Mr. Sloan took my place in the shop and I was able to have the week off to recover. Mandy told him it was a vampire that attacked me and he was more than willing to be generous in my time away. Considering we had never missed a day, we had enough sick leave to cover years off and being able to relax at home was actually a nice change of pace. Owen picked Mandy up and dropped her off and by the Saturday I was eager to get back into training. The swelling had gone down but the bruise was still clear and despite Mandy's protest we headed to his warehouse as we did every Saturday morning and I had never been happier to get out of the house.

"Glad to see you're ok" Gerri hugged me tightly while Mandy went change out of her winter gear. What I wasn't expecting was Luke to walk in. No one paid him much attention until Cam saw him and in turn told Michael. "I didn't believe Owen when he told me. Two attacks and you survived both"

"I know" I smiled briefly; I guess the vampire attack story hadn't just been for Mr.Sloan. "I'll talk to you in a sec"I left her to go over to Luke as Owen appeared, blocking me. He shook his head at me as Mandy came back to my side and we stayed where we were.

"What's going on?" She whispered as Owen and Luke shook hands and headed out the back to the ring.

"I don't know" I went to go after them when Michael stepped in front of us and I couldn't help but worry for Luke.

"Ladies" His eyes settled on my face, frowning as he took it in. "What happened to you?"

"Mandy wanted the chocolate more" I joked, glancing towards the door Owen closed it. She punched my arm lightly as we tried to make a joke of it and I couldn't help fidgeting with the sweatband I kept around my scar. The towel like fabric seemed to be made of prickles today and I tried my best to ignore the discomfort it was causing.

"Come on guys, get into place" Gerri clapped her hands gathering our attention and Michael stopped himself before he could say whatever he was going to. But I had a feeling that wasn't the last we'd see of him today. The whole session I was aware of his eyes on us and for the first time since we started, I struggled to keep up and had to stop before the end.

"You ok?" Michael passed me a bottle of water from Gerri's cooler and his sudden three sixty in behaviour had me paranoid. Was it because Luke was here?

"Fine" I hesitated before taking the water, "Thanks"

As he walked back to Cam and some of the other guys Mandy was back at my side, wiping her brow with a towel I was impressed as seriously she she took these work outs lately. "What is that about?"

"I have no idea"

As our group split up we headed out the back to find Owen and Luke talking quietly and seeing us, Owen left him and as he passed, paused in front of us. "Don't act like you know him ok, especially with you know who around"

Mandy nodded and as the guys came in and like I did each week, I waited to see some of the familiar faces of the girls who came too. They never came anymore and I knew why. They had been the ones left to die under the house. I shuddered at the thought and took a seat on the bench beside Mandy as Owen addressed the group.

"Find a partner, ring is open. Keep it clean" Luke lingered in the back of the room, watching intently as the first couple headed in under Owens guidance and as the match ended, Gerri joined him. I wanted to know what was going on so badly but doubted that we would be told anything unless they wanted us to know.

"Fancy a rematch?" Michael challenged as he strapped his knuckles.

"Not today" Mandy sat up a little straighter, glaring at him.

"Scared I won't let you win this time?" The guy was intolerable.

"Please, I could have a broken arm and still beat you. How many times do I have to prove it to you?" I stood up, more than willing to prove it to him. The sniggers from his friends didn't help and the only one not getting involved was Cam who instead had his eyes on Mandy as she got up to stand between us.

"Don't Lu, he isn't worth it" Mandy gently touched my arm as Michael laughed.

"I know deep down you'd love nothing more than for me to take you down" I knew Mandy was right, but all I wanted was to wipe that sly smile off his face and to shut him up. "We could have some fun. I could do things to you Lulu...."

I didn't let him finish as he said that, no one called me Lulu and as my fist came up he saw it coming and was able to block it. "Temper temper"

Mandy shoved him hard, causing him to stumble backwards and the words that came out his mouth were not pleasant. His persona changed, he was pissed and as went to charge at her I stepped forward, bringing my knee up to find his most sensitive area and realising this wasn't going to be stopping Owen came rushing around the side of the ring but I didn't care.

"Get it through your thick skull asshole.." I didn't get to finish. Owen always said don't fight angry, and rage was taking over quicker than I could breath as he came towards me before I could defend myself, sending me flat on my back as he pinned me down. My arms were held out to the side as his weight prevented me from being able to kick him off and Cam came up to stand beside Mandy, not sure what to do.

"Give in yet?" He was enjoying this and stopping my struggling I glared at him.

"Never"

He bought his head down low to my ear, "Good. I like a challenge" His lips found my cheek before Owen shoved him off me.

"Off! What the fuck was that!" As Owen ripped into him Mandy helped me stand, giving me a second to gain my balance as my head began to spin. Looking around Luke was just behind me; the look on his face was nothing short of deadly towards Michael. Owen sent Michael into the ring with one of the older guys and I was certain that was his punishment. The pair set up to fight under Gerri's supervision and Owen came back over, looking more like a school teacher than I had seen in years.

The fed up look on his face was one we were familiar with especially when we all tried to get out of dodge ball. "You can't bite every time he throws you a hook"

"I know. I'm sorry" I dropped my head in shame and sat down as Mandy joined me and the pair left us alone.

"Maybe now he thinks he beat you he'll leave you alone?" Mandy asked hopefully but I doubted it was going to be that simple. We soon left after that and as we got to the car Cam came running out behind us.

"Hey ah Mandy can I talk to you for a sec?" We shared a confused look before she nodded; passing me her bag they moved away slightly and I unlocked the car, getting in. A few minutes later she jumped into the driving seat looking ecstatic.

"What did he want?"

"He asked me on a date tomorrow!" She practically squealed and looking up Cam shyly waved before going back into the building.

I didn't know what to think of that.

Just because he was with the Night Watchers didn't mean he was an automatic jerk like Michael. The others lacked that arrogance and seemed to follow him more than copy but Mandy seemed excited and that was important. "Oh my god, what do I wear?"

Sunday night at five on the dot Cam was knocking on our door. Alone. He had a bunch of yellow carnations and as I welcomed him in he seemed more scared of me than anything else. "Lucy, I'm really sorry about Michael. He isn't a bad guy; he just gets carried away with the macho thing"

"I don't really care about him and if he does try anything again I have no patience left" I didn't want to make this anymore awkward for Cam, so shrugging it off led him into the kitchen. "Just make sure nothing happens to her tonight" I said it lightly, as if I was joking but I was deadly serious. If anything happened to Mandy, I don't know what I'd do but we still deserved to have some kind of life.

"I will. I promise. I'm not like them; Owen encouraged me to do this. I've liked her for ages now so don't worry" He smiled dreamily and I couldn't help but like him a little bit more. If Owen was ok with him, I was too. Nodding I got a vase out knowing Mandy would be more likely to dump the flowers than look after them and Cam nodded eagerly.

"Hey Cam!" Mandy's red dress complimented her figure but was soon hidden as she put on her coat and finished zipping up the knee high boots. As predicated she accepted the flowers graciously but leaving them on the table I was the one left to set them up in the vase. She didn't really like flowers, they only reminded her of the bunches that were given to her after her mother's death so I couldn't blame her for that.

"Wow, you look great" Cam gushed, clearly smitten with my friend as she adjusted her beanie. Mandy always knew how to dress up; she knew how to play up her best assets and had always been the pretty popular one at school. The only thing that had stopped her winning Belle of the Ball was the fact I had Ryan as my date. I couldn't help the slight pang of jealously at her happiness as the pair admired each other sweetly before they started to leave.

"Have fun guys" I called out from the kitchen, and Mandy waved through doorway before following him out the door. I finished arranging the flowers and headed to the lounge deciding to Skype with my parents for a while. I was thankful I had only called them so they hadn't seen the bruise when I first got it.

"So where's Mandy tonight love?" Mum asked curiously peering around the room as if she could see in.

"On a date"

"When are you going to go on a date? It's not right for you to be such a homebody" I tuned off from her lecture. Not being a homebody had opened up a whole world of problems I didn't want and on my sofa was the best place. Besides I had no interest in dating, I'd happily get a cat and end up a spinster. Trust wasn't easily earned or given, so really any relationship I started would be doomed.

I had already spent a lot of time alone with Mandy being at work this week while I was left home to rest and standing by the window I missed having Maureen as a neighbour. Without Mandy here I had no company. Our other neighbours kept to themselves more than we did and I felt confined. Going out wasn't much of an option, especially alone. Calling Owen it rang out to voicemail, Gerri was the same and I realized how limited our circle of friends actually was.

It was safer that way.

But it was lonely too.

By eight o'clock I was half way through a yoga DVD and with a knock on the door, the peace leaving me quicker than I had been working to gain it. We had gone from never having visitors to only unwelcomed guests and heading over, I kept the axe in my right hand so it was hidden by the door and kept the chain in place as I opened it, wishing we had a keyhole to look out of first.

"Put down the axe, it's me" Luke looked down the hall as one of my neighbours walked towards the stairs and reluctantly I let him in, still holding the axe.

"How did you know?" I asked swinging the wooden handle so the blade rocked at my side.

"You're slightly predictable and since it's the weapon you're most comfortable with" He shrugged and I had to admit he had a point. Was I really that obvious?

"Well it is the most effective way to kill your kind" I stopped swinging, as I could see him assessing me.

"You want to see how good you really are?" He challenged his blue eyes full of mischief. "I thought after your little display today at training you would have learnt your lesson. You couldn't stop a human, what are you going to do with a vampire"

"Asshole" I headed back into the living room and switched off the DVD. "What did you want?"

"To see if you're ok"

"I'm fine"

"Liar"

We stared at each other for a moment before I had to laugh and finally the hard exterior he always had up wavered too. "Ok, I'm still tired. My bruise hurts and I am so friggin bored being stuck inside"

"Why don't you go out?"

I had to laugh hearing that coming from him.

"So I don't stand a chance againast a vampire, I can't fight a human and you were the one to tell me I wasn't being cautious enough and not to go out at night yet now you're asking me why I don't go out?"

"Well If I am with you, you're protected" He raised his eyebrows at me in a way that reminded me of my cousin and had to smile at the family resemblance. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Never mind. Can I trust you?"

He hesitated, and instantly I regretted asking but as he spoke, I wanted to believe him. "You can trust me Lucy"

I didn't really believe him but I couldn't handle being at home and soon enough we were heading to the cinema. Something had changed in Luke and I wasn't sure how long it would last for but I was enjoying it. When he wasn't being his difficult vampire self, he would have easily been a part of my family and it was hard not to imagine him as a brother or long lost cousin. Despite his age, he acted more like his appearance and as we walked into the city I filled him in on some family information he wouldn't know, like how every Christmas my Grandmother used to burn the ham on purpose after my grandfather criticized her cooking or how my Dad was scared of rabbits after being 'attacked' by one at a spring fair.

It was all trivial stuff, the weird quirks of my family I took for granted he was absorbing like it alone held the meaning of life.

I don't think I stopped talking except to take a breath the whole way there. If Luke minded he didn't show it and some kind of bond was starting to form between us. He had always been trying to find us since his partner died and it wasn't until I had been hospitalised following the attack he was able to find where we were. Since I had been marked, he thought it would be a good idea to stick around. He refused to talk anymore about that, changing the subject back to my parents. Since we were otherwise getting along I decided to drop it, for now.

It was weird sitting in a dark theatre watching George and Brad plan a heist with a room half full of vampires, most of which seemed as enthralled by the Hollywood stars as I was. None of them had popcorn on their laps like the oversized bucket I had and as I looked around, this was perhaps more normal than I had ever imagined. I always thought people who didn't have popcorn at the movies were weird, diet freaks or must be unfortunate enough to be allergic to it but maybe all those people I had ever judged were in fact vampires. I wasn't even the only human with a vampire friend. Clearly friendships could still exist between our species, even if one of them used us as dinner. But really, apart from that - how different were we? We all laughed at the same parts and at the end every little group talked about what they had just seen.

It was surreal.

Then again, I had just gone out on a movie night with a vampire.

The walk back was slow, Luke was completely relaxed now and I decided to try my luck with more questions, things I really did need to know. "Luke, do werewolves really exist?"

"Yes, but only on a full moon"

So far so good.

"How do you if someone is one?"

"They change into a wolfish man creature," He paused, looking at me like I was stupid. "On a full moon. You can't miss it if you see one"

My silence didn't help and I pulled my coat a little tighter against me as the cold cut at my skin but since I didn't find him funny, he elaborated a little further. "In human form the signs are non-existent. They might get a little snappier around a full moon as the demon in them gets ready to take over, eyes might change colour. They're generally solitary people, keep to themselves. It would be hard explaining to your family why you chain yourself up at night"

"Is Owen one? You called him a dog and I've seen his eyes go weird" Luke stopped walking, hesitating before he spoke again.

"You're getting to cold, we should have drove"

"I'm fine. So is he?"

"You'll have to ask him" He shrugged and kept walking while I regretted pushing it. I could feel his walls going back up and admitting defeated followed behind silently. It was the kind of cold where I didn't doubt we'd wake up to snow that had fallen over night and tried to stop the shivers that were going through my body.

"So what do you miss about being human?" We were walking through the park near my apartment and decided to give talking one last go since he had shut up completely.

"Lots. But I wish I could have seen Amelia grow up, grown old with Georgina. That is the kind of human things I miss but no point in dwelling on it" He looked distant for a moment, sad and I stopped walking, expecting something like beer or chocolate. I only felt sorry for him, to have his life taken from him like that and hadn't really thought about what it must have been like.

"Why didn't you stay with them or change her too?" If he loved her, wouldn't he want his wife to be with him?

"I didn't know how, I struggled controlling myself like we all do in the beginning. And why would I want to do something so cruel to the ones I love?" He made a good point, and I wished I could see everything that goes on in that mind of his. "Come on. I can hear your heart slowing, you need to go inside"

"I'm ok" I lied but he knew better. Sighing, I carried on after him and from the short break walking was hard as my body was going stiff. "Sorry if I was prying"

"I like to talk about them sometimes. Remember that I was once in fact human" We walked in silence up the quiet street and with my apartment building in sight we stopped again. "Darvid is coming so I'll wait here"

Something about that giant scared me in ways other vampires didn't. I guess they are still people and the fact is you don't always have to like everyone. "Is that like a vampire sense? Oh can you communicate all telepathically?"

"No, it's called a text message" He held up his phone I hadn't noticed in his hand and only nodded.

"Oh. Well thank you for tonight, it was kind of normal?" I involuntarily shivered as the cold won out and finished seeping through my layers of clothing. He was right, I needed to go inside.

"Goodnight Lucy" I didn't miss his hesitation when I hugged him before heading home. My face was numb despite the scarf I had pulled up to cover the majority of it and glancing back as I got to our doorway the same black suv pulled out at the corner and Luke was taken away. It had been an interesting night and going up to our apartment I wondered if Mandy would be home yet. I'd wait till tomorrow to tell her about my night as I was certain she'd have her own news to discuss.

"Lucy!" I had just got onto my level when I froze seeing Michael by the door. Clearly Mandy wasn't home yet and since it was nearly ten, I started to worry.

"Michael, what are you doing here?"

"Thought you'd be home and I wanted to talk. Figured when Cam got back we'd head off to patrol but doesn't look like they're back either" He started to walk down the hall and despite the fact I was tired and freezing, adrenaline helped me stand a little taller and meet his gaze.

"Talk about what?"

"Well if my friend is having a thing with your friend, I thought maybe we..."

"You're kidding right?" I didn't let him finish and pushed past him to the door.

"How did you hurt your face?" He was serious as he leant against the wall beside me, frowning I pulled up the scarf again.

"Vampire attack at the festival; I got hit" I lied, everyone else was going with that story and I didn't want to tell him the truth anyway.

"Do you know what it looked like? I can help you get revenge on it" He sounded excited, eager and I knew what he meant by revenge.

"How?"

"The festival was just a charade really. Most of those things were happy to agree with that unity within the community shit but we used it to get a database started on who the vampires are here" I didn't understand how they could do that. I decided having the stupid mark was the reason why I could tell who was actually a vampire, but the majority of the population still had no idea how to tell them apart from us.

"Come in" I wanted to know what he was on about and pushed open the door, letting him follow me inside. I headed into the kitchen, turning on the oven it was a weird way of getting heating in the room and turned on the kettle, making us coffee. "So can you find the one that attacked me?"

I had hoped my interest wasn't too obvious, but I didn't know what it would mean for Luke. "Yeah. We're using a similar system to what the FBI does with face recognition. Vampires have a different temperature to us and Humanity are hosting these events all over the country. Their camera scans the crowd and takes face shots of anyone not meeting human standards and I'm probably boring you" He shut up, taking the coffee I passed to him.

"Not at all, that's really interesting. What are you going to do with it?" If they knew who the vampires were in human form, they wouldn't be safe.

"We can't kill them all, but we are doing raids and most will charged on crimes against the treaty. Our priority is getting back those assholes that attacked at Cams place" He boasted, and I nearly choked on my coffee.

"That's, so, brilliant"

"I know. Are you reconsidering joining us?" I shot him a look that had him holding his hands up as if he was innocent. If he did what he does now five or six years ago he would be in jail before he could blink. "Take that as a no"

"Did you lose anyone in the war, parents? Siblings?" it would explain his need to kill them all, revenge was a deadly motivator.

"No. My Dad is one of the directors for us Watchers, I'm an only child and Mum is a nurse in the hospital. Why?"

"I was just wondering if that was what motivated you to do this"

"Do I need a reason? They kill anyone children, sisters, friends. Do you really feel safe walking out there at night? No, no one does. We fear them, humans should not be anything less the top of the food chain in this world" I wanted to argue, to question those beliefs but there was no point and I'd only be setting myself up for trouble and I was really trying to avoid that.

"No you make a point. I just can't kill anything. The one time I did I was alone on a highway and wasn't ready to die. I have too much of a conscious to do it at random or to hunt them down. Doesn't that make us like them then?"

"We're nothing like them Lucy but I understand. You're just too human for your own good and that will get you killed one day" Apparently the list of things will get me killed was growing each day.

"If that makes me human, what does it make you?" His eyes narrowed, as he stared at me for a second, clearly not sure what to say or how to take what I had just said.

"You sound like you almost side with the vampires" He took a long sip of his coffee and even trying not to, trouble still came my way. I could tell from the way his eyes seemed to glaze over he didn't like what he was hearing. I was trying not let him get angry, I had seen his moods at training and after this morning had felt it too. Anger stopped you from thinking clearly but with that extra adrenaline, made you strong and I couldn't afford another run in right now.

"The treaty was signed for a reason, I'm not on a side. I just want to live a simple life and not be reminded of death at every corner. Don't you remember life before all of this? How easy it had been" I'd rather be lonely than have friends and decided to never question how small my social circle really was again.

"If we kill them all, they wont exist and we can go back to that" He sounded brainwashed and I spoke without thinking. The more I tried, the worse it got.

"And what will be targeted next?" I mumbled, getting up to put my coffee cup in the sink. I was thinking about werewolves and essence sucking incubus creatures, how many other supernatural beings would rise up to take the vampires place and would every vampire ever be able to be killed?

"What do you know?" His voice was to close and turning he was right behind me, looking at me in a similar way that Luke had been looking at him today.

"Nothing, I - I just meant...." His hand choked my words as it tightened around my throat, "L-let mme g-g..." My hands went to his wrist in a bid to pull it off but that was pointless as I gasped for air and seeing the knife on the bench beside me I went to reach for it as he spoke.

"You do know something and you will tell me" The only thing I wanted to tell him was to go to hell and managing to nod he loosened his grip and I wasted no time in kneeing him between his legs which had him stepping back, cradling himself. "Fucking bitch"

I grabbed the knife and held it out in front of me. "You, get out. Now. If you even come into this building I will not hesitate in using this"

"I'm watching you Lucy and your little friend" He walked awkwardly towards the door and I could feel my lip threatening to tremble and held it together until he was in the corridor.

"If you even look at her the wrong way, it will be the last thing you do" I threatened, pulling the axe from the umbrella stand, Luke was right. It was my go to weapon. We stared at each other for a moment, eyeing up each other for a battle I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid forever and finally he left. Closing the door I locked it up quickly and collapsing down against it I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

Mandy's laugh woke me up from my tear-induced nap and I unlocked the door and wiped my face, thankful the crying had worked itself out my system. Running to the kitchen I made sure things hid any evidence of my unwanted visitor and as she locked the door turned off the oven in the slightly warmed room.

"Hey Lu!" She started to shed off the clothing that had been layered on to help stop the cold; her cheeks rosy from being outside and her blue eyes were bright with excitement and slightly glazed over. "Oh you've had the heater on"

She laughed some more, going to the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. "It was to cold not to use it. How was your date?"

"He is really funny. Remember oh what was his name, Darren Parker, that sporty drama guy? He is just like that, no wonder Owen likes him" I smiled and nodded, asking the right questions as her happiness radiated from her like the cold on the windows but come midnight I was glad she decided to call it a night and go to bed.

After all we had work in the morning.

____

Not really happy with this one, next one will go back to the supernaturals aaand..... someone is coming!!