It took three days for people to start talking about the vampires no longer being in the city. They hadn't completely gone but the human to vampire ratio was even more in our favour. Anyone who came into work was gossiping about it and while Owen remained tight-lipped about where he went on Monday but by Friday even he was laughing and joking with the customers, sharing the talk about and spreading the rumours. If we asked him about it he denied knowing what we were talking about and two weeks on there was still no sign. We avoided Joe's funeral, guilt that we were possibly behind his death too much to bear especially since we would have to see his parents there.

"Can you believe we're doing this?" Mandy was practically bouncing off the walls, her blonde hair that had been loosely curled swayed in time to her movements as she danced around to Bootylicious in the living room.

"No" I tucked the pocket knife into my boot and grabbed one of the lighter canisters, flicking it on the flame roared to life and hearing the whoosh of the flame Mandy poked her head around the doorway, frowning as I 'loaded up' or so she called it.

"They're practically all gone, I don't know of anyone in this whole state not going" As contagious as her enthusiasm was, it had taken three days of nagging to get me to agree to go. Taking Back The Night Festival was an initiative of the Night Watchers. It wasn't women they were using as bait but the whole god dam city though according to Mandy, I was just being paranoid. None of it made sense and the fact we would be out after dark didn't bother her like it did me.

"Really? The State?" Mandy shrugged and I was left loading up on protection. I didn't understand how the last four years were wiped from peoples mind and as we started the walk the main streets of the city with the others, I couldn't stop myself from looking at everyone suspiciously. Luke told me not to go out at night, I know there are other things out there now but what those were exactly hadn't become any clearer. He was the only one who would answer my questions but even then he was vague and plus he wasn't here right now. A band was set up the main square and an array of stalls selling everything from handmade greeting cards to potato curled and fried on sticks had everyone in a good mood. The food smells were mouth-watering and finding a cotton candy line we joined in with the kids eagerly waiting for our turn.

Maybe I was just being paranoid?

"Hey look, there's Owen" Mandy pointed him out over the crowd and since he had on his Night Watcher uniform everyone stopped to shake his hand or pat him on the back. All of this was apparently possible because they had chased the vampire scum out of the city; their intolerance to the deaths caused by vampires was what we all should have been doing in the first place. With the threat taking care of, the people were getting confident again and the turnout was overwhelming.

We had out cotton candy by the time he found us; his brow was deeply creased as he kept his hand on his gun where it sat against his hip and like me he was constantly scanning the crowd.

"I didn't think you two were coming" He muttered, moving us to the side of the stalls rather than in the main section.

"Mandy is very persuasive" She only grinned; ignoring how unimpressed I was and the fact he didn't seem thrilled to see us ether. Applause erupted from the other end of the street as the giant screen behind the stage lit up with our Mayor and slowly everything stopped to watch and listen as he began to make his speech. The crackly voice became clearer and finally from where we were at the back we could hear him.

"Now some of you think this is all thanks to our Night Watchers and they do a fantastic job helping keep the rules of the treaty in place" I couldn't help but snigger at that and like Mandy, ignored Owen. "And believe it or not, the majority never left," Groans of protests sounded out from the crowd as well as a few shocked gasps. "The line between us and them is continuously drawn in society. We are better than that, tonight is about expanding your..." I tuned out and looking around I saw them all clearly now and grabbed Mandy's hand.

"Owen, we are surrounded by vampires" I whispered, and he only nodded. The odd one or two I had seen so far suddenly seemed to multiply to the point where I was certain this was part of a planned attack. If this was what the Night Watchers wanted it. They got it.

Mandy covered her mouth with her free hand to hide her gasp of surprise, clearly her mind going the same direction as mine. As the Mayor carried on his speech about reinforcing the treaty and accepting the vampires, day or not the people started to get nervous. It was as if the mice knew the cat was watching and panic began to grow. No one knew where this was going but only a few seemed to actually notice not everyone around them was human.

"Tonight was to show you all humans and vampires can live in peace, even in the dark. Look to your left, to your right at least one of those people is a vampire...." I stopped listening and started to pull Mandy to the back of the crowd with Owen behind us. I didn't want to be a part of whatever this was. "We are taking back the night and sharing it as we always had before The Coming Out"

"Lu stop. This could be a good thing!" Mandy protested, stopping I had to join her or I'd be leaving her behind.

"We'll find out in the morning," I snapped, as Owen stood watching over us. Our movements had begun to attract a few interested glances which only made me more nervous and I subtly ran my hand over the can in my pocket.

"I want to stay" Luke's words of coming back to visit my grave lingered in my mind and yet he said I was the stubborn one? The sound of clapping and cheers broke out around us and fireworks lit up the sky. In the red and green burst of light above, I saw the tell-tale signs of the shooters on the roofs around us and with the final bang of the fireworks the crowd went back to what they were doing and turning to Owen if he actually did know something, he would do what was best for us.

"Mr. Stevenson, is this really safe?" I trusted Owen, he had always been there for us and when Luke implied we were safe I had a feeling it had to do with him watching over us. We had known him for years, worked closely with him for a good chunk of that time and never doubted him.

"I don't know how legitimate the vamps are on this arrangement Lucy, but splitting from the herd may not the best idea right now" It made sense, in nature it happened all the time. Hunters would single out the weak, sick and stupid. "Every man we have is patrolling the area. If one vamp even considers making a meal out of anyone here, they're dead"

"Well that's comforting" Mandy enthused, nudging me in a bid to lighten the mood.

"Fine. First sign of trouble, we're out of here" Leaving Owen, though I was certain he never really left us we went back to enjoy the band. Mandy was dancing around in time with the music and needing a drink I pointed over to the food van. She nodded, giving me the thumbs up as words were pointless so close to the speakers and I shifted through the crowd to get some water.

A scream came from behind the van and leaving the small line, no one else seemed to hear it.

I couldn't see Owen or Mandy and movement by the gap between the buildings got my attention. This is the kind of thing that I should walk away from, but I couldn't especially when I could hear another scream. Not thinking I ran over, pausing as the darkness took over the space. The light from the street didn't filter in very far and the stench of rubbish decaying made my stomach churn.

"Hello?" Sobs greeted me instead and unable to see anything in front of me. Pulling out my phone I turned on the light, using it as a torch there was movement beside the dumpster as a pair of black sneakers shuffled back behind it and holding my breath I headed over. The girl was in a Night Watchers uniform and looked like she was about sixteen. Her freckled face was smeared with dirt and a bruise was starting to form across her cheek, and her blonde hair was just as dirty as her face. She had clearly fallen over and after cautiously looking around, I helped her up.

"Are you ok?" She didn't get to answer as the thud came behind us and turning to men now stood behind us.

"Oh look, she bought along a friend" The Irish accent had the girl shaking all over again as she clung to my side and before I could do anything pain tore through my skull as the ground seemed to disappear from under me. Opening my eyes was impossible, or maybe they were and all that surrounded me was darkness. Was this a vampire trap, I didn't sense that they were vampire - human and that only made it worse.

"Lucy?" Owens voice sounded close, breaking through the darkness the light from my phone was like a beacon a meter or so away from me. I needed to get up and rolling over I managed to get a glimpse of red hair and golden eyes.

"Grab her, I'll take this one. Someone is coming" The Irish man spoke and the blonde figure appeared above me in his place. As he bent over I was preparing to fight back but instead of yelling at Owen or protesting, I felt relieved to be getting picked up by him. The pain seemed to disappear as I was cradled against his chest and looking up at him I couldn't help but admire his jawline.

"Hi" I couldn't believe I was actually flirting with this jerk after his friend punched me. He was even kind of good looking with his curly blonde hair and golden eyes.

Wait, what?

"Hello yourself" He purred, the steady movement telling me we were walking and without thinking my arm went around his neck.

"You're eyes are so pretty" I tapped the tip of his nose teasingly and he chuckled slightly, clearly amused. "Where are we going?" I could see what I was doing and a part of my brain was trying to protest yet my body was no longer my own.

"I want to suck the life out of you, would you like that?" No.

"I would love that" My head dropped over his arm as I admired the concrete from the other end of the alley and we joined up with the crowd that was leaving the main street. The jump had me lifting my head back up but nothing around us mattered as it was his lips that got my attention and as if reading my mind he lowered his head to mine. It wasn't anything like a kiss I had had before. His lips were hot, burning and my first instinct was to pull away but I couldn't. The burning flowed through me into my chest and I became aware of each beat of my heart.

Breath in, beat. Breath out, beat.

He laughed; pulling away and the world went upside down once more as couldn't keep my head up. I felt tired, he was strong. He was carrying me with no problem. He wouldn't mind if I had a quick nap. The movement of his walking, which was more like running as I tried to focus on something stopped suddenly, and before I knew it I hit the ground hard and with the impact - my head seemed to clear from the fog that had taken over and unable to open my eyes again I could hear the hum of voices, but I couldn't make out the words.

"Lucy, Lucy! You ok?" Opening my eyes he was squatting in front of me and looking to my left the other girl was unconscious with the blonde man who had come to our apartment with Owen.

"Ah, yeah?" I shook my head, regretting it as the pain from the hit returned and my senses came back to me fully. "Mandy?"

"I'm here, I'm here. Calm down Lu" She soothed and I realized she had her arm over my shoulders before looking at Owen, "What was that about?"

"That was a type of incubus" Owen sighed, helping me up. "You took quite a hit; I'm taking you to the hospital to get checked out"

"I'm fine" Going to take a step my legs felt weak beneath me and he had to let me lean against him to stay upright.

"Trey, Lucy is going too" I felt drunk and as Mandy and Owen guided me to the now waiting ambulance I managed to see the other girl get loaded on before me, only she was out cold on the stretcher.

What had just happened? What the hell was an incubus?

We were a good distance from the festival and in the other direction our home was in. How far had we walked exactly? The ambulance lights were to bright and Mandy sat beside me gripping my hand as I welcomed sleep, listening to the beeps beside me as the paramedics worked on the other girl.

"Oh no you don't. Lucy isn't it? How about you talk to your friend" I managed to open my eyes again to find the lights dimmed slightly and the woman paramedic shone a tiny torch into my eyes as she kept talking but I couldn't hear her. My head rolled to one side to see Mandy looking surprisingly calm and the ache from my hand in her grip lessened to nothing.

"God Lu, wake up come on wake up" Mandy's chanting woke me up and the ambulance was gone. My eyes were blurry and blinking a few times I could make out details of the hospital room as Mandy ran to the door. "Nurse! She's awake!"

A lady in a white dress came rushing in with Owen right behind her and sure enough she went about her job, fussing over me like I was a science project and then I the thick tube in my mouth had me gagging. "Stay calm Lucy, I am Nurse Heather. You're in the hospital..." I closed my eyes and opening them again a Doctor stood at the end of the bed.

"Her vitals are improving and she is breathing on her own. Ah Lucy, I am Dr. Mathews. Glad to see you're awake" My mouth was dry and my jaw was aching, being hit by a truck would probably be a more pleasant experience. "I'll leave you to it Owen, just all the nurse should she need anything"

"Oh Lucy" Mandy threw herself over me in a tight hug and weakly I hugged her back.

"Hurting Mands" I managed to choke out and she leapt backwards nodding, grabbing a glass of water from beside the bed she helped me take a sip.

"You're parents wanted to come but I kind of lied and said you were fine, just needing some rest at home. You know how your Mum is"

"Thanks" I hated causing a bother and could only imagine how she would act finding me in hospital.

"You've been out for two days Lucy, you were attacked by an incubus" Owen looked in worse shape than Mandy and if they hadn't left here in two days that explained it.

"What is that?" I managed to sit up, my swollen jaw making it hard to actually speak.

"They feed on your life essence. Vampires drink blood, they absorb like your energy aura thing" Mandy tried to explain and that was all I needed to know.

"Great"

"You'll be ok, just need to rest up and take it easy" Owen moved closer to the bed, he didn't just like look like crap but looked like he had aged ten years too.

"I guess you two haven't left here have you?" They both shook their heads, "Go home. I'll be fine ok?"

"I can't just leave you here" Mandy protested.

"I'm just going to go back to sleep and you two look like you need the break. I love you guys, but look after yourselves too ok?" After some more protesting Owen had Dr. Mathews promise to contact them should anything change but after being assured I was on the mend, Owen took a reluctant Mandy home. With each hour I was feeling better and after finding the toilet was shocked at the dark purple bruise that had the left side of my face swollen. I was not going to be winning any beauty contest that's for sure.

Since I wasn't in my bed the nurse panicked and finding me in the bathroom, set up the shower for me and I was thankful for the change of clothes Mandy had left for more as I would have rather been naked then stuck in the hospital gown. After showering and a big bowl of soup I couldn't make myself go back to sleep and remembered the other girl.

"Excuse me, there was another girl bought in when I came in. Is she here?" The nurse looked up from her computer screen and looked over the charts frowning.

"She is, did you know her?"

"Yes" I lied, "Is she ok? No one will tell me anything about her" I had planned on faking my tears but they came naturally instead.

"She hasn't woken up yet, she is in Room 22" Glancing up at the clock it was nearly ten at night and the hospital was deserted at this hour. Thanking the nurse I headed over to her room, thankful it was empty but the sight of her still motionless on the bed was sickening. I glanced at her chart on the way past and took a seat beside her bed.

"Hi Amber. I'm Lucy. I'm sorry I couldn't have helped you and I hope you wake up soon" Hesitantly I took her smaller hand in mine, cringing at how cold it felt. She was pale; her lips cracked and dry as the tube made sure her lungs were still functioning with the help of the machines behind her. Dark lines followed the curve of her eye socket and if I didn't know better, she looked more dead than alive.

"Curtis told me what happened and I really thought I'd be visiting you in a box" Luke's voice had me squealing and spinning around to face him, I hadn't even heard him come through the door. "I told you that mark wouldn't save you from everything and not..."

"To go out at night, I know. Why am I suddenly a magnet for this kind of thing?" Things had been tough, but we were surviving and now in the period of a couple of months that had all gone out of the window.

"Because you're getting over confident, you came to the Corner Mile. Before that would you have gone out at night?" I shook my head, he was right. My guard was down, I was taking risks. I drove home at night from Mum and Dads; I went out the club and now this. "The graveyard is full of people who didn't think it would happen to them"

"So what are we, friends? How is being a friend of a vampire good for my health?" I let go of Amber's hand, carefully placing it back at her side as if it was the most fragile thing in existence. "Will she be ok?"

"Depends on how much they fed off her" He said it coldly, the hint of concern he had shown upon his arrival gone. "You can't help everyone Lucy. These things have been going on long before you knew about them"

"If I hadn't tried and she died how do I live with that?" I snapped, knowing full well I had turned a blind eye before like so many others. How many things had Maureen and I witnessed from our windows? Any I helped now; I prayed it made up for those I hadn't.

"Like you had all the other times Lucy. The world doesn't need heroes" I didn't know what to say to that and I kind of stood their awkwardly. "Your face is a mess. Let's go back to your room so you can rest"

"Why do you even care? Why come into my life now, why not before the coming out or into Dads life or my grandmothers?" I didn't follow him as he opened the door, crossing my arms defiantly. I maybe acting like a child chucking a tantrum but what right did he even have to criticise my actions or act as if he cared. He was always telling me not to make assumptions on what our family connection meant to him, continuously letting us in to only then be pushed away.

"Because you're the first one out of all of them to be marked" He growled, his gaze turning deadly I swallowed hard suddenly regretting making a vampire mad. "None of our family had come across vampires before, I was the first. You like all the others were born to live and die. When you're changed, you're going to need and want my help"

"I'm not changing. I will kill you all or at least myself before that happens" I was glad I spoke with some conviction but it only seemed to amuse him. Clearly our varying sense of humour was not something inherited.

"Oh Lucy what makes you think you get to be the one to make that choice" I couldn't speak after that as he guided me back to my room and set me on the bed and there was only one voice inside my mind and it wasn't my own but Curtis's.

'He's coming'

"Do you know what Curtis meant by saying he's coming?" It was nearly midnight when I decided to try speaking to Luke again and from where he stood staring out the window he turned rather surprised.

"When did he tell you that?" His response made me think he didn't.

"The other day when he helped us out after a run in with Darvid" Luke only rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose I realised I had never seen him look so casual in just jeans and a sports jersey.

"Seriously? Darvid?"His surprise turned to anger and he clenched his fists tightly. "What else did he say?"

"He thanked us for helping you all escape, said Darvid respected that. That was about it really"

"Curtis is a brother of sorts, Darvid too. We were all made by the same vampire" I kept silent, nodding as I hoped he was about share something useful with me. "He must know the one who marked you then unless you got anything going on you want to share with me? Found some werewolves to piss off or something too?"

"What? Werewolves?"

"Nevermind. I need to go" Werewolves?

"Werewolves exist? Where are you going?" I demanded, moving to get up and chase after him.

"No I was kidding. Stay in bed and rest" He growled, pushing me back onto the bed and tucking into the blanket in tightly around the edges I struggled to loosen it until his face changed in front of my own and the sight of the vampire had me frozen in place. "I mean it"

I barely managed to nod as he returned to his human face and satisfied left the room.