It was a surprise in itself that he didn't slam me against the wall and pierce my neck with his fangs as soon as he'd awoken. The vampire only watched with narrowed, inquisitive eyes as I braced myself for death, and, although I hated to admit it, the pleasure that had coursed through me last time. But the lack of control I'd had over myself, it was something I definitely didn't want to relive. The vampire's mouth opened to bare his fangs and I reflexively flinched back. Fear was making me a coward and I couldn't help it. He hadn't even moved an inch and instead of attacking me, I realized he was about to speak. Maybe by some luck, I'd stumbled on a kind vampire.

"How did you bring Tatia to your side human," he spat out. He was definitely not a nice vampire. There was so much venom in his voice. He hated me and he had no idea who I even was. Did vampires only see prey when saw us?

"I don't know. I swear I don't," I said. The wall pressed into my back and I realized I'd been moving backward this whole time in fear. This room was too small for me to get a safe distance away from him. Once step towards the door and he'd have me pinned to the wall.

"Answer me. Why did she help you," he growled, suddenly appearing closer. I screamed Tatia's name without meaning to, tears coming to my eyes. Maybe she could help me one more time. But the door remained close.

"I swear I don't know. If you want to know why don't you just ask her," I asked, begged as his arms now caged me in. Red eyes bore into mine and seemed to freeze me in place. It was what that man had done in the bar. I was frozen.

"I am asking you on more time," he growled out lowly. I couldn't give up Alia. I wouldn't, not even if he threatened to sink his teeth into my neck.

"For the last time I don't know. She works for someone who wants to protect me," I said, hoping it would appease him. It was all I could give. His fist meeting the wall behind me with a bang indicated that he was far from happy. I wasn't going to get out this easily. He wanted answers I didn't even have.

"I need names," he pressed. His body heat was suffocating to stand in as his hot breath fanned my face.

"I have none. I didn't even know she was called Tatia," I tried one last time. The anger in his eyes didn't die down and I realized he'd reached the end of his patience limit. It was a miracle he'd lasted this long. Fighting was of no use anymore.

"You are lying. Perhaps this will help you tell the truth," he said. Teeth sunk into my neck and I melted against his hard form as he drank hastily. Teeth marred the delicate skin at my neck. Even the harsh pressure of his fingers on my waist that would no doubt leave bruises couldn't suppress the pleasure of a vampire's bite. An arm came around my waist, to my legs, to hold my upper body against the wall as he cradled my limp legs. My head lolled back as he pressed himself between my legs and I could only see the celling now. Even that was beginning to fade. Death was close.

One second I'd been dying a more pleasurable death than most had the luck to experience and the next, I was free falling through space. I blinked hastily to get rid of the dark spots and I noticed the blond on the floor, a wooden stick going through his body. Dead. Behind him stood a human man in his 50s who'd been collapsed when I'd walked in. So much sadness wrinkled his face as he looked at me. "You remind me of my daughter. Save her. Save all of us," he said. I knew then that whenever the other vampires found blondie's body, they'd kill this man for it. Yet he'd saved me. The world swum as I stumbled to my feet and took his wrinkly fingers in my own. Maybe I wasn't a hero, but I could make this promise to him, for saving my life at the risk of his own.

"I'll try. I promise you I'll try," I vowed. He nodded before releasing my hands and I stumbled to the front door. It had definitely been more than ten minutes. All the passengers of that last plane must have left by now. In fact, by the time I drunkenly stumbled down to the bathroom where I'd changed my outfit, it had become close to an hour. All of them had probably escaped while they could. It was the smart thing to do. I could still try to sneak past the guards but my eyes were already drooping and my vision was fading. Blood loss. I needed a transfusion and I could only get one if I got out of here. With all my energy, I tried to crawl for the door of the bathroom but my hand fell just short as my eyes shut. My body fell to the floor limply and I knew, seconds before I lost all consciousness, that I was as good as dead now. That man should have saved himself.

A girl's voice rang in my ears. She was saying something but I couldn't move my lips to answer. Fingers pressed against my throat. Right, I'd been bitten again. Warm liquid went down the column of my throat. It had an odd coppery taste to it. It was definitely not orange juice but I swallowed it anyway. My limp body was shifted onto someone's lap gently. I could only see blackness but I recognized who held me the moment fingers began to comb the knots out of my hair absentmindedly. There was only one person who did that. Somehow, she'd come for me when no one else had.

"Alia," I breathed out. Tears gathered in my eyes. It was relief that I'd escaped and love for this wonderful girl. She'd saved me when I'd failed to save her. I'd actually gotten out of that dreadful place thanks to her. In fact, I'd thought I was good as dead when I shut my eyes.

"Shush you're still really weak Davina. Please stay still," she said quietly. I realized with shock that she was feeding me blood from a blood bag. Hopefully it was O+. The thought of drinking blood made me nauseous but I kept at it.

"You came for me," I said, still dazed. My eyes finally opened and her big brown eyes loomed over mine with infinite concern. How was she a vampire when she looked so human, so fragile? For all those years I'd protected her, she now protected me.

"He felt you slipping away. He sent me to save you," she said. He. It must have her sire. A man I hadn't even met but was the reason I was even alive now. I still couldn't comprehend why he chose to save me but I was grateful, just for the fact that he, unlike my friends, hadn't left me to die in that place.

"Our friends," I asked. She was the only one here, which meant they must have made it out. It stung so badly that they hadn't waited around but it was the smart thing to do.

"They'll be here soon. I got you out of there. I'm so sorry about all of this," she whispered. What did she have to be sorry for? I was the one that had to apologize a thousand times over for that night on the beach that I couldn't take back.

"No I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't keep a closer eye on you at the beach." I'd finally said it before she could run away from me again. Noah had completely absorbed my thoughts but I should have noticed, should have realized she wasn't there.

"That wasn't your fault Davina. It was already written in the stars," she said, looking up to the sky. Vampirism had made her grow up, or maybe I just hadn't noticed her maturity when she was alive. I noticed her eyes glance to the moon for just a second before glancing down. She must be fighting for control at this point as a newborn.

"How did you get me out," I asked, hoping to help her by keeping her distracted.

"You were so close to death. All I did was carry you out," she said. It was hard to imagine her five-foot petite frame carrying me out but as a vampire, I suppose she was stronger. The fact that her carrying my dead body out didn't make a scene didn't sit well with me. It meant that it had happened many times before.

"Thank you for saving me," I said as I slowly sat up. My vision went black for just a second at the sudden movement before it returned. Hopefully that 'blood transfusion' wouldn't cause any problems in the future.

"I'll always be here for you Davina. Our friends are here," she said. A car pulled up at the sidewalk across the street and my friends ran out with concern and joy on their faces. Alia backed away as they bustled over me. I tried to shut down the resentment I'd felt for them earlier.

"God we thought you were dead. Thank god you're okay. I wanted to stay but these morons made me leave," Sebastian said as he pulled me into a tight hug. He meant that. He would have stayed. I clung to him since my legs were still jelly and he kept an arm around me as I pulled back.

"Are you cold? Here take my jacket," Rose said, putting a brown jacket around my shoulders. Their concern, although pleasing, was slightly maddening. I knew that no matter what, I wouldn't have left that airport without all of them. It may not have been the smartest decision but I'd have taken it anyway for them. Noah or Michel would have had to drag me out kicking and screaming.

"Did you find anything useful," Noah asked and that was the breaking point. Yes I could here a slight tremble in his voice. Yes, he kept a tight grip on my arm like I'd disappear any minute and yes, I could see the concern shining in his eyes but he hadn't stayed. He'd left me behind. That was the problem with being so intelligent. Sometime you couldn't make the dumber choice even if it was the right one. With the little strength Alia had given me, I shook off his arms and broke free of Sebastian's hold to stand on my own feeble legs.

"You left me. You all left me. I almost died in there," I said tearfully. Why was it always me? What did I do?

"We couldn't afford to lose anyone else Davina. Besides, we wouldn't have been able to do anything against vampires," Rose said carefully. Anger was the only thing that was keeping my body upright now. My voice came out ten times stronger for it and Sebastian flinched back.

"Neither could Alia against any fully grown vampire but she still came for me. She's struggling with her control even now and yet, she still came," I said, pointing to the girl who'd saved my life. A newborn vampire had fed me blood just five days before full moon. If she'd found enough control for that, these people in front of me could have done something, anything. They could have stayed.

"She's a vampire Davina. It was easier for her to get in," Michel suggested. These were just excuses now. I turned my angry gaze on him. It must have been his executive decision to leave me there. I needed to believe Noah had wanted to stay. Something fundamental would break in our relationship if I knew he'd made everyone leave.

"I needed help. I needed all of you. Did you know that was the second time I almost died from blood loss? And guess who saved me up there? A human, a stranger I didn't even know," I spit out. That man was probably dead by now but I'd remember him forever because he'd stayed. He could have kept quiet and snuck out but he hadn't walked away.

"We're sorry Davina," Noah said softly. He was sorry for the bite mark in my neck and for the blood I'd lost. But he wasn't sorry that he'd left me. He'd missed the point completely. I didn't need the pity shining in his eyes. Instead, I needed to know it wouldn't happen again and in his eyes, I saw that it would.

"No you're not Noah. You'd do the same thing again if something like that ever happened. You would give up anyone here to save everybody else. Well, I'm not like that," I said with steel. He didn't even have a retort to what I'd accused him of. What could he say to defend himself anyway? He'd always take the smarter route, the greater good, and maybe that made him a tactical hero but it didn't make him a good friend to me. Our gazes locked and I realized how stupidI'd been to think we could have a relationship when we were so different from one another. Oh well, it was over now. Neither of us had to say it out loud. He was smart enough to figure out that the damage was done.