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"Stop moaning, Evie. We'll find something."

I lifted my head from the small table. "But what if I don't? I don't know what he wants or needs or-"

John sent me a, 'seriously' look. "Evangeline, you worry wart, you'll find something. Especially if Katherine's here it's inevitable that you don't."

Speak of the devil, she walked into the food court holding a boat load of bags and a huge smile. "Christmas shopping is fun."

"Mmhm." I scowled. "It's easy when you know what want."

"Oh, Evie come on, you'll find something." She sat down beside John with a smirk. "What about a nice watch or-"

"Why don't you just tell me what Michael got me, I'm sure you know."

Both John and Katherine grinned.

"Oh, for the love of-"

"Evie, seriously you'll think of something. I know you will," She reassured me. "Just think about what Michael likes."

I started to open my mouth to recommend something I knew he loved when Katherine interrupted. "And don't even think about sex."

"What man in their right mind would deny it?" I stressed with a shrug. "But I don't want to just give him something as easy as that."

"You could." John suggested. "It could be a side present."

Kate slapped his shoulder. "Don't go giving her ideas. I want her to figure it out on-"

"Thank you, John." An idea sprouted into my mind.

"Damn you," She hit his arm again. "I'm going to go get some fries." Kate stood up and stomped her way over to the long line.

We'd been shopping all day and it was almost time for the shops to close. The place was still packed with last minute shoppers getting in all of their Christmas presents. I'd gotten my parents presents and my brother a present along with small things for Laura, Damien and Lucas. I did get a black Green Lantern hoodie for Kate but as soon as I brought it she thanked me for it, damn her. I wish there was a way for her not to see me for a day. Maybe I shouldn't have invited her... Then again I do need her to help me find Michael's present.

John started picking at my burger, emphasis on the my, and I started to study him. Dirty blonde soft curls rested on his forehead, a strong jaw, hypnotising hazel eyes, full lips that were turned down into a frown. If only Amy were here longer. I would have loved to have seen how John would tease the living day lights out of her.

"Why are you staring at me?"

I didn't even feel embarrassed. "Just thinking about how infatuated you were by my friend, Amy."

His eyes flickered up to me and back down at my destroyed half eaten burger. "So?"

"You admit it?"

"I admit I was mildly curious."

"Yes, and by mildly you mean extremely."

He wiped his hands on a napkin with a charming smile. "Your friend is nice and attractive, am I not allowed to appreciate it?"

"No," I smiled. "Because I don't know what your intentions are. For all I know, you could be luring her into your dungeon to drain her of all her blood."

"If I dragged her off into a dungeon it wouldn't be for her blood." He winked.

"Ew. Inappropriate."

He crossed his arms on the table with a chuckle.

"But seriously. I don't know a whole lot about you but I trust you with my life and if... If you want to..." I exhaled deeply.

"Your friend lives in New York, Eve. And plus, I couldn't allow myself to." And that seemed to be the end of the conversation.

So, I changed the subject. "Sometimes you're like a big brother or sometimes, when you're in your protective mode, you're like a dad."

"Is it because I'm a hundred and fifty-six? I can't help if I can be protective of those I love."

I smiled at him. "You love me? Awh, John."

"Of course I do. I care about you a lot, and I care about Michael a lot. I may act like an immature teenager at times but if I need to be I will protect family." Something in what John said had me thinking about his life before this. His eyes had darkened and the smile that was on his face a moment ago had disappeared. There was probably so much to John especially the way he changed.

"How did you turn John?" I leaned forward and lay my hand on his. "I mean, if it's something you don't wish to share I understand completely."

He sighed heavily. "I don't think it's something I want to talk about here. But one day I will tell you. Ask me tomorrow."

"I will." I promised.

Katherine made her way back holding a tray of fries and a bottle of Coke. "Speaking of blood," She interjected.

"We weren't really-"

"I know. I just thought I needed to somehow bring up the fact you're walking perfectly fine now, how your bruise has suddenly healed, how your chin is barely a scar and how you ripped off your splint first chance you got."

"Why do you even have to ask?" John sighed.

"Because it's fun."

"It wasn't my choice." I mumbled. "Michael tricked me."

"I'm sure he wouldn't have forced you, Evie. But enough about the unimportant," She waved away the subject. "John and I have something to discuss with you."

I looked between the two and noticed the sudden change in atmosphere. John's jaw clenched repeatedly, his face looking solemn all of a sudden and Katherine looking like her all too knowing self.

"The attacks have stopped."

I started to smile but the looks on their faces stopped me. "Isn't that good?"

"No," She sighed. "Because I feel something coming and neither my mother nor my grandmother likes it."

"So what's the plan, because I'm guessing you have one?"

Her eyes darted from my own to behind me before she said, "Yes we do. But we're still discussing details at the moment. Pamela has agreed to help along with her partner Nicholas."

I frowned. "I didn't want her to get involved."

"She volunteered. The more we have the merrier."

I waited for her to explain but nothing came. I leaned back in my chair and stared at them both. They were hiding something. However I didn't see the point. What could they possibly hide from me? She picked at her fries, finishing them and her coke, while I thought about various possibilities as to what they could be hiding.

"John, why don't you come with me to Precision Time? I want to get my dad a nice watch. Evie, why don't you wait here we won't be longer than twenty minutes anyway."

"Fine," I sighed. "I was going to go Forever 21 anyway."

She glanced behind me again with a small smile. "Okay. We'll meet you in there in twenty."

John, however, wasn't glancing behind me like Kate was. He seemed completely oblivious to the odd looks she was giving me. He smiled at me and patted my head before helping Katherine with some of the bags and walking off.

I dumped my half eaten burger in the trash before grabbing my own bags and walking off to the first floor. I could get Amy and Chelsea presents but they'd have to be sent through the mail.

As I was about to step into the store, a finger hooked into the neck of my coat and lightly pulled back. I spun around half expecting to see someone from college when a familiar pair of grey eyes sparkled at me.

I smiled at him. "Happy holidays."

"Same to you." He nodded. "Christmas shopping?"

"Last minute, actually. I haven't been with it lately."

Tate chuckled. "I wouldn't expect you to be."

"What are you doing in a human filled mall anyway? Doesn't this breach the whole drinking animal blood period?"

He sighed heavily and looked around the crowded mall. "I'll be fine."

"So, what're you doing here?"

He gave me a sweet smile. "To see you before Christmas."

"Awh, Tate," I grabbed his hand and started leading him away from Forever 21. "Thank you, but is it alright for you to be here? I'm here with-"

"I know who you're here with. Actually, your witch seems to be searching me out. She kept trying to look for me a moment ago."

"S-she knows you're here?"

He looked down at me and smiled. "From what I saw and the way she sent a weird smile in my general direction in the food court she let me see you."

I stopped in my tracks, yanking him back in the process. "Tate, leave."

"It's alright, I'll be okay for a few minutes." He reassured but I wasn't buying it. Kate was up to something. She may not know what he looks like or know who he is, but she knew he was here.

Which wasn't good at all. "Tate, I don't-"

"Stop."

"But-"

"I'll be fine, okay? Stop worrying about me, I can take care of myself you know. Now come on," He squeezed my hand before pulling me around the mall. "What are you getting me for Christmas?" He easily changed the subject.

"A candy cane."

"I've never liked those things." He cringed.

"A hat?"

"Try again."

"My friendship?" I smirked.

"I was hoping I already had that."

"Oh, but you do. But what I'm offering is my eternal friendship! This includes: my unconditional love, one night a week which entitles ice-cream, in your case a deer," He chuckled. "And movies-"

"The thing with that very appealing Christmas present, is that it can't happen can it?" He stopped walking and stood directly in front of me.

"Why..."

"Do you not remember who I am to you?" 

The sad smile on his face reminded me. For that split second I did forget who he was to me. I forgot he was the supposed enemy. But I knew he wasn't. Why couldn't anyone else understand that?

"Come with me to see Kate and Michael. They need to see that you're not what they think."

He was shaking his head throughout what I said. "No. I can't do that."

"Why can't you? If you speak with them, then-"

"Evie, I know you're trying to make everything right but you need to understand that what's going on here is hard for even me to understand. I hate that we met through these circumstances. And maybe in the future it'll be different. Assuming that you convince him to turn you, that is."

I ignored his last comment. "Why does this sound like a goodbye?"

He frowned deeply at me before lifting his hand only to pause and drop it again. "I'm not saying goodbye. Far from it. Its just I don't know if you and I should continue meeting for a while."

I glanced around the crowded mall before taking his arm and yanking him down an empty walk way that led to the bathrooms. "What's going on, Tate?"

His jaw clenched repeatedly before he sighed. "Something's happening right now but I don't know what."

"And?"

"I don't want you to get hurt. And my maker is beginning to suspect why I disappeared last week and tonight. She hasn't said anything but I can feel and see it."

"Katherine said they'd stopped feeding."

"I hadn't seen them since they saw me earlier so I don't know. They're doing something. And seeing you is drawing a hell of a lot of attention."

"I don't want to stop seeing you." I admitted.

His grey eyes suddenly turned curious even as he tilted his head in that way he always did. "Why?"

"Well, for one thing you saved my life. Something I'll never be able to repay you for fully. And you care although you hate to admit it. And when you smile, you don't actually realise how natural you look. Your smile makes me smile."

He ran a hand over his blonde hair repeatedly before he growled and took a few steps away from me. "What're you doing, Evie?"

"I'm telling you the truth."

"You're driving me to insanity. My vampire brain has right and wrong. Being here is wrong, being with you is wrong, drinking human blood is right and yet you convinced me with the click of your fingers to drink animal blood. How do you do it? For over a hundred years I have been with my maker because I didn't have anywhere else to go."

"You do now-"

"No, I don't." He said coldly. The way he looked and sounded reminded me of the Tate I met a month ago. The cold shouldered man I'd grown horribly familiar with. "I didn't come here to argue with you."

"What did you really come here for then, Tate. You said you wanted to see me but it sounds like you just wanted to tell me you don't want to see me again."

"I didn't-!" His hands suddenly curled around my forearms a little too roughly but then he relaxed. "I didn't say that I don't want to see you again. Dammit, I have to stop touching you," He let go of me. "Your friend will smell it."

"It's a little late now, isn't it? Look, I think I'm going to leave. Sounds to me that you've said you needed to say and I have to finish getting presents before all of the shops close."

"I'm not finished."

"I think I am."

"But-"

"Guess I'll see you after Christmas. Is that long enough?"

There was a long pause. Too long. And then he said, "Yes."

Something inside of me broke a little. It made me step away from him. Okay, fine I understand that maybe he's trying to protect me. Maybe not seeing me might put me back in Michael's good graces and him back in his little evil circle. But it still hurt.

"Okay." I nodded. "Alright. I'll see you after Christmas."

"Wait a second,"

"I have to go get Michael a tea pot or something,"

"Don't get him anything."

I frowned. "What? Why?"

He shrugged. "Try planning something personal. Don't buy him anything expensive."

"Is this a man thing?"

"Something like that. It'll be a nice night on Sunday. Think about it carefully."

I sent him a thankful smile before frowning yet again. "Thanks for the help."

"Sure."

I sent him an awkward nod before turning to walk away. Thinking about it now, I understood why we needed to not see each other. I mean, we weren't really supposed to be seeing each other anyway. Obviously, I'd tell Michael of this meeting as soon as I got to the house. But what I still don't understand is why Katherine knew he was here and decided not to say or do anything about it. Something wasn't right and I didn't like the feeling of it. The attacks have stopped, Tate was worried, Kate was letting him see me, I felt like there needed to be a climax. It was coming soon, I could feel it.

I felt like I was just waiting for the end now. It'd been too long since this started and I could see everyone getting restless.

I didn't know how soon but I knew for a fact after Christmas, this was it. I'd watch Michael go off to kill or get rid of what was doing this and wait patiently like the good little human.

I scowled out loud as I walked into the Bath and Body shop. I'd had enough of it. It was tedious. Being the stupid helpless human in all of this. I wanted to actually help. I wanted to contribute in this, not just sit here whilst the vampires went out and the witches joined them. I wasn't about to ask Michael to turn me, I'm not that irrational. Of course, I'd been thinking about it. Of course, I want to be with Michael for a very, very long time. But to him, the idea of me becoming a vampire is illegal. And if I brought it up now, knowing him, he'd blame Tate or John or someone else.

I picked up a bunch of different candles planning on doing exactly what Tate suggested.

Something personal...

After purchasing the candles, I walked into a store I'd only visited once before with Chelsea back in New York. I did buy a boat load of underwear from here but just never returned. They had such great patterns and styles. I picked out a dark blue halter 'babydoll' as they called it after a few blushes from me and suggestions from the clerks.

As I walked out of the shop I spotted Kate and John making their way through the slowly disappearing crowd. Kate looked down at my pink bag and grinned. "Victoria's Secret? Well, someone's going all out."

My cheeks warmed. "Um..."

"So how was Forever 21?"

I raised a brow at her question. She knew I didn't go in there, hadn't she told John? "Fine. I didn't find anything."

"You saw him, didn't you?" John all but snarled. "I can smell him on you. I wondered why Katherine practically milked the guy at the watch store for information. Why didn't you tell me?" He swung his angry gaze toward Katherine.

"You know exactly why." She snapped which surprised me. "How did it go?"

I sighed not seeing any way around this. "We agreed to not see each other until after Christmas."

"Why?"

"They're planning something but I don't know what and neither does he. So, to protect me, he said no contact for a few days."

"After Christmas?" Kate asked.

"Yes. Why...?"

"Let's leave. I'm tired and bored. Did you get Michael his present?"

I paused a moment aware of how she switched the conversation so quickly. Yeah, something was definitely going on.

**

"I don't know whether I should be worried you bought this or not."

I laughed nervously before taking the lingerie out of her hands and putting it back in the bag. "I wasn't planning on showing you this, mom."

"I'd of been happy not to see it," She turned her pink face toward me. "I'll try to forget I ever saw it. Seriously. I'm going to try so hard."

We were in my room, luckily, looking through the things I'd bought for my friends and what I had planned for Michael. I'd already ran in and hid my parents presents so there wasn't any worry about them seeing what I'd got them. If my dad saw that, he'd find out where Michael lives and rip his spine out through his butt.

"Do you want dinner?" She asked as she hid the bag under my bed.

"Nah, it's kind of late. I think I'll just go to bed."

"Okay. How're you feeling anyway? Where's your splint?"

Ah, hell. "I, um, left it in Katherine's car." I smiled sheepishly.

My mother gave me a scolding look. "Get that back as soon as you can you're supposed to wear that for another two weeks."

I nodded and watched her leave me room. I'd texted for Michael to come to my room for nine o'clock and it was five to. I changed quickly, putting on pyjama pants and a t-shirt. As soon as he comes in, I'll tell him about Tate. Why shouldn't I? Nothing really happened. For all I know, John could have already told him with his stupid big mouth.

But when I saw him slip inside with a huge smile on his face I knew he didn't know. His green eyes were a vibrant green tonight and I'd wondered if he'd fed. I'd ask him later. I shut my laptop and waved him over to sit with me.

"Are you alright? How was the shopping trip?"

"It was fine. I got what I needed. But, I also saw someone that I don't think you'll appreciate."

His eyes didn't betray him, he didn't seem angry even as I explained what happened. I missed out the fact he'd helped decide what to do for him for Christmas.

"So you've agreed to meet after Christmas?"

I shifted in my spot. "It's not that we've agreed-"

"It's okay, Evie. Don't worry. Of course, I'll forever be pissed that you still meet with that pri-"

"Michael, no."

"Alright, alright." He chuckled bringing me into his side. I relaxed against him glad to feel his body against mine. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"I have something we can talk about. Katherine. She's planning something,"

"Have you asked her about it?"

I paused a moment. "Do you know if she's planning something, Michael?"

"We are devising a plan but details aren't set yet. Like your friend said. After Christmas okay?"

I sighed. "Will I be involved?"

"Fortunately, no." I chuckled.

"Oh, the joys of being a mortal," I stretched my limbs out with a yawn. "You don't realise how fun it is to be in the wings while you're all out there fighting."

"You want to be involved?"

"Yeah, it's better than sitting and waiting. Do you know I feel every time you go out there? It hurts to watch you leave..."

I felt his finger tips skim along my arm before he slid his hand into mine. "I know it's not easy."

"Understatement of the century."

"I love you to pieces, Evie you know I wouldn't leave you ever."

"But one day I will."

That made him silent. His whole body stiffened and the movements along my hand and arm had stopped. Well, I'd started I may as well finish.

"I think about... becoming... one of you sometimes."

"Why would you want to?" His voice almost blank of emotion.

"Because I dream of being with you for the rest of my life." I answered honestly because I did. I couldn't physically imagine myself with anyone else. Michael had ruined me of ever being with anyone else. I didn't want to and I don't think I could.

"You do?"

"Yeah," I buried my face in his chest in embarrassment.

"You really want to have this conversation?"

I nodded.

"Okay. Fine. I dream of being with you forever. I dream about nothing but you. But what you don't understand is that you have a choice in the matter and I never did. You have to think about how you'll watch everyone around you die. It may sound harsh but it's the truth. I don't want you making any mistakes. That's what I've wanted to stress to you."

The room fell silent and the reality of his words hit me. I would watch everyone around me die...

My parents, my brother, my friends...

It would be an eternal pain, of course it would, but I'd still be with Michael. I didn't have to decide right away, I was still eighteen. I could wait a few years, think everything through.

"Have I gotten through to you?"

I sighed and nodded.

"Good. Now, you seem tired and I can assure you I am. I went hunting today. Made sure I was full through to Christmas. So let's get some sleep."

And with that, he snuggled closer to me and slowly fell asleep. I stroked my fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead trying to tell him that he honestly did get through to me. Although the conversation was quick and barely considered a conversation he did shed light on what would happen. Until after Christmas I didn't have to worry about any of this vampire stuff. I wouldn't be seeing Tate until after and it did hurt a little when he'd suggested it. He was my friend after all.

I finally switched the lamp off and allowed myself to be taken into a deep sleep.

Tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day will consist on nothing but relaxation. I haven't relaxed once since the holidays and I was definitely in need of it.

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