Richard Weston's POV

When I first saw Aria arrive I was glad to see her, yet it didn't appeal to the side of me with the testosterone. It's a guy thing. Can't you see that he just wants to use you, Aria? Run! When Gabriel bit into his bared forearm and I saw the blood, I fought back weakly due to blood loss. I tried hard to stop drinking for one main reason: Aria. Yes, it could make it possible to live longer and be by her side. But I didn't think she'd want me that way. Then, his strength overpowered me, stopping my head from moving away. Then cut off my supply of oxygen with his other arm across my throat, forcing me to open my mouth and drink.

At first, it tasted strange. Not like the metallic taste I have always known. But sweet and succulent. I needed more... Wanted more... The power in his blood scared me, there was so much. How old was Gabriel? He pulled his arm away and I tried to snatch up his arm again, my body was craving more of any of the blood in the room. I wasn't thinking clearly as pain ripped through my body, leaving me laying on the floor in misery.

Aria get back! I don't want to hurt you! Don't see me like this! I wanted to scream at her as she bent down. But that little pulse in her neck beckoned to this body, my fangs aching with the need for blood. I grabbed her from behind with my arm around her waist and the other snaking around her front, between her breasts. "Richard, no!" She'd tried to warn me But I am too far gone now, my own fangs plunge deep into her artery. Hurting her badly but so far gone, I didn't care. Blood fills my mouth, thick and rich, but way different in taste than Gabriel's. Aria's power surges into my body, cleansing me, setting things back to rights. Her body struggles in my arms still, and I just pull her in closer. I feel stronger than ever in this body of mine. What has happened to me? My mind is even sharper than ever, yet I don't understand. I am causing her great pain, and yet there's not even a whimper from Aria now. After taking a small amount of blood from her, I lift my head and yell at Gabriel. "You fucking bastard! You set her up to weaken her using me! By God, you are one dead vampire, Gabriel." She whispered in my ear that things were not quite over with yet.

"You are bound to me by blood, and she will soon be bound to you as well. Either way, you both serve me now, and don't you forget it." Turning on his heel, Gabriel walked from the room like he owned the world, pure satisfaction.

Once he was far enough away, Aria and I fell into fits of laughter, pulling away from each other. Then she said, "For a short amount of time, you will have to obey him, you know." It was so good to hear her laughter and voice.

It was so good to see her bright smile I reached out and caressed her cheek with my fingertips. "You know, you may have to fake it too. By the way, what did your blood do to me? Do you know?" I asked her in curiosity since I wasn't having such dark thoughts as I did before.

"From what I can tell, according to your gravity and density of molecules, you are an Immortal now. Just not a vampiric one." She studied me like a scientist, wanting to know more about a subject.

Moving my tongue back and forth in my mouth over my teeth, I found that I still had fangs. "I may not be a vampire, but I still got the teeth for it. I wonder why?"

My gaze wandered to hers and she looked down. "It's my fault. But it's temporary."

Frowning I raised my head with two fingers under her chin. "For what reason Aria?"

"You know as well as I do, he's watching us by hidden cameras. He is expecting you to bind me to you by blood. He gave that suggestion. Now, we can either walk out the doors or see just how far Gabriel plans to go with this." She sighed and looked down into her lap again. "If we plan on seeing how far he is going to go, you'll have to bite me and almost drain me, then feed me your blood. This form of Annie will become just as you are, yet will still have my power, and me inside. Gabriel will feel more secure thinking you can control me through a command." Raising her eyes to mine she smiled sadly. "This choice is in your hands. I trust you."

I hated the idea of hurting her, but I also knew we needed to know how deep into government plans, Gabriel was tied. "This has to be done by a supposed surprise attack on you if anything. I doubt Gabriel would believe anything else since he knows how powerful you are. Alright, stand up and I'll get the jump on you from behind." Nodding, she began to stand up, raising her upper body.

I stood up with her and grabbed Aria around the waist while yanking her head to the side hard by her hair. "Richard, no, no, no. Let me go!" My fangs sank into the soft skin of her neck like it was a natural thing to do. Aria screamed. Blood gushed into my mouth as the pressure from her artery let go. It still tasted so delicious that I wanted more and more. She was struggling in my arms, twisting and kicking, but she was slowing the more I drank her sweet nectar. Blood dribbled down and over the curve of her breast. Finally, her body weakened and we slid to the floor. I held her in front of me, sitting between my legs as she grew limp, my onslaught being too much for her. Her eyes drooped and she could barely raise her lids so I removed my fangs from her neck and licked up the blood from her breast. I whispered, "Are you ready now?" And she nodded, too weak to answer.

Lifting my arm from her waist, I cradled her head in my lap as I bent my head and bit into my arm, (as Gabriel had done) so the blood would flow. Pinching her nose I placed my bleeding wound up to her mouth which she struggled not to open, just like I had done. Turning her head from side to side, though I had her by the hair. She suddenly gasped for air and the blood from my arm dripped into her mouth and down her cheeks until she was firmly latched on. I didn't think she would, but she sucked on my arm hard. Little by little raising herself to a sitting position. Aria pulled away, I could hear the core of her spinning fast, along with her ragged breathing, thank God she was okay. And then she screamed.

Aria collapsed onto her side, writhing in pain as her DNA was being rewritten. Taking her into my arms I tried to comfort her. "There, there. It will be over soon." But for her, it wasn't. I guess that for such a pure power like hers', it's that much harder to repel the dark power of a vampire made Immortal. Shockingly, her molecules began to separate and she was turning transparent, though her mass weighed the same as if she were whole. I held her as close to me as I could, rocking back and forth as my eyes began to tear up. I couldn't hide it anymore. Lifting what was left of her head up to my lips, I kissed her softly and breathed out heavily, "You can't leave me like this, I love you, damnit! Stay with me..."

There was a shimmer that passed through her molecules as she slowly solidified. Crying like a baby now, in relief, I held her still form knowing that she was trying to make it back to me. "Don't you leave me like that again, come on sweetheart talk to me... Say something, anything."

Her eyes barely cracked open and she could only give a crooked smile. I buried my head in her shoulder and sobbed. Never again would I doubt there was a God.