The chill of night only boosted Grayson's energy as him and Ethan, who seemed to be back to normal after what happened earlier that day, strolled through the moonlit street. It had been almost a month since their last hunt together, so one was long overdue.

A young woman ran down the empty road that stretched out in front of them. Her car had been totaled when Ethan flipped it with just the flick of his wrist. The car flew a few feet in the air before flipping onto its back, leaving the driver upside down while trying to free herself from her seat belt.

She frantically crawled out of the window of her car door, trying to avoid the broken glass that was all around her. Grayson could smell the intoxicating aroma of blood fill the air as some of the glass broke open her skin as she pulled herself out of the car. He didn't want to feel that spark in the back of his brain that liked how terrified she was, but he couldn't hide what was clearly in his nature.

Vampires were born into sadism the moment they drew first blood.

Ethan smirked as the woman continued to run away, not feeling an ounce of shame from the way he was looking at her like she was not even human, like it was a game. A game that he was enjoying way too much.

The way his face lit up during these things made Grayson's skin crawl, but he wasn't much different in his first century of being turned. Feelings were always harder to control in the beginning, leaving decisions based on purely impulse. Ninety years had passed since he Laced Ethan, turning him into his partner in crime, and he definitely toned it down.

Even though his emotions were more stable now, he still had his moments. Grayson had to calm him down sometimes to make sure he wouldn't kill anybody. There was a time when they would lose themselves in the hunger, but they swore to each other that they wouldn't go down that path any longer.

It had been months since they drank to kill and Grayson finally started to feel a little better about what he did during his free time. Taking a life was something that he was once used to, but he didn't want it to be the norm anymore.

He had seen a couple hundred too many people die in his time on this earth, and he wanted to press pause. At least for a little while.

The woman limped as she continued her attempt to run. Sadly enough for her, she wouldn't be going much farther. Ethan ended up in front of her in the blink of an eye, a shrill tone escaping her bloody lip before he quieted her with only his eyes. Without a word, he convinced her to calm down, and submit.

Grayson could hear the steady breathing as her body relaxed, him too finding his body propelled forward. He now stood next to his friend, watching how different his technique was from his own. There was an unsettling manner in the way he looked at the woman who couldn't be any older than her mid-thirties.

Like usual, Grayson ignored it as he watched Ethan grab her by the hair and pull her head back, exposing her neck. His teeth were about to sink in when he was pulled back.

"Not here," Grayson growled through his fangs. The overpowering scent was already affecting him more than he cared to say, but he knew if a car passed and saw them, they'd have to take care of two people instead of only just the one.

Without even looking back at him, Ethan pulled her into the forest, Grayson following right behind him.

Ethan held her up against a tree, grinning as he could see the fear in her eyes. When they were out during the hunt, he was a completely different person. His demeanor changed, turning into something unrecognizable, and it wasn't just because the mask of humanity slipping as the Vampire side kicked in.

That was only part of the presence he held that Grayson didn't like very much. To see something that you created in such a dark light always made you think. He had turned others before, but none of them ever stuck around. They usually got what they wanted from him and then went on their way, but Ethan was like a brother to him.

He cared for him when he was just a poor young man living off the streets of New York during the Great Depression. Without a family or friends to have his back he was alone in a dangerous place at the time, but still he stayed optimistic.

Being hungry was a constant problem, so Grayson paid him the greatest favor he thought he could lay on him at the time. The Lacing process was often said to be one of the best and worst experiences of your life while pain and pleasure both reached their peak. It made you wonder if it was really worth it and know that it was at the same time.

It was an unexplainable combination of bliss and agony that brought anyone to a staggering confusion, but he'd never heard of anyone caring. They were always too obsessed with the outcome to focus on how they got there, but that didn't change how chilling the change was.

No one knew what caused certain people to become Nightwalkers and others to become Daywalkers. Everyone reacted to the change differently, so it was the luck of the draw.

Ethan finally sunk his teeth in. The woman looked uncomfortable, but there was no struggle. She had no choice. When you were under the spell of a Vampire, there was no breaking it. That was what scared him the most as she let Ethan almost suck her dry.

If he didn't stop, he would kill her, and that was not something they did anymore.

"Whoah, Ethan." Grayson pulled on his arm, but he growled animalistically and tore his arm away. When Grayson pulled harder, his friend turned, but he wasn't himself.

His features were dramatically changed, not even remotely similar to his human mask. A carnal expression played across his face as Grayson looked at the difference. Ethan's eyes had a golden glow compared to the red color their kind usually had when they showed their true form.

Grayson backed away slowly as his friend came towards him, almost dazed in a manner that he didn't even recognize him. They both stared at each other with such intensity for a moment that they were both in some kind of trance.

The first one to break the trance was Ethan. A look of confusion coated his blazing eyes as he looked at his surroundings as if he was trying to figure it out. When he looked back at Grayson, no more uncertainty lay beneath his gold orbs.

"Ethan?" Grayson cautiously took a step forward, making sure not to get too close. With the way his friend had been acting recently, he couldn't be too careful. They still had no clue what happened the day before.

The only response to his own name was him bringing out his fangs. They too looked twice as big and he had almost double the amount. Now six fangs were displayed proudly in his mouth instead of the four Vampires usually had.

All Grayson could do was stare at this form that he'd never seen before display itself in front of him. He also noticed the girl who was bleeding out right behind Ethan, and he knew she needed medical attention if she was going to survive.

Ethan followed his gaze and he remembered what he was doing just a moment ago. Before he could dig into the already dying woman's neck, Grayson yelled, "Ethan!"

He stopped right in his tracks. His mouth was hovering right over the place he bit into last time when his form started to go back to it's normal Vamp form, but the eye color remained.

"Grayson?" He quickly got away from her and looked back to his friend who was staring at him like he was unrecognizable. "What just happened?"

Grayson didn't want to tell him that he didn't have a clue, so he just stayed quiet. "We need to get out of here. The girl will be fine. Let's go."

"But- what the hell happened?" He asked frantically, clearly having no memory of what took place here just moments ago.

"I don't know." Grayson sighed, revealing the truth. "I don't know."

The eerie silence of the motel room ate everything whole as Tatum lay as still as possible, trying not to wake up the exhausted beauty who hung half her body over his. At first the silence was calming since Diana had finally calmed, but now it racked his nerves like nothing had before.

Every little sound put Tatum on high alert. The thought that something could happen at any moment put an ill taste at the back of his tongue.

The brunette, who clung tightly to his t-shirt, let little breaths fan his neck. Her calm state made him relax more, knowing that everything would be okay. At least for a little while.

It had been a couple days since Diana's body was attacked by an unknown source. For reasons he couldn't explain, Tatum refused to leave her side. At first he thought it was some sort of infatuation he had for her, but soon realized it was something different.

He had no idea what made him have such an urge to stay, but the young girl more than appreciated the company. There was some kind of connection between the two of them that made them not want to leave each other's sides.

The close proximity between the two of them, that should have been awkward for only knowing each other for a couple days, wasn't there. Only a great deal of comfort resinated between them.

Looking down at her resting form, Tatum could feel a pulling inside of him, urging him to never leave her side. This was weird, of course, considering she was a Vampire and not a Lycan, like him. An emotion that he could quite label wandered around the back of his mind, taunting him with an uncertainty.

This was new, and it wasn't something that he would take lightly.

New was never a good thing. It always screamed trouble.

Diana's grip on Tatum's shirt tightened for a moment and let go, stirring a little in her sleep. The way her face scrunched a little made him wonder if one of the nightmares that haunted her were coming back for another round.

Relief went through him when her eyes fluttered open in an angelic way. A small moan left her lips as she stretched and looked up at him with an innocent face that was so different from her actual form.

Tatum smiled down at her and she smiled back. For a second something strange flickered behind her eyes, but she didn't bring attention to it. He wondered if she felt the exact same thing that he did when they hung around with each other. Something more powerful than a simple human emotion was driving the wayfor them to trust each other.

An understanding that they needed each other was reached only with eye contact as Diana leaned back into Tatum's embrace. The hug sent much comfort through both of them as they grew strong from each other.

Right once they were comfortable, an irritating ringtone burst through the room, causing them both to jump.

Without looking at the caller ID, Tatum picked up the phone and heard an annoyed person greet him. When he noticed Diana looking at him with confusion, he mouthed 'my alpha'. Her look grew to concern, but Tatum knew he didn't have to worry.

"Kain, what's up?" he greeted him, hoping he wouldn't be too mad about his absence.

"It's been a few days since you checked in last," Kain grunted, grumpy as ever.

Tatum lay out a low chuckle. "Would you relax for a second?"

"Relax?!" His sudden explosion made Tatum's spine shiver. Kain's voice was racked with a threatening growl from the animal inside of him. "I can't relax, Tate. Not when our whole pack was ambushed last night!"

"Whoa, what?" How could he have been here protecting a girl he had just met, instead of at home, helping the people he's known since he'd turned. "Is everyone okay? Anyone hurt?"

Diana looked at me with worried eyes as I waited for an answer.

"Everyone is safe," Kain let out an aggravated growl. "We dealt with the situation, but Ernest almost didn't make it."

Tatum's breath caught in the back of his throat as he heard her name. Ernest was one of the most influential people in his life right now. Losing her would be like losing a limb. Standing is a lot harder if you don't have both legs to keep you balanced.

"I'll be right there!" Tatum hung up without even saying goodbye. After stuffing his phone in his pocket, he rolled off the bed. "I have to go."

Diana looked at him with such concern that he didn't expect from someone he just met a couple days ago. The bond they had developed in such a short time was strong. "What's going on?"

Worry flashed across her face as she watched him hastily pack his few things in his bag. He pulled his arms through his jacket sleeves after pulling on his boots, hoping the fear on his face wasn't too evident. Being strong was something he had to do. His pack was in danger and he wasn't there to help Kain protect it.

"My friend." Tatum could barely keep calm as he ran his hands over his scalp, pulling at the few inches of hair that coated his head. "She's hurt. I need to go back and check on my pack."

Without hesitation, Diana started pulling a sweatshirt over her head and sliding on her converse.

Tatum looked at her, shocked for a second, and then stopped her. "You can't come."

Hurt flashed across her eyes for a second as she looked deeply into mine. There was a part of him that would love for to come, but he knew bringing someone with him would only cause more commotion.

"Diana," he sighed, "I-"

"No," she stopped me. "I get it. The last thing you should bring into a pack of Lycans is an Extortionist."

Tatum nodded. "There are Werewolves too, and they are so much easier angered than us Lycans." He noticed something like sadness vibrate in her green eyes, sending shivers up his spine.

"I'm coming back," he assured her.

"Just . . . go help your friends." A small smile graced her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. There was still worry behind them.

"There's something you should know about me, Di," Tatum said, giving her a nickname while pulling her into a hug. When he finally pulled away, after inhaling her scent, digging it into his memory, he continued, "I never abandon my friends."

Tatum turned to leave, and as he left the dusty motel room, Diana had a genuine smile.

Maybe for the first time in years.