So sad this is the last SIM update :(

Read the note at the end <3

THE SONG I PUT FOR THIS CHAPTER <3 

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"Can I take your order?"

"I'll have an iced caramel frappuccino."

"Tall, Grande or-"

"Tall please." The woman didn't take her eyes off her Blackberry and I rolled my eyes. 

I picked up a Starbucks cup and wrote in the small box the initials for the caramel frap. As she paid me, I started to glance around the half filled cafe and my colleagues. I'd been in this job for two weeks now and I was still deciding whether I should stay or not. Hell, the pay was decent enough so, why not? 

"Next please," I smiled at her as genuinely as I could and moved to the last customer. The familiar face smirked and said, "Can I have a shortbread cookie."

"No." I smiled. 

"I'll report you," Laura said with a grin. "I've come to relieve you of your duties. Is Gabe working?"

How else would I get the job?

Laura called in a favour and bam, I work after class on Monday's, my day off from classes on Friday and the occasional Sunday's. Today is a Monday. And I have a half day thank god. I started at eight and finished at one which was in five minutes. 

"Yes, he's in the back."

"Good, because that blob owes me five dollars from last nights hockey game. Come on, Evie. Get your stuff." Laura lifted the counter and walked around back. "Or I will!"

I sighed and pulled off the green apron from around my neck. I grabbed my coat and bag and pulled out the ponytail keeping my hair away from my face. My new colleagues, of whom I was still having trouble learning the names of, said their goodbyes as I walked around the front.

Laura was on the till serving a customer when she said, "Have a great day Evie!"

"Thanks, Laura." I waved and went to open the door only to pause and cringe when she added:

"And happy birthday!"

I sighed and made my way to my car. Yes, it's my birthday.

It's been just over a month since everything. Since I almost died. Since I almost became a vampire by the hands of a sadistic vampire who doesn't deserve to exist. January 30th 2012! A new year, a new age, a new outlook on life... The last part not entirely true, but hey what else could I do. 

Classes were the same as well. Michael helped me decide on doing History as my major in the end. I hated not declaring after everyone else had and talking to my mentor over and over again about what I would choose was getting on my nerves. So ,not much changed about my classes apart from the few times Michael and I decided to risk it during his hour and a half break and did something I'm sure the lecturer's of any university on earth weren't allowed to do... On his desk... In his very unstable chair... The thought of all of it had me smiling. What has he done to me?

I drove to my parent's house and spent the day with them. My parents have been pretty good with the whole, 'almost death' incident. Sure, the first week they were checking up on me, calling every few hours to make sure I was okay, asking me if I was taking the right medication although I technically didn't need it because Michael and that crazy vamp's blood was still in my system. 

"Evie!"

I turned to my brother walking into the living room. He's much better than he was before. He can walk without feeling weak and he wasn't traumatised like some. Then again, Michael did compel him.

"Phone for you. It's Amy."

I grinned and stood from my seat next to my dad. "Well, hello there."

"Happy birthday, Evie." She practically shouted down the phone. "How are you?"

"Thank you, I'm great you?"

"I'm good. How's your birthday? Get anything good? Hint, from Michael?"

I smiled as I walked into the kitchen. "I'm seeing him at seven and spending the night, I'll find out when I get there."

"Excited?"

"Yes, because at Christmas he said he was only giving me half the present and then the other half on my birthday."

"Think he's going to propose?" She suddenly said.

I burst out laughing the thought never entering my mind. "Why would he?"

"Well, because you love each other and because you two seem like you're in it for the long run. I've seen the way the man looks at you. He wants to be the father of your children."

Can vampires have children? Wouldn't they be like, half vampire half human... How would that work...? Wait, what if it could happen? We've only had unprotected sex once... I'm on the pill...

"Evie?"

I shook my head to clear it. "Don't be absurd."

"Stop denying it, you want to spend the rest of your life with him."

"Yes. I do." I told her truthfully. 

"Can I be a bridesmaid?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." 

She chuckled. "Alright. Well anyway, I miss you. I wish we were together; I feel like the week we spent together wasn't long enough."

"It truly wasn't long enough. How about this summer? Chelsea and I have been planning it. We'll spend everyday together for two weeks this time."

She chuckled over the line and I smiled. "I couldn't pull you away from that handsome man of yours for longer than a week. And I don't think I can come this summer."

I frowned but then I caught on. "Is it to do with those newspaper articles and YouTube video's you sent me last week?" She'd sent me front page articles of her on the front saying how she was a future Astrophysics Einstein.

"Yes. Apparently, I'm a genius." She laughed. "I'm kidding. I wouldn't go that far. But NASA's Astrophysics Subcommittee in Washington D.C contacted me. I guess astrophysics is definitely my calling. They want my opinion on the Planck mission. I know you don't care but it's a European Space Agency-led cosmic microwave background mission designed to map the temperature and polarization anisotropies over the full sky! I'm so excited."

I crossed my eyes completely confused by what she'd just said. "Um..."

"Basically, I'll be in Washington for the summer. They're changing my whole syllabus for the next few years. Oh and guess what? I now have to take six months out in my third year for God knows what at any University I choose. It goes toward my final grade. Columbia University are basically flashing me around."

"Oh, my God, really? That's awesome. So you could go anywhere?"

"That's what it sounds like." She sighed. 

"Choose wisely, Amy. You'll be there for six months."

"I know that's why I'm going to start looking now."

We talked for another half hour before it came to the time when I had to get ready to go to Michael's. I didn't know what he was planning but he told me to dress up for dinner. He even said, and I quote, "I did love that dress you wore on our first dinner date." 

Basically hinting for me to wear it again. Hell no, I'll wear something different. After showering, shaving and moisturising, I slipped on my sleeveless smoky grey bodycon mini dress with a round neckline with cut-away sides and a diamond shaped cut-out at the back. I then strapped on my black heels. Michael asked me to make sure I was wearing my necklace, which was thankfully saved that night in the woods. I pinned my hair back into a loose bun at the back of my head and put on only a little bit of make-up.

As I looked at myself in the mirror I glanced at the faded scar from Florence. It wasn't like Michael's bite or even his recent one to my shoulder I'd persuaded him to do a few weeks ago. Those had gone completely. But hers... It's odd but even with their blood it's still there. Still visible to the human eye but only in the light. 

I sighed as the word, 'permanent' whispered into my ear. A scar forever it seemed.

I made my way down the stairs and heard a small gasp from the bottom. "Oh, honey you look beautiful. So grown up." 

I smiled at my mother giving me one of those, 'where did the years go' look. 

"Thank you, mom."

I stopped at the bottom of the steps and she surprised me by embracing me into a large warm hug.

I smiled. "Mom, I'll be back this weekend..."

She sighed. "I know... It's just, you're growing up. You've found yourself a very lovely and very, very handsome man," I chuckled and pulled back. She was smiling and frowning at the same time. "And you've grown up into this beautiful woman. It makes me feel like my work is done."

"Mom, you've still got a lot to teach me. Like how to cope with a man that constantly teases me about my dimples."

Her frown turned into a bright grin showing her own dimples. "You'll never learn to cope. To this day, your father teases me about them. However you will learn to block it out."

I laughed and placed a kiss to her cheek just as the doorbell rang. I took one step to the door before my father popped out from the side and beat me to it. He glanced at me for a second and then glanced back with a loving smile. "Evie, you look stunning. Cover those shoulders though."

"Dad," I warned as he opened the door.

Michael Reeves, the vampire I'm lucky enough to call my boyfriend, grinned at my father and then turned to me. Of course the man was still able to take my breath away. A simple white button down dress shirt, a black jacket and black slacks and he looked like a God. He ran a hand over his neatly combed hair and discreetly winked at me. 

"Evening Mr. O'Shea. Mrs O'Shea."

"I told you to call me Marie, sweetie."

"Oh yes, I-"

"Bye mom, bye dad thanks for the cake and presents." I took Michael's hand after planting two kisses, one to mom and one to dad, on their cheeks. "I love you."

"Be safe!" Was the last thing I heard my mother say. 

Michael and I laughed before walking to the car. He stopped me beside the door and landed his large hands onto my hips; the heat of his hands warming my skin underneath my dress. He smirked down at me and said in his deep alluring voice, "Happy birthday." 

"Thank you." I smiled when he nudged me toward him. "I wouldn't do anything right now, I'm sure my father is watching through the window." I pressed my palms to his chest but didn't dare to move my hands any further.

"I know. So let's get to the house before I do something your father will hate me for."

He opened the door for me and smiled at me before I slid into the passenger seat. Half hour later, we were at his house. The dining room we rarely use was set up with candles, two bottles of wine, wine glasses, and a rose where I'm guessing I am supposed to sit.

"I didn't think you wanted to go out tonight, so I decided to make the meal." He said as I picked up the rose.

"You were right. I didn't want to go out." I inhaled the sweet fresh smell of the rose and felt myself comparing it to Michael's own scent. It couldn't compare.

"Dinner's ready whenever you are." He took my empty hand and pressed his lips to my knuckle. I watched him shrug off his black jacket, roll the sleeves up on his shirt and stroll toward me. His hands placed themselves on the exact same spots on my hips from earlier and tugged me toward him. "But first, I'd like to wish you a very happy birthday."

"Thank you." I grinned.

He captured my lips within his and I sighed in content. Oh, it honestly made me wonder how I survived without this man in my life. There was a craving I couldn't satisfy. I'll never be able to get over the fact he tasted so amazing. Every time I ran my finger tips across the hairs at the back of his neck he'd shiver which only ignited the fires within me. I'm always finding new ways to tease him or finding new spots to make him react this way.

He hummed with a smile before pecking my lips one last time.

"You've rubbed off all of my lipstick." I used my thumb to remove the traces of dark red lipstick from the corners of his mouth and lips.

"Why put it on if you didn't want me to rub it off?" He licked his lips and I couldn't help but watch and smile.

Having to not worry about vampires, the attacks, not going out at night and the wellbeing of our loved ones made everything so relaxing. If it were possible, Michael and I are closer than ever. The first time we realised that there was absolutely nothing for us to do or worry about, was the day we lay in his living room and watched a movie all the way through without interruption, without a phone call to follow up when it finished or without an argument. I haven't really been at the house much and when I was, I always got attacked with questions from Laura and the boys.

Michael served his homemade spaghetti carbonara onto two plates whilst I poured the wine into the two crystal glasses.

"How was work?" He asked as he set my plate in front of me and sat down with his own. "Anything interesting?"

I narrowed my eyes a little at the awkward way Michael was sitting and the way he kept playing with his ring. "Work was fine." I said cautiously. "When does anything interesting happen in Starbucks? No one famous walked in if that's what you're asking."

He chuckled but it sounded oddly nervous. "Good."

"Are you alright?" I asked before I twisted the cheesy spaghetti onto the fork making sure not to leave out the small pieces of pancetta.

"Yes, I'm fine." He smiled. "How's the food?"

I almost moaned from the burst of flavour exploding in my mouth. "It's wonderful, you should make this more often."

Throughout dinner, he seemed to relax more. We went into our playful teasing as we always did and talked about the latest gossip for example how Katherine had suddenly changed her ways of life and removed all extra piercings from her face and changed her dress sense. But damn, it didn't change her personality. She was still a lively little witch.

After dessert, and after my second glass of wine, Michael made a point to sigh very heavily. I sent him an odd look and picked up his hand.

"Michael, sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Well, you see I have to give you your birthday presents but I'm afraid to give you one of them and the other I downright don't even know why I even agreed to it."

Oh. "Oh," I voiced.

He looked at the watch on his wrist. "You're first present is through the study."

"Now?" I asked as he stood.

He nodded as what I could tell to be reluctantly and took my hand to lead me into the study. I looked around the dimly lit room and studied the open glass doors. I made my way to the open door and glanced outside. "Michael, what's going on?"

He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Go on outside."

His green eyes betrayed nothing as I walked down a few of the steps to look around. Is John going to pop out with some sort of scary birthday present? I hope not, I'd smack him upside his head if he did.

I turned back to the door and asked, "It's not John or Sam playing a joke, is it?"

"Guess again, princess." I heard behind me.

I turned to the sound of the familiar voice and gasped. "Oh, my God. No way!" I practically ran down the steps, bombarded into him and threw my arms around his neck. A huge breath left his lungs as he wrapped his large arms around my waist and lifted. "How long have you been back?"

He was chuckling before he said, "Only a few hours. I got a flight in."

"I can't believe you're here." I leaned back to look into his face. Nate looked so much better since he'd been away. His grey eyes looked healthier somehow. His dark blonde hair was cropped short, his clothes brand new, and his smile bright with excitement. I let him go and grinned at him. "Tell me about what you've been doing. It's been over a month."

"Nope, this is about you. Happy nineteenth birthday, Evie."

"Thank you." I smiled. I glanced back at the house to see the door closed and frowned. "Nate did you and Michael plan this?"

"Actually, Katherine found out where I was and called the place I was staying at. She said, and I quote, 'Come back to Canada for Evie's birthday and I'll convince Michael to let you see her.'" He chuckled and took my hand. "Well, I couldn't say no, could I?"

"I'm glad you're here. I've missed having you around. Tell me what you've been doing."

As we walked he went on to explain that for the first week, he spent his time making sure Florence was well out of the country which, thankfully, she was. The second week he balanced his new diet of animal blood by moving right up to a territory called Yukon, a place next to Alaska. And the last two and a half weeks he was in Australia.

"Really? You've been enjoying the sun I see." I said noticing the slight tint to his skin.

"Not seeing it for over eighty years does that." We did a whole circle around the forest and were quite a bit away from the house. We'd been out for probably ten-fifteen minutes now. "I know this isn't something you'd want to hear, but my time is up."

"Time?"

"Although the small conversation Michael and I had shared was thrilling, I reluctantly agreed to spend only twenty minutes with you."

"That's-"

"Stupid? Dim-witted? A jealous bastard's move?"

"Nathaniel..." I warned glancing at the doors.

"That's the first time you've said my name. I like it. But anyway listen carefully please. I'm leaving again for a while. And before you ask why," He interrupted me before I could argue. "It's for yours and my own safety."

"My safety?"

"Yeah," He shrugged. He was making up excuses I could see it.

"Why don't you just tell me the truth? That you don't want to be here?"

"Of course I do... I told you in that hospital that I'll be back soon and here I am. So I promise to be back."

"How soon?"

He looked down at his feet and back up. "Your birthday next year."

My eyes started to sting. "But..."

"I need a year out to concentrate on my new diet. It takes a while to adapt to the change. Look," He pulled out the newest blackberry from his pocket and showed it to me. "I got a phone. I feel like such an old man, sometimes I can't work this thing." He handed it to me with a smile. "You can call me or I can call you whenever you want to talk."

"I hate that you're leaving for longer."

"I know; I am sorry." He gathered me in for a hug after I punched in my number and handed it to him. "Look after yourself, Evangeline."

I squeezed his shoulders and pressed a careful kiss to his stubble cheek. "Stay safe." 

As I let go and stepped back, I felt a hand on the small of my back. I glanced up at Michael's stony expression and watched the very tight smile widen on his face. To me, it almost looked smug.

And as I looked back to Nate I knew that it was because Nate's smile looked like he wanted to slap Michael's smile off his face. 

"Hello, Nathaniel." 

"Brother."

"I'm far from."

"I'd say different."

"I'm not surprised you would."

"Mm. Thank you for agreeing to let me see her."

Michael's hand slid to my waist. "I'm sure even if I said no you'd find a way to slither your way to her birthday."

His eyes discreetly followed Michael's hand movement. "Well that wasn't very nice. But I suppose you're right. Once again, I thank you. Although I'd of liked to have spent more time with her."

"Maybe next time. As long as you didn't think it was a jealous bastard's move?"

"Of course not; how impertinent of me." He said as he started backing up. His eyes darted to mine and he grinned one last time. "It was great to see you, Evie."

I watched him wink before he turned around and disappeared. I shook my head at their exchange and lead the way back into the house. Of course, I was sad I wouldn't be seeing Nate for another year. But I'll be able to keep in contact which is what matters. 

"That was interesting." I said after he shut and locked the doors. 

He looked to me and smiled. "What?"

"The way you two interact. The back and forth taunting between you both, it just seems so natural."

Michael snorted. "Yeah, wonderfully natural."

I sat down on the computer chair and started shrugging off my shoes. "Is there absolutely no way for you two-"

"Not in this lifetime."

I shook my head and leaned back in the chair. "Thank you though."

"Not a problem at all. I guess it's my gift now." He wheeled my chair with him over to the lounge chair and sat down in front of me; his beautiful face the only thing in my line of vision. "Evie, do me a favour and open your palm I think I saw something."

"Like what?" I opened my hand in front of him to look for... whatever the hell he saw and found nothing. But then he placed a small black velvet box in the middle of my palm. I swallowed cautiously before using my other hand to open it.

Oh, I hate it when Amy's right.

She's such a smart ass, I swear even back when we were fifteen she couldn't stop being right, even if she didn't want to be.

The ring was basically a duplicate of my necklace: white gold with diamonds imbedded into the ring. I had to admit, if I had to pick out any ring it would be this one. It was gorgeous.

 I stared at it dumbly. "I-ah..."

"Before you go into cardiac arrest because that's what it sounds like," I laughed a little but it sounded hysterical because my damned heart did feel like it was speeding at an alarming rate. "It's not what you think. Look at the encryption."

I removed the ring from its cushion, put the box beside him and looked at the words on the inside. "'And then forever...'" I read aloud.

"It's a promise ring. I'm making a string of promises to you that I will keep until the day we step onto that alter. You're nineteen years old, Evie. I'm not going to propose to you until you're ready. You moved to Canada with your family with none of this in mind. I bet you weren't expecting to get into a serious relationship until you were at least into your twenties. And knowing a lot of people your age, they'd hear you were engaged and probably think you were pregnant." He stared at me half expecting me to say I was, probably.

I rolled my eyes feeling back to normal. "No, I'm not pregnant if that's possible."

"Oddly, it is but I don't want to get into that right now. I can understand if you wouldn't accept it-"

"I hope you're kidding." I frowned.

"Actually, I'm not. I'm asking you to be mine. I'm asking you to be my wife in the future. I'm asking a lot of you, Evie and now is the chance to back out of this. To have a normal life. To live, to grow old."

I stared into his sincere green eyes and placed my empty hand on his cheek. "If I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't. I love you so much Michael and I accept this ring and all of the promises that come with it. I wouldn't ever dream of backing out of this. Never."

He pressed a sweet and loving kiss to my lips before he mumbled, "And I guess I should explain the promises. One of which is a time frame of your humanity."

"I was waiting for this." I sighed and leaned back examining the gorgeous ring as I did so.

"It's a fair amount of time. And once I've explained the reasons, you'll understand why."

"Hit me with it."

"After your twenty-first birthday."

I sighed once again but heavier. "That's two years."

"It's better than three years."

"But... I mean..."

"You'll be on your last year of University. Do you know how hard it is at the beginning? The lust for blood? You won't be able to control yourself; you won't have contact with your friends, your family, not even Katherine. You won't be yourself. So, I'm asking you to wait until you're on your last year. I'm doing this for you."

If I was going to be like that, then I guess it was best. I'd like to go through university without sitting in a lecture hall for hours on end wanting to kill everyone within it. So I nodded my head and mumbled, "Okay."

"Thank you. I also promise that it will be my blood in your system when it happens."

"Of course."

"And of course, I promise to keep our promise to be together a secret until you're ready to tell."

"Technically, there is no one to tell apart from Kate and the family. And to be honest they probably already know."

He smiled and took my hand from his face. "As in your family. Your friends in New York. That sort of thing. And when the time nears closer to the end of the two year wait I'll ask your father for his blessing."

"You're such a gentleman."

He stood up and took my elbow to help me up. I felt a little bit shorter now I wasn't in my heels. Damn his height and amazing body structure. He fingered a loose curl that rested on my cheek and tucked it behind my ear. "I never thought I'd find someone like you. A human at that,"

I snorted and shook my head.

"Someone so naturally beautiful with a wonderful personality and, of course, that gorgeous Irish temper of yours. I can't wait to spend forever with you because I know for a fact you'll make it so much better. By the way, you don't have to wear the ring in public. I'm sure the question's you'd get would be more than bothersome."

I slid my hands over his shoulders and tiptoed to hug him. I slid the ring onto my wedding finger and buried my hands within his velvet soft hair. "I can't wait to marry you."

"Two years. Think we can do it?"

I leaned back to look him in the eye. "I think we can."

He slid his hands over my waist and held my body to his. "It's 730 days."

I shrugged because to be honest, time between us didn't matter. Not anymore. "It doesn't matter to me."

The kiss we then shared was different from the rest. It ensured the promises, the love and passion we both blatantly share for one and other, the heat that will never ever subside even as the months, years, decades go on.

He pecked my lips one last time before he said, "Let's go to bed."

I grinned at him. "And then forever?"

Michael chuckled and took my hand to lead me upstairs. "Sure. And then forever."

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 ((SEQUEL/SPIN OFF: Bloodstained Love Bite! ITS IN MY WORKS ON MY PROFILE GO GO GO!!))

Thank you so much for reading this (despite my crappy mistakes and all that) and sticking with it. Thank you for fanning, voting, commenting, writing to me about your thoughts, your opinions on it all. I honestly love you all! I started this story almost a year ago and I was literally nowhere!

It'll be Amy and John's story! Now, you're all probably wondering, "How are you going to bring Amy back long enough for that blahh..." But the clue was what you read above!  I'm hoping to do a third book which goes back to Evie and Michael so it allll connects but lets just see how the "Amy and John" story goes.

THANKS AGAIN!

Love you all!!

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