Author Note: I'm really sorry I haven't updated in so so so soo long! I've had the worst writers block and I'm just coming out of it. This chapter is kinda shitty, and not spell-checked, so please don't tell me about the mistakes. I'm going to re-write this story when I've finished the whole thing. Thanks for the reviews, guys! One review I just got recently made me finish this chapter, so thank you!
Oh, and sometimes i take such long breaks that I forget what happens in my own story, so if I got any details wrong, forgive me!

Chapter Ten
Venom is the Sensation of Your Lips

My heart felt like it stopped in my chest and dropped to my feet. He was standing here, holding me in place with his grip only tightening, telling me he had planned to kill me. My forehead and palms became clammy and I could not speak.

“That’s why I left you. I kept procrastinating and waiting, saying ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’, but the longer I waited, the harder it was to think about. I really was falling in love with you, Luna. And I am in love with you.”

He had brought my hands to his chest and held them there, his gaze unrelenting.

I did not know what to make of this. Basic instinct told me it was a trap and I needed to get away, but my heart was fluttering and I felt dizzy for a completely different reason. There was still a piece of me that did not want to let go of him.

“I…I…” I stuttered. I did not know what kind of answer to give him, until I noticed that he had leaned in, his eyes closed and was dangerously close to me.

I finally awoke from my daze and shoved him away, not really thinking that he could easily hurl me through the wall if he so chose to. “What are you doing?! Do you really think that this will work?”

“I thought… maybe…” he began, his expression reading that of a wounded puppy.

“You break into my house and tell me that you were going to kill me, but you suddenly changed your mind! What kind of person do you think I am?!”

He took a few steps back until he was sitting on my bed, a more comfortable distance for me. He hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and holding his chin in his hand, closing his bright brown eyes that were hidden by a curtain of hazel hair anyhow.

Seeing his broken expression pained me, and nearly melted all my anger away. Forgetting what a powerful creature he was, and the fact that he wanted to kill me, I stepped cautiously to his side.

“Michael?” I asked tentatively, and sat down next to him, although every muscle in my body screamed and told me not to.

“You’re right.” He said quietly. “I don’t know how, in my hundreds of years being alive, I could be that dumb. To ask you to stay with me…”

I slowly brought my hand to touch his shoulder, but he jerked away.

“Why… did you want to kill me?” I asked, folding my hands in my lap.

He buried his face in his hands. “I was going to eat you.” It sounded so odd aloud, but I still knew the threat that it held. “I was going to drink all of your blood and leave you dead. There were other benefits; Cedric would no longer have you as a power source, that way he wouldn‘t be a threat to me.” His lips stopped moving.

I gulped. “And you didn’t…”

“Because I love you.”

My gaze stayed on the floor and I studied the carpet. “This is all really confusing.” I rubbed the tips of my toes together awkwardly, at a loss for words. My head was starting to hurt.

“You are taking all of this surprisingly well, Luna.” He stated, as though whatever it was were obvious. He continued when I gave him a questioning look. “The Vampire thing, I mean. I doubt there are many people that could take this in stride. I would think anyone else would run screaming.”

I guess he was sort of right. I never really ‘freaked out’ when I was drawn into this world. Of course, I was scared at first, especially having been bitten by a Vampire, but it did not seem to bother me. Dare I say, it felt ‘normal’?

I was startled and snapped out of my trance-like state and noticed he had laced his fingers between mine. He felt so… warm… it seemed so unreal.

“I guess I haven’t fully grasped the concept that you’re a Vampire, yet.” I admitted shyly. “You feel… alive…” I said, “No offense,” I quickly added at the end.

“None taken. I’ve always been warm, I don’t really know why. I guess it is an odd characteristic for a Vampire to be warm.” He gave me a crooked grin, squeezing my hand gently.

We were both quiet for a moment, and then I broke the silence. “Why me, Michael?”

He cocked his head to the side as he had done so many times before, looking like a confused puppy.

“Why did you want to kill me? Couldn’t it have just been any person off of the street?” His hand tightened around mine, almost painfully, and then he let up.

“I… can’t explain that, Luna.” He looked away from me again. “I don’t really know why… I could compare it to attraction, but it’s so much more than that… something instinctual…” he drifted off, as though he had lost the words he was gong to speak.

“So there was chemistry, so to speak, even though you wanted to kill me?” I asked gingerly.

He nodded marginally. “When Cedric went to the hospital with you to see your father that day, he was tracking me. But when I saw him with you, I was certain you were both… involved. I didn‘t even know you and I was jealous of him.” I think he blushed, but I was not sure if the dead could do that.

“Cedric was there to confront me, and I doubt if you weren’t there we would have tried to kill each other on the spot. In a sense, you saved us both… for a while, at least.” He release my hand and unfolded to his full height, pacing in front of the bed.

“What do you mean ‘for a while’?” I asked, and I was sure that the worry was clear on my face.

“There are two Vampires that could give Cedric a run for his money; Adam and I. We are both powerful enough to challenge him, and have a good chance of winning.”

Before I could ask, he continued.

“But all three of us could be easily killed. Cedric has connections with the Wereleopards, and they would aid him. Adam… I’m not sure about him. But either way, it could go without casualty, or we could all die.”

I realized that I had gone from angry to sympathetic, and now astonished. Two men that I knew, one that I loved, and one I was connected to no matter what I did, could both die. And not to mention Adam… Brooke would be crushed.

“Why does it matter who is the most powerful anyways?” I said bluntly. “Do you want to challenge him?”

Michael shook his head. “It doesn’t really concern me. As long as I can protect myself, I’m content with how things are.”

“Cedric just thinks you want his place?”

Michael nodded, his messy bangs falling over his eyes once again.

“Maybe… I could talk to Cedric…” I said quietly, but Michael interrupted, laughing.

“But you hate him!” He spurted out.

I frowned a little. “He isn’t that bad. He was kind of nice today, believe it or not.”

“Cedric?” He questioned. “Nice?” He laughed again. “Do you remember what he did to you, Luna?”

“It’s no better than what you were going to do to me.” I snapped suddenly, surprised that I defended Cedric so quickly. Michael closed his mouth abruptly and was silent again.

“I feel sort of bad for him, I guess,” I continued. “He asked me about the next mark, tonight… maybe he and I could make a deal… if he left you alone, so you guys wouldn’t be after each other…” I was timid with the proposition. I wasn’t sure if he’d reject it or not.

He plopped himself on the bed next to me, but didn’t look at me. “So you’re friends now.” He said frankly.

“Maybe not friends,” I said, twiddling my thumbs, “but I understand him a little more.”

“Maybe that’s because he’s making you, did you ever think of that?” Michael’s tone had taken an angry turn. “You won’t be the same if he has any more control over you. You’re thoughts would never be private… you’d be an open book for him.”

I ‘hmphed’ and crossed my arms over my stomach. “I just don’t want you two to kill each other. Can’t we just play nice?” I asked, sounding a little more desperate than I was going for.

Michael let out a forced sigh. “I don’t think its fair to let you get bitten again just so your buddy and I can be ‘friendly’.”

“I could have just not told you and done it anyway.” I said under my breath, and got up to go to the bathroom and change. He tried to say something but I slammed the bathroom door too loudly to hear him.

My bathroom was too small. There was just enough room for the shower, toilet, and sink, and maybe four feet of room too walk around in. I looked at myself in the mirror for a few minutes. Just an average pale girl staring back at me.

There was not much too me. I wasn’t very attractive, by my standards, and I looked like a complete mess. My hair looked stringy and hung messily over my shoulders. I suppose some could use the word ‘frumpy’ to describe me. I never cared to much for my appearance. I never went out on long shopping sprees, and owned maybe two expensive pieces of clothing.

I opened the mirror and pulled out my tooth brush and tooth paste from the cabinet and proceeded to brush my teeth. Once my teeth and face were washed, and my pajamas were on, I pulled my hair back into a sloppy ponytail. I realized then just how long it had been since I had touched up the roots of my hair. The brown was growing in again. Was I too old for the colored hair thing?

Either way, I ignored it and walked out of the bathroom. Michael was still sitting on my bed, in the exact same place I had left him, as still as a statue.

“I’m not sure about you, but I’m going to bed. I need to look for a job tomorrow and I have other things to do.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

He raised an eyebrow at me, the beautiful liquid hazel of his eyes still so definable in the dim room. “Are you implying that I need to leave?” He asked, mocking a smile.

I sighed and sat on the bed next to him, and it squeaked as I did so. “Should I trust… should you trust yourself staying here the night? I don’t want to be killed in my sleep.”

Michael smiled, truthfully now, and leaned forward and kissed my cheek. He lingered there for a moment, and even the most innocent of actions made me want things I could barely understand.

He took my hand in his and held it to his chest, where I wasn‘t sure if there could be a heartbeat there or not. “I’ve sat here and talked with you for at least an hour. I can control myself for a few more.”

It was hard to be mad at him any longer, with his dazzling smile and gorgeous eyes. Even the way his messy hair sat ruffled upon his scalp was cute to me. For a split second though, I thought I saw his eyes flick to my neck. Lustily? I wasn’t really sure, I had never had a man look at me like that, so I wouldn’t be able to define it.

“Couch, or…” he began.

It took me a moment to understand. “Do you think you can sleep in the same bed as me and contain yourself?”

He shrugged. “We can find out.” He grinned.

“You want me to give you the next mark?” Cedric said, and that was the first I had seen a remotely surprised look on his face.

I nodded slightly. “Is that so weird?”

He chuckled slightly. “I didn’t expect you to agree so quickly, that’s all.”

I smiled a bit and stood up, but he held a hand out to stop me.

“What’s the catch?” He said, grinning as he raised an eyebrow.

I sighed. “You have to leave Michael alone. No challenging each other. Nothing, okay?”

He half-closed his eyes and took a step toward me, and his cold hands lightly gripped my neck, so light that I could hardly feel it. He was so close, and I hadn’t really realized when it had happened. He looked down at me, the grey eyes locked onto mine.

“I have no problems with that,” he whispered, and I had no time to react, no time to worry about what it would be like before it was happening.

My eyes flew open, and I realized that I had been dreaming. I took a deep breath and drew a lazy hand over my forehead, wiping the sweat from it.

I wasn’t really frightened of the dream, more or less I was shocked. I thought that I had actually gone and gotten the next mark that quickly. I patted my neck, just to check and make sure it was indeed a dream. Nothing.

I let out a deep sigh. I had completely forgotten Michael was there until he spoke.

“Good night sleep?” He grinned.

I sat up so I could get a better look at him. He was laying on his side, shirtless, head propped up on his hand.

“Did you?” I asked, with a slight chuckle at the end.

He rolled his eyes. “Ha ha,” he worded, grabbing my elbow and jerking me back down to the bed.

Before I could open my mouth to say I had to get up and get ready, he had kissed me. I didn’t mind at first, I figured it would just be a simple kiss, but he didn’t stop. He was gentle, but I had never done anything much farther then a ‘peck on the lips’ of my own volition.

I tried to say stop, but it came out muffled against his lips. Instead, he took the opportunity to lightly trace his tongue around my lips. I shuddered, not quite sure why, but I couldn’t say no.

His breath was hot against my skin as he moved down, drawing his tongue along my neck. I couldn’t think straight. What was right or wrong made no sense. My vision swirled and I closed my eyes.

A half a second later the phone rang, and I jumped. Michael groaned, obviously not wanting to stop. I pushed him back and got up, a little woozily, and made my way to the phone.

“Hello?” I said groggily.

“Tonight.”“Hello?” I said again, and looked at the ID one more time. “Cedric?”

“Come to my apartment tonight. I’d like to discuss the mark as soon as possible.”

I paused for a moment. “Why so impatient?”

He didn’t speak for a minute. “Because, Luna. I can’t talk about it. Just come to my apartment as soon as you can.”

I nodded. Things seemed to have changed between us since what had happened with Michael. I didn’t hate him, it seemed. He was tolerable now. “Alright, I’ll be over there. No promises though, about the mark.”

He didn’t say goodbye, he just chuckled and the line went dead. I hung up on my end and retreated back to my bedroom.

Michael was sitting up on my bed waiting for me. “What was that about?”

“That was Cedric.” I said, proceeding to gather my things for a shower. “He wants to see me.”

Michael leapt off of the bed and came to my side, those liquid chocolate eyes piercing through my own. “You’re actually going?” He said, a bit flabbergasted.

“Yes,” I said, making my way around him so I could get to the bathroom. He grabbed my arm to stop me.

“He’s probably going to force the mark onto you, you know that, right?!”

I jerked my arm away from him. “I don’t think he’ll do that, considering he knows that I may agree.”

Before he could say anything, I stepped into the bathroom. Now that I knew about Michael’s ‘secret’, things were different. Of course I hope that things turn back to normal, but now there seems to be something… wild about him.

After the shower I was ready, wearing my usual attire of a large sweatshirt and black jeans. My looks didn’t really matter to me so much. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone.

Michael was sitting on the couch obediently, waiting. “You’re really going?”

I grabbed my purse off the table. “Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with it.” I said.

Before I could blink, Michael was in front of me. I still had to get used to the very ‘inhuman’ things about him, still.

He wasn’t as tense, but calm now. He gripped my forearms lightly, and kept his gaze on the floor. “I’m scared…” he began.

I let out a short laugh. “Scared?” I questioned, pulling back slightly to look him in the eye. “You, the big bad vampire?”

“Its not funny.” He stated more seriously. “I don’t want him taking you away from me.” His hands slid up to my face, cupping my cheeks gently. I blinked and looked away.

“No one is taking anyone away from anyone, okay?” I said to him.

He only answered me with a gentle kiss on my forehead. “You should go now. Don’t do anything you don’t want to, though. Promise?” He said.

I nodded. “I promise, Michael.” I rolled my eyes, adjusting my purse on my shoulder and leaving the apartment.

I found Cedric’s apartment by memory. I sighed, feeling a little more nervous than I should have been, and knocked on the door. After a few seconds I knocked again. No answer, nothing from inside. I knocked once more and jiggled the handle. The door came open without me even having to turn the knob.

I stepped in cautiously, looking and closing the door behind me. “Hello? Cedric, it Luna. You told me to meet you here?” Still no answer.

His apartment was still as dark and vampire-cliché as it could get since the last time I had been there. I looked around and saw a notebook with some papers laying askew on it atop a small table against the wall.

Since he wasn’t there, I was feeling a little nosy. I picked up the papers and filed through them. On each one there was a illustration, some of cats, others of people, but they were very good.

“They’re great drawings, aren’t they?”

I turned around, my heart about breaking through my rib cage, and was expecting to see Cedric there. But I was mistaken.

“Talon, was it?” I asked.

“Yes, Luna.” He said, the words slidding through his lips. I couldn‘t seem him too well, but I figured he had a smile on his face. “Cedric did all of these, hundreds of years ago.” From what I could tell, he was dressed in a plain black t-shirt, and tight-fitting jeans. He took a footstep closer to me.

“But this drawing-” he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. “Isn’t it peculiar, Luna?”

I took the slip of paper. It was hard and worn between my fingers. I unfolded it and only had to look at it for a moment to understand what he meant. “It looks like…”

“You? Doesn’t it?” He finished for me.

There was a sketch of a head and shoulders on the center of the paper, and it looked nearly identical to me. She was smiling sweetly. It looked like me, yes, but she was so much more beautiful.

The door opened then, and Cedric walked in. He stopped where he was and stared at me for a moment.

“What do you have there, Luna?” He asked sweetly at first, but when he came closer, and when he saw the drawing in my hand, he flashed an angry look at Talon.

“I was just telling Luna how this drawing looked so much like her. I haven’t told her everything, yet.” Talon’s lips curled past short fangs, in a very sinister grin.

Cedric snatched the paper away from me and stowed it in his pocket. “Don’t worry about it Luna.” He said, still glaring at Talon. “We have things to talk about. You need to leave, Talon.” He sneered.

Talon just smiled and closed his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. Talon didn’t seem to be budging, so Cedric closed the distance between us and curled his arm around my shoulder, securing me to his side.

“Okay.” Talon said abruptly, with a Cheshire Cat grin still planted on his face. He eyed me for another moment and left the small apartment.

I then pried myself of Cedric’s grasp. “I have a feeling there is something you’re not telling me.” I raised an eyebrow and eyed his jacket where he has stuffed the illustration. “Concerning that drawing and Talon.”

“I’ll tell you some other time.” He said plainly, his grey eyes averted from my.

“I don’t like Talon.” I said bluntly. “There’s something about him that… scares me.” I suddenly felt cold, and rubbed my forearms, try to get some heat.

He scoffed lightly. “What, the fact that he’s a wereleopard and he could tear you in half in the blink of an eye? Yes, that might be scary.” He laughed a little at himself and turned to walk in the kitchen.

“No,” I said, following him. “Just his… presence. There is something else about him that makes me want to run.”

Cedric was silent with his back to me still, and didn’t say anything. No catchy remarks or anything.

“Cedric?” I said in a prying manner.

He remained silent.

I grabbed the back of his dark denim jacket and pulled him to face me, although he could have resisted me with his supernatural strength, he didn‘t. “I know there is something you’re not telling me.”

He adjusted his face. “Luna, would I lie to you?” He tried to smile enchantingly, but I wasn’t falling for it.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “There is a difference between lying and not telling.”

He sighed and shook his head, his loose wavy locks just falling over his shoulders. “There is nothing to not-tell, dear.”

I rolled my eyes. “Then why is it so urgent that we talk about the mark?”

He was silent for another moment. “Power reasons. To keep my city, my followers… you…” he said quietly.

He surprised me with his answer. “M-me? Why me?”

“Luna… I could lose you. And its my own fault that I could. I brought you into this mess unwillingly. You don’t seem to understand that you could lose your life, and bring back some awful demons…”

“What are you talking about? Demons? I don’t have anything that I’m afraid of.” I took a half-step back and forced a little laugh.

He was still silent, and wouldn’t even lift his gaze to meet mine.

My heart thumped in my chest. “Cedric, what is it?”

“I know…” he began… who raped you…”

Author Note: Haha, cliffhanger! XD Please review, I'd really appreciate it! But no critiquing(sp), please!