Thom walked into the Sheriff's station the normal way even though he and Colin could have just walked straight into the cells. Sheriff Trout saw him almost straight away and looked more than shocked, especially when Colin entered the frame.

"Hello, Sheriff," he greeted, as if he was any other person in any other place, "please may we see Laura?"

Trout clearly didn't quite know what to do when confronted by two vampires on his own turf.

"I gave her your letter," the sheriff eventually said, all but puffing out his chest and making it clear he was top dog here, "but I told her what happened as well."

"Good," Thom said, attempting to appear as unthreatening as possible, "it will save some time."

The sheriff narrowed his eyes and all but glared at him, but Thom just stood there and waited for the man to decide what to do.

"What do you want with her?" Trout asked in a way that suggested they were getting no further unless their reasons were better than average.

It was kind of amusing how the sheriff still thought he could stop them when it came down to it. The man really didn't seem to truly grasp what he was up against.

"If we could step into your office," Thom said in as pleasant a tone as he knew how without being completely patronising, "we'd be happy to explain."

Stubborn as ever Trout just stood there for a while, but finally led them into the next room.

"Right, now I want the truth," the sheriff said, hands on hips and stern expression on his face.

Thom inclined his head and acknowledged the challenge.

"We wish to offer her the chance to join us," he said calmly and simply. "Without revealing the whole truth, which we can never do, her prospects in your world are low; in ours we will make her special."

The sheriff looked aghast.

"You have got to be fucking kidding," Trout said as if it was the most ridiculous idea in the world.

"Sheriff," Thom said very loudly and very sharply, "you do not comprehend what we are, only what we were, so do not deem to judge us. Laura killed Jimmy with no provocation, even with a battered woman defence her chances are slim on being set free. We can offer her what you can't."

Trout seemed a little shocked by his vehemence. Thom just glared at the other man to make sure his point was made. This was very important to him, not least of all because Laura was his friend.

"But you want to turn her into a monster," Trout said eventually, clearly not able to comprehend how this could ever be good.

"Not a monster, Sheriff," Thom said, refusing to back down in the slightest, "a vampire."

The fact that he was completely adamant about the subject seemed to be having an effect on the sheriff.

"And you think I should let you just walk in there and make her one of you?" the sheriff finally spoke again.

"No," Thom replied, feeling as if he was actually making progress, "we think you should let us in to see Laura so we can offer her the choice. It is her life, after all."

Trout did not appear happy, but neither was the sheriff looking angry either.

"We are no longer the enemy, Sheriff," Colin chose that moment to speak; "if we were, you would be dead already."

"Do you understand, Sheriff?" Thom asked, speaking plainly. "We do not have to ask, we have the power to just take, but that is not what we want."

The sheriff did understand, finally, Thom could see it in the other man's eyes. At last they seemed to be getting through.

"You have a plan if Laura says yes, I take it?" Trout said, sounding resigned.

Thom nodded and then he proceeded to explain exactly what he was thinking.

====

"Thom," Laura stood up the moment she saw him enter the cell block, and he could smell her fear.

It had taken a little while, but he and Colin had finally talked the sheriff into letting them see Laura. There were conditions, and Trout was still completely paranoid about them, but the sheriff had let them in.

"There's no reason to be afraid, Laura," Thom said, walking up to the bars, "no one is going to hurt you."

Laura looked to where Colin was standing behind him.

"I remember you," she said, backing up against the wall, "you were in Thom's house."

"That's in the past, Laura, this is Colin," Thom said, doing his best to draw Laura's attention back to him, "everything is different now."

"Because you're one of them?" Laura spat it at him like an accusation.

Thom did not like seeing one of his friends so distressed.

"I take it that's all the sheriff told you?" he said, placing a hand on the bars. "Did he mention that I healed him, and we let him go?"

Laura frowned, looking less sure of herself.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

Thom gave her a little smile.

"Sheriff Trout was shot when he, Jonathan and Deputy Rogers served their warrant on the Lair," he said simply; "he was just about dead. I used magic to bring him back before releasing him."

The clearly confused Laura.

"How would you know how to do that?" she asked, and it was obvious she did not believe him.

"I'm not just Thom anymore," he said, doing his best to explain, "I am also a man called Richard DeVere."

"Oh great," Laura said, closing her eyes for a moment and clearly gathering herself, "not only are you a vampire, you're possessed as well."

Thom couldn't help it, he laughed at that, something which didn't please Laura at all.

"There is nothing fucking funny about this situation," she all but snarled at him, and he admired her courage.

"I'm not possessed," he said, doing his best not to laugh again, "I used to be Richard DeVere; becoming a vampire awoke those memories within me."

"And the return of DeVere has changed everything," Colin added in rather sultry tones.

He half smiled at the intimation he could read from that tone, but of course it was lost on Laura.

"You're a vampire, he's a vampire," Laura said from her position against the back wall, "how is everything changed."

"We no longer need to kill," Colin answered for him and Thom just watched Laura for her reaction.

Laura looked very unconvinced.

"The vampires here on the Island were under a curse," Thom began to explain, "my curse. They only survived because their leader, Damian formed them into a coven. Vampires do not normally live in large groups, and they do not normally kill their victims; it is too dangerous. I created Damian and, in fear and ignorance, he killed me. With my dying breath I cursed him, something I should never have done, and the Lair is the ultimate result. When I awoke, I removed the curse. The killing is over."

"And you think I'll believe anything you say, because?" Laura asked.

Thom gave a small shrug. This was turning into a familiar conversation.

"You're my friend," he said and looked her directly in the eye.

"But you're a vampire," Laura insisted.

Simple talking wasn't getting through and so Thom decided to use a little shock to help things along.

"So, because I can look like this," he said, allowing his vampire traits to surface, "and I can do this," he stepped straight through the bars, "you refuse to allow me to help you."

Laura flattened herself to the wall looking very afraid. Thom let himself return to normal.

"Laura," he said, leaning back against the bars and staying away from his friend, "we did not have to walk in here. If we wanted to hurt you, we did not have to use the front door, or even set foot in here. We want to help."

That brought Laura up short, but she still appeared more afraid than anything else.

"Look me in the eye, Laura," he said firmly and exerted his will onto her mind.

Her head came up almost instantly and, as soon as her eyes locked with his, her gaze went glassy.

"See the truth, Laura," he said, voice deep and steady as he gave her just a brief look at his past and his present.

It took only seconds, but even as he broke the connection, he realised it had been too much for Laura's tired psyche. He jumped forward to catch her as she fell. He very quickly lowered her onto the bunk next to where she had been standing.

"Laura," he said, holding her and gently patting her face, "come on back."

It took a few moments, but eventually Laura blinked slowly and opened her eyes properly, looking up at him.

"Thom?" she said, confused and not really with it.

"Sorry about that," he apologised immediately, smiling as she slowly came to properly.

For a few moments they just looked at each other and then Laura very carefully sat up and extricated herself from his grasp and turned away. He let her go and waited. Eventually Laura faced him once more and looked him in the eye. This time he did nothing.

"That was real," she said, half question, half statement.

Thom nodded.

"Part of you really is Thom," Laura continued, thinking it through as she went as far as he could tell, "I felt that."

"Part of me will always be Thom," he replied, perfectly honestly, "and I think that is a very good thing. Thom's life has been far different from anything my other life ever showed me. I know far more about compassion because of being Thom."

"And the other part is very old," was Laura's next statement.

"Very," he affirmed. "You have been a very good friend to me, Laura, which is why I am here. Because of what has happened your life is ruined, but we may be able to help."

"You want to make me one of you," Laura said and surprised him.

If he had managed to let that slip in their brief connection, Laura was far more perceptive on a psychic level than he had given her credit for. His desire to have her join them went up a notch.

"We can offer you a safe haven," he said, trying to convey his genuine desire to help her, "and things you have probably never dreamed of."

"But why would I want what you have?" she asked and seemed to be genuinely asking.

Thom took her hand.

"Because we can offer you a family that will never hurt you and never betray you," he said plainly. "You will be powerful, and no one will be able to abuse you again."

Laura's face went blank and he was well aware he had hit a nerve.

"Or, if you decide you do not want what we offer, the Lair retains very good lawyers," Colin said and made him look around.

Colin just looked at him and it was impossible to read the other vampire's motives.

"How would you do it?" Laura asked and Thom focussed back on her. "If I just disappear, they won't stop looking for me. I'm wanted for murder."

"Fake suicide," he replied without trying to pretty it up. "As long as the sheriff is convinced you are doing this of your own free will he has agreed to help, and he will talk to Dr Belmont for us. You will write a note, we will drain you and leave you here and it will be written up officially as suicide brought on by remorse. Then tomorrow night we will collect you from the morgue and take you home."

Talking about how you were going to die had to be an unpleasant experience and Laura did not appear at ease with it, but she was clearly considering it.

"One woman among an army of gay men," she said with a small smile, trying to make light of it.

"Well we do have one little straight boy we haven't quite corrupted yet," he replied, smiling as well, "and I distinctly remember finding you riffling through my porn collection at least twice."

Laura blushed at that and there was a little chuckle from Colin behind him, but it didn't take long for her to become serious again.

"I need to think about this, Thom," Laura said eventually; "it's a big decision."

Thom nodded, he hadn't really expected her to make up her mind straight away.

"Here," he said, pulling one of the coven's necklaces out of his pocket, "when you have decided, hold this and think of me. It will summon us back. We would wait, but the sheriff will want to speak with you and if we stay, he will think we are influencing you."

Laura frowned.

"But you don't need to be here to do that," she pointed out, since she was well aware that no one had been there when she had found Thom.

"We know that, you know that, but Sheriff Trout does not seem to have cottoned on to that yet," he replied with a conspiratorial grin. "Just remember, you're not alone."

He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it. He was very pleased when she reciprocated the gesture.

"Thank you, Thom," she said, and she seemed to really mean it.

He couldn't say whether she would take them up on their offer or not, but the fear was definitely going. That, at least, was good.

"We'll see you soon," he said, standing up, "whether it is to make you one of us, or to call in the legal team. Think carefully."

Laura nodded and so he turned and walked back through the bars, fading out and fading back in again on the other side.

"That is a really neat trick," Laura said, trying to sound brave and cheerful now.

"One of many," he said and gave her a throwaway smile, "one of many."

Colin gave Laura a quick nod and they went to leave, for the sake of the sheriff, the conventional way. He only hoped that things would continue to go his way.

"Why did you offer her a lawyer?" Thom asked as they walked out.

He was not sure whether to be angry or not. Colin was being inscrutable, which was a somewhat annoying ability.

"Because people with no choice make stupid decisions," Colin said in a perfectly reasonable tone, "this way you are sure what Laura decides is what she wants."

There was no reprimand in Colin's tone, but Thom knew there should have been. It seemed it was Colin's turn to be the wise one. Thom smiled ruefully to himself, his obsessive personality was as bad as any of them.

"Thank you," he said, acknowledging what Colin didn't say, and Colin just gave him a wicked smile.