Harper found himself standing by another closed curtain with screaming fans behind it. Krista was saying something under her breath, Charlie was playing an invisible guitar and Lee had his eyes closed and his fingers were moving.

Anders stood in his spot and turned to Harper and smiled his devilish smile. He walked over and took a kiss, then whispered in his ear and was back in his place like he never moved. Charlie and Lee both smiled and Charlie winked at Harper. Harper blushed and hoped that it was covered by the makeup.

Harper watched Anders at work and smiled. He replayed what Anders whispered this time. 'Can't wait to peel that leather off your sexy body.'

Harper sang all of the songs. Anders stole glances at him as often as he could. Anders was in the best mood. They played the new song and got the same response. Silence and then cheers. It was a really pretty song and Anders could sing.

What was Harper doing with some bold guy with piercings and tattoos? He was in a rock band for goodness sake. But every time he looked at Harper with those dark eyes, he melted. He couldn't help himself.

Harper hoped that he wasn't a distraction. He didn't want Anders to mess up because of him but Anders didn't and it was three hours of flawlessness. That rock star was perfect. They finished the encore and headed to the quiet room. Harper was sure that it had a name but he didn't know it.

"That was amazing." Harper smiled as they entered. They were quiet. "What? What's wrong?"

"Well, we just got notified that there is a vampire hunter in the crowd. Probably will be in the backstage group." Charlie stated flatly. Pierce stormed in.

"Shit! What are we going to do? We can't expose anyone." Pierce was freaking out.

"What? An actual vampire hunter? Those are real?" Harper had to ask. "Cancel the meet and greet."

Sometimes a human thought they could kill a vampire and would actually shoot someone. Humans could rarely kill a vampire but they could expose them. That would be bad.

"Can't. They spent a lot of money. Some of them are fans. We need to think. If they shoot one of us, we won't die or worse we will die. That would be terrible." Anders was pacing.

"Wait. Let him shoot me. It won't kill me." Harper put in his thoughts.

"Hell no. I am not putting your life in danger." Anders moved to Harper and glared at him. "I will take the hit. It won't be the first time that a person thought they could kill a vampire in public." Anders was saying. "Not the first time I was shot."

"Hell no! I don't think that will work for me." Harper copied Anders. "I need to hear that story later. You were shot?"

"Harper, focus. They always go for the lead singer. He is coming for me. We can do this. Let them shoot me and I can fake an injury. I can do that for you guys just cover me when it happens and get me out of here. We will have to cancel the last two concerts." He was talking to Pierce.

"I can handle that, Anders." Pierce reassured him. "That is the last thing I'm worried about."

"I am. I hate to do that to fans. I really do. Maybe we can get them to come back for a freewill concert." Charlie added. "Later. After you recover. They can bring their canceled ticket as an entry fee."

"Okay? What is happening? I need someone to clarify this for me." Harper was having a panic attack.

"Well, we are going out there and letting some guy shoot Anders. He is going to fake the injury and we are hauling ass out of here, so be ready. We need everyone to panic. The security will have to be ready to tackle the vampire hunter. I want to question him later." Charlie recapped. He was on this military police stuff.

"Wait." Harper turned white and had to sit down.

"Vampire hunters aren't real. They don't really know about vampires. This happens once in a while. If he was real then we wouldn't know about him beforehand. This guy was bragging and said he killed several vampires and one of them was me so I doubt that he is for real, Harper." Pierce said and smiled.

"What?"

"Yes. We met a couple of years ago. He shot up a bar thinking it was a vampire bar. It wasn't. Just a bunch of bikers. He killed a couple of them in his quest but none of the vampires died." Pierce explained much too calmly for Harper's liking. This man already killed people?

"Okay. Let's go." Anders stated all calm. "Get this over with."

They all took a calming breath and walked into the room. There were cheers and the band waved. They sat in their seats. Harper was looking in the crowd, studying them. Which asshole is trying to kill the love of his life? He will kill him with his bare hands.

The shot came and Harper jumped. Anders stopped smiling and fell to the floor. He was pale. Harper had tears and they were real. Things happened in slow motion and he couldn't figure them out.

The security had the shooter and the band had Anders. Charlie looked worried. They were on the bus and it was moving. Harper was sitting. Anders wasn't pretending.

Harper finally began to catch up. "What happened?" He was pale.

"I need bandages now!" Charlie yelled and Krista was getting them. She was using sheets and t-shirts. There was a lot of blood.

"What happened?" Harper asked again.

Lee sat beside Harper. "They used garlic in the bullet. A wooden bullet." He was in shock also. He sat with Harper to keep him calm and he needed to stay out of the way. Krista was good with medical situations and so was Charlie.

They were saying stuff and Harper had no idea. Anders wasn't moving. "He is losing too much blood!" Charlie was saying, trying to hide the panic.

"Anders!" Harper yelled and was freaking out. Krista and Charlie were talking to each other and Harper was just watching Anders. He wasn't moving.

".....No. This is bad. We need a house. Take us to his dad's. We aren't that far away." Charlie was talking again.

Harper grabbed his hand and he didn't move or squeeze back. He tried to keep up but his brain was in slow motion. Anders couldn't die. Harper was killing the asshole that did this. He didn't want to live if he never got to hear Anders' voice again.

"...when we get there and we need to call Kirk. He will know what to do!" Charlie was still talking and giving instruction.

Harper was shaking as he watched Charlie and Krista working on Anders. The bleeding had stopped but he was pale. He couldn't die. Harper just began to pray. He felt like he lost Eve, he couldn't lose Anders.

Lee was making Harper stand and they walked into a house. No one knocked even. A man was standing still and in shock. Charlie cleared the table and put Anders on it. They continued their work. Lee was on the phone.

Harper was trying to stay out of the way. He looked at Anders and saw the wound. It looked like poison in his system and his veins were turning black around the wound, spreading out from the bullet hole. If it was healing, it wasn't fast enough.

"Charlie. What can I do?" Harper would do anything.

Charlie didn't answer but Lee did. He just hung up with Kirk. Harper had no idea who that was. "Charlie, he said to try using Harper." He looked sad. He looked like he was about to fall apart. Krista was in tears. "He can't die. This wound isn't fatal to a human. If he dies, they will know how to kill vampires."

"I'll do it!" Harper said without hesitation. "I'll do it." He would slit a vein open for him. Hell, Anders could drink all of his blood, Harper didn't care. He couldn't live without Anders. His tears wouldn't stop. "I'll do it!" He was trying to stand and almost passed out.

"We can't. Harper. It would take almost everything you have. We would have to turn you and without permission..." Charlie didn't finish.

"Get me a phone. Now." Harper was shaking as he dialed a number. "Hale. I need to talk to Blair... now." He explained everything, briefly. Blair began to argue but Hale vouched for him. They were on a conference call. Hale was at work and Blair was home.

"Get this pushed through because I'm doing this regardless. Hale. If they kill me, I will haunt your ass for eternity, do you understand. Get this granted and get me registered. Now. Turn in all of my favors. Now. Blair. Please."

"Darling, when you fall you do it all the way, huh?" Blair smiled. She was already on the other line getting permission. "Consider it done. Now, I have work to do, be careful. I'll call back in fifteen." She was gone.

Lee's phone rang ten minutes later, it seemed like days. "You are cleared and registered and you owe me, Doll. Good luck." Blair hung up.

Harper took a breath. "Okay. Let's do this. What should I do?"

Charlie looked at him. "You die. Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. We don't have a lot of time. Just do it, Charlie. Please. I don't care what happens. Just do it and if this goes bad tell him this was my idea and I loved him enough to die for him." It was all Harper could do. He shed tears and wiped his face.

Charlie nodded. "This will be confusing but just hold on.." He walked up and took a bite of Harper's arm without warning or hesitation and put it in Anders' mouth.

Harper made a noise and watched Anders bite down hard. Anders held onto his arm like a vice, his grip hurt and Harper was sure that Anders would break his arm, smash his bones in his forearm. Anders opened his black eyes and drank deep.

His wound looked better and Harper's vision was getting blurry and he couldn't feel his legs or arms. Suddenly, there was nothing but blackness and he was cold.