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"Well, the first thing that told me you were different was your eyes," I sat beside him and turned so my legs rested in his lap.

He rested his hands on my ankles. "I see."

"The first time I saw your pupils dilate, I thought it was really odd. The first time I saw a different side to you was after the Welcome Week Bonfire when I was bleeding. When Laura was attacked and I fell?"

His hand squeezed my leg and he sent me an apologetic pained look. "I'm so sorry about that."

I laughed. "It's alright."

"No, it's not." He mumbled. "I--"

"You can apologize as much as you want after I've explained everything."

He let out a long sigh but nodded in agreement.

"I didn't think much about it at first, so I didn't ponder on it. After the diner incident when you grabbed me and explained how I was breaking down defences, well, it wasn't really much of a 'tell all' clue. But let's swiftly move on to my crash. I'm guessing what ran out in front of my car was what...? A vampire? Because that didn't look like any animal I've seen."

Michael nodded. "I'm worried about you being out by yourself. There's been more than one occasion where you've been close by to an attack and it's not right. That night I guess whomever it was, was playing with you. After you explained that it looked like a person I had to check the area with John to make sure-"

I gasped and interrupted him. "So John is...? A vampire too?"

Michael nodded with a small smile.

"Okay." I sighed out. "Carry on." At least that now made sense why he looked drop dead gorgeous.

"We found a scent; nothing more. It was barely anything because it had rained but it was there."

"So... what can you guys... do?"

"We're not moving on just yet. You still haven't told me how you'd come to the conclusion. I'll answer all of your questions after, I promise."

"Deal. After the crash I'd woken up to you on the phone talking about how, um... Oh, how it was hard and you didn't mean to go that long...?"

His eyes averted to his hands rubbing up and down my legs. "Oh. I, er, hadn't... fed in a few weeks which was very stupid of me. And I'm not the greatest person when I haven't fed."

I swallowed the idea and image of him biting a human and sucking the life out of them. "Is that why you were such an ass that day?"

He nodded and finally looked back into my eyes. "Yes." He looked slightly distant now. I didn't want that.

I wanted him to know that I didn't care. That I loved him for him. So I moved forward, grabbed his arm and pulled him down on the couch with me. He swung his legs up on the couch and settled beside me wrapping his arms around my waist. He felt so warm and soft. I tangled our legs together and made sure there was nowhere we weren't touching. I rested my forehead on his and brought one of my hands to his cheek.

"Stop judging yourself." I mumbled. "I told you I don't care what you are."

He let out a small sigh and held me closer to him. "Alright. Carry on."

"You were gone for a week."

"I was... Busy."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I suppose there is no need for me to keep secrets anymore. I needed time away to think about the previous week. And I needed to... Feed. It keeps me occupied."

"Okay," I finally sighed and shut my eyes. "Before I carry on. I want to know what you... Do you...? You know... Humans?"

He surprised me by laughing. Hard. I leaned back from my position to stare at him. That was a logical question! "What?"

"Oh, honey. You do make me laugh." He pressed his lips to my forehead. "I haven't had human blood since my early years. I vowed not to anymore."

"So...?"

"I drink animal blood. It keeps me going. But of course it will never be equivalent to human blood. There are deer's and elks nearby but if I go far enough there are black bears, moose, bobcats..." He trailed off probably because of my facial expression.

Bears?

He could take on a bear?

"Is this too much to take in?"

I shook my head briskly and snuggled back up to him. "No. I didn't realize you were strong enough to take on a bear or a bobcat."

"You'd be surprised. Now resume, I have a feeling we're getting closer to where I slipped up."

I smiled at the dashing smirk on his face and lightly pressed my lips to it. His smirk only grew wider. "Come on, Evie before I get distracted." His hand gripped my bare thigh and started travelling higher. "Well?"

I swallowed. "I... Um... I started to get..." I watched as his hand start to disappear under the large t-shirt. "I started to get interested in the attacks so I decided to do a bit of research of my own because the news wasn't giving out much."

His hand paused. "Really."

I nodded and mentally frowned that he'd stopped. But he didn't move so there was still hope yet. "Aside from your odd behavior, I was interested in the attacks and what everyone was saying. Last Tuesday after the parking lot incident there was a news report on another attack nearby and my brother told me that his friend's sister had been attacked. So after that mini detention you gave Kate and me on Wednesday we went to the house."

He raised a brow. "Kate went with you?"

I nodded.

"Resume." He prompted after a moment.

I narrowed my eyes briefly but shook it off. "The girl went on to explain the eyes, the nightmares, the scent, and the face. But she never once mentioned if it was an animal. She always said, 'their' or 'they'. Then after her rambling she'd had a whiff of me and started screaming that I smelt just like them. Then in the car I had a brain wave when I realized that I'd been with you and that you were always there whenever something bad happened. But I couldn't connect it all. On Friday I started internet researching. It came up with some radical things like Werepanthers and witches."

"What kind of stuff was on there?"

"Well, there was this one website about how attacks have happened around this time for years and how the victims had been found drained of blood. I went on to research more and found how the animal or creature some called it had bitten major arteries. I'd written everything down and connected everything to get to a theory. I was literally about to click on vampires when you called me. But without that date we had I wouldn't have come to a rock solid conclusion. I went home and asked Laura about that night she was attacked which, by the way, I have to talk to you about by the way."

He nodded and I continued.

"She'd gone on to explain that you'd given her the same drink I had that made her feel better which I also have to talk to you about." I frowned at him deeply and he glanced away guiltily. "And then she told me a woman had lured her into the forest. It told me about the nightmares, it told me about the black lines on their face which was said on one of the websites and it told me about their eyes. It was all confirmed when I read this very interesting story on this woman who had come across a nice vampire."

"Nice?" He scoffed. "In what way?"

"He'd told her everything; what to expect." I mumbled. "Told her not to struggle and it won't hurt. Told her to drink his blood afterward to heal her. She didn't have nightmares like the rest did. Only intimate dreams." I stared into his grass green eyes. "I started to think that those two were closer compared to Laura and whoever bit her." I cleared my throat. "And after that one article I just knew. It all fit."

He grinned. "And now here you are."

"Yes, here I am. Lying on a couch with a vampire. What has the world come to, huh?"

He chuckled and pecked my forehead. "Right; out with the questions then."

"Okay - how strong are you? How fast are you? Have I got my own scent? How's your eyesight? What about your hearing--"

"Whoa, calm down there. I'll answer them all I promise. I am very strong but animal blood doesn't do me much justice. I can run faster than a car doing 110. Yes, everyone has their own unique scent. My eyes can see intricate things. I can hear your heart beating and the trees ruffle outside. That first day of class when you and your new friends were outside after my class you were talking with Laura about that guy you met in the laundry room and if I compared to him. I heard it all."

I could feel my face heat at the memory so I changed the subject. "Let's move on to the fact that you gave me your blood that night I crashed." That should do.

He shifted in his spot and cleared his throat.

"Well?"

"Without that blood you could have had a concussion or internal bleeding. Plus you didn't want to go tot he hospital. You should thank me."

I rolled my eyes. "At least tell me if I'm drinking blood instead of telling me its tea!"

"It wasn't a lot I promise you that."

"What about Laura?"

He sighed. "That was John's blood. I refused to give her any of mine."

"And yet you gave me yours."

He nodded and moved a fallen lock of hair away form my face. "Of course. I'd give my life for you, Evie."

"I wouldn't let you." I mumbled. "Another question," I said quickly as he opened his mouth to protest. "Laura believed she had fallen and scraped her wrist...?"

"I changed her mind. And before you ask, there are many, many names for it, dazzling, compelling, persuasion, whatever you feel fit."

Oh. That's what Yasmin was talking about that day in her room. "So what? You can change someone's mind?"

"And... influence them." He muttered. "Although I don't like doing it. Laura was the first time in a very, very long time."

"How old are you really?"

He turned his head away.

"Michael."

"I was born in 1899."

I mentally calculated it and gasped. "You're... one hundred and twelve years old? It's bad enough when I thought you were twenty-three and the fact you're my teacher." I laughed. "Where's the irony in that?" I wiped my eye but turned serious. "But what I don't understand is why you didn't tell me."

He trailed his fingers up and down my thigh. "It's not an easy thing to admit. I've tried so hard to get the words out of my mouth. Especially that night I stayed over. I couldn't fall asleep. I just wanted to watch you. I just wanted to hold you." His arms pulled me even closer somehow. "You're easily breakable. Sometimes I think with one squeeze that's it."

I grinned at him. "Squeeze me all you want,"

"I might never let go, I hope you're ready for this job."

"I'm ready."

He rolled me over so he was hovering on top of me. "How ready?"

His voice was husky, deep... shiver worthy. I loved it when his voice dropped an octave. "As ready as I'll ever be." I ran my hands past his neck, into his hair and pulled his head down so his lips landed on mine.

This was the only place we could be together without getting caught by someone. The only place we could be open about what we do and, in his case, what we are.

I plunged my tongue into his mouth more than willingly. He responded quicker than instantly locking and scraping his tongue against mine. I wrapped my legs around his waist pushing his lower half into mine. His hand gripped my thigh as he let out a small moan. Oh, God his moan. His body, his whole existence, it was almost too much. I brought his bottom lip into my mouth, sucked and pulled on it until I had the pleasure of hearing and feeling his excitement.

"Evie, I barely have any restraint left." He managed to get out as I let go of his lip. I glanced into his eyes and smiled when I saw his dilating pupils.

"Don't hold back." I mumbled right before moving my hands to his shirt and unbuttoning. "There isn't a need anymore."

He glanced down at the t-shirt I was wearing and I almost fell into a haze of ecstasy when I heard his low growl. I shivered in pleasure right before ripping his shirt off from his arms and throwing it to the side.

I let my hands explore his hard, strong chest but not for long. I pulled him back down to my lips and felt him grind his hips slightly against mine. His most prominent and hardened area created a friction between our clothes and we both let out a simultaneous moan. Pure liquid heat coursed through me.

I felt him tense slightly under my hands so I pulled back to look at him. His features were slightly hard and I could see the amount of concentration he was putting into not losing himself.

I trailed kisses down his neck and stopped at a particular spot when I heard him growl. In encouragement? I think so.

I sucked the flesh into my mouth and confirmed my theory when I felt his hand grip my thigh slightly tighter. I dropped my legs from around his waist when I felt his fingers trail further and further up the shirt until he got to the outside of my underwear.

I smiled against his neck. "Have I found a weak spot?"

He shook his head but he didn't say anything.

"Never thought vampires had weak spots." I mumbled as a joke.

He chuckled but it turned into a groan. "You're impossible."

I moved my hips a little. "That's news to me." My heart started beating harder than before and my senses heightened when I felt the tips if his fingers skim across the very thin material covering me. He suddenly took over and dominated the kiss swiftly moving to my neck.
I curled my toes in anticipation as his fingers kept teasing the lacy material covering my growing warm centre...

But then he removed his hand and stopped his kisses.

He stared down at me with a deep and meaningful frown. I lifted my heavy lids to try and concentrate on him. I licked my dry lips. "What's wrong?" I whispered in a throaty voice.

"I love you."

I smiled and my heart fluttered. "I love you too."

"But," God, I knew there was a but; right now of all times as well. "I'm not strong enough to..." His eyes darted to my mouth. "The last time I fed was four days ago." He sighed. "And plus, I don't want our first time to be on my couch."

I nodded sharply and smiled even though inside I was disappointed. "Would have been nice if you said it before we got this far."

A sly and very attractive smile lit his face. "Oh, I'm not stopping."

My eyes widened. "Huh?"

His head lowered so his lips rested beneath my ear. "I want to pleasure you," He whispered. "I want to feel your body writhe as I touch you. I want to hear your heart bouncing off your ribcage as you climax." His hand slid back up my thigh.

My body immediately heated and I felt like I was about ready to sweat because of the tension. "But-"

"Stop interrupting me," He latched his lips back onto mine and started to do wonders with his hands. They teased and even somehow managed create a worlwind of frustration within me as he massaged and lightly squeezed my breasts underneathe the t-shirt. I thought it was truly unfair that he was giving me so much attention, but hey, what could I do about it especially when he kept my wandering hands on his naked chest.

The tension within me was getting to the point where I couldn't increase any further or even decrease because he continued his assualt on my mouth and his hands wouldn't relent in wandering my highly senstive body. I started to squirm slightly and I knew he knew i was getting restless. He was smiling against my lips. He wanted me to whimper and beg him. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction just yet...

Nope... Maybe in a minute... Maybe less...

I gasped and groaned when his hand went straight into my underwear and his fingers remained just outside my opening. Okay, fine definitely less. "Michael..." And then finally one of his fingers dipped inside me sending me already into a small buzz and then a second finger slipped inside stretching me.

I dug my nails into his shoulders as he started out into a slow rhythm pushing his large fingers as far as it would allow. My moans were the only noise filling the room. I could feel the pressure inside me building and building high. His movements started to quicken and I bit my lip to control myself but it was so hard. Oh, God was it hard.

"Let it go," He whispered.

And just like that, I let out a final embarrassing moan as all the built up tension finally released and my body shuddered in pure ecstasy. He captured my lips in his and swallowed the moan. This feeling was unexplainable. Having my insides tremble and his lips upon mine adding to the sensation just made me even hungrier for him than before. He'd only given me a teaser, I'd call it. And I think he knew that.

After a moment my body was left in a beautiful after glow and I loved it. I admit it's been a while... Six months tops.

But nothing even compared to this and I couldn't wait to connect with him fully whenever that might be.

He pecked my lips one last time and I opened my heavy eyes to stare at him. He had an attractive hungry smile on his face and his eyes were a magnificent green. I could see the love clearly in his eyes and I couldn't help but smile back lazily.

"Thanks," I said stupidly with a crooked smile.

He laughed. "Don't thank me. I should be the one thanking you. For everything. For making me trust again. For making me love." He pressed he lips to my cheek softly. "Thank you."

I let out a relaxing sigh and hugged him to me. "You're welcome. Now if you'll excuse me for a just a moment I just need to recoup."

I stood up from the couch with shaky legs and walked into the bathroom. I switched the light on and stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes were bright with excitement; my cheeks a flushed pink and my hair looked like it had been whipped back and forth by a tornado. I smiled at my reflection. Amazing. The man knew what to do with his hands there was no denying that.

I quickly cleaned myself up a bit and stepped out of the bathroom only to hear two voices almost yelling at each other in the hallway. I glanced at the couch to see Michael gone. His voice echoed through the hall along with a familiar voice.

"For Christ's sake, don't you trust me?" He asked. "You've known me long enough."

"With her you're unpredictable," The familiar voice said. "You're like a rubix cube; impossible to solve!"

"Great comparison."

The familiar voice ignored Michael's comment. "As soon as you or she didn't come back I knew you'd done something. Where is she now?"

I thought this was my cue so I walked around the corner and smiled at John. He was still in his Halloween outfit. He looked me up at down quickly and then narrowed his eyes back to Michael. Michael looked at me with a wink and turned back to John. "She's right here."

"I guess I spoke too soon. Tell me Evie, did Mike persuade you to come here?" He said the word persuade with playful venom.

"Nope. I came here to talk about how I found out he was a vampire."

"Oh really--" He paused and looked at me with wide eyes. "Really?"

I nodded. "And how you gave Laura your blood you sneaky vampire you." I stepped forward and lightly punched his arm. His mouth dropped open. "I'm starved so I'll just be raiding your fridge, Michael. I doubt you have food anyway. Try not to kill each other... Seriously." I winked at John's perplexed expression and moved into the kitchen. I could hear their light footsteps behind me and John's groaning.

I opened the fridge to be greeted by absolutely nothing and sighed. "Don't you have human house guests?"

Michael's arms slipped around my waist and pulled my back into his chest. "Not usually. First human's I had in my house were you and Laura." He pressed his mouth to my jaw and squeezed me. "I'll get rid of him and order you some food I promise."

"I can hear you, asshole." John snapped. "What I want to know is how she found out."

"I'll explain later." Michael grumbled.

"Oh!" I closed the fridge when I remembered something. "I forgot to ask." I turned around in his arms and face both of them. "I read something about vampires not being allowed to go into a human's house without being invited in...? Is that true?"

Michael's hand cupped my cheek. "Yes, that is true. If there is a human's name on the deed to the house or a living human under the roof then we cannot set foot past the threshold. Which, before you ask, explains why I kept asking you to invite me in the other night."

"So once you're in... you're in? There's no going back?"

He made a face. "Well... The right's can be revoked. But please don't test that theory."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why were you really at the house?"

"Like I said, I went there to talk... but then I heard something nearby. I went to check it out but then you yelled out the window and scared whoever or whatever it was away."

John sighed bringing both of our attention to him. "Whoever this is is very reckless. And, Miss O'Shea, now that you know about this it will be so much easier."

"What do you mean?"

John glanced up at Michael. "Each attack has been so close to you it's too perfect to be a coincidence. It's either close to you or Michael. At the beginning it wasn't but now it's getting ridiculous. You may think it's a coincidence like I thought at first but Michael does not. No big deal, don't worry about it but we're going to be keeping an eye on you, okay? It's helpful if you don't leave your house unless it's only for class. And it helps that they can't get into the house."

I nodded swiftly. "Alright. But you do realize that it's going to be damn hard considering the fact that both of you are teachers and it would be hard to stick around without people asking questions."

"We'll think of something." Michael said before John could interrupt. "But right now, John can you do me a favor and pick up something to eat for Evie? Thank you."

"I'll pick up a Subway because I'm the nicest person... or vampire in the world." He mumbled before walking out of the room.

John was back within minutes with a meatball sub. Michael wouldn't move an inch from me and every time he touched me, my body would shiver or the area he would touch raised the hairs on the back of my neck in awareness reminding me of what he'd done to me no more than an hour ago. I demolished the sub within the matter of minutes and relaxed into Michael's chest on the couch where it all happened. I'd must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was settled onto a sea of white soft sheets.

I watched Michael as he turned the lamp beside the bed on and change from his black trousers into pyjama pants. He crawled into bed beside me and pulled my body into his; his hand trailing lines up and down my arm. I lifted my head up to stare at him. His face was so open, so unguarded it made me smile. It was the first time I'd seen him look entirely thoughtless or unwary. I brushed my lips against his and entwined our fingers together. His thick silver ring on his finger was brought to my attention. There was a glass covering something small, green and red.

I brought his hand up to look at it and said, "What is this?"

Michael was silent a moment like he was deliberating whether to say anything but then he brought me closer and said, "This ring is what allows me to walk around during the day."

I stared at it. "How?"

"It's charmed."

I snorted. But he was completely serious. "What the hell do you mean charmed?"

He chuckled. "We have all day tomorrow to talk about it, Dimples. Right now, it's almost four o'clock in the morning and I'm tired and I'm sure you are. So let's sleep."

"Tomorrow? We both have class tomorrow." I mumbled as I rested my forehead on his neck. "We both can't skip wouldn't that be... suspicious?"

"Not if I call in sick tomorrow morning." He let out a small sigh. "Now, sleep. We have all day tomorrow."

I nodded and snuggled as close as I could get to him.

I was on the edge of sleep when I felt his lips press to my forehead and heard him say, "I love you, Evie."

I smiled but kept my eyes shut. "I love you too. Goodnight."

"Night... stranger."

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