I couldn't remember ever sleeping better than I did that night. However, when I awoke the next morning I found that the word sore could have been practically plastered on my forehead. I grumbled as I rolled closer to Jasper's body heat. "Ouch..."

My grunts must have woken Jasper because he chuckled into my hair. I cracked an eye open. "It's not funny. My ass hurts."

He snickered again and threw his arm across my waist. "Sorry, sorry. I promise to be more careful in the future."

While I gave him a sour look my phone buzzed. Jasper protested as I rolled over, but I ignored him. It was a text from my mom. She said she needed me home by 5:00pm at the latest. Well, that gave me all day. I turned back to Jasper, propping myself up on my elbow. "So, what do you want to do today? My mom says I don't have to come home immediately."

He hummed thoughtfully, staring up at the ceiling. Then he covered his head with a pillow. "Let's just stay in bed all day. I'm wiped."

I scoffed. "You? That should be my line." I sat up and stretched, frowning in slight disgust at the dried mess on my stomach. I stood, wobbling a bit, and headed for the bathroom. "Stay in bed if you want. I'm gonna shower."

The hot water helped my back some and I sighed deeply when I was finally clean. After wrapping a towel around my waist I left the bathroom. Jasper was still buried under the blanket when I returned to the bedroom and I laughed. "Are you really gonna stay there all day?"

He peeked up over the blanket and grinned. "Do I get to see that veiw all day if I do?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes as I picked up my jeans. "No." I pulled them on with a huff, buckling them quickly. "Come on, you should get dressed too."

He sighed and dragged himself out of bed. "Alright, fine..." He kissed my cheek as he passed to go into the bathroom. "Guess I should consider myself lucky to have such an attractive wake up call."

A smile tugged at my lips as I watched him go. He was so sweet. When I heard the shower start, I bent down and grabbed my shirt off the floor. As I slipped it over my head I noticed a yellowed piece of paper on the floor where my shirt had been laying. Curious, I picked it up and flipped it over. It was a newspaper clipping. I read it with with a frown. Something about a fire, but... this couldn't be right. The date was April 7, 1723. Why would Jasper have something so old in his room?

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened behind me and Jasper stepped out, drying his hair with a towel. He sighed heavily. "I should've gotten up sooner. Then we could've showered together." He said.

I turned slowly, still unsure of what I had in my hands. "Why do you have a cutout from the seventeen- hundreds?" I asked.

Before I even finished my sentence fully, Jasper snatched the paper out of my hands. I looked up with wide eyes, surprised and stunned. "What...?"

He shoved the clipping into a nearby drawer quickly. "It's nothing. You shouldn't worry about it." He said, though his tone of voice made me think otherwise.

"Why not?" I asked, crossing my arms.

He flinched at the annoyance mixed into my words. "It's not important-"

"Then why'd you take it away from me like that?" I snapped, getting frustrated with the obvious lies. "Is it something to hide from me?"

"No," he pleaded. "It's not, I just..." He looked guilty as he struggled to come up with an excuse. I gave him time, I stood there and waited for him, but all he finally said was, "It's not, okay?"

I shook my head at him, completely disbelieving. "Fine." I began grabbing my things."

"Where are you going?" Jasper asked when I went for the door.

"Home." I said shortly. "I just figured I'm not welcome considering whatever you're hiding obviously means more to you than I do."

His eyes widened with shock and he grabbed my arm. "That's not true! You mean everything to me." He said. "You know that."

"Do I?" I asked, yanking my arm away. "There were a lot of things I thought I knew about you, but I guess I can't really trust those either."

I took out the charm he had given me and threw it at him before opening the door. "Keep it. I don't need it." He went to try and stop me, but I stormed out of the apartment. "Don't follow me." I growled, and slammed the door.

I stomped down the stairs and out the front doors, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Damn it." I muttered as I started for home. I couldn't believe he lied to me like that; and then he thought I would just ignore it! God, I was pissed. What a jerk.

I wanted to hunt. I just fed yesterday, but I was angry now and I wanted to chase something. I kicked a can on the ground when I realized how that sounded. I wasn't an animal, get it together, Vlad.

But as I passed a young lady going the opposite way, that reasoning faltered. I was hungry and in a bad mood. I might not have been an animal, but I wasn't in any mind to ignore that scent. I stopped short in my steps and glanced back at her. Almost as soon as my eyes landed on her back, she turned and came back my direction.

With hardly any effort, I made her to walk into a nearby alley, following close at her heels. She seemed dazed as she looked around, puzzled by her location. "How did I get here...?" She murmured.

Then, just as she turned around, I grabbed her shoulders and sunk my teeth into her neck. She attempted a scream, but I mercilessly clamped down harder, forcing her silent.

To my disappointment, the blood tasted dull and boring. With diminished interest, I drank my fill and pulled away, wiping the blood that trickled down my chin. The woman swayed on her feet. Carefully, I layed her on her back and stood up. She'd think she had a blackout and go to the doctor for a check up.

Still not satisfied, I started away from her, frowning with frustration. It was all Jasper's fault. I still couldn't understand what it was he had to hide from me. I turned out of the alley I'd been in with the girl and down behind a large building. He should've just told me the truth. I wouldn't be so mad if he'd just said it was something he couldn't tell me...

"Someone taught you well."

I ceased my ground glowering to blink. Then I turned to look behind me. There was a tall man standing a few feet behind me. He had on a large cloak around his shoulders that covered almost his entire body. Weird. I hadn't heard him walk up.

He stepped closer to me. "Apologies, I didn't mean to startle you." His voice was smooth and deep, reminded me of molten lava flowing down a mountain on it's way to burn a city.

Something about this guy gave me the creeps. "It's fine." I said cautiously.

He smiled at me, but it seemed fake. "I hear you're new around here. Some of the locals have been chatting." He said. "The predatorial ones, if you know what I mean."

His fangs flashed in the shady alleyway and I felt a chill run down my spine. I had get out of here. "Oh, that's weird. I've lived here all my life." I said. "I was just on my way home, actually, so if you don't mind..."

I started to hurry around him, but he stepped in my way. "Oh, really?" He asked. "You live around here?"

I frowned, stepping back. "Not... Not close. I was just in the area." I told him.

He smiled down at me and I swallowed nervously. I felt like he was looking straight through me. "U-um, but I really should be getting home." I said.

He didn't turn when I rushed past him. All he did was smile as he said calmly, "Oh, I don't think so."

Then I was being grabbed. I gasped, but before I could scream a gloved hand covered my mouth and I was dragged back. In my panic, I registered that they we wearing cloaks just like the man, but they had hoods pulled over their heads so I couldn't see their faces.

The man turned slowly and walked towards me. I fought to get away, but froze when he stood right in front of me, pulling something out of his own cloak. "Now, Vladimir, you shouldn't fight like that. You could hurt someone." He said. He was still smiling, but it looked crooked now, his lips curling back from his fangs with wicked intent. My eyes widened and I jerked back, but he had already inserted the needle into my neck and I was falling.

*******

Hey, everyone! Two updates in one day? Wow. I am spoiling you guys. I just have so much inspiration right now, I can't stop writing. Anyways. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! AS ALWAYS, VOTE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, AND STAY AWESOME!

-Nekoco