Trey pulled up to the house. He sat and stared at the house. Ray was still waiting on the steps. Showing his loyalty to Isabella. They'd been gone hours. Yet, there he had sat and waited. He got up slowly when he saw them pull up.

"I'll stall him for as long as I can. There's some property he's been wanting to see in Napa Valley. I will take him there," Trey said.

"Be careful," Isabella said to him.

"I don't want you to worry about me. I'll be fine. I won't let on. It'll be like it always has been. You do what you need to do. Take the time to get to know Antonio, if you wish. Enjoy your man. Be happy while you can. We'll deal with the ugliness later."

"I can't pretend it hasn't happened."

"Do. Forget it for awhile. Be happy just for once. I saw a flicker of it in your eyes when I saw you with Ray. I want to see that again in you, if only for a little while."

"I'm sorry I doubted you."

"I know what you think of me sometimes. I know what I think of myself. I want to be better. I do. I'm so tired of the games..." he said with a sigh.

"I know. Me too."

"Just call me if you need me, ok?"

"I will," she answered with a smile. He kissed her cheek. "Bye, Papi."

He smiled. "You haven't called me that in five hundred years."

"Kind of hard to do considering you look like my brother not my father."

"I miss it," he said looking at her.

"Me too," she smiled softly.

"Go on," he told her touching her cheek. Isabella got out of the car. He watched her go to the front porch and Ray take her in his arms. He knew she would be safe with him.

"How'd he take it?" Ray asked still holding her watching Trey speed away.

"Too well. It scares me."

"Why's that?"

Isabella shook her head. "He wants to give me time to get to know Tony, to be with you, to be happy, he said."

"You deserve to be happy," he said kissing her cheek.

"I'm worried he's going to do something."

"You worry too much, Isabella. Can't you take his advice and be happy for awhile?"

Isabella sat down on the steps. "I want to try, Ray. I do. I have too many images in my head of what Max has done," Isabella said rubbing her forehead.

He kissed her there. "Let's try to get them out," Ray said hugging her.

"Everything ok?" Tony asked as Isabella and Ray came into the living room.

"Everything's fine," she answered kissing him on the cheek.

"What's that for?"

"For putting up with me. I'm sorry I've been so upset lately. Trey and I ... well, we've had things to work out. They're better now."

"That's good to hear," he said taking a sip of his wine.

"You're back in time for dinner, if you'd like some," Emily said as she set the table.

"I think I'll just have some wine with Tony, if you don't mind."

"I'll get you a glass," Emily said nodding and went into the kitchen. She breathed to steady her self of the images that had been flashing through her head all day. Isabella's barriers had broken down and she'd seen everything from Isabella's mind. All of Emily's predictions were verified. It made her sick to her stomach at what Tony's old friend had done to him, to his son, his granddaughter.

She reminded herself to remain calm, it wasn't her business. She needed to allow them to work it out on their own for now. It was not the time for her to intervene. She just prayed no one would get hurt while she got verification of when she could. She brought the glass into the living room and handed it to Isabella with a smile.

They ate dinner, which Raven had prepared that evening. George eyes would drift back and forth from Isabella to Ray. He still didn't know how to handle the situation. That guy at the beach had made a lot of sense. He just had to get Isabella alone.

Ray felt his friend watching him all evening. He felt horrible about the situation but he couldn't help how he felt about Isabella. He watched Isabella talking and laughing with Tony. It was nice to see her actually relax for a while and have a good time. He was glad he had called Trey and made Isabella and him have a heart to heart. It had been a huge weight off her shoulders to know that Trey believed her and that he would stick by her and not blindly kill her if Max really wanted him to. Ray was sure if he was to get to know the guy he wouldn't be half bad. After all, he had created Isabella and raised her to be the wonderful person she was today. He had to be like her in many ways.

Ray's loyalty of course was to Tony and he knew that Trey was still struggling with his own loyalties. Ray was prepared to fight for his. Jake's dream troubled him. Was that where his future lied? Was he to die for Tony and Isabella? He would die for them, he loved them both that much, but he was still frightened of death. He enjoyed life and wanted to enjoy it more, he'd like to get married, maybe have a few kids. And yes, he would fight for that too. He couldn't control his fate; if it was meant to be, it was meant to be, but he was going to be sure he would do all he could to prevent Jake's dream from becoming anything of a reality.

The evening was quiet and comfortable. Isabella quite enjoyed her quiet conversations with Tony. She got to know him a lot better that night. He answered he questions about the vineyard and about his past. He was open with her although at times she could tell it hurt him to talk about it. Still, he answered. Isabella thought of her conversation with Trey and hoped that one day soon that Trey and Tony could sit and talk to each other such as this.

Raven woke to the sound of weeping. It was faint but the sound of it pulled her out of her slumber. It was so sad it pulled at her heart. In her sleepiness she had difficulty determining whose room it was coming from. As her eyes and ears adjusted to the night she discovered that it wasn't coming from inside of the house at all but outside. She turned to the window and looked out. She could just see a long leg covered in black jeans and a black boot. She slid the window open softly and put her upper body out. She touched the shoulder of the figure. It jumped up to a standing position. Trey turned his back to her and wiped his eyes. He hadn't meant to wake her. How embarrassing to have a girl catch you crying like a baby.

"I'd come out but I'm petrified of heights. Are you okay?"

He walked across the roof and sat back down next to her window. "Yeah. I just...didn't know where else to go," he answered looking out at the gardens below. He was impressed with the beauty of the gardens even in the moonlight they were nothing but spectacular.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Need a hug?"

Trey smiled slightly. "Desperately."

She awkwardly hugged him through the window. "Ow, ow," she muttered pulling away from him and ducked into the house to stretch her back.

"Sorry," he said squatting next to the window watching her.

She smiled faintly considering. "Why don't you come in?"

"You really shouldn't..." Trey started trailing off and looked away.

"What invite you in?"

"Yes. But too late now," he said with a grin and slipped in. He bounced on the bed when he sat.

"I'm really not supposed to. But what was I to do? You needed a hug," she said hugging him properly.

"You should be more careful though. Promise me you won't do that again. For anyone else," he said pulling away concerned.

"Geez, you're just like Tony. And Jake. Paranoid."

For once Trey noticed he didn't grimace when he was compared to Antonio. That was a start he figured. "No, just a ...realist," he answered his eyes trailing from her bare feet up her long bare legs to the skimpy red silk pajama shorts she wore and the even more skimpy matching top that showed off every voluptuous curve of her.

"Earth to Trey. Come in Trey," Raven said waving a hand in front of his eyes.

It snapped him back to reality. "Can you...um... cover up or something? Before I ravish you?" he said his eyes turning dark.

Raven jumped off the bed and went into her bathroom and came out wearing a long red robe.

"Better?"

"Better for you," Trey answered skimming his eyes from top to bottom. He could still see her curves and wanted to grab every inch of them.

He looked away. "What's going on? Does this have to do with Isabella?" Raven asked sitting next to him on her bed.

He pulled off his leather jacket and placed it gently at the bottom of her bed. She hadn't seen him before without it and admired the tan muscles from under his black tee-shirt.

"Yes and no," he answered trying to determine what to tell her if anything. He wasn't used to having any intimate conversations with a woman in a long time. He usually hunted and then took what he wanted. Raven was different. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to hold her in his arms all night. He wanted to protect her from the evil fate that he brought upon her.

"Oh, now I understand completely," she said sarcastically.

"I'm not used to talking about my problems with anyone," Trey said rubbing a hand through his hair absently.

"It helps," She said leaning across his back tucking her head in the nook of his shoulder.

"I guess, to put it simply, I just found out I've been lied to my entire life," he answered and breathed out. It hurt to say it out loud.

"By who?"

"My uncle," Trey answered. He touched her lightly on the arms that now encircled him. He liked having them there. "He raised me under guise that my father didn't want me when in fact he did," Trey said looking across the room to her dresser where there was a picture of her, Tony, Emily, George and Ray. But it was Tony he looked at. Always from a distance he had looked at him. He hadn't been as close to him as he had in the past few days. There were several times, he just wanted to step out of where he was hiding and approach him. Just look him in the eye and ask him why. Why had he left him? Why didn't he love him anymore? Now he knew why but he couldn't bring himself to approach his father.

"That's terrible! Why did he do a thing like that for?"

"He wanted me for himself. Really for revenge against my father," Trey answered turning to her so he could see her face. Her beautiful deep blue eyes covered in long black eyelashes. Her face was so full of concern he looked away embarrassed. Raven pulled his chin back to him with her forefinger.

"Don't turn away. Look at me," she said. He did. "Tell me more."

"He wants to hurt my father by showing him that I love him and not my father. That I am his, not my father's."

"Why does he hate your father so much?" Raven asked touching his cheek lightly hoping to comfort him.

"My uncle, who's really not my uncle, he was a friend of my father's, and mother's actually, anyway, he was in love with my mother. But my mother and father fell in love, and got married true to their betrothal. My uncle had been making plans to get the betrothal nullified, and signed over to him, before my father had realized he loved my mother and had wanted to marry her."

"Wow. I'm so sorry, Trey. I don't even know what to say to something like that."

"You don't have to say anything," he said tucking a long strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry to pry, but what does it all have to do with Isabella?"

"She found out and she told me."

"Wow. And you believe her? I mean, not that she'd lie about something like that, but I mean, how do you know for sure?"

"Isabella doesn't lie. Especially to me."

"Why especially not to you?"

"We have an understanding. We never lie to each other. We always the truth. No matter how much it hurts."

"That's a good friendship," Raven said absently rubbing her knee.

"Yes, it is," he answered with a slight smile.

"Um, can I get you something? A soda? Something to eat?" Raven asked suddenly aware of how close they were and on her bed of all things.

"No, I'm fine," he told her looking into her eyes.

"Okay," she answered shifting her position on the bed a little further away from him.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked playfully as she fidgeted with her hair.

"No," she said with a chuckle. "Not at all," she answered looking down at a strand of hair. He moved in closer to her.

"Not even a little?"

"No," she answered looking up at him and meeting his eyes.

She had thought she'd see playfulness in them but what she saw was sadness. She touched her hand to his cheek and he closed his eyes and rested his head there. She moved in closer to him and kissed him gently on his soft lips.

He opened his eyes in surprise at first; he always made the first move women never did. He smiled and continued to kiss her back. He wrapped his arms around her needing the comfort that was there and kissed her with a passion that he hadn't released in over five hundred years.

Raven pulled away breathless. She had never felt before what she felt when kissing him. He had such softness to him for such a rough exterior. She felt his need of her and it was a shock to her as no one had needed her as much as she felt he needed her. He looked at her with that need now and touched her face. The passion that she had seen fire in them quickly snuffed out and was replaced with the sadness again.

"As long as I'm baring parts of my soul to you... I need to tell you something. It's not right for you not to know," he said brushing his fingers across her cheek, her jaw line and down her swan neck. It was there his eyes rested. He shook his head, pulled his hand away and looked away from her.

"What is it, Trey?"

"The reason you shouldn't have invited me in."

"What?"

"I'm a vampire, Raven," He told her waiting for the disgust to cross her face. It didn't; only a smile and then a big booming laugh.

"You're kidding, right?!"

He shook his head. "I don't joke. I know you know Antonio's one, Isabella's one. You should know I am too. Antonio is right; you shouldn't invite anyone in. You never know, right?" he asked looking down at his hands.

She knelt in front of him. She cupped his chin and pushed it up for him to look at her. She leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. "I don't care about that. You could be from Mars, and I wouldn't care. All I care about is you. Who you are. Not what you are. I laughed because I seem to have a thing for being attracted to vampires."

He pulled her up to him and kissed her again so passionately it knocked the wind out of her. They pulled away smiling. "So can I ravish you now?" he asked. He traced his fingers down her neck.

"You vampires, all you're after is my blood," she said pushing his arm playfully.

"So you've done this before?" he asked as she slid down the bed to lie down.

"For Tony. A couple of times. Does it bother you that it's not my first time?" she asked touching his cheek.

"Do you love him?" Trey asked searching her eyes.

"I honestly don't know."

He was still looking into her eyes. They were hard to pull away from once you allowed yourself to get into them. "You're attracted to him."

She looked away. "Yes. Tony and I... I don't know. We flirt. He's attractive. But we're not making anything more out of it. He's always loved someone else and no one else can compare to his wife."

"Then I don't mind," he said softly.

"Are you going to drink or what?" Raven asked putting her head to the side.

"Well, if you put it like that..." Trey said.

He laid down next to her. The scent of her made him delirious. He took her long soft hair and moved it over to one side to get a better view of her neck. He stroked it gently with his fingertips. "Are you sure about this?" he asked her.

"Yes," she told him looking up at him. She saw the concern in his face that perhaps she wasn't sure. "I trust you," she said looking into his eyes. They were turning dark now as Tony's did when he was preparing to drink, to drop his fangs in place. He bit into her gently.

He didn't know how he had lost such control but he had. Never before had he felt from someone he drank from what he felt from her. Such trust. She truly liked him. He puzzled her and she puzzled him. Their thoughts intertwined as if they were one. It was almost like they were... he pulled away. He pulled off his shirt and held it against her neck to stop the bleeding.

"What's wrong?" she asked touching his arm.

"Nothing," he said squeezing his eyes closed and held the bridge of his nose.

Raven laughed. "I'm the queen of nothing. You can't tell me it's nothing. Especially not after that. Whatever that was," Raven said sitting up.

"You felt it too then," he said looking her over.

She smiled. "Yes," she said and kissed him softly on the lips.

He kissed her again enjoying the taste of her. His hands ran down her shoulders and up and down her back. It was a long time since he enjoyed the feel of a woman. He kissed her until she was woozy and laid back onto the pillow as he kissed her. He pulled away. "Goodnight, sweet Raven."

"Don't go," she told him.

He smiled. "I don't want to go but I need to go," he told her stroking her hair back from her face.

"Stay with me until I fall asleep," she said softly. She ran her hand up and down his bare tanned muscular arm. She moved it across to his bare, practically chiseled, chest.

Trey groaned. "That's no fair."

"I never said I play fair," Raven said pulling him backwards to lie down next to her.

"I'm a vampire, I don't sleep at night," he said rubbing his eyes actually feeling extremely tired.

"Good, then you can leave when I fall asleep so no one catches you in my bed."

"That'd be interesting," he said rolling over to face the door so he wouldn't be facing her, tempted by her.

He felt her tracing his scar on his back.

"Did you have a tattoo removed or something?"

"No, I fell when I was a kid and I needed stitches."

"It looks like a heart. Well, more like a broken heart," she said tracing it again.

"Yeah, I know. It was on purpose."

"What do you mean?"

"My uncle. He's a doctor. He sewed me up. Made it look like a broken heart to remind me to not get into trouble again. Because it breaks my mother's heart when I get hurt." he said recalling the incident as if it were yesterday. Giuseppe had dared him to climb the stone wall around their property and walk along it. Of course, Trey could never refuse a dare. He was doing rather well and had gotten halfway around when he lost his footing on a loose stone and fell off the wall cutting up his back on the way down.

"That's kindof..." Raven couldn't think of the word.

"Neurotic? Psycho?" Trey filled in looking back at her.

"Strange."

"I believe my answers are more accurate," he said with a sigh turning back around. "I never thought so before. Yeah, I thought he was strange, eccentric. But now, I've learned he's just a psychotic maniac."

Raven put her arm around him and kissed his bare shoulder. "It'll be ok."

"I hope so," he answered quietly.

He waited until he heard her steady breathing of sleep before moving her arm from him. Although, he immensely enjoyed it being there he couldn't stay there all night. Daylight would be breaking soon and there would be a lot of questions to answer if he didn't get back before then. He pulled his crumpled shirt back on. It didn't matter that there was blood on it. It would actually help justify his story with Max. God, how he did not want to go back to that monster. But to protect his daughter, and yes, his father too, he would go back and pretend he knew nothing. He pulled on his jacket.

Raven's door opened quietly and he jumped surprised by it. Emily stood in the doorway with a finger to her lips in silence. He'd seen her from a distance before and was always struck by her beauty. A blonde goddess. She looked like one now her long tanned legs were shown off by a short white nightgown which clung to every curve of her body. Her golden blonde hair was flowing down her shoulders and around her waist.

"Next time use the door," he heard in his mind. He knew she had powers, and the others too. But he was still surprised to hear her voice in his head. He nodded to her. "You're welcome anytime, Demetrio."

"You know?" he asked out loud and then quickly looked back to make sure he hadn't woken up Raven.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to tell him...or her. I know that is something you must do on your own. In your own time," she said to him in his head.

"Thank you," he said softly truly grateful. He felt the warmness, caring, and love enter his body from her. He'd heard she was a Guardian. Protector of the Good. He'd been on the Bad side too long, he thought.

"I'm here if you ever need anything. All you need to do is ask," she said quietly out loud this time.

"We'll wake her," he said looking at Raven.

"She will not wake nor hear I'll make certain."

"Tell me, Guardian, do you only protect the good?" He said moving towards her.

"You're good, Trey," she said with a soft smile.

He laughed. "You don't know me then," he said brushing a finger down her beautiful neck. He opened his palm and left his hand around her neck tight but not enough to harm. He felt her steady pulse beneath his hand. He felt his eyes turn dark and his fangs pull in his jaw. It would be so easy to take her then and there. And it was a test of his will not to do just that.

"I know you better than you think. Probably better than you know yourself. You put on an act. Just like your father. You want to seem tough. Dark. Evil even. To protect yourselves from... yourselves," she said taking his hand from her neck and holding it in hers above her heart.

He shook his head in amazement. "You don't fear me?"

"You're not to be feared. You have a good heart, even if you've often chosen not to listen to it. But I feel in you that you've chosen to listen now," she said giving him his hand back.

"Lost my touch, I guess," he said with an embarrassed smile.

She kissed his cheek. "I will be with you. Ask for me when you need me. I will protect you as much as I can."

"They need you more."

"You must be protected. Your life is valuable to many. Promise me you will call on me."

"You're too young, too naïve, too powerless against them," he scoffed.

"I'm more powerful and smarter than you think."

"Maybe. But I fear for your safety as much as theirs. Max is too powerful to be reckoned with."

"That is why you must not go it alone," she told him firmly.

"We choose our own paths."

"I see everyone's paths, Trey. Yours led you here as it did for Isabella, for Tony and everyone in this house. You, as they, have come to another turning point in your life. Where will your path take you? And will you take it alone or with friends?"

"There is no friend of mine in this house."

"If that is true that would be your decision, not ours."

"You think that Ray or Jake would accept me as a friend? Or my father, for that matter? After all I've done?" He asked.

"I know what lies in the hearts of those in this house. They are my friends, my family as they are yours. If you choose to accept them as such. Ray is angry not because of what you've done or what you are but because of your being Isabella's father. He wants to help you and he doesn't know how. Isabella loves you and she would do anything for you. Jake sees you as a threat as he would anyone his sister would want to date. It's only sibling protection. Nothing more. "

"What of my father?"

"He knows not that you still exist."

"He knows of Trey from Raven, from Isabella. What does he know?"

"He knows you're a vampire. Has sensed it. He worries for Raven. For Isabella. He fears the unknown and he doesn't know you. He doesn't know if you would hurt them or not."

"What would he do if I were to tell him now?"

"He would welcome you back. He loves you."

"He loved me as an innocent child. As what I've become, I'm not so certain."

"There are no certainties in life. Life is about making decisions and then accepting the consequences of those decisions. Then you make the next decision, and the next."

"You are too young to be so wise."

"My body is young, as is yours. Our spirits are old and experienced."

"Are you a vampire also?"

"No. I recognize that I've had past lives. As spirits we've been given the opportunity to live many lives. Most people block out their old lives and never remember that they've lived before. Others, like me, embrace their past lives and welcome what we've learned from them."

"Did I ever know you before then?"

"That I can't answer. It doesn't quite work as simply as you think."

He nodded. "So, any ideas on what to do in this life?"

She smiled. "Come stay with us. Let us help you."

"No. I won't bring it upon you. This is between me and Max. I'll handle it."

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair frustrated. She wanted to help him but she couldn't if he didn't want it."It's already between the rest of us. For what he's done to us."

"I will make him pay for that as well."

"Be careful of revenge, Trey, it can be a path to evil."

"I've already walked upon it. It can't hurt me any more than it already has."

"But it can."

He nodded. "Just watch out for them."

Emily nodded and wiped tears from her eyes. She hugged him. "Be safe, Demetrio," she said kissing his cheek. "Somehow we'll work it out and it'll be ok."

"Can you see the future, Emily?" he asked in a challenge.

"Sometimes I can see and it is so clear. Pieces sometimes. Images of what will be. Other times I see two ways. One if you choose one direction, and then the other. I see our deaths and I see our lives. Problem is I don't know which way to go to get us our lives."

"Then I ask you this, as Guardian you are obligated to do as anyone requests of you?"

"Yes. But there are some limits, some rules," She said.

"Can you take a request from a vampire?"

"Yes," she said with a smile.

"Then I ask of you to protect my daughter and Raven at all costs."

"I would anyway."

"Can you tell me what would happen if I chose to kill Max?"

"Is that the path you wish to take?"

"It's under severe consideration."

"I see his death. At whose hands and when I'm unsure," she said her eyes fogging over.

"At least not his own?"

"No, not his own."

"Soon?" He asked watching her eyes.

"Yes."

"And am I to die soon?"

"I cannot see."

"Why can you see his and not mine?"

"His is inevitable. When it's your time, it's your time."

"Mine can be prevented?" he asked watching her eyes. He'd seen a psychic go under before and he could tell she was going deep. When they were deep he knew it was harder for them to control what they said. And he would get the answers he wanted.

"Yes."

"By killing him?"

"No."

"By killing someone else?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I don't know. He blocks me."

"This person wants me dead?"

She hesitated. "It's uncertain."

"Oh, they're just considering it. Dandy. They want to kill Isabella?"

"It's uncertain."

"Antonio?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know. He...He knows we're asking about him. He's telling me to stop or he will kill us," She said clutching his arm.

"Tell him to go to hell!"

She fell into his arms as if she'd been pushed.

"Are you ok?" he asked grabbing for her.

"I'll be alright," she answered trying to regain her balance.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put you so deep."

"It wasn't your fault. I know better."

"So do I. It was wrong of me to push you there."

"I don't want you to go back to Max, Trey. This other person. He's too near. I can feel he watches us. He's powerful. More than Max."

"I can handle Max. Whoever wants him dead obviously doesn't really care one way or the other about me. I can handle that too. All that matters to me is that my daughter is safe."

"I'll be certain of it."

He nodded. "Well, it's been...interesting. I should get back. You're alright?"

"I'm fine. I get shaken up after seeing things. But I'm always fine."

"I know. I used to watch you when you were a little girl. Max...huh, I forgot that...he used to watch you then. In the mirror. I used to sneak in his room and watch him... do stuff. Black magic..."

"It's a vision spell. I always know when I'm being watched. He's not the only one that does. Don't worry about it."

"Um...which way should I go?" he asked pointing to the door and then to the window.

"Better go the way you came. Just don't wake up Raven or you'll never leave," she told him.

He smiled. And he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "You be safe too."

She turned and left the room. She didn't want to see him leave. She was sending him back to god only knows what was waiting for him.

He crept back up onto the bed using the powers of his own that he gained when he became a vampire. He could move virtually undetectable. He slipped through the window. He took a last look at Raven and slid the window shut.