He put her arms around her kissing her again as they reached her apartment door. "Goodnight, Sarah," He said pulling away with a smile.

"Night," she said pulling him back to her for another kiss.

He pulled away again. "I better go."

"Don't," she said taking his hands.

"I don't want to rush you into anything," He protested.

"Just coffee. One coffee."

"Coffee," he said with a sigh running a hand through his hair.

"One. And then you'll be kicked out."

He nodded slowly knowing it would probably be a mistake, but what the hell, he'd made so many already anyway, what was one more.

"Trey!" she called when they came in.

"Oh, let him be, puppies need their sleep."

"He probably needs to go!" Sarah protested.

"If he had to go, he'd be sitting by the door waiting for you. Or come bounding down the hall when you called. He hasn't. So obviously, he's sleeping."

Sarah peered down the hall worried.

"Do you know anything about puppies?"

She eyed him. "Well...."

"They're like babies. They need their sleep. They sleep hours and hours at a time. Especially during the day," he added so he could get some sleep during the day without her poking him to go for yet another walk.

Sarah sighed. "How do you know so much about puppies?" she asked going into the kitchen.

He ran a hand through his hair trying to think of a response. "I've had them before."

"Not anymore?" She asked taking two mugs out of a cabinet.

"No, they grew up and...died."

"I'm so sorry," she said clutching the mugs to her chest.

He shrugged and looked away. He stopped having pets. It was worse than getting to know a human and having a human die. At least a human lived about eighty years this century. A pet always lived around ten years. It was a blink of an eye for him yet it killed him every time his dog had died. No more. He'd be his own, damn dog, if he wanted a dog.

"Um, have seat. I'll be there in a minute."

"Sure," he said taking a seat on the couch.

"How do you take your coffee?"

He shrugged. "Black's fine."

"Yikes," she said with a cringe.

"I'm not particular," he said with a shrug. He couldn't really taste much so adding milk or sugar didn't change the taste very much for him.

"Then you won't mind instant?" She asked with a hopeful smile.

He shrugged again, "Whatever you have is fine."

His cell phone rang. He groaned.

"It's okay, you can get it."

He pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller-id. He cursed in Italian.

"What?" he barked putting it to his ear. "Oh. Sam. Sorry, I thought it was Em or Raven. They are driving me insane."

Sarah's ears perked up. She knew it was rude to eavesdrop but she wanted to know him. All of him. And she was curious about his life outside of what little time they had together. And if she really strained with her mind sometimes she could hear other ends of people's conversations over the phone. She was particularly interested why his voice had softened when he learned it was this Sam person and not who he was expecting.

"Can you talk?" the girl asked with a strangely familiar voice.

Sarah's eyes narrowed. It was a girl.

"Depends," he said carefully. He didn't want to get into certain subjects with Sarah around. He wasn't ready to have any of those conversations with her. And he was sure she wasn't ready to hear them either.

"This is not about you know what. Or you know who. So, I'm here with Ray. He's working out our class schedules."

"Uh-huh."

"Well, we all want to take classes together and you're not in some of them."

Trey leaned back into the couch and glanced up at Sarah who was pretending to stir in coffee but he knew full well was listening and was trying to hear Sam's end of the conversation as well.

"I'm on a date, Sam."

"Oh! Sorry," she said seeming surprised. "Well, can't you just take a little itty bitty second? Pretty please?"

"If you promise not to hound me later about it."

"About the classes?"

"About my date."

"Damn."

He chuckled. "So, what do you want again?"

"I want to change your schedule."

"Why?"

"So, you can be in our classes!"

"Why?"

"Trey."

Trey was silent.

"Trey, you're one of us!"

"Just do whatever," he said annoyed.

"You have to have some say."

"I really don't care, Sam."

"Yes, you do."

He sighed. "Fine, just keep the business class I have with Isabella and obviously, I want the same classes of Brian's..." he said and trailed off trying not to look at Sarah. Shoot. Shouldn't have said that.

"Well, does it matter the time? I mean, you're taking some of the same classes we have with Brian but just different times."

"Well, you know why."

"Tony is okay with mornings," she said in a way that poked fun at his manhood.

"Shit, woman, just do whatever the hell you want. Morning. Whatever."

"You sure?"

"Are you saying I can't keep up with him?"

"Not at all, I just...oh, there's no point in arguing with you. You're so stubborn."

Trey chuckled. "Let me talk to Ray."

"He doesn't want to...ow! Ray!"

"Hey," a guy's voice came on. Sarah heard.

"Look, whatever you guys want is fine," Trey told him.

"Yeah, I heard you. Have you on speaker."

Trey rolled his eyes. He should have known. "Okay, then."

"We'll let you get back to your...um...date."

"Are you coming home tonight?" Sam asked.

"Sam!" Ray said and obviously slapped her on the arm as she said "ow!" again.

"I don't know...I've got some business to take care of too," he said not wanting Sarah to think that he planned on staying. Of course, he would be staying, as the pup.

"Alright, night, Trey," Ray said. "Hey, um, be careful, man. I mean it."

"Yeah, night, Ray," he said annoyed with his concern. "Night, Samantha," he said a little brighter.

"Goodnight, be careful, okay?"

Sarah looked up from the milk she was pouring in her coffee. That's funny that girl, Ramona, at the club had told him the same thing. Why did people keep telling him to be careful? Was he in some kind of trouble?

"Hey, Trey, do you really want to take advanced telekin..."

Trey cut him off. "Shut up, Ray."

"But you've got to take 101 first. Did you talk to Brian?"

"Of course, I did."

"And he ok'd it?"

"Not the time, Ray."

"Oh. Oh! Okay. Hey, see if you can get home tonight beause we really got to talk about our schedules. We've got to turn them in tomorrow."

Sarah looked over at her dining room table where her schedule for classes was waiting. Were they really talking about taking college classes? Trey? He was still in school? And what class had he cut his friend off from saying? Advanced telekin...oh, my, god, she thought realizing what the rest of that word was. She looked quickly to Trey who now had a worried look on his face. He quickly moved over to the window and turned his back to her.

"Oh, we'll be doing a lot of talking, Ray. You can count on that," he said hanging up and turned back around to look at Sarah.

He looked like he was going to say something. He crossed the living room and stepped into the kitchen taking the coffee from her. He took a sip. He looked her over. "Thanks," he finally said and moved back over to the couch.

"So, um..." she said taking her own coffee from the counter and walked into the living room.

"Sorry about the call. Roommates, you know how they can be," he said taking another drink avoiding her eyes.

"Trey, are you in college?" she asked, his nickname seeming a little more comfortable on her tongue since she heard his obvious friends call him that.

He turned to look at her. "I'm going to take a few classes. Yes," he said taking another drink.

"But you're..."

"Twenty-two? So? I like to learn," he said with a shrug.

"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. I mean it's great you're going to school and all..."

He looked at her obviously sensing her embarrassment. He didn't want her to be embarrassed. Especially not from anything about him."I do already have a degree. I just like to go back every once in awhile. Brush up on some stuff. Take something that I'm...interested in."

"Like?" she asked hoping he might say telekinesis.

"Business," he said taking a sip of his coffee. "Music," he said with a shrug.

That caught her off guard. "Music? Like, you play an instrument?"

He nodded. "Yes. But this is more of a ...development class, I guess."

"What instrument do you play?" she asked curiously as she sat down next to him.

He shrugged and looked away.

"Don't be embarrassed," she said with an amused smile. He was cute with blood rushing to his cheeks in a manly blush.

"I'm not embarrassed," he said but he was looking over her head not at her face.

"So, what do you play?"

"Currently?"

"What do you mean, currently?"

He blew out a breath. "I've played different things over the years."

"Like?"

He sighed. "Piano."

"And?" she asked suspecting there was more.

"Guitar."

"And?" she knew more was coming.

"Violin."

"And?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Cello."

"And?" she asked again leaning in.

"Flute, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, drums, xylophone," he smiled. "I could go all night."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Wow," she said with a deep breath. She knew of people that could play the piano, or the guitar, or some other instrument. But she didn't know anyone that could play everything. And it sure sounded like he could.

"I had a sad childhood," he said with a laugh obviously trying to make a joke out of it.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She said sincerely sensing the darkness behind his eyes.

"Oh, hell," he said getting up, "not you too."

"Sorry," she said watching him go again to the window and turn his back to her.

"No," he shook his. "I'm sorry. You didn't know," he said coming back over to the couch and knelt next to her. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Forgive me."

"It's okay. I had a sucky childhood too."

He smiled lightly. He stroked her cheek. "Really?"

She sighed. "Well, no, more like the past year has been sucky."

"Why?"

She shook her head.

"I understand," he said leaning towards her and kissed her lightly.

"I think you do," she said touching his cheek with the back of her hand to look into his eyes. She saw his pain and it reflected back her own.

He looked away. "Damn it, Sarah."

"What?"

He put his head to her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I..." He stepped back and got up. "I just... I got to go."

"Trey," she protested trying to grab his hand.

"Please. Just let it go," he said walking to the door.

"Trey, come on, talk to me."

"You don't want me to."

"Of course, I want you to. I just asked!"

He sighed. He turned. "Our first date and we're already fighting." he said putting his hands around her waist.

"We wouldn't be if you would tell me what's going on."

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Just do it."

She did. She forgot what they were talking about. She just felt him. His arms wrapped perfectly around her body. Hers melted into his. His lips kept begging for her to kiss him more. His hands played in her hair and hers finally in his, stroking and entwining into the soft curls.

"What were we talking about?" she asked when he pulled away.

"Does it matter?" he asked stroking her cheek.

"Yes. Oh, yes, we were fighting."

He cocked a grin. "We were?"

"Come on. Stay. Talk to me."

"Are you ready to?"

"Why do you keep asking me? It's you that needs to talk."

"I'm fine without talking."

"Trey, do you want a relationship with me or don't you?"

"Ouch," he said pulling back.

"Because in a relationship you talk to each other. You work things out. You help each other through the bad times."

"Do you want a relationship with me?" he asked quietly.

"Well, I thought so, now...not if you won't talk to me. It'll never work if you're not honest and open with me."

"Like you are with me?"

"What?"

"You're not telling me things."

"I've told you everything you've asked me."

"Ok, how 'bout this..." he said taking off his jacket and tossed it on the couch. He headed for the bookcase and picked up one of the books he knew was covered with a fake cover.

"John Grisham?" she asked with a swallow. What did he know?

He shook his head and looked at her knowingly. Something in her mind had him saying "Don't lie to me".

"Brian Airheart," she said softly.

He plucked off the cover and set the book on the coffee table. He went back to the bookcase running his hand over the books. He pulled another one out."Nora Roberts?" She asked.

"Let me guess, Brian Airheart?" he asked plucking the cover off. He held up the book and took it to the coffee table. He went back to the bookcase and plucked off another one.

"Ok, ok. How'd you know?"

"I know because I'm psychic. Like you," he said tossing the book on the table. "Should I get another one or are you ready to admit it?"

"I'm not phys..."

He went back to the bookcase.

"Ok. Ok. I think, maybe, I am."

"You think? Damn it, Sarah, you know," he said stepping in front of her.

She wiped a tear she didn't realize she had shed. She shook her head fiercly,"I don't know."

"How do you explain being able to hear my conversation with Ray and Sam?"

She opened her mouth to protest.

"I don't mind that you were. I know you're still learning. But have the guts to admit it."

"I have good hearing, that's all."

"So you can hear me fine?" he asked.

"Of course, I can," She answered.

"Sarah," he said quietly and took a step towards her. He put his hands on both her shoulders. "I didn't open my mouth."

"What?"

He looked at her and his mouth didn't move when he said "I didn't open my mouth, you're hearing my thoughts."

Her mouth dropped open.

"It's easier talking to other telepaths. With normal people it's a bit harder to hear. But other telepaths? Other supernaturals? Hell, we can hear everything if the other telepath isn't careful."

"What do you mean isn't careful?" She asked.

"Use your mind."

"What do you mean isn't careful?" she thought and directed the thought to him.

"Good job! We can block each other from reading our minds and only allow it when we want to. Most of the time. Sometimes, you can slip up..."

"How can you block it?"

He smiled pleased she had asked the question. Even though he hadn't said anything she'd sensed that he was.

It was strange talking to him this way. She suddenly felt normal and suddenly felt that there was hope in understanding who she was.

"I have a lot of answers for you, Sarah, but I'm not sure you're ready to hear them."

"Do you know my father? Brian..."

"Yes," he cut her off.

She looked at him. He knew who she meant. And he really didn't want to talk about him.

She suddenly saw a picture in her mind of an attractive forty-ish year old guy in jeans and a tee-shirt. He had brown hair, graying at the temples and a nice smile.

"Brian?"

He nodded. She brushed another tear away and he wrapped his arms around her."How do you know him?" she asked not realizing she was still talking to him with her mind and how easy it was.

She saw his hand knocking on a door. Brian opening it with a puzzled smile on his face, then a brightened and welcoming smile and then a stiffened look on his face. She couldn't hear their conversation.

"That's what I mean when I said you can slip up. I was trying to think about how we first met. But I wasn't thinking to block you while I did so."

"You knocked on his door."

"Yes. He knows...a lot of people that I know."

"What are you not telling me?"

He kissed her lightly on the mouth. "I'm not supposed to be doing this," he told her while he kissed her.

"Why?"

"Brian sent me to watch over you. Protect you."

She pulled away. "From what?"

"I think we've covered enough tonight," he said out loud his voice suddenly sounding really loud to her.

She shook her head. It felt cloudy as if she just woke up. "Protect me from what, Trey?"

"Please, Sarah. Not tonight," he said brushing her cheek with his hand.

She nodded. "Will you stay the night? I'm...a bit shaken up by all this."

"Of course."

"Um..." she put a hand to her head. "I really should let Trey out before we go to bed. I mean to sleep," she said and turned to walk down the hall.

"Sarah," he said firmly in a way making her stop in her tracks, "I'm really sorry."

"About what?"

"You won't find the puppy there."

She turned and looked at him confused.

"I'm the puppy."

"What?! How?"

"I can shape-shift too," he told her.

Her mouth hung open for a moment but she shook off her surprise. "It was you? All this time it was you?" she demanded. She knew that he was telling the truth but she didn't really understand it. Though he and the puupy had the same eyes and the same looks in them.

"Sarah."

"No! Just...leave me alone," she said angrily and went into her room slamming the door closed.

"The nice thing about this is that I can be miles away and you'd still have to talk to me."

"No, I don't!" she yelled

"Sarah, I'm sorry. I had to find a way in."

"And you did, didn't you? Oh, wait, you found two ways in. One by kissing me and the other as my dog? How the hell you do that anyway?"

There was a knock on her bedroom door. "Go away!" she said and then "Go away," telepathically.

"You might as well look at me if we're going to talk about this."

"We're not. You can sleep on the couch. Shouldn't be too uncomfortable for you considering you've slept under my bed before."

"And in it."

"Don't remind me."

"I know you saw me."

"What?"she asked confused. He had already told her that she's seen him as a puppy. What else was she to see him as?

"That first morning," he explained, "you saw me. I somehow dropped the spell when I was sleeping. And you saw me."

She opened the door and looked at him.

"I could have done things that morning..." he trailed off looking her up and down.

She went to close the door. He grabbed it. "Slip up. Hazard of telepathic talking. You know I'm attracted to you, Sarah. Don't be embarrassed."

"Stop talking in my head," she said throwing her hands up angrily. "Stop THINKING in my head!" she shouted pointing at her temple.

"Okay," He said out-loud putting his own hands up but in defense, "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not. You're enjoying this."

He shrugged and had the audacity to smile. "It's easier now the truth is out."

"It hardly is; is it?"

"Okay, you have a point there," he said with a sigh.

"Why did he send you?"

"Because he cares about you."

"If he cares about me he wouldn't have given me up!" Sarah yelled and stalked over to the bed and sat down with a huff. "I hate him!"

He went and sat down beside her. "I was kidnapped by my father's best friend," he said and she looked up in shock not only by the statement but the whole flip in conversation from her to him. "They were so close, I called him uncle. My uncle told me that my father abandoned me when my mother died. I was dying too. The same disease. My uncle told me that my father had left me to die. And my father told my uncle that if my uncle cared to trouble himself with me that he could have me; if I survived."

"What?! That's awful. Trey," she said touching his arm sympathetically.

"It was all a lie. And most of my life I believed it. And I hated my father with a hatred that I pray to God that you'll never know," Trey wiped at his tears. "Hatred is not something I want to see consume you."

"I don't really hate him. I just...I'm angry. And confused."

"Give him a chance, Sarah. You'll be surprised what can happen when you do," he said quietly.

"What happened? With you and your father?"

"We've been living together for the past six months or so. So far, we haven't tried to kill each other."

"Six months?"

He nodded.

"You...just found out?"

He nodded.

"Trey, I am so sorry," she said putting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, well..." he trailed off. "There's more to it but we'll talk about that later, why you don't try get some sleep."

"With you here?" she asked as he lay down on a pillow.

"With me here," he said looking at her as she looked at him hesitantly. He laughed. "I have been sleeping with you."

"As a dog!"

"Well, this way I can put my arms around you," he said scooting over towards her.

"Um..." she said scooting away.

"Come here, silly goose," he said opening his arms.

"Trey." she said tucking her hair nervously behind her ear.

"You know you want to," he said teasingly.

"Trey, I...I mean, we just met and I'm not..."

He leaned up on an elbow. He laughed,"Get your mind out of the gutter, young lady. I just meant to hug. Cuddle?"

She eyed him. "You don't look like the cuddling type."

He put a hand to his heart. "I swear. I will watch my hands."

"On your mother's grave?"

He looked at her and wiped the mischief out of his eyes. "Alright, fine. On my mother's grave, I swear."

"Thank you," she said lying down next to him.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Sarah."

"Night."

"Blessings upon..."

"No, don't..." she said stopping him. She knew now it was some kind of spell and she didn't want to deal with anything else paranormal that night.

"It'll help you sleep better."

"I don't care. No magic."

"Alright, no magic," he said stroking her cheek.

"I never thought I would really believe in all this. I mean it was nice to pretend. It was an answer. But I didn't really, actually, believe it."

"There's a lot more to it," he said softly.

She buried herself in his shoulder more. "Do we have to talk about it now?"

"No. But I think you're doing a good job accepting who you are and I think the rest will be just as easy."

"It's hardly easy."

"You wouldn't believe how easy you're taking this. I've seen people really flip out."

"Did you?" she asked softly. Trey was quiet a long while. "Trey, did you? Flip out?"

"I blew up a stable," He admitted softly.

"You what?" she asked leaning up to look at him.

"I didn't know how strong my powers were, or what I could do with them, or how to control anything."

"So you blew up a stable?"

He shrugged, "I was upset."

"Were there horses in there?"

He was quiet another minute. "Yes," he said quietly.

"Oh, god."

"And people," he added more quietly.

"Oh my god, Trey," she said leaning up again to look at him.

"I was twelve," he said. She put her hand on his shoulder supportively urging him to continue, "They told me it was okay. That it wasn't my fault...." he trailed off with a hitch in his breath.

"It wasn't."

"It doesn't change the fact that I killed those people. I was twelve and I killed nine people and sixteen horses."

"But it wasn't your fault, Trey! You can't blame yourself for doing something you couldn't understand or control!"

He pulled himself up. "There's a lot of things I can't control, Sarah." he said getting off the bed. " I'm sorry I have to go!"

"I thought you were going to stay with me."

"I'll be back, I promise."

"Trey."

"Sarah, there's more to it than me blowing things up. You have to let me go right now."

"Okay," she said getting up and walked to him.

"Don't," he warned.

She leaned up and kissed him softly. He pulled her to him kissing her hard and demanding. She'd never been kissed so passionately before. She knew this was an experienced kiss, sensual and sexual in ways she'd never imagined. She knew where it might lead but she matched him showing him she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"Let me go, Sarah!" He yelled in her mind. "You don't understand!"

She stepped back frightened about the urgency in his voice in her mind. He bolted from the room.

"Emily, help me!"

"What's wrong?"

"I need blood! Now. God, I can't..."

"Trey, don't do anything. Where are you?"

"Downtown. Near the bookstore."

"Okay, go there. I'll meet you there."

"No, Em..."

"I'll bring Tony."

"No!"

"He can hold you back."

"Hurry! Before I... do something."