I opened my eyes but everything was dark - pitch dark and cold.

My God, I'm in some type of crypt, I thought, or I'm blind. My adrenaline kicked in; I was starting to panic.

"Help." I squeaked. My voice wasn't working right. I was on something soft, so that meant I probably wasn't in a crypt, thank goodness, but I still couldn't see. "Help."

"Shhh. It's okay. I'm here." A newly familiar voice said through the blackness. I felt Hector's icy hand touch mine.

"What's happening? Did you change me? Is this part of the change?" I sputtered, almost hysterical.

"No, the light is just off." He chuckled. "We're in the basement; it gets very dark here. I'm sorry. You're fine."

He dropped my hand. I felt his weight move from beside me, then a sudden burst of light.

"See?" He asked.

"Actually, no." I squinted in the blinding brightness.

Slowly my surroundings came into focus. I was on a fluffy king-sized bed bedecked with crimson sheets and a black comforter. There was a TV on the floor just like ours - round, about a foot in diameter, with a touch pad on the side and a place in the top from which holograms would burst. Books lined a shelf on one wall, with names like Shakespeare, Poe, and King on the spines. A closet was open with multiple hanging, black jumpsuits inside.

The room smelled entirely of embers and sandalwood.

"What...what am I doing here? We didn't- oh God...did we?" I clutched the blanket to my chest, like it would shield me from the truth.

"Uh, no we didn't. You would know if we had. Trust me." He said sheepishly.

I let out a thankful sigh. Then I remembered my last thought. "But you bit me!" My hand shot to my lower neck, to the place I remembered feeling-

"I didn't penetrate you in any way. Your delicate skin is still untouched." He vowed. "I only had a tiny taste...before you fainted."

Relief washed through me in a wave. Bits and pieces of the night came to me. I knew I'd come dangerously close to giving in to him, and I also knew I never wanted to drink any type of alcohol again in any fashion. I remembered the poor boy who'd given me his heart. I felt sorry for him; I didn't even remember his name.

"Is it still Saturday?" I asked.

"Nope. Sunday. You spent the day." He said happily. He must be brave to allow a firsty to share his bed during his weakened daylight hours. "I had to bring you here. By the time I gave up on you rousing and brought you from the restroom, the firsties had gone, and the living quarters were locked down."

"I see. It couldn't have had anything to do with you wanting me in your bed would it?" I taunted doubtfully.

"Oh, I definitely wanted you in my bed. I just imagined there would be more pleasurable activities taking place during the time." He grinned, making my cheeks flush. "I'd gladly pick up where we left off last night, but I'm afraid we better get going. I'm due guard duty, and you're due for bleeding."

His eyes darkened as if the thought of my being bled was as unpleasant for him as it always had been for me. There was nothing either of us could do about that.

"Oh, no! Don't I have time for a shower?" I panicked, a new worry coming to mind. After sleeping the day away in his bed, I had to smell like Hector. The other superiors would know. What would that mean? What would they do?

I fretted about that all the way to the neat line of groaning, hung-over firsties outside the clinic room.

I watched one after another take their turn, and observed how close they came to Starsky, who silently and professionally bled them. She would smell him all over me for sure, I just knew it.

Then it was my turn. I stepped inside, holding my breath, and hopped on her cold table.

Starsky's nose twitched, a slight movement I may have missed were I not so alert. She measured me with her cold stare for some minutes. Finally she spoke.

"You shouldn't be here." She stated in a very resolute air of sureness. She put the big needle back on the sterile tray, she wouldn't be using it.

"But-but I-"

"Go on now. We will contact you later." She waved me away as though I were no more than an annoying insect.

I was dismissed, simple as that. As much as I would have normally enjoyed skipping bleeding, I was too worried to feel anything good out of it.

I knew it was Hector's lingering scent that caused her to turn me away. Would he get in trouble? Would they change me? My gut churned at the prospect of either, and then my heart ached at the thought of my stomach being sick from worry for Hector. He was one of them for Christ's sake.

I didn't have to wait long before all the firsties were bled and Starsky called me back.

She inspected her clipboard. "We're transferring you to..." she flipped through the papers, "compound fifty-one."

What? There must be some mistake. I thought.

"But that's a breeder compound." I told her.

She looked at me incredulity. "I know." She stated.

Realization sank in. The blood drained from my face. I felt my hands go numb. I'm going to be a-

"You transfer in an hour. Say goodbye to your family. You may leave now." She ordered, then pretended I wasn't there. I might as well have been a house cat she'd shooed away.

This was the problem with superiors. I was standing there with my heart ripping in two - a firsty would have shown sympathy, but she was as cold and uncaring as the arctic. It wasn't as if I would have welcomed her condolences, but it was the fact that superiors seemed incapable of offering any. She stalked off without another word.

Alone, I tried to rationalize. Why? Why were they doing this? Did they just want to separate me from Hector? Was something wrong with me? I had no answers; I only had orders. Orders to say goodbye to everyone that I loved, to go to mate with some stranger, and have his babies for the rest of my life, or until I grow too old. I'd have to let him touch me...kiss me...make love to me. No! That wasn't love. That was rape. I would have to be sexually assaulted again and again, be forced to carry his child over and over. I wouldn't. I'd rather end it now than go through that excruciating torture.

It was lucky I was on the first floor. I could make a run for the emergency switch beside the main door. It was the only door with a switch near it. They thought no firsty would ever have a chance to get near it with the superior guards around when they were about. Well, too bad for them, because I'd just been left with an open invitation. I would either make it in the open and run until I was free or until the deaders got me, or I would royally piss off some superior and they would end my life. At least I would have a shot at getting away. Anything was better then being their breeding vessel.

I took of at a swift pace. I was almost flying toward the door. I was so close I could practically feel the fresh air of freedom already. Seven feet, six feet, five feet, and then something hard rammed into my side. Someone was locking their arms around my waist and swinging me in a large spin with the force of my speed. Someone was hitting the ground with me, still wrapped around my midsection.

"Don't, Harper!" It ordered. Hector, damn it!

"Let go! Demon superior! I won't do it. I'd rather die right now." I warned, frantically struggling with intensity. I was face down on the frigid floor, and he was on top of me from waste down. Getting up was impossible, but I wasn't registering that logically at the time. I only had one purpose: to get to that door. He was ruining it.

"Stop." He ordered.

"Get off!" I screamed.

"Harper! You have to calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm down? Do you know what they're going to do?" I was panting by this point. Struggling against a superior is no breeze, even when he's taking it easy on you.

"Yes, and believe me I fought it-"

"It's because of you isn't it?"

"No, it's not that."

"Yes, it is. They smell you on me, they don't want us getting too close, they want to separate us." I assumed.

"No. Believe me, if it were that, I would just leave myself. It's that odd floral scent. It means something, and its getting stronger. Already I can pick up on it much better than yesterday." He was still holding me down.

"You mean they're tearing me away from my family because of a dumb flower smell?" How outrageous! I thought.

"Something about it scares them. They were asking me questions."

"What kind?"

"Just if you confessed anything to me, or if your grandmother and you seemed to act different today. Remember that scent? I told you-"

"That I smell like Gran..." I finished, remembering clearly what I thought, at the time, was a wacky comment. "But what does it mean?"

"I don't know, but they're trying to snuff it out of you by distancing you, I think." He stood up, and with almost no effort, he lifted me upright.

"I'd rather die." I repeated stubbornly.

"Don't worry. I'll get you out." He swore in a whisper. His arctic eyes were as serious as a broken fang. "I will get you out." He repeated.

"Why? Why would you help me? I'm just a human girl-"

"I don't think you are. Not to me anyway. Besides, I'm getting pretty darn bored of this place. I was meant to be wild." He winked playfully.

He was meaning every word he said. I could see the spark of mischief within his baby blues, and I knew at that moment he wanted nothing more than to be free of this place with me...but how? Furthermore, could I trust him?

I was kind of low on options at this point. Either I could put my trust in him, or be doomed to mate with a stranger that I may not ever even like. Why shouldn't I? I wondered. He had me unconscious last night and all he did was tuck me into a cozy bed and let me sleep. He could have bitten me, drained me, he could have done other things...yet he didn't. It was at that moment I realized Gramma was right - he wasn't like the others. What he did, keeping me safe last night without taking advantage, that was the most humane act I'd ever seen from a superior, and it touched my heart.

Just then, I broke away from my thoughts and kissed him, knowing it could be the only chance I ever got. I caught him off guard with my surprise attack, but he quickly responded, kissing me back just as urgently. It could have lasted a lifetime, or just ten seconds, but it was exhilarating. By the time I pulled away, I was weak from it.

"Better than cherries..." he mumbled lazily.

Sometime during the impromptu kiss we'd embraced, and he had to release me. His hands slid up my arms and pulled my interlocked fingers from around his neck.

"You have to go, before they get suspicious." He said with a nod behind him in the direction of the other superiors - though none were in sight at this time of night.

I looked at him, my face contorted with the dread of what I had to do.

"It won't be for long." He said.

"Promise?"

"Are you serious? Do you think I can stay away from you for long?" He grinned, then he kissed me gently before I went back to my living quarters - for the last time - to say good-bye to my family.