Oh, god my stomach." I clutched my belly.

"I'm going to kill Ana." John mumbled.

Sam and I settled after five minutes of non stop laughing. "Oh, Jesus." Sam said as he helped me to sit upright. "Oh, gosh I laughed so hard when she told me that story."

"I'm not surprised." I wiped my eyes from all the tears. "What got me was the fact they had to force clothes on. What were you thinking, John?"

"I wasn't thinking." He mumbled. "Leave me alone."

Sam and I high-fived but it wasn't the same because he had gloves on. But it'll do. 

There were more bodies in here now. The bar barely visible. 

"Excuse me ladies," I said as I stood up. "But nature calls."  Sam stood up and let me out. I walked to the toilet and did my business before walking out. As I stepped in and out of the crowd I glanced at the bar and back but stopped. My eyes must be deceiving me.

The sound of my heart beating suddenly filling the noise in my ears. I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked again. No. My eyes weren't deceiving me. 

He glanced my way with a small smirk. I tried to spot the table from here but I couldn't see it. Which I was thankful for.

I walked toward him and sat on the empty chair beside him. 

"You know we have to stop meeting like this." He said as he took a pointless sip of his beer.

"What are you doing here?" I asked his eyes not meeting mine.

His grey eyes finally looked at me and he smiled. "Needed a night to myself."

I raised a brow and crossed my arms.

"Alright, you caught me." He held a hand to his heart. "Don't stake me please, I'd like to live to see tomorrow."

I looked at his attire. Blue jeans today, a black t-shirt and a black jacket. 

"Don't tempt me." I mumbled before facing forward.

"You couldn't take me if you tried, princess."

"Want a bet?" I replied. "Give me a wooden stake and I'll prove it to you."

"Someone's become violent. Too much alcohol perhaps?"

"I'm not a light weight." I glanced at him. "No, but what are you doing here. You'll risk getting caught."

He chuckled without humour and finished his beer. "That vampire and witch are too oblivious to know I am here. There are too many smells in here it would be impossible to pick me out from this crowd unless I go right up to them. They're having too much fun telling stories and having a good old laugh. Just like you are, for that matter." He ran a hand over his blond hair. "How's your arm?"

"Just fine."

"No breaks I see? Your vampire must have given blood. It's probably still in your system now, actually. Maybe just a trace." He searched my eyes for a reaction but I gave him none. Not even a flinch. "Aren't you scared?"

"Of?"

"Dying. If you died you'd become one of us."

I didn't even blink. "That doesn't seem like such a bad thing."

He leaned back on the stool and smiled. This time it was a genuine one. I was surprised he even gave me a genuine one. "Really? Drinking blood for eternity to try quench an unquenchable thirst? Not being able to walk past humans without wanting to rip their throat open and drink from them?"

I shuffled uncomfortably and sighed. "I'm sure I could tame it."

He chuckled. "Wow. Have you told your boyfriend you're considering becoming a vampire?"

"I'm not considering it. I'm simply answering your questions."

"Would you?"

"What?"

"Consider it? Consider becoming one?" He suddenly seemed completely interested. All sarcasm and trace of a predator gone. Now, he just seemed like a person wanting to know an answer to his question. An unguarded person. He leaned forward on the bar and tilted his head to the side the same way he did back in the alley. 

"I hadn't thought about it." I mumbled, fiddling with my fingers. "Even if I did, Michael wouldn't exactly welcome the idea with open arms." Why I was talking to him like this was beyond me. 

"Why don't you try it. You could persuade him with your devilish charm." He smirked. "You're a stubborn kid he'd come around I'm sure."

"I'm not a kid."

"I got over a hundred years on you. You are a kid." He paid for his drink. "You best be getting back princess. Your people are waiting so they can go." The person I saw a moment ago gone. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you again."

"You will." I guaranteed as I stood up. "I'll find out something from you soon."

He laughed. "No you won't, Evangeline. Now, off you pop."

I glanced his way before walking through the crowd toward the table. John and Sam smiled at me. "What took you so long? Did you poop?"

I scowled and him. "Shut up John." I grabbed my phone off the table and followed them out. I took one last glance at the seats and saw him raise a fresh glass to me before downing it. A crowd of people got in the way but when I looked around them he was gone.

I bumped into Sam as we got out of the loud bar. My ears ringing slightly surprised that it was that loud in there. 

"Careful." I mumbled. 

He chuckled. "Sorry. Anyway, I'm off home."

I raised a brow. "Can you drive?"

He waves away my comment and pointed across the road where Kate was at the drivers seat of Sam's car dancing and clutching her fist close to her probably belting out the lyrics to a song.

"She's here to pick me up. She knows me too well."

"She should she's your sister." I said in an obvious tone. "And she can see the future so..."

The window to the car opened and she yelled, "Come on asshole! Dad wants your butt home now!"

Samuel gave me a hug before running off to his car and sliding in.

John drove me home chatting away about absolutely nothing in particular as my brain tried to figure out THIS encounter with the vampire... That I still don't know the name of. This time wasn't so bad. Obviously the fact that he follows me is still a bit odd. But those are orders I suppose.

John stopped outside of Michael's house. "How will you get home?"

"I'll run of course." He winked as we both got out.