Youth – Daughter <3 omg this song *moment silence* so beautiful...

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The words hung in the bitter cold air.

Her heart was racing, almost unhealthily pounding, against her ribcage. 

And by the look in his dark, frightening eyes he knew he could hear it.

The look on his face, the black eyes, the veins, the fangs... It must be a dream.

This can't be real.

His hand dropped from her cheek and she inhaled a shaky breath. She lifted her hand to his face slowly, vigilantly, and skimmed a finger over a vein underneath his eye. It throbbed.

She pulled her hand away as if she were scalded. His face slowly retuned back to normal and she blinked at the sudden change.

"Amy..." He stepped forward but she held up a hand and leaned back. The hurt on his face had her heart clenching but...

She couldn't bring herself to... Comfort or reassure him. 

Her head was spinning like crazy. Her breathing was erratic... She was... scared. 

"Please, Amy-"

She shook her head not trusting herself to speak. 

"I don't want to lose you."

His voice was thick, and she could see the pain in his eyes.

Amy didn't ever think that something like this could ever happen. Something so... Unreal could happen. 

"Please..."

'I love you, Amy...'

"I would never hurt you."

Vampire...

"Look at me."

She did. She looked directly at him. His eyes were back to its original hazel, the quiver to his upper lip had her wishing she could take everything back, not accuse him of lying. Although technically he hadn't been lying but he hadn't told the whole truth. 

"You're a vampire." She felt she had to say it out loud. She felt silly for saying it though. Vampires existed in books, fairy tales, myths.... TV programmes for goodness sake.

He only nodded and once again it hit her. The only reason it kept hitting her was because she was in slight denial. She found it impossible. She found the thought of mythical beings such as vampires utterly... Preposterous. 

She felt completely numb. A vampire. Heartless killers. 

But even as she looked upon his sad broken face she couldn't bring herself to... Hate him. Or even think about him as a killer. His eyes were as sincere as they came as he gazed at her; his jaw clenching and unclenching as if stopping himself from crying. John was not heartless. He loved her.

He loved her. And she... She still loved him.

But the words, any words really, wouldn't leave her mouth. She knew what she looked like to him. A deer caught in headlights; wide eyes, pale skin, shaking hands...

John tried to slowly step forward again but for some reason, as if a reflex, she stepped back again.

He dipped his head and she felt like an utter moron for moving away.

You moved because he's a predator, a voice whispered at the back of her mind but she ignored it as she prepared herself to speak.

Her lips parted after swallowing the lump in her throat but he beat her to it.

"I'm so sorry, Amy. It's obvious you need time to absorb this." She watched his throat bob up and down twice and she felt the tears welling within her own eyes all over again. "You need time and you need space which I can understand."

"I-" She forced herself to croak but he shook his head as if to silence her.

"It's okay. I have forever to wait for you." He reassured, the smallest of smiles spreading across his face. This time when he stepped forward she remained still. His warm hand... warm... odd for a vampire, brushed the spilling tears from her cheeks. His touch, curse her body, still caused the warmest of flutters to start in the pit of her stomach.

"I wasn't planning on telling you this way. But it seemed to solve this problem I had to create a new one. You may probably hate me,"

I could never hate you...

"Or think I'm a horrible, soulless creature."

Never. She managed to shake her head at that and his deep chuckle soured right through her.

The back of his knuckle softly grazed her jaw. "I want you to use this time to really think about what you want to do next. No matter your decision Amy, I will always love and care for you and I'll respect your decision."

This wasn't right. This feeling in her chest. As if her heart was... Breaking. As if this was a goodbye.

"Can you do me a favour?" He asked her and she hesitated before nodding. "Please, please... Don't hate Evie."

...Evie?

Evie...

"I'm being absurd right now." He mumbled not taking his eyes away from hers. "But I'll be back soon."

What? Where was he going? When would he be back? Why couldn't she speak?! It was like being in one of those dreams where you were in a helpless situation and speaking wasn't possible. Where your throat would close completely and the screams you wanted to release were struggling to break through the barrier in your throat.

Without a word, without as much as another touch, he picked up the papers from the ground and her satchel. He held them up to her and with shaky hands she took them. John sent her smile, a truly handsome human smile, before he was in his car and gone.

Gone. 

Just like that. 

No talking, nothing. Well, it wasn't like she could talk. He'd volunteered time and space not her. Sure, he was right she probably did need it but she didn't want it. Amy wanted nothing more than to discuss it. But how could she? She was officially in shock. Dry mouth, she was shaking, fast heart rate and clammy skin. Amy's breaths were shallow as she numbly made her way inside. Matty came out of the living room asking her what happened but she ignored him and went straight to her bedroom. 

She didn't bother turning the lights on or even locking her door after she shut it. She sat on the corner of her bed after putting her satchel beside her. And started crying. It started out as hyperventilating, then the sobs escaped and then she was lying on her pillows crying herself to death. 

She was in love with a vampire. She... dear god, she made love to a vampire! Which explained his stamina. And a few weeks ago after they made love for the first time, his eyes and his face... 

If that was the face he made before he, um, fed, that meant he'd wanted to... To bite her.

The thought... Odd, but it didn't frighten her as much as she wanted to be frightened. It shouldn't have excited her not even a little bit.

After what felt like forever, she tried to fall asleep. She was emotionally exhausted but she couldn't bring herself to sleep. Her mind was going crazy. She kept thinking about the way he'd made fun of The Sookie Stackhouse series. It made sense why now. 

Did she have to invite him in like in those books? That day of the storm, he'd stood outside until she invited him in so that meant he did need to be invited into a home. Could she take that away or was that it? 

Her mind ran for hours. Amy had switched her phone off because it'd been vibrating over and over again and she didn't really want to speak to anyone yet. She thought about how he didn't ask her to keep it a secret. Why? Did he trust her that much? Well, he does love you, that damned voice pointed out and she groaned.

A light knock on her door brought her heart to her throat. Amy didn't bother answering but a soft female voice said, "Ames, it's me. I'm coming in."

The door slowly opened, the light from the hallway casting over her legs and over her face. Evie was a shadow until she turned the light on. Amy squinted for a moment before looking at her friend. She was dressed casually but it looked like it had been in a rush.

She walked to her bed and sat beside Amy's legs. Evie's hand patted her thigh before saying, "Are you alright?"

She shrugged.

"Want to talk about it?"

She wanted to but she knew she couldn't. Then again how did she know to come over?

Don't hate Evie...

Why would she hate her? What in God's name was going on?

"What time is it?" Amy croaked then cleared her throat.

"It's almost half seven."

Half seven? It felt later, she thought wryly.

"How did you know to come over?" Amy asked sitting up. She rubbed a hand over her eyes before watching Evie purse her lips. 

Amy's brows wrinkled.

"John said you needed a friend urgently so I came over."

But that was hours ago...

"Come on. Let's go get a drink."

"I... I don't want to go out..."

"Ames," Evie stood, a soft almost pitying look crossed her face before it disappeared. "We're going to talk, come on."  

Amy wanted nothing more than to stay here in her hole of sorrow but something in the way Evie wasn't making eye contact with her threw her off. 

**

Amy sipped her Corona after tucking her hair behind her ear. Her stomach was empty; she hadn't eaten lunch or dinner but she didn't feel like eating. Silently, she cursed her shaking hand and the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

"You okay?"

Amy glanced at Evie in front of her in the booth in Yates before glancing around the quiet bar. There were few business men and women around, probably still there from the end of their work day. A few couples were at the bar ordering as well as a few lonely people sitting by themselves or watching the news on the TV above the bar.

"I'm fine."

"You look slightly pale."

"I'm fine." She repeated.

Evie's finger slid along the condensed glass on her own drink repeatedly. Amy watched her friend nibble on the corner of her mouth and finally realised that something was going on. Evie only bit her lip when she was nervous or thinking. It was almost like Amy's habit of cracking her knuckles. They all had their own telltale signs of nerves.

John's words kept repeating in her head telling her not to hate her best friend. Why? She wasn't sure. But she had a brief idea. And she hoped to God she wasn't right.

"Tell me what's going on?" Evie asked her after a silent moment between them.

Amy didn't know how or where to start... Or whether to start at all. 

"Amy." She warned.

"It's nothing. John and I... We're just... I'm not sure. We argued earlier, I don't know where we stand." She swallowed.

Evie's eyes down casted. "And you say that's nothing?"

"He suggested I take some time to think." Amy mumbled ignoring the replay from earlier in her mind. "It's for the both of us."

"Are you being serious?"

"Why would I joke about something like this?"

"Because that is the most brainless thing you two could ever do."

"You don't understand."

"I do understand, Amy. I understand it all."

Don't hate Evie...

"What do you mean?"

Evie sighed. "Amy, I know how hard this is."

She shook her head. "No, you don't."

"I do. Maybe when it happened to me it was under different circumstances but I do know how hard this is."

As soon as she said those words, Amy's body tensed. Not with sadness, oh no, she was pissed.

"It's not just John, Ames. I knew about John after I found out that Michael was a vampire as well."

"Are you- are you kidding right now? Is this a joke? Is this one big joke?" She almost yelled but Evie hushed her.

"It's not a joke, calm down."

"You want me to calm down? A few hours ago, I find out about John and now I find out my best friend has been dating a vampire and has known about this since, what, 2011? Yeah, no. I'm not calming down, Evangeline."

Evie's eyes flashed with fear. "There were things going on at the time."

"Really? And two years later those same things are still going on?"

"We'll explain everything-"

She shook her head and scowled. "I don't even think I want to know."

"Amy, please."

"I can't believe this." She mumbled more to herself. Her fingers rubbed the sides of her temples after taking her glasses off. "You know what, maybe you should go."

"Amy."

"I need a real drink. Alone."

"You can't exactly blame me for not telling you."

"No, but I can't handle this much amount of news and information within three hours."

They both fell into silence before Evie sighed. "I can't leave you here; you're not in the right frame of mind."

"I'm friggin' fine." 

"How will you get home?"

"Cab."

Evie stared at Amy for a good minute before she scowled. "Fine." She stood. "One thing. Are you mad at me?"

"Furious."

"And John?"

She remained silent. 

"Don't take too long just because you think the man's a killer, it doesn't mean he doesn't have a heart."

She gritted her teeth. "I didn't say I thought he was a killer." 

"You may as well have." 

"Are you blaming me for all of this?"

Evie picked up her bag and finished her drink before saying, "I'm blaming you both. He should have told you earlier and you shouldn't judge him so harshly. I've been in a similar position. I know you need time but just don't spend too much time thinking, okay?"

And with those parting words Evie left. 

God, Amy needed a stronger drink. 

She buried her face within her arm after finishing her beer and sat there for a few minutes. Will it end?

"You're in need of a good alcoholic beverage, aren't you?"

She whipped her gaze to the seat in front of her to find a familiar handsome man. Well, if it's not one thing it's another. Slowly, she nodded. His grey eyes sparkled with humour. 

"I do need a drink."

He smiled. "What do you want?" 

"I'll get one later."

"Okay." He nodded and leaned forward. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes, Will from the hospital."

"And you're Amy from the hospital. I'm glad you remembered. Now what brings you here?"

"An eventful day."

The man glanced to the side before nodding thoughtfully. "Eventful. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Once again he glanced to the side and this time she glanced with him. She didn't know what she was looking for but she recognised his friend sitting at the bar by himself staring at the TV.

"Honestly, don't take any offence but you look like hell."

"Offence taken thank you." 

He laughed quietly but once again he glanced to the side. Suddenly, something changed in Will's demeanour. What seemed friendly and playful a moment ago had now turned slightly rigid. The smile wiped completely from his face and he turned seriously to her. A look that looked way beyond his years.

"Unfortunately, I'd hoped to ease you into this but according to my friend we haven't the time." 

The way he spoke shocked her. He was so polite and yet... It wasn't... In this time.

She started to panic.

"What-"

"You can trust me, I assure you. I know that isn't what you want to hear especially from a vampire."

Her heart jumped into her throat and she gasped.

"And assuming by the rate of your heart and the small gasp you'd just inhaled, your vampire hasn't told you much about us? No?" By her stunned silence, his eyes widened. "Jesus, did you find out recently? Is that why Evie was talking about it?"

He knew Evie!

The man... Vampire grimaced. "We need to go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you." She hissed quietly.

His grey eyes hardened as he tilted his head. "You either come with me or, you see those men?" He pointed to two young men staring as if blindly at the far side of the bar. "They will kill you."

Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing. Three hours she'd known about them. Three damn hours. And already her life was in danger. 

"This must be a joke." She whispered suddenly feeling the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

"Amy this isn't a joke." He leaned forward again. "I've been coming to this bar for years. I came in twenty minutes ago and saw them watching you and Evie. They can smell your vampire on you. I warned them off but since Evie left they've been watching you so I'm going to help you."

"Why, who are you?"

"I'm a friend." He smirked. "You can trust me."

"No, I can't trust you." 

"You're going to have to because you have no choice right now."

"Tell me how you know Evie."

He stood. "On the way." He offered his hand but she ignored it and stood. His older friend at the bar nodded his head and approached the two vampires and spoke. Will guided her through the doors, her heart beat a mile a minute and she tried her hardest to ignore the two pairs of hungry eyes watching her leave. 

"Where are we going?" She asked as he led her down the dark streets. 

"Not to your house, they'd follow. Are you hungry? There is a cafe in Surrey, I know the people that own it. You will be safe there."

She glanced at his smiling face before coming to a solid conclusion.

Yep. She was going to die.

**

Forty minutes later, and the longest most silent drive ever with her in the back seat and only Will in the front, Amy shakily stepped out of the car and followed him reluctantly up a few steps to the front of a clearly marked 'closed' cafe. 

The door opened without as much as a knock and an unbelievably stunning mocha skinned woman probably no older than forty wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and smiled lazily at them. 

"Goodness Nate, what could possibly make you call me at this hour?"

"It's only 8.40, Celia." He greeted. "I'm helping a friend."

The woman's oddly light green gaze landed on Amy and she knew almost immediately that the woman wasn't human. She was too beautiful to be mortal. 

"Interesting." She raised a brow. "Come inside." The woman opened the door wider and switched the lights on inside the small intimate cafe. "I'm guessing Nate's doing what he does best. Bunch of rogues chasing you?"

Amy remained silent as Nate, not Will, laughed quietly and answered for her. "Nope, young vampires and a hunter actually."

"Hunter? In Burnaby? Be careful up there."

A hunter? 

"He left me be."

"Yeah, yeah. You warn Mike, alright?"

She knew Michael? Did they all run in the same circle or something?

"I'll pass an anonymous letter." He saluted.

"Good." The stunning woman turned to Amy and gasped. "My goodness dear you look frail! And hungry, would you like something to eat? Sit down, sit down."

Amy sat at a table obediently. Honestly, what else could she do? Two strangers, no, two vampires were watching her as she chose the sausages, bacon, eggs and a tea. Celia winked at her before disappearing and returning with her tea.

Nate sat opposite her with a wide grin and rolled the long sleeves of his grey top to his elbows. "I'll let you drink a bit of your tea before I answer some questions."

She took a small sip before sighing, the warmth welcomed. "Your real name."

"Well, it is definitely not Will. But my last name is Williams. My name is Nathaniel."

Why did that sound a little bit familiar?

"Wait..." Now she remembered. How could she not have noticed it until now? He was the one in the picture with Evie in the study. "I've seen a picture of you with Evie at the house."

"Oh, that horrible photograph?" 

She started to relax a little all of a sudden knowing that he knew Evie and Mike had her trusting him a little more. Not a lot. But enough to know that she wouldn't get... well, killed.

"I know you, you know." He said leaning his sharp jaw on his palm.

"I'm sure I would have remembered you." She laughed slightly nervously and sipped at her tea.

"No, not personally. Evie spoke of you. And when you were here in 2011 for a week at the snow resort. I saved Evie from that terrible fall."

For a moment, Amy recalled that horrible night Evie had been involved in an avalanche. Somehow she had made it out only with a dislocated wrist and a few scrapes. Now she knew why. "You saved her?"

"Of course." He smiled almost childishly as he tilted his head in his palm.

The things vampires were capable of, she was extremely intrigued. But it would have to wait until she spoke to John. She wanted him to tell her everything.

"How is Mike anyway? My charming friend from the past?" He said almost sarcastically. 

"He's fine."

"And Evangeline?"

"She's good too."

"She looks healthy," He said. "So tell me. Your 'boyfriend' Jonathan didn't tell you much about us?"

"Nothing." She mumbled.

"So I assume today was the day?"

She nodded.

"He kept it a secret. Well, it's not like we're supposed to tell you; human and vampire relationships are still considered odd. Our lust for blood isn't exactly satiable and the fact we can be around them and be able to kiss them and make love to them without killing them is almost a gift. Not a lot of vampires can do that."

Amy quickly thanked Celia for the food before turning back to Nate. "So... every day with me is a struggle?"

"From what I know, he's an old soul. It might not be as much as a struggle as it is for Mike."

For a moment she'd completely forgotten Michael was a vampire. It was weird... Everything she knew about vampires was from books. She had nothing solid to run on, nothing but what she had witnessed which technically wasn't much. 

"Now, I have a question for you. Would you like me to explain my species or would you prefer to be told by John?"

Without any thought to it at all she answered, "I'd rather if John told me."

"I thought so. Eat up, you can ask me more when you've got something in your stomach."

She ate silently but Celia and Nathaniel talked casually about the last year of their lives. Nate didn't speak much about his as much as Celia. Her and her partner had been in Alaska since January and only got back a few months ago to reopen her cafe.

"Ethan's upstairs looking after Jonas."

"How is little Jonas?"

"He's growing fast. But what do you expect?" Her angelic giggle made Amy pause. Such beautiful creatures and yet... 

After she finished her meal she leaned her head against the wall and listened to the two of them compare and share stories.

She had been wrong to have judged John so quickly. But then again, the shock of it all, the shock of hearing what he was and how old he was made her think irrationally.

Amy wished she could go back to that moment to tell him that. That it didn't matter what he was. It didn't matter that he was a vampire. He was still the man that made her smile even when he was trying her hardest to be angry with him. He was still the man that kissed and tickled her to death in her bedroom those many weeks ago. He was still the man she fell in love with.

Watching these two people converse and smile like old friends proved that they weren't all bad. Hell, the proof was Mike and John she was just too stupid not to have seen it earlier. 

Hours passed by with this new revelation and soon enough Celia wished her well after cleaning her plate and cup and scurried off to bed. It was almost midnight by now and she'd realised hours ago that she left her phone turned off in her bedroom. She could imagine Matty having a heart attack right about now.

"Do you drink human blood?" She asked curiously. 

He looked up from his phone. "I used to. But Evie forced me into animal blood years ago."

"And you stuck to it?"

"Trial and error but yes I have." 

"And how do you walk in the sun?"

This, he smirked at. "It'd be best if John explained."

"Evie said you visited once a year for her birthday. You're a bit early this year."

His grey eyes darkened and she leaned back at his threatening face. "Something is happening right now. It was best I came back. But you must promise me this Amy. You mustn't under any circumstance tell John, Michael or Evie I am back. It is best they do not know, okay?"

She grimaced but then thought, why not? They kept secrets. The biggest ever in fact. 

"Okay. For now."

They fell into silence again and she must have dozed off because a hand on her shoulder woke her.

He smiled down at her. "My friend, Carter, says the vampires have moved on. I can take you home."

"What time is it?"

"Twenty past one. I can get you home before two."

And to his credit he did. She stared at the front yard. Nine hours ago she'd found out. It seemed like days ago now. In a way, depsite anything and everything happening in the last nine hours, it had helped her realise how rash she was being about everything.

"You mentioned a hunter earlier," Amy muttered as Nathaniel let the car idle. "What's a hunter?"

His gaze drifted from her to the front door of her house before he leaned back. "Vampire hunters. The few humans that live to know about us either accept us or hate us, usually it's the latter. They spend a good part of their lives researching and training ways to kill us. Usually ruthless but it depends on the human."

She nodded slowly during his explanation. "Thank you for helping me, Nathaniel."

"Call me Nate." He smirked. "And you're welcome."

"Will I see you again?"

"Yes and no but I will be seeing you around. And don't over think your relationship. You're a passionate thing; I don't need to know much about you to see that. And don't ignore Evie for too long, Amy." He sent her a hearty wink and a friendly smile before unlocking the door. He waited until she walked into the house before driving away. 

Exhaustion hit her like a brick wall. The adrenaline, the shock, everything it just smacked her in the face. She was lucky she didn't collapse as she stumbled lazily up the stairs. 

Her hand wiped over her slightly sticky forehead. She was dirty and she was in need of a good shower. But damn she couldn't even make it past her bed. Her door was left wide open as she slowly shrugged out of her sweatshirt and kicked her shoes off. She struggled out of her jeans and collapsed onto the bed with a large exhale and a groan. 

Physically and emotionally drained. In her mind, although almost shut down, she almost had a plan. Tomorrow... okay, maybe not tomorrow, Friday she would go to John's house... okay, call him... no, she would man up and go to his house and speak to him face to face. Tomorrow she could sleep all day and try not to over think like she knew she would do.

Inside, she prayed he didn't really go anywhere. How could he leave? Did he really not have any hope that she'd realise that she was completely and utterly under his spell no matter what he was? Maybe this was his coping mechanism. From the few reports she'd read about his family, he'd disappeared for a long time before they pronounced him deceased.

Amy sighed and placed her glasses on the side. John Harris came with the heaviest baggage she could ever imagine anyone to have. She would be an absolute fool to take him on.

 A small smile curved her lips as she settled deeper into her pillows.

Call me a fool.

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NATHANIEL FANS... HE'S BACK ;)

PEOPLE NEW TO NATHANIEL... You'll get to know him only a little more ;) What'd you think of him?

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