Happy Friday! Here is a happy post, which really means bit of a filler... Enjoy :) Oh and maybe refresh this story in your library as there seems to be an issue with spacing on the app.

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The second Jordan stopped on my driveway I didn't want to get out of the car. A quick look over my front yard showed nothing out of the ordinary. The lawn glistened with morning dew, the concrete footpath was damp in half circles from where the sprinkles didn't quite reach all the way over it. A cool morning breeze had the trees along the fence lines swaying as a few small doves arrived to nest within their branches.

Nigel's car arrived; parking on the street just behind us and turning to look out the window at it, my civilian neighbourhood went about its usual Sunday morning routine. A guy stood on his lawn a couple of houses down, coffee cup in one hand, hose in the other and as Logan held the door open for me to get out one of the regular runners came by with her panting Dalmatian.

Everything was as it should be. Normal. Perfect. Yet as I looked at my house again, something dark loomed over it. It was as if something was blocking the sun, leaving it in the shade. I half expected it to start crumbling down in front of us, but it didn't move. Maybe that was the problem. With so much life and light around, it just seemed - dead.

"Does anyone feel anything?" I whispered, grabbing Zane's arm as he went to walk up the brick pathway to the front veranda.

He closed his eyes, clearly focusing in for any signs of anything supernatural and as he met my gaze he only looked worried. "No Ellie, do you?"

"It just seems strange, I don't know." I shrug, leaning into Jordan as he put his arm over my shoulders.

"You're probably just shaken up about last night. Did you get any sleep?" He asked.

"Yeah, but you're probably right."

Logan and Zane shared a look and as the Van Helsings came over, Zane went and said something to the trio. Tom looked my way before slumping his shoulders and nodding. They went over to Nigel's car and with a quick look around, pulled out a few weapons. Instantly I went over.

"What are you doing?"

"If you think something is off, I'm going with it." Zane picked up an axe as the others made sure their guns were loaded. Thankfully it was before nine so there were no nosey neighbours seeing what they were doing.

I went to take something out and my hand was slapped away by Drew. "We got this, want to wait in the car?"

"You're kidding?"

"Come here a sec," Logan led me to the front of the car and held me close. "Let them do this. They need their macho man moment."

"Raya is going with them, how is that a macho man moment?"

"Can you please just do this with no arguing?" He groaned, resting his forehead against mine.

"No."

"Stubborn girl!"

"I thought that's what you liked about me? My stubbornness is one of my cute, quirky yet slightly irritable personality flaws?" I smiled up at him and he shook his head, yet his lips curved slightly.

"Yeah. You got it, irritable personality flaw!"

His distraction worked as the creak of my front door had me ducking around him to find the Van Helsings disappearing over the side fence, while Zane opened the front door. Jordan was crouched down just under the window, ready to provide him assistance and I caught a glimpse of Raya going down the other side of the house.

The second Zane walked in I started to run over with Logan right behind me.

"Clear!" He called. "Keep Elle outside for a minute though!"

A series of shouts came from around the back and as Jordan went in, I was climbing the steps and following him. Going past the kitchen, I was about to get to my living area when instead I hit Jordan's back as if it was a brick wall as he stopped abruptly. Turning he grabbed my shoulders to twist me around and pushed so I fell against Logan.

"Give us a sec." He mumbled, and Logan led me into the kitchen before I could process what just happened.

"That's just, creepy." I heard Nigel gasp.

"What? What is it?" I called out.

"Just stay in there!" Zane demanded and looking at Logan, he shrugged.

"Go look!" I told him.

"Stay!" He ordered and with a nod, he moved away. Then I saw the sink.

Two wine glasses sat by a bottle of wine and with a shaking hand I lifted it to read the label. 1997 Shiraz from Winters Estate. Only one of the wine glasses had a red residue in the bottom of the glass because I never accepted his offer of a drink.

Still holding the bottle I ran to the living room and froze seeing the others with bouquets of wilted, dead roses in their arms as they tried to clear out the living room. Raya offloaded her lot to Kieran as he went out the back door and came over to take my hand. It was then I noticed the back door was broken open.

"Vampires can't come inside unless they're invited in." I stated, "How did he do this?"

"How did V kidnap you before? Did you invite him in then?" Zane asked as he came back in.

"It wasn't V and I was taken from the back porch. He hasn't been inside."

"Then who did it?" Chris asked as he came back in.

"Dracula." Tom and I said at the same time, only all eyes turned to him.

"It's what he does. He likes to play with his victims before killing them." It sounded so simple when he said it like that.

"Logan, Jordan, check the bedroom and bathroom." Zane ordered and the pair obediently disappeared down the hall. "What's that?"

I looked at the bottle and held it out to him. He gave it a once over and then the look on his face told me he needed more of an explanation.

"In that dream I had last night, he was drinking this." Taking Zane's arm I pulled him into the kitchen as Jordan yelled out the bathroom was clear.

"I didn't tell you everything that happened in my dream. He arrived as V, but then turned into him and he was drinking this. He offered me glass but I declined." I pointed at the two wine glasses and Zane put the bottle down with them.

"Then what?" He asked, as a concerned friend, not the bossy team leader.

So I told him everything, not just the part where I punched Drac. To my surprise he said nothing and instead hugged me. It was the worst thing he could have done because I then burst into tears.

"I don't doubt your abilities or think any less of you Elise, but after a year off you've been thrown in the deep end. Hate me, argue with me, say what you will, but I really think you need to distance yourself from all of this. Especially if that fucking vampire has made you his target."

"He's right Elliphant." Jordan agreed.

Turning I didn't realise they had even come in and wondered how much they had heard. I quickly wiped my eyes, hating the fact I had let Drac to get me like this. It wasn't all the vampires fault. He was right, I did have a lot going on my head and it was obvious how he could use it all against me.

"What do you think I should do?" I sighed in defeat.

"We can't tell you what to do, and even when we do you don't listen to us. What do you think you should do?" Jordan crossed his arms and looked at me expectantly.

"Well, right now, I think I should go get ready for my Valentine's Day date?" I looked at Logan, wondering if that was even going to happen now.

"Good thinking Bunny," Logan winked at me and the other two rolled their eyes.

"This is already weird!" Jordan groaned, leaving us. Zane followed him so it was just me and Logan in the kitchen. In two steps I was wrapped up in his arms.

"Why didn't you tell us what really happened?"

"It's embarrassing." I mumbled against his chest.

"Don't think like that. We were all there that night and all of us have issues that come with this life. They'd be something wrong with us if we didn't. We're still human. Killing, things, and constantly putting your life at risk affects us all. You're not alone Bunny." He gently rubs my back, and I know he is telling me the truth.

"Then why do I feel like I'm the only one suffering. I feel weak for letting it get to me so much."

"Trust me, you're not weak. You need to let it out, or find something that makes it easier to carry our load. Did you know Jordan has a picture of you and your parents in his journal and every night he says a prayer to keep you all safe? CJ actually does yoga before going to bed and will often meditate during road trips." Logan tells me.

"What? Yoga?" Chris wouldn't do that. It was too new age for him.

"Yeah, he is big on keeping his mind and soul focused. He acts like we all do, but that's just it. It's an act. It's amazing what you learn being with people for a period of time."

He had a point and had spent the last few months with my brother and his best friend. I wonder if there anything they didn't know about each other now.

"What do you do then?"

"How about you go get ready and I'll tell you over lunch?"

"Fine, what do I wear? Where are we going?" I wish I had time to go shopping, but the reality was I had enough in my wardrobe and I'd have to make do with what I had.

"Um, well anything with demon goo and vamp dust on is probably a no go. I may have had a little help from a Kasha demon so I think you'll find something new in your wardrobe." He grins, and my heart melts.

"Wow, you're really going all out with this Loges. Are you going soft in your old age?"

"Something like that Bunny." Logan laughs and I kiss his cheek before going to my room.

The others are all out the back, probably discussing everything and right now, I don't care. This is my distraction; not yoga or prayers. Just a slice of normality in a crazy world because once upon a time, that's all I ever wanted. I didn't want to be a Hunter. I used to make my parents life hell blaming them for it, but I get it now and being a Hunter doesn't mean I can't enjoy going out on a date with my boyfriend on Valentine's Day.

Grabbing my robe and ditching my shoes in my room, I am about to go into the bathroom when I notice one of the dead roses on my bedside table. Jordan must have missed it when he checked the room and as I pick it up to throw in the bin, I see a small ivory envelope that had been under the stem. Against my better judgement, I open it. A small embossed, black rose silhouette greets me from the front of the card and turning it over, my heart unwillingly skips a beat as fear gets the better of me.

Roses are red, violets are blue. You'll be dead, once I'm through with you. Happy Valentine's Day.

I tear it up and throw it in the bin over the rose, tempted to set thing on fire. He isn't going to ruin my day and with that I went to go get ready.

-x-

After a bit of help from Raya, I went out to find Jordan, Kieran and Chris spread out on the sofa, and everyone else was gone. Chris gave me a wolf whistle as he saw me in the fifties style skater dress.

"Dude, your sister is looking like a girl again. Are we going to have to give Logan the talk? Where's the shot gun?" He elbowed Jordan in the ribs and for a second I thought they were being serious.

"Wow, you look really pretty!" Jordan complimented.

"Ah, thanks?" Looking around, Logan wasn't here. "Where is he?"

"Oh yeah about that. Cause you two took so long doing the hair thing, which is nice by the way, he left without you." Jordan teased.

"Yeah right, where is he?"

"Ask her." Chris pointed behind me and turning Ailin stood there smirking.

"Hello Hunter."

Opening my mouth to talk, I was instead closing my eyes as we left my house and when I looked around next, the wobble of the elevator taking off had me holding onto the mirrored wall and Ailin was gone. What was going on?

As the doors opened, I nervously stepped out and my mouth dropped at the grand design of the restaurant. The low hum of voices drifted softly between the notes from the piano and walking forward, my heels clicked on the mirror like tiles beneath me.

"Scusi, signora?" A man appeared from behind a small desk; his smile was bright and I instantly returned it.

"Posso aiutarla?" I think he was speaking Italian and the basic words I knew left me except for the most obvious one.

"Ciao! Do you speak English?"

"Si! How may I help you?" He asked in almost perfect dialogue.

"I am hoping to be meeting someone, Mr Logan Murphy?" I glanced around the busy restaurant, not seeing him anywhere.

"Oh Si! Signor Murphy!" He clapped his hands together and guided my back into the elevator. Hitting the top button he only smiled at me as he stepped back out.

Now I was getting nervous.

This time when the doors opened, bright sunlight greeted me and stepping out, another maître d' was waiting.

"Ciao, Signor Murphy?" I asked anxiously. Again I was offered an award winning smile and with a slight bow, he guided me past the dance floor as another piano player sat behind his instrument, filling the rooftop with a rather lovely tune. A few couples already filled what tables littered the space and as Logan stood up from the corner I looked away from the seating area and saw the view. Actually all I saw was an old, crumbling wall, but it was so much more than a rundown building. It was the Colosseum.

"That's the Colosseum Logan! We're in Rome?" Talk about amazing first dates.

"Ailin Express gets you where you need to go!" He boasted, rather pleased with himself. Rather than take my seat, I went over the edge of the balcony and took in the city street below us.

"Logan, this is, well. Oh my god! It's just, beautiful!" Standing behind me, he passed around a glass of champagne and I was actually speechless; well almost speechless. "You do know I'm going to be expecting like a trip to the moon or something for our second date?"

"I knew it was too much too soon," Logan laughed. "You're never going to be able to go to a McDonalds after this are you?"

"You want to take me to McDonalds on a date?" I raised an eyebrow doubtfully. It was then I realised I hadn't seen him dressed so formally. He had on a navy suit jacket and dress pants; the crisp white collared shirt seemed to make him fidget uncomfortably.

"I'm a simple guy and I like their fries." He shrugged.

Finally sitting down, we didn't have to wait long until the first course arrived and I soon discovered there was many more after that. We ate, we drank, and we talked. Not only was it the best first date I've ever had in my life, it was the best meal, best Valentines and one of the most luxurious places I'd ever been to.

A violin player moved around the tables, his tune matching the piano and just when I didn't think I could eat anymore, a man started to sing and one by one the couples around us all got up to dance.

"Wanna go dance to an Elvis singing Sway?" Logan stood and extended his hand and glancing over to the stage, I didn't hold back my laugh. The guy clearly had on a really bad wig and the only thing missing was his jewel studded jumpsuit. That said, he could since and while I didn't understand what he was saying, the tune made the song obvious.

"Sure, Signor Murphy!" Standing, it wasn't the song that was swaying, but me as the bottle of champagne caught up. "Are you trying to get me drunk?"

"I didn't have to try Bunny!"

He had a point; it went down way too easily.

Logan kept me close as we found our own little space on the dance floor. I was kind of thankful of that as I felt a little light headed and with my hands around his neck, I idly twisted my fingers through his hair. An older couple near us got a little carried away as they started to do some crazy salsa moves, but they were having too much of a good time to judge.

When the song ended we all clapped and they took a playful bow.

"Are you having a good time?" Logan whispered in my ear once we were dancing together again.

"You have no idea!" Kissing him softly, I was suddenly being twirled around and pulled back to his side and this time when he kissed me, it had the same kind of passion the other couple had when they were dancing.

Now I understood what they talked about in books when the girl is kissed and left feeling weak kneed. Who knew Logan had this in him?

"And now?" He smirked, lifting me back up.

"And now I'm wondering what you did with Logan."

I only got a laugh in response. "Come on, I got one more thing planned for you."

We left the restaurant and the amazing views and the beautiful food and delicious champagne behind, walking hand in hand through Rome's streets instead. As soon as I saw the sign pointing to the Fontana di Trevi, it was obvious where we were going.

Sure enough, the Trevi Fountain soon appeared before us. Tourists crowded around the water, taking photographs and throwing in their coins, which is exactly what Logan had planned as he slipped one into my hand. Finding a space by the fountain edge, it was quite surreal being at a place I'd only ever seen in magazines and on TV.

"Ok, so if you throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder, you'll come back to Rome." Logan tells me, and turning around like the majority of people beside us were doing, we had our backs facing the fountain. "On three?"

The whole idea seemed a bit silly, but who knew what kind of truth and magic was behind the myth. We did fight demons after all.

"One." Logan started.

"Two." I laughed and just as we went to throw our coins an old lady came over and slipped two more coins into my hand.

Logan shrugged and she watched as I threw all three behind me. "Grazie. Why tre?"

I sucked at Italian and hoped she understood my question. She only smiled, looking at Logan's hand where it now rested around my hip before handing me a red rose, "Tre per il matrimonio!"

"What does that mean?" I asked Logan who looked as confused as I felt. Yet all I could think was that it better not be some kind of curse. With that she walked off and stopped in front of another couple a couple of meters away, doing the same thing.

"Mi scusi?" A pretty dark haired teen interrupted us, "Nonna Olivia wishes you good luck together. Tre, sorry, three coins." She held up a coin of her own, "means marriage. Ciao!"

The girl moved over to the old lady, explaining to the other tourist looking couple what was happening. Rather than kiss and throw the coins like they did, I looked at Logan and burst out laughing.

"Look out Ellie, you might be stuck me with after that!" Logan teased.

"You should be so lucky!"

We left the fountain and kept walking, just absorbing the city and not thinking about anything other than the beauty around us. It wasn't until Logan led me inside a hotel and to the bar I wondered just how long how our date was going to last for. So far we had wasted the day away and we hadn't actually argued once.

"So when is Ailin coming to take us home?" The waiter put down my glass of champagne and Logan paid for our drinks.

"Soon." He quickly sipped his beer, "Had enough?"

"Well, no. This place is amazing. I could stay here for ever, but I thought we were just going to have lunch. I was hoping to read up on Drac a bit before nightfall."

"You've got the day off, just enjoy it!" He suggested, again sipping his beer and he was now trying to look anywhere that wasn't me.

"Logan, are you not telling me something?"

"I was just going to take you to the city, but when I spoke to Ailin a couple of days ago, she offered to zap us somewhere where we could have a good time and not have to worry about anything." He blurted out.

"What?" A couple of days ago? We weren't even together then.

"I was planning on doing some kind of grand gesture on Valentine's Day to see if I could talk you into giving me another chance. As fate would have it, which happened a little earlier than I had intended."

"So what's going on now?"

"Now?" He asked like he didn't understand my question.

"Logan," I warned.

"Fuck! Do not hate me again, please do not get mad!" He begged, and I actually felt sorry for the guy.

"Tell me then I'll be judge of that."

"When you were getting ready and Ailin came to take me to the restaurant so I could sort out the final details of our booking, Zane asked me what I was planning. So I told him and-"

"He doesn't want us home tonight does he?"

"Long story short. No." Logan admitted guiltily. "With the Drac stuff, they were going to get Ailin to put you in another bubble world in case he came back tonight so you know, two birds one stone?"

"Mother fu-" I stopped myself as the lady passing us shot me a look. This was a really nice hotel so I had to at least remember some of my manners. Logan sunk back in his chair, tilting his head back he groaned a little too loudly.

"All this time and it still gets fucked up!" I still feel bad for Logan. His plans had been hijacked and while I was annoyed with Zane, I couldn't take it all out on him, especially if he really was kind of innocent in this.

My little sob session in the kitchen probably didn't help either and maybe it was the half of glass of champagne topping up my slight drunkness from earlier, my anger dissolved. They should have told me before I left home. Logan should have told me when I arrived. Why can't they ever just keep me in the loop?

I knew the answer and it was because I have a tendency to react badly. The earlier conversation of them not willing to tell me what do came back and I guess it was just as much my fault as theirs. Guess now is one of those times I need start acting more like an adult and big be the bigger person.

Getting up I moved around the table to stand beside Logan. He hesitated, probably bracing himself to chase after me or defend himself if I tried to attack. His surprise was obvious as I did neither, nudging his leg to the side I slipped in between him and the table to sit on his lap. I draped my arm over the back of the chair and leaned in close to him.

Logan swallowed nervously, clearly clueless as to what I was going to do.

"Not lying to me are you?" I whispered seductively, and he didn't flinch or look away when he answered me.

"No. I was all for putting you in a bubble thing and telling you we'd reschedule our date." He admitted.

"Really? You all know I know how to break out of those things now right?"

"Of course you do." He dared to roll his eyes and I poked his cheek.

"So what was the plan for keeping me here tonight then?" I asked coyly.

"Honestly, I was just going to see how long it would be before you asked about leaving and keep winging it until then. After the fountain I had no idea!" Logan sighed, relaxing yet he had an arm rested across my lap as if to keep me in place.

"Why are we here then?"

"I got a text from Jord telling me we've got a double suite booked for us and well, I needed a drink." He laughed.

"Double?"

"There are two of us Bunny, think about it."

Smooth Jordan. Real smooth.

We stayed there for a few more drinks and the afternoon gave way to night, I got a great idea. Quickly gulping what was left in my glass, I decided to thank Jordan for tonight and charged it all to our room before ordering another bottle to be sent up to our room.

I was impressed by the suite when we walked in, but what was even better was the fact we each had a small bag waiting on either bed. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw what was in mine. Maybe Ailin had been a personal shopper in one of her nine lives or maybe she just knew me too well. I was starting to think she had some kind of power to see the future too as when Logan came back into my room with his bag, I had changed into something appropriate for the night I had in mind.

Then again, the way Logan raked his eyes over my body had me considering a change of plans.

"Where did you get that?" The sparkling black dress left little the imagination and pinning my hair up I didn't answer until I was done.

"We have all night Loges, and you know what they say? When in Rome, party like a Roman!"

"I've never heard anyone say that." He peeked into his bag and pulled out another suit more appropriate for night time. He looked at it completely confused and I guess it wasn't something he would typically pack for himself.

"Are you coming or are you going to order room service and watch movies you can't understand?"

I didn't have to ask twice and after dinner, dancing and a few more drinks, when we finally made it back to the hotel in the early hours of the morning, I showed him just how thankful I was for what was possibly the best first date in history. To really annoy my brother, none of involved sleeping in separate beds either, but then again it a pointless act of defiance because it wasn't like Jordan was going to actually find out about our sleeping arrangements.