Nickolas

"Elizabeth, what are you doing, making the Twinkies?" I ask once I get her on the phone. I look around the gas station parking lot, waiting for her.

"I'm checking out as we speak, calm down, I'll be out in a few minutes." she says, a beep at the other end finishing our conversation. I throw the phone into the center console and sit back in my seat.

"Nickolas." I hear Donovan say from the seat behind me, I close my eyes silently groaning.

"Yes?" I ask reluctantly.

"You can't hurt her." he responds quietly.

My eyes remaining closed I inquire, "And why not?"

"Because I think there's still hope for her." He says.

"You do realize she has killed hundreds, yes?" I ask chuckling at the thought.

"Her mom killed her, instead of helping her, Nickolas, her mom triggered the already accounted for vampire side of her. You can't kill her without knowing her back story, about how much she has suffered. Even if she has brought some of it on to herself." he replies.

Opening my eyes, I look at the rear view mirror finding Ashlynn sleeping, her full lips dropped into a faded red pout, her long dark lashes lying against her ivory light skin matching the color of her wild hair. An innocent porcelain doll is what came to mind. That's what surprised me, that though she's killed people, without a care, there's still a small pull in me to forgive her and try to make her better. For someone I don't even know.

The opening of the passenger door brings me out of thought and back to life. Looking over at Liz and her two bags of pure junk, I hear Ashlynn sitting up in her seat.

"I call shotgun blondie." she says as she throws the back door open and steps onto the pavement. Elizabeth looks over at me as if begging with her eyes to tell her to shut up and sit back down.

I smile and shrug saying, "Sorry, Liz, gotta ask our little friend a few questions anyways." She rolls her eyes and sighs in response as she tosses the bags at me. Flipping her hair she walks over to the back of the Ford and slides in. I watch Ashlynn amused as her bouncing steps of victory land her in the passenger seat. Getting settled she looks around the dash,

"Oo, seat warmers." she says as she pushes on the button turning it on. Leaning over to me she looks at me a smile curling her lips, "I'll take these" she takes the bags and sits back in the seat.

I pull out of the parking lot an amused smirk shaping my lips. Something was definitely different about her, alluringly different. And it was annoying as hell.