Chapter One

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Devin McKnight couldn�t help the smirk that spread across her face as she watched her friend moving to the beat of the loud music. She leaned closer so she could be heard.

�I told you that you�d enjoy this!� she said loud enough for her companion to hear. Ashtyn Travers simply rolled her eyes, never missing a beat as her body moved to the music.

�And your point?� she asked, her eyes shining brightly.

�You�re the one who was moaning, bitching and complaining about having to come to the concert. I told you they rocked!� Devin teased.

Ashtyn laughed. �Okay, okay, so they aren�t all bad. In fact, they are kinda good.�

Devin sat back with a smirk, �Told ya.�

About an hour later the girls were outside the stadium where the concert had been taking place. Everyone was piling out of the front, but at the moment the two women were around the back, the restricted area.

�Here, I think this is the door.� Devin pointed to the door marked �Personnel Only�. Ashtyn nodded as she moved to it, checking the handle.

�Awww damn, it�s locked.� She grinned, then turned and kicked the door open effortlessly. It banged against the wall, the noise echoing through the empty hallway. They had no doubts that their presence had been alerted to those still around.

�Think we have much time to still have the surprise attack?� Devin asked as they started down the hallway. Ashtyn shrugged.

�Doesn�t really matter much to me either way. I�ve got some pent up energy, and I�m ready to use it.� She frowned a little when she realized she was a little apprehensive about all this. Something just didn�t feel right.

�Do you have any idea why the council is so adamant that we do this? I�ve never even heard of this band before.� She asked Devin, then muttered darkly.

�I�m not sure really. I�ve loved them since they first came out, their music has always been awesome, but until the council informed us what they were, I had no idea either.� Devin sighed. She was not looking forward to this at all.

�Well, I will give you one thing, Fuel is an awesome band. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert.� Ashtyn smiled, although that apprehension could still be seen in her eyes.

Devin bit her lip and nodded. �Me too. It�s just too damn bad that now we have to kill them.�

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Chapter Two

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The girls walked until they came to where the hallway stopped going straight but branched off to the right and to the left.

"Split up?" Ashtyn questioned quietly as they both did a quick weapons check to make sure that everything was in place and easily accessible.

"Yeah, I think so." Devin replied as she put on her headset and turned on her two-way radio so that she and Ashtyn could be in constant contact if one or the other got in trouble and needed help. Ashtyn nodded in agreement as she did the same.

"We'll meet back here in twenty minutes if we don't find anything." Ashtyn said before she turned to the right and began on her way down that dimly lit hallway. After watching her for a moment, Devin turned to the left and began walking.

She stopped in front of each of the doors, listening carefully for any sign of activity on the other side, but it wasn't until she came to the last door at the end of the hallway that she heard the deep male laughter coming from inside and she knew that she had found her target.

Pausing outside the door, Devin pondered how to go about the attack. It was decided for her though when the door was suddenly yanked open from the other side and she found herself face to face with the leader and most powerful of the group.

Before she could say or do anything, Brett reached out and hauled her against him, his movement so very sudden that it caught her off guard. "I sensed you a mile away. 'Bout damn time you got here." He told her before he lowered his head. Running his nose along the curve of her throat, he breathed deeply, fully taking in her scent. Then he took hold of her arm and tugged her inside the room.

"I knew Junior wouldn't disappoint me." Brett said, mostly to himself. "I think you've got to be the best one yet." He commented as his eyes traveled hungrily over her.

Devin was completely perplexed. It was beginning to become very clear that he had no idea who she was...and he should have known. He obviously thought that she was some groupie that he'd sent for or something. Again, she wondered the motivation behind the Council ordering Ashtyn and herself to make this kill. It really wasn't making any sense to her.

Shoving her questions aside, Devin concentrated on what she had been sent there to do. To kill them...she had to do it, no matter how much she didn't want to. With cat like quickness, she lifted her knee, catching Brett hard in the stomach, then she hit him with several stiff kicks and punches, stunning him momentarily. He quickly recovered, but the expression of surprise at what she was doing stayed firm on his face. He shoved her away from him, causing her to hit the door behind her, but she didn't hit with near the force that she should have. He hadn't put near his optimum strength into it and Devin realized that he wasn't attacking back, only defending himself.

Again pushing her hesitation aside in attacking him, she moved forward again, hitting him relentlessly with a barrage of punches and kicks, not giving up until she had knocked him down. She quickly jumped on top of him, straddling his body as she drew a stake from the pocket on the inside of her jacket. She held the stake so that it was hovering just above his heart as she looked into his eyes. Her own eyes grew wide as she suddenly jumped up and moved away from him. She stared at him for several moments, seeing that he was feeling just as bewildered as she was. Then she turned and bolted out of the room, not stopping until she came to the spot where the hallway had divided off.

For the first time ever, something had happened that had never happened before. She hadn't been able to do it...she couldn't kill him.

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Chapter Three

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Ashtyn hummed softly to herself as she walked down the long hallway, absentmindedly twirling the stake through her fingers. She paused when she reached the end of the hallway, sighing with exasperation when she realized she had reached a dead end.

�Damn it.� She muttered to herself. She was ready for a fight, and she wanted one now, so this hold up was doing nothing but making her angry.

�What the hell are you doing here?� a voice came from behind her, startling her. Mainly because she hasn�t heard anyone come up behind her, and the average person was never able to sneak up on her.

She spun around, slipping the stake unnoticed into the back of her jeans as she met her opponent head on. Her words stuck in her throat as her eyes met his blue ones. He wasn�t a member of the band, but the sudden tightening in the pit of her stomach told her this man was an enemy.

She smirked a little as she moved forward bravely, yet cautiously. �I�m sorry, I�m lost.� She said softly, her eyes trained on him, waiting and anticipating his first attack move.

Before the man could say anything, someone came running down the hallway.

�Junior!�

The man facing Ashtyn turned slightly. �What�s going on, Brett?� he asked. Ashtyn�s whole body was poised and ready. She might not know who this �Junior� guy was, but she sure as hell knew whom Brett was.

Brett paused when he saw the woman standing a few feet away. Junior came forward a little, immediately taking in Brett�s split lip. �What the hell happened to you?�

Brett eyed the woman cautiously, grabbing his friend�s arm, slowly moving down away. �Who is this, Dale?� he asked, nodding toward the woman.

Ashtyn immediately noticed the blood on his lip, her eyes going wide. If Brett was here after having obviously been in a fight, then that could only mean that Devin was�

�You�re dead!� Ashtyn spat out as she attacked.

Moving with lightning like speed, she went down and quickly took Dale�s legs out from underneath him, paying no attention to him as he fell flat on his back. She was back up immediately and before Brett had a chance to react, she had him down on the ground with a perfectly executed roundhouse kick.

Once again he was being straddled with a stake hovering right above his heart, and helpless to do anything about it. �I�m only going to ask this once.� Ashtyn ground out through clenched teeth. �Answer correctly I�ll kill you quickly, if not I�ll make it nice and slow. Now, what did you do to Devin?� she demanded.

Before Brett could answer, the woman on top of him was suddenly gone. Ashtyn didn�t even have time to gasp before she found herself up against the wall, pinned by the other man she had forgotten all about.

�What the fuck is going on around here?� Dale roared, demanding answers. Ashtyn blinked at him, suddenly realizing that instead of going for the kill, which was what was expected, he was demanding answers. And come to think of it, instead of attacking earlier, Brett had been trying to get them out of there and away from her.

What the hell was going on indeed!

Dale and Ashtyn continued to stare into each other�s eyes until they both spoke at the same time.

�Who are you?!?�

Dale let her go and backed up standing next to Brett who had gotten himself off the floor. He glanced over at Brett to make sure he was okay, then back at the woman who was still staring at them.

�How in the hell did you do that? You took both him and me down with no problem. How?� Dale demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. Brett stayed quiet, wanting answers just as badly.

Ashtyn answered his question with one of her own. �Why didn�t you try to kill me?�

Dale and Brett both looked shocked at her words. �Why would we kill you�even though might I point out it was you and your friend who attacked, not us.� Brett asked confused.

Ashtyn straightened immediately. �Devin is okay?� she asked, moving forward, her eyes flashing, and for the first time both men felt fear for the first time in a very long time.

�She�s fine. Beat the shit out of me, nearly ended my�uh�life, then split.�

Ashtyn sighed with relief but then was swept with confusion like she had never known before. Without another word, she turned and ran down the hallway, needing to find Devin so they could figure out what was going on�and what the hell they were supposed to do now.

Brett and Dale watched her for a few seconds before Brett ordered, �Follow her.�

In a heart beat, they were both off down the hallway, determined to find answers�.to many, many questions.

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Chapter Four

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Ashtyn quickly headed outside the arena, her instincts telling her Devin was no longer in the building. When her eyes landed on her friend standing near the bus in the parking lot, Ashtyn finally released the breath she had been unaware she was holding.

Devin looked up as she sensed her approach, the look in her eyes matching Ashtyn�s. She stepped forward, chewing cautiously on her bottom lip. Both of them were so wrapped up in their confusion, neither paid attention to the two men who had just exited the building and were now hiding in the shadows, watching and listening intently.

�Did you do it? Did you kill them?� Devin asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. Ashtyn leaned a shoulder against the bus and shook her head.

�No, and I know you didn�t either. What is going on? I�ve never met one yet that didn�t immediately attack and go for the kill. Yet both guys that I ran into wanted answers more than anything else.� Ashtyn questioned.

Devin shrugged. �I haven�t figured it out yet. And more importantly, when I found Brett, he had no idea who I was. How is that possible?�

Ashtyn was quiet as she thought it over for a moment. �You know, now that I mention it, his friend Dale or Junior or what ever his name is, didn�t know who I was either. He actually questioned me on how I was able to take him and Brett down.�

She lifted her hand, rubbing her eyes as she went over what had just happened again in her head. �This is weird. Obviously they are�well, you know, but they don�t act like it. I mean, it�s almost like they aren�t�� she trailed off trying to find the correct words.

�Evil?� Devin put in for her. Ashtyn nodded.

�Exactly.� She sighed. �The council has some serious explaining to do.� She said through clenched teeth.

Devin�s eyes went wide as she pushed away from the bus. �Shit! We can�t question them!�

Ashtyn raised an eyebrow as she regarded her friend. �And why the hell not? I think we deserve some serious answers!�

�I�m with you on that one hundred percent, but if we got to them and question, they are going to know we didn�t fulfill our mission. Do you have any idea what they will do to us?� Devin asked, her voice quivering just a little.

Ashtyn felt a ripple of fear crawl down her spine. The council was relentless to say the least. They were your best friends as long as you did what they said, and didn�t defy them. They had heard horror stories about what happened to those few who did go against the council.

�Damn, we�re screwed.� Ashtyn murmured to herself, then looked up at Devin. �So what do we do? I don�t know about you, but I seriously doubt I can go through with destroying them. I mean, I have no problems with killing evil things, but they really aren�t evil. And I didn�t get any kind of evil vibes from them.�

Devin sighed heavily. �I don�t know. I didn�t get any vibes either, and after looking into Brett�s eyes, I know I can�t do it. But yet, I don�t want to face the council either.�

�Okay, so we weigh our options. Either we go back in there and kill them, or we most likely get taken out by the council. On the other hand we don�t kill them, and then face the wrath of the council, and instead of them being dead, once the council was through with us, we would most likely be. Gee, you�re right this is a tough one.� Ashtyn threw her hands up in the air as she began to pace.

�Now wait a second, just how powerful can the council be? I mean, after all one of us is stronger than the whole council put together. What can they really do to us?� Devin asked, her hands on her hips. Ashtyn stopped pacing and threw her an exasperated look.

�I don�t know, maybe we should ask the three slayers that dared to go against them just how powerful the council is. Oh yeah, that�s right we can�t because their all dead!�

�Well, aren�t you just a little ray of sunshine and hope.� Devin muttered, although she knew Ashtyn was right.

Ashtyn grinned for a moment. �Just the voice of reason, that�s me.�

�Well, maybe we could tell them we killed them and that be the end of it.� Devin suggested, although even to her own ears that plan didn�t sound like much of a plan at all.

�Sure we could do that. Then when Fuel goes back on tour, or releases another album, we�ll just tell them they came back from the dead�again. I�m sure that would go over real well.� Ashtyn started pacing again.

�So basically we�re damned if we do and damned if we don�t.� Devin slid down the bus and to the ground, pulling her legs up to her chest so she could rest her pounding head on her knees.

�Stupid vampires.� Ashtyn hissed. �You think you have them all figured out�I mean we�ve been doing this for how long now? Every vampire I�ve ever come across has been evil. Easy slay. I mean not complicated at all. Vampires are evil meaning they need to be destroyed. That�s where we come in. Slayers meet vampires, vampires turn to dust. Easy as that.�

She was rambling and she knew it, but at the moment she was so frustrated she really didn�t care. �But now we�ve got these vampires who are suddenly �nice�! Where�s the fucking logic in that? Can anyone answer that for me? How about�� she spun around quickly catching both men off guard and she looked directly at them. �You two. Want to shed some light on this?�

Brett and Dale both stepped out of the shadows, the looks on their faces priceless. If the situation hadn�t been what it was, both Ashtyn and Devin would have laughed.

�What? You two thought you were sneaking up on us?� Ashtyn asked, her lips curving. �Sorry but I knew you were there the entire time�and I�d be willing to bet my life that Devin did as well.�

Devin rose to her feet quickly, trying to ignore the way her heart sped up when her eyes met Brett�s. She licked her suddenly dry lips as she moved to stand by Ashtyn.

�We sensed you a mile away.� Devin said, throwing Brett�s earlier words back in his face.

�How did you know we�re vampires?� Brett asked.

�More importantly, what the hell is a �slayer�?� Dale asked right after Brett.

Devin seemed to have lost control of her voice and whenever it seemed she had it back, Brett would look at her and her voice would fail her again. Luckily, he wasn�t having the same effect on Ashtyn, who crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes at both men.

�I believe I asked a question first.� She snapped. She wasn�t normally so pushy or bitchy, but this precarious situation was really putting her on edge. �I highly suggest you get on with the explaining, because I�m starting to get pissed. And you�ll want to trust me when I say pissing me off it not a good thing. For you.�

At her words, Dale couldn�t help but grin, admiring her attitude and spunk. And it was more than obvious she and her friend could back up any threat they wanted too. He had a feeling he and Brett should be running away from these two women, getting as far away from them as possible, but instead he felt drawn to them, feeling a need to get closer. And he knew Brett felt the exact same way.

And he definitely wanted to get closer to the green-eyed vixen who was currently glaring at him. It had been a hell of a long time since anyone intrigued him, and this woman intrigued the hell out of him. He knew he wouldn�t be able to stay away from her even if he tried.

When he smiled, Ashtyn felt as if her world started spinning. She sucked in her breath as her heart started pounding. The female part of her had noticed him when he had come upon her in the hallway, but the slayer part of her over rode everything else, blocking out all the other emotions. But when he smiled, even the slayer part of her melted.

�Oh this could so not be good.� She thought to herself, as she struggled to regain control of her wayward emotions. She focused on the matter at hand, forcing herself back into slayer mode, turning the glare up a notch, not letting him see just how that smile, and the man/vampire himself was affecting her.

Brett stayed quiet as he took in the two women before him. Once again his eyes were drawn to the one who had attacked him in his dressing room. She completely captivated him and stole his breath away, and not just because she kicked his ass. There was something more�something deeper.

As she and her friend were talking earlier, he�d had time to really study her. She stood about five four with long dark straight hair and blue eyes that could see straight into a man�s soul, even if he didn�t want them too. She and her friend were both tiny, very petite and it was nearly impossible to fathom just how much strength and power those little bodies were capable of.

Her friend wasn�t any taller as they stood just about eye to eye and were both pretty much equal in size. And other than both of them being this so called �slayer�, that was where the similarities ended. Her friend had lighter brown hair, with golden highlights. Where one had straight hair, the other was wavy to the point of being curly. And instead of alluring blue eyes, she had intense, mysterious green eyes.

Both women were striking with just their looks alone. But the power�his body still ached form the attacks.

Before anyone could break the heavy silence, both girls suddenly stiffened, their heads jerking up to look around. �We�ve got company.� Ashtyn said softly as Devin nodded, automatically reaching for weapons.

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Chapter Five

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It wasn�t until after the words were spoken that Brett felt it, and knew that Dale had as well. Something was coming towards them�something evil. In the back of his mind it registered that both women had sensed its presence before Dale and himself. Oh yeah, there was definitely going to be question and answer time.

Suddenly a very large, hideous green demon appeared, seemingly out of no where, and leered at both Brett and Dale. Before it could attack it swung its huge head around and took in the two women standing a little ways away.

�Slayers.� It growled, obviously not at all happy to see the two women, as it forgot its intended target and zoned in on its new prey.

�See! Even Mr. Ugly here knows who we are.� Ashtyn looked pointedly at Brett and Dale, who still hadn�t moved.

�Uh, Ash, I don�t think this is the time to worry about who knows us and who doesn�t.� Devin said, keeping her eyes on the demon as it started moving towards them.

�I�m simply pointing out the fact that even though we don�t know big ugly here, it obviously knows us. Therefore, those two should know who we are.� Ashtyn pointed out as she too started backing up along with Devin, trying not to let her uneasiness show. Damn but this thing was ugly!

�Could you point it out later? We�ve got big gross problems at the moment.� Devin asked. �And I�m thinking this will take more than a stake.� She murmured, glancing down at the pointed stick in her hand then back at the demon, wincing when she realized it would have little to no effect on it.

�Um, you don�t by any chance have a sword do you?� Devin asked, glancing at Ashtyn.

�Oh sure, I�ve got it right here in my thong!� Ashtyn snapped, then sprang at the demon, tired of waiting for its attack. She ducked as it swung at her, her eyes widening when she felt the miss�only imagining how it would have been if the punch had connected.

She ducked again when it kicked at her, then yelled over to Devin. �Little help here!� she shouted, grunting when the demon finally landed one of it�s blows, throwing her back against the bus with enough force to leave a nice body sized dent.

Before the demon could regroup, Devin was on him, kicking and punching, trying everything to bring the thing down. Nothing seemed to be working. She was barely able to let out a little squeak when it grabbed her around her neck, lifting her off her feet so she was eye to eye with the thing. She struggled to get herself free as her air supply was cut off completely, her legs kicking out wildly.

The demon roared loudly as it was attacked from behind, dropping Devin to the ground as it spun around to face the two vampires. �You�re next, wait your turn.� It hissed before effectively knocking both men away with one swipe of its giant arm.

Finally getting her breath back, Ashtyn flipped herself back to her feet, just in time to see the thing advancing on Devin who was still on the ground gasping for air her lungs were screaming for. Dread filled the pit of her stomach as it hit her that the outcome for this situation didn�t look good at all.

Gritting her teeth, she charged again, hitting the demon just as it was reaching for Devin, the force of her body knocking it back a few, unbalancing it just slightly. Seeing the opening, the first sign of weakness, she jumped on it, putting all her strength and skill into it.

Devin got herself together and had just gotten to her feet when the demon�s body fell to the ground, lifeless, its neck clearly broken. She rushed over to Ashtyn who was a little worse for the wear herself. Blood streamed from the gash above her eye, and she looked worn and beaten.

�Are you okay?� Devin demanded, paying little to no attention to Brett and Dale as they came over.

Ashtyn nodded, wiping at the blood keeping it from flowing into her eye. �Yeah, just give me a minute. Whew�that was close.� She muttered, then looked at Devin closely, taking in the bruising that was starting all the way around her neck.

�How�s the neck?� she asked. Devin quickly shrugged it away.

�I�m fine, more worried about you.� Devin moved to her side, putting an arm around her when Ashtyn swayed a little.

�I�ll be okay. Sore as hell in a couple hours, but thank god for those quick healing powers. I should be fine by tomorrow morning.� Ashtyn answered then looked at Brett and Dale. �Are you two okay?� she asked, then her eyes went wide.

�And why do I care?� she asked out loud, meaning to think it inside her head. Her cheeks immediately flamed red when she received grins from both Brett and Dale.

�Come on,� Dale said softly, moving forward to take her by the arm, leading her towards the building. She went along with him without protest, wondering who was more surprised by that fact. Him or herself. �We�ll get you inside and clean you up.�

Brett and Devin followed along, Devin keeping a close eye on the two vampires. Yeah, she didn�t get any evil vibes from them, but that didn�t put her mind at ease at the moment. The fact still remained that they were both vampires, and vampires wanted blood. And, Ashtyn was bleeding. No matter how nice they seemed or how concerned, Devin wasn�t about to let her guard down, not for one moment.

Something else that was bothering her was the earlier attack. It had been brutal and deliberate and it was obvious the council wasn�t the only ones who wanted the vampires dead. And if it hadn�t been for her and Ashtyn�s interference, that had almost cost them their lives, they very well would be nothing more than a little pile of dust.

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Chapter Six

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About an hour later, they all sat around in Brett�s dressing room. Ashtyn had been cleaned up and to the guy�s ever growing amazement, the bruises on both women had started fading even before they had completely formed, and the gash on Ashtyn�s head was already starting to close.

These women just kept amazing them, but there were even more questions than ever, and now was the time for answers.

�First of all, you two know I�m Brett and he�s Dale. But we have yet to get your names.� Brett pointed out.

�That�s because we didn�t give them.� Ashtyn muttered, then groaned as she closed her eyes and tilted her back so it rested on the back of the couch. Her head was pounding and she was extremely irritable at the moment. Devin couldn�t help but grin. She was more than used to her friend�s sudden changes in moods, but she could tell the guys were feeling a little apprehensive around her.

�I�m Devin and Ms. Grumpy over there is Ashtyn.� Devin said, giving the introductions. Ashtyn merely flipped her off, not lifting her head and not opening her eyes.

�I�m not grumpy.� She said in a clipped tone.

�Uh huh, sure.� Devin grinned then turned back to the two men.

�Okay, so we�ve obviously seen what you two can do, and believe me, we are impressed as hell.� Dale started, his eyes kept traveling over to Ashtyn as he spoke. �But, what is a slayer?�

Ashtyn�s head came up and she opened her eyes, only wincing slightly in pain. �Oh no you don�t. You don�t get the first question. I asked outside before we were so rudely interrupted, so you two better get talking.�

Devin shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. �Nope, not grumpy at all. How I mistook that cheery attitude of yours for grumpy, I�ll never know.�

Ashtyn turned to look at her friend. �Dev, do me a favor. Bite me!� Realizing what she had said her head swung around to look at the two men before groaning and closing her eyes again. �Bad choice of words.� She mumbled, causing everyone to laugh.

After a moment everyone was quiet again. Finally Brett spoke up. �Why did you two come here?�

Devin looked him in the eyes. �To destroy you.� She answered honestly.

�Why?� Dale questioned.

�Because we were told too.� Ashtyn answered this time with a sigh as she sat up a little straighter.

�Who told you too?� Brett demanded to know, feeling his anger growing.

�The council.� Devin said softly, looking down at her hands.

�And who is the council?�

�They are the ones who�well�I guess you could say controls the slayers.� Devin answered, grimacing when Ashtyn nearly growled.

�Control. Fuck that, no one controls me.� She snarled. When she caught looks from all three people she ducked her head with a sheepish grin. �Sorry.�

�And the slayers?�

�Oh fine!� Ashtyn stated. �But I so get my question answered next!�

�Every generation slayers are born. They are born with the skill, power and knowledge to fight and destroy all the evil on the earth. Meaning vampires, demons�everything that goes bump in the night.� Devin answered. �The official title is �Vampire Slayer�, but we slay more than just vampires.�

Ashtyn grinned. �We�re equal opportunity ass kickers!�

�And how many slayers are there?� Brett asked, he and Dale sitting back in shock. How is it they�ve never heard of them before?

Devin shrugged. �Hard to say. I think only the council knows for sure how many there are.�

�And you always travel in twos?� Dale wanted to know, looking back and forth between the two women.

�Nope, normally a slayer fights on her own. But we kind of got thrown together when my watcher was killed and Ashtyn�s watcher became mine as well.� Devin explained, sadness clouding her eyes as she thought of the man who had become like a second father to her.

�Watcher?�

�Every slayer is assigned a watcher.� Ashtyn took over, knowing Devin would need a moment to get herself together. �Each slayer is called when they are 15�trained, then sent out into the world when she turns 16. A watcher goes with the slayer, making sure she is training correctly, and they are also very, very helpful with research and stuff like that.�

Suddenly she sat up straighter. �And speaking of watchers, if I don�t call Evan soon, he�s going to send out a search part for us.� She looked at Devin who nodded.

�Wait, one more questions. You keep referring to slayers as females. Are all slayers women?� Brett asked.

Devin and Ashtyn both grinned as they nodded. �Yup, no men allowed!�

Both men sat back, digesting all they had just learned when Ashtyn stood up. �I�m gonna call Evan. When I get back, I expect full answers in detail about how you became vampires, and why in the hell you two aren�t, well, evil.�

Devin followed her to the door. �I�ll go with you.� She said softly. She wasn�t scared to stay with Brett and Dale, because for one thing she knew she could easily take care of them both if they tried anything, but what did make her uneasy was the feelings that swept through her whenever she looked at Brett.

She sighed as she closed the door behind her, walking down the hall a little ways with Ashtyn as she took out her cell phone and placed the call. Devin blocked out the conversation as she went over everything in her head.

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. �This is so fucked up.� She said to herself. Unfortunately she had a feeling this was only the beginning and they were all in for a long, hard, bumpy ride from here on out.

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Chapter Seven

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"So what did ya tell him?" Devin questioned when Ashtyn ended the call with Evan.

Ashtyn sighed as she looked into her friend's eyes, easily seeing the anxiety there. "Nothing. I just told him that we were fine and ended the call before he could ask if we had carried out our instructions."

"What are we going to do about the Council?" Devin voiced the question that had been plaguing her mind over the past hour. "Any bright ideas because I sure as hell don't have any."

"Next," Ashtyn began as she turned and began walking back to the door that led to Brett's dressing room. "I'm getting some damn answers! And then hopefully we can figure out where to go with this mess from there."

Reaching the door, the girls opened it without knocking first and stepped into the room. They found Dale and Brett still seated in the same spots where they'd left them and they both still looked completely stunned. Devin was just as stunned when she found herself actually feeling a little bad for them. What they'd just been told had to be a lot to take in all at once.

Shaking her head in disbelief at herself, Devin told herself that it was ridiculous to feel anything for them. They were vampires for crying out loud! Enemies!...or so she kept trying to tell herself, but deep down, even she knew that it wasn't really working.

Dale and Brett looked up when the girls entered the room, both of them smiling slightly when their eyes touched on them. Both girls blushed a little bit at the light glowing in their eyes when they looked at them.

"Alright, we've been patient enough and now it's about damn time you two give us some answers in return." Ashtyn demanded, breaking the thick silence that was filling the room. "We want to know how both of you became vampires and I want to know why you aren't evil like all the rest of them." She finished as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them, waiting for one of them to start talking. Dale spoke up first.

"At this time 2 years ago, I was a driver in the Nascar Winston Cup Series." He paused for a moment, looking for a hint of recognition from either Ashtyn or Devin. He continued when he saw none. "It was a weekend that we'd had off for a holiday and things weren't going the best in my life...both professionally and personally so I decided to take off for the weekend and head up to a nearby lake to do some fishing...and some good soul searching."

"On that particular night, I was walking a little ways from where I'd pitched my tent in the woods near the lake, looking for some kindling to get the fire going. I heard some rustling in some brush, but just thought it was a skunk or something. Boy, was I ever wrong. I guess you could say that I really haven't been the same since then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Eight

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�Damn.� Devin said softly when Dale fell quiet, as he remembered that night that wasn�t that long ago, yet at the same time felt like centuries. �That�s tough.�

Ashtyn felt herself softening towards him, then shook her head telling herself she was being ridiculous. No matter what she couldn�t forget that he was a vampire�even though there was a big part of her that wanted too.

�That still doesn�t explain how you�re not evil.� Ashtyn stated, her impatience flashing in her eyes.

Dale sighed as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. �I wish I could answer that for you, I really do, but until you two showed up tonight, I honestly didn�t know vampires were supposed to be evil. The only other ones I�ve ever met are Brett and the guys, and they certainly aren�t evil.�

�What about the vampire who sired you?� Devin asked, tilting her head. She had thought hearing the story would clear up things, but it only made for more unanswered questions.

Dale shrugged. �I don�t know. I never saw who it was. The last thing I remember was yellow eyes, then I was waking up in a cabin, alone. I started walking when Brett and the guys pulled up along side me on the road. They took one look at me and knew what happened and I�ve been with them ever since. If it weren�t for them, I�d probably have sat outside the first night and welcomed the sunrise.�

They were all silent for a few moments as it was the girls turn to try to digest everything. Ashtyn broke the silence when she turned to look at Brett. �Okay, your turn.�

Brett took a deep breath. �It was when we first formed the band. We were doing our first tour, all of us young and na�ve. One night we were on our way to Chicago when we noticed three women on the side of the road hitchhiking. Now that I think about it, it was incredibly stupid to stop, but at the time we didn�t think anything of it.�

He paused as he ran his fingers through his hair. �We invited them on the bus and offered them a ride to the nearest town. We hadn�t even pulled away from the side of the road when they attacked. We were all helpless to stop them, none of us even realizing what was going on until it was too late.�

�Jesus.� Ashtyn breathed softly, shaking her head as she looked at Devin.

�Not to repeat what Ashtyn said earlier, but that still doesn�t tell us why or how you�re not evil.� Devin said, still confused.

�I wish I could help you out on that, but I can�t. Somehow we all came out of it pretty much like before�only without a pulse and with a serious allergy to the sun.� Brett muttered.

Ashtyn met Devin�s eyes. �We need help figuring this out.� She said. Devin nodded.

�I know, but who can we trust?� Devin asked. Ashtyn took a deep breath.

�I think we need to let Evan in on what�s going on. I trust him completely, and hopefully he can do some research and find out a few things for us. Like why they aren�t evil, why the council wants them eliminated, and who else is after them.�

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Chapter Nine

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Before anyone could say anything, the dressing room door burst open suddenly, causing everyone in the room to jump to their feet, all of them taking a defensive stance, Ashtyn hissing in pain as her body protested to the sudden movements.

Brett and Dale immediately relaxed when they saw Carl, Kevin and Jeff standing there.

�Where the hell have you two been? We�ve been waiting forever for you!� Kevin stated as he stepped forward, then halted in his steps when his eyes fell on the two women in the room, a strange feeling passing through him as he meet their eyes.

�Uh, did we interrupt something?� Jeff asked, he too feeling something he�d never felt before. None of them missed Brett�s split lip, nor the markings on both women. Something serious had gone down here.

�You three better sit down and get comfortable. This is going to be a long night.� Brett told them, waving them in the room. Once the three had sat introductions were made.

�Guys, this is Devin and Ashtyn�they are both slayers.� Brett said softly, watching each man closely to see what kind of reaction he would get. Carl and Jeff just looked perplexed and confused, where Kevin�s big body jerked as he shot to his feet.

�Slayers?� he demanded.

Dale�s eyes narrowed. �You know about slayers?� he asked, his voice calm although his eyes were flashing.

Kevin ran a hand over his face. �I�ve heard of slayers, but as far as I knew they were just a myth.�

Brett too shot to his feet, his body tense with anger. �You knew about the fucking slayers and didn�t say anything?� he roared, advancing on his long time friend.

Before he could reach Kevin, Dale jumped in between them. �Calm down, starting a fight with Kevin isn�t going to help anything.� He said. �Besides, he though they were a myth.�

�Hey cool! I�m a myth!� Ashtyn grinned proudly, causing Devin to giggle.

Kevin eyes the two women suspiciously. �How do we know you two are really slayers?� he questioned, his tone cold. Devin closed her eyes and groaned, knowing he�d just made a very huge mistake.

Ashtyn stepped forward, her eyes challenging. �Why don�t you try me and find out.�

Kevin shook his head. He might be a vampire, but there was no way in hell he was attacking a woman�and defenseless woman at that. He ignored the warning in her eyes.

�I don�t think so. I�d probably kill you honey.� He said. Brett and Dale both snorted.

This time it was Devin who shot to her feet and got into Kevin�s face, her own temper snapping. �I dare you.� She hissed. Before Kevin could even think of an answer, Devin had him pinned against the wall, holding there without any real effort on her part.

Kevin, Jeff and Carl�s eyes widened in surprise and shock, while Ashtyn simply stood back, rocking on her heels with a smug grin.

�Any more doubts?� Devin asked through clenched teeth, glaring into Kevin�s blue eyes. He shook his head, sighing with relief when she released him and stepped back.

�Way to go Dev!� Ashtyn cheered. She was always the one to lose her cool, Devin always being the level headed one�until someone questioned their abilities. She loved watching Devin put people in their places.

�Uh, can someone please tell us what the fuck is going on?� Carl asked, looking around the room.

Brett nodded. �Sit down, we�ll tell you everything.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Ten

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�Are you sure about this?� Dale asked a little nervously as he looked out the window to the two story house they were currently parked in front of.

�Honestly?� Ashtyn asked, then continued at his nod. �No. But come on, let�s get this over with.�

They all seven piled out of the van and started towards the front door. Before they reached it the door opened, revealing a man who looked to be in his late forties.

�Where the hell have you two been?� he demanded, not even paying attention to the men with the slayers.

�Hey, great to see you too Evan. No, really we�re fine, the marks, their nothing, just another hard day at the office.� Ashtyn said sarcastically, referring to his lack of concern at her and Devin�s appearance.

Evan smiled at her then turned his attention to the men, his mouth dropping open when he realized who four of them were. �What the hell!?� he immediately reached for the cross he kept by the door, holding it out in front of him, causing all five men to hiss and duck away.

Devin jumped forward and snatched the cross out of his hands, hiding it from sight. �Have you lost your mind?� she demanded. Evan gave her a look.

�I think I could ask the same thing of you two. It�s not every day you bring a vampire home, much less five of them.� He snapped.

�Calm down and we�ll explain everything.� Ashtyn said as she passed through the doorway, moving Evan back in the process. Then she turned to the guys, knowing they wouldn�t be able to come in unless invited. �Come on in guys.�

�You�re fucking nuts.� Evan muttered. Ashtyn turned slowly towards him.

�Careful, I�ve had a rough night. You really, really don�t want to start with me right now.� She warned, her hands on her hips.

�I�d heed her warning, Evan.� Devin told him, patting him on the shoulder on her way by to the living room.

A couple hours later, Evan sat back in shock as the entire story came out, and as many questions answered that could be. He looked as shell shocked as they all still felt.

�I just can�t believe this. I�ve never heard of a �good� vampire, much less five of you.� He said, his voice filled with disbelief. Then he turned to his slayers. �What are you two going to do? The council expects them gone�you can�t defy them.�

Devin rose to her feet. �We can�t kill them Evan! Haven�t you been listening to anything we�ve said? They aren�t evil!�

�But-� he started but Ashtyn cut him off.

�If you want them dead, you do it.� She said, her voice soft. �But make no mistake about it, neither Devin nor I will step in to help�in any way.� She shocked herself when she realized she meant every word.

�This is crazy.� Evan sighed.

�You�re telling us.� Devin said as she sat back down. �So, what the hell do we do?�

Evan cleared his throat. �Well, I can buy us a couple days with the council, that will give us time to figure something out, hopefully get some more answer. But I can only stall them for so long. We�ve got to figure something out and fast.�

�Why are you willing to help us?� Brett asked, not liking the feeling he was getting from Evan. He trusted Devin and Ashtyn, even though he hadn�t know them long. Something about them just felt right. He couldn�t say the same for their watcher.

Evan met his gaze and held it. �Because I believe in my slayers.�

Ashtyn glanced at the clock and noticed the time. She stood up and looked at the five vampires. �The sun will be up soon. Come on, I�ll take you guys down to the basement. No sun down there. Then, I�m getting some much deserved sleep.� She had just finished her words when she yawned, suddenly feeling bone tired.

The yawn was contagious and before she knew it Devin was stretching along with Ashtyn. �When the sun goes down, Ash and I will go patrolling and see if we can�t find any vamps or demons to hopefully give us some insight on this.�

�How will you get them to talk?� Jeff asked. Ashtyn grinned slyly.

�Powers of persuasion. We can both be very persuasive when we want to be.� She answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Eleven

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Devin was asleep the instant her head hit the pillow, but was startled awake a short time later. She opened her eyes and found herself looking towards a small, empty clearing in the middle of a heavily wooded area. She blinked and then gasped softly in surprise when she saw the beautiful four post bed draped with silk linens that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the clearing.

"This better not be a dream." She murmured to herself when her eyes touched on Brett. He gave her a sexy smile as he pushed the sheets back and patted the spot beside him invitingly. Before she could even think of taking a step toward him, she suddenly found herself standing beside the bed.

As their eyes locked, Devin slipped her hand into his and he pulled her to where he was kneeling in the center of the bed. With his free hand, he tangled his fingers through her hair, bringing her even closer to him as he lowered his head, his mouth crashing down on hers in a brutal kiss that had everything around her spinning wildly. Before she could even conceive what was happening, she found her self unclothed and on her back, Brett's body covering hers and pressing her deeply into the mattress.

Pulling away from the kiss, Devin looked into his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on. Not that she was complaining at all, but it did seem more than a little strange. She opened her mouth to say something, but her words were stopped when Brett stared down into her eyes as he placed his finger across her lips to quiet her. An instant later, his lips were where his finger had been.

Devin threw her head back, her body arching toward his body as his mouth left hers and traveled down the curve of her neck. He sucked gently on the tender flesh, bringing the blood to the surface. He nibbled lightly, but didn't break the skin. Hearing her soft, but passionate moans, he moved further down her body, raising her desire with his hands and mouth.

Tunneling her fingers through his hair, Devin urged him back up. She cried out as she felt him joining their bodies together. It was only a short matter of time before she was spinning madly out of control. She gasped when she felt his fangs pierce her skin, yet she wasn't afraid. She trusted him, and in fact, the sensation that it caused heightened her pleasure times ten and sent her plummeting over the edge.

The scream that escaped her awoke her and everyone else in the house. "Damn." Devin muttered as she sat up and ran a shaky hand through her sweat dampened hair. "Just a damn dream." She thought to herself, knowing that it was, of course, too good to be real. "Damn." She again said softly to herself.

"God, would you please shut up and go back to sleep!" Ashtyn yelled sleepily from her bed across the room, not at all happy with being awakened so abruptly. Devin sighed quietly as she laid back down. Sleep was a long time coming though as vivid images of the dream played over and over in her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Twelve

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Ashtyn was already in the kitchen when Devin walked in, fresh from her shower. Since their �calling� demanded late hours, they pretty much slept during the day as much as possible, their �day� starting pretty much when the sun went down. A lot like the five vampires who were all still down in the basement.

�Yummy, that smells good, I�m starving!� Devin said with a smile, commenting on the scrapple, eggs, bacon and pancakes Ashtyn was just finishing cooking.

�Have a seat, food will be ready in just a sec.� Ashtyn told her. Once they were sitting at the table, Ashtyn couldn�t hold it back any longer.

�So�that must have been one hell of a dream you had last night.� She commented, causing Devin to nearly choke on her mouthful of food.

Wiping her mouth with her napkin, giving herself time to recompose herself, Devin shrugged. �What dream?� she asked, deciding to play dumb.

�The one that had you moaning and groaning, then screaming loud enough to wake the neighborhood.� Ashtyn grinned, chuckling at the redness on Devin�s face. �I mean, if I didn�t know any better, I�d say you were having a rather hot dream about some wild monkey sex!�

Devin�s fork paused just before it reached her mouth as she stared in disbelief at her friend. �Wild monkey sex? What the hell is that? No, wait, I don�t think I want to know!� she shuddered.

Ashtyn laughed. �Honestly, I have no clue what it is. It�s a saying I heard a long time ago, and just now remembered. Doesn�t exactly leave for a great visual does it?�

�So anyway, who had the starring role in your dream?� Ashtyn asked, although she had a feeling she already knew the answer.

�I don�t remember.� Devin answered quickly�a little too quickly as she looked down at her plate.

�Sure you don�t.� Ashtyn laughed as she got up and carried her now empty plate over to the sink.

�So what is the game plan for tonight?� Devin asked, picking up her own plate as she tried to change the subject.

Ashtyn gave her a knowing look, fully realizing what Devin was doing, but let the subject pass for now. �Well, I say as soon as we�re ready, you and I head out to patrol. If we find some big bads, then before we slay, we get some answers out of them, like who else is after our new, uh, friends.�

Devin nodded. �Sounds good to me. Let�s go now.�

�Okay, just let me run upstairs to let Evan know we�re leaving. He�s on the computer right now trying to get any and all information he can without tipping anyone off.�

�Alright, I�m gonna get weapons together, meet you out front.� Devin said as she turned and headed down the hallway to the training room, where she and Ashtyn would work out and where all their variety of weapons were held.

She was rummaging through a chest full of stakes when she felt someone else enter the room. She looked over her shoulder, freezing when their eyes met. She couldn�t help but blush, especially after the dream she�d had. She took a deep breath as she straightened and turned to face him, wondering how in the hell she was going to get through this conversation without making a total fool of herself.

�Just play it cool girl.� She told herself.

�Morning, or evening, yeah evening since it is evening.� She rambled, wanting to kick herself. �Yeah, that was so smooth.�

Brett sensed her uneasiness and gave her a smile he hoped would calm her just a little. �Evening.� He said in that voice of his that was making her weak in the knees.

Scenes from her dream flashed before her eyes and she found that she was having a difficult time breathing. Brett looked around the room in interest.

�Impressive.� He said softly. �This is where you two train.�

She nodded, wiping her sweaty hands on her jeans. �So, um, did you sleep naked?�

Mortification swept over her when she realized what she had just said. �Can I just die now?� she prayed to anyone who was listening. She couldn�t believe she had just said that! She�d meant to ask if he slept well, but she�d been distracted by memories of her dream. Damnit!

Brett, who had been walking slowly around the room, taking everything in, spun around to face her, shock written all over his face. Surely he must have heard her wrong.

�What?�

Devin hid her embarrassment well, hoping she could get out of this with a shred of dignity still in tact. �I asked if you slept well. Is everyone else still sleeping?�

Brett was quiet for a moment as he watched her intently, fighting the satisfied grin that was threatening. That wasn�t what she had asked and he knew it, and it made him feel amazingly good to know he was having the same effect on her as she was on him.

�I slept very well.� He finally answered. It was the truth. He�d had the best sleep he�d had in a long time, and he accounted a lot of that to the fact that he�d had quite a few rather erotic dreams about the woman standing in front of him.

�I think Dale�s up and moving around, but everyone else is asleep. Where�s Ashtyn?� he asked.

�She�s upstairs. She�ll be down in a minute, then she and I are heading out for a little while. Um, do you guys need us to pick up anything for you?� she asked.

Brett shook his head. �No, but thanks. I think once everyone is up, we�re all gonna head back to the bus.�

�Is that such a good idea? We still don�t know why you were attacked, and there could be more out there.� Devin pointed out.

Brett smiled. �We can�t stay here forever.� He pointed out.

�You�ll stay here until we figure out what�s going on.� Devin told him, her tone and look telling him to not even try to argue with her. �But if you guys want to get stuff from the bus, that�s fine, but Ash and I go with you.�

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Chapter Thirteen

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Dale was walking around the house looking for Brett, Devin, and more specifically Ashtyn. He was unable to get the green-eyed beauty out of his mind. And quite honestly, he hadn�t tried too hard either. He stopped, his head turning to look to the top of the stairs when his acute sense of smell picked up her unique scent and it was getting stronger, which meant that she was getting closer.

He�d barely finished the thought when Ashtyn appeared at the top of the stairs. She looked down, seeing him standing there and their eyes locked. Ashtyn was barely able to stop herself from swaying at the sight of him and the way he was looking at her.

�Hey.� She stated, finally snapping herself out of the momentary stupor that she�d been in. She started down the stairs, hanging on tight to the railing and praying that she didn�t fall on her ass.

No sooner than she'd completed the thought, her foot slipped out from underneath her and she felt herself falling. Before she could hit the floor, she was caught. She didn't have to look to know who had caught her, and after taking a moment to collect herself, she lifted her head, their eyes meeting once again.

Ashtyn slowly pulled away and regained her footing, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. �Uh, thanks.� She mumbled, silently cursing herself for her clumsiness.

�Wait a second,� she thought to herself. �Clumsy? I�m never clumsy!� No slayer was.

�So much for those slayer reflexes, huh?� Dale grinned teasingly down at her. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

�I was distracted.� She grumbled, trying to look fierce and very �slayerly�. Dale raised an eyebrow.

�Distracted huh? By what?� he asked, moving just slightly closer, not a lot, but just enough to make all her senses alert and her body tense.

�Uh, distracted with everything that is going on. You know good vampires, the council, other people out to kill you, oh and did I mention the fact that for the first time since I was called as a slayer I was unable to slay last night?� she asked, knowing full well she was rambling but damn if something about this man that made her nervous and acting like an idiot.

Dale grinned. �Well me personally, I�m kinda glad you weren�t able to slay last night. Being a pile of dust doesn�t much appeal to me.� He followed her when she turned to walk towards the living room.

�So what�s the game plan?� he asked. She glanced at him over her shoulder giving him a questioning look. She was trying desperately to not let him see just how much he was affecting her and trying to play it cool.

�Game plan?� she asked.

�Yeah. What are we all going to do? The guys and I can�t hide out here forever.� He said softly. Besides, he didn�t much care for the idea of hiding, and he didn�t want to jeopardize either of the women�s safety by staying.

�Well, you guys are going to stay here, and I do mean stay here,� she gave him a stern look that made him wonder if she had read his mind. �Dev and I are going patrolling and find out what the word is on the street. After that, I�m not sure what we�re doing. My guess is that we are going to have to just wait it out until Evan comes up with something.�

She chewed on her bottom lip, feeling the frustration build. She was never one for patience, so waiting of Evan, no matter how hard he was trying, was going to get on her nerves in a hurry.

She and Dale both looked up when Devin walked in, followed closely by Brett. She nodded to Dale before looking at Ashtyn, who was trying desperately to hold in the smirk that was threatening. Devin saw the look and threw her and evil glare, making sure her friend kept quiet.

�Are we ready?� Devin asked, ready to get out of there for a little while and get some fresh air. And she was so tense at the moment, she needed to kill something�to relieve some pent up frustrations, mainly caused by the dream.

�Yup, let�s go.� Ashtyn moved towards the door.

Before following her, Devin looked at Brett and Dale. �We�ll be back in a few hours, then we�ll all go to get your stuff. No one leaves this house before then�have I made myself clear?� she asked, her eyes daring them to challenge her.

Ashtyn could feel the smile pulling at her lips when she took in Brett�s expression, who was staring hard at Devin. It was definitely a battle of wills. It was obvious Brett wasn�t used to taking orders�and Devin wasn�t used to anyone going against her. Ashtyn had a feeling things could get real interesting.

She turned her head when Dale stepped up next to her, her smile fading. She knew she couldn�t let these vampires see any kind of weakness. Yeah she didn�t get any of the usual vibes from them, but no matter how �good� they may see, she had a feeling they still had the potential to be extremely dangerous.

�Be careful.� Dale said quietly, his gaze unwavering. Ashtyn blinked at him, looking and feeling completely stunned. No one had ever told her that before in her entire life. The warmth that spread through her scared her more than anything she had ever faced. She had to get away.

Without answering she spun around, grabbed Devin�s arm and pulled her along behind her. �We�re leaving now.� Ashtyn said through clenched teeth as she yanked open the front door, nearly pulling it off its hinges.

Once they were outside and down the street a little ways, Devin looked at Ashtyn�s tight expression. �What happened?� she asked.

�Hell if I know.� Ashtyn muttered. She stopped and looked at Devin. �Listen, we need to figure out what is going on and quickly, and then get those vampires the hell out of our lives.�

Devin�s eyes widened at her friend�s words, but deep down she knew she was right. She reacted to Brett stronger than anyone she had ever known, and she knew that if she didn�t get away from him soon, something would happen�something that was forbidden between slayers and vampires. And she knew Ashtyn was feeling the same thing towards Dale.

�What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?� Devin sighed heavily, rubbing her hand over her face.

�I wish I knew, Dev. I really wish I knew.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Fourteen

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"Tell me what I want to know and I'll think about not killing you." Devin demanded to the vampire that she held tight against the wall of the mausoleum located in the center of the cemetary where she'd found him. She glared at him, her eyes daring him to make any kind of move or refuse to give her the information that she wanted.

The vampire hissed in her face and moved to try to escape her grasp, but halted when she immediately reached for the stake that she had tucked into the back of her jeans. His head hit the wall behind him when she suddenly punched him square in the jaw with every ounce of strength she possessed. And with all her pent up frustration added to that, it was enough to make the vampire reconsider his position. She'd already kicked his ass all over and killed two other vampires before him.

"Alight!" He nearly yelled, embarrassed at giving in, but he didn't want that stake through his heart and she did say that she wouldn't kill him if he talked. "What do you need to know?"

"I want to know who after Fuel." Devin felt the vampire stiffen a bit more at her words, but he quickly regrouped himself and relaxed.

"I don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about." He told her as he hit her arms, breaking her hold on him.

"Bullshit! You know damn well what I'm talking about!" In an instant Devin had him slammed back against the wall once again. She held him there with one hand while the other grabbed the stake and now held it poised over his heart. "This is your last chance you piece of shit!" She warned him.

"I overheard some talk night before last down at the pier." The vampire began to talk; anything to get the slayer off his case. "It was Scorpion and his group. I didn't hear much. They sensed me eavesdropping and I got the hell out of there."

"What-did-you-hear?" Devin demanded through clenched teeth as she gave him another hard shove against the wall.

"They kept referring to 'the boss'. So I think they're working for someone. They were bragging about how they were going to take out the entire group and anyone who gets in their way. That's all I know, I swear!" He finished, his eyes growing wide as he watched Devin pulled the stake back, ready to let him have it.

"Hey! I thought you said that you weren't going to kill me if I talked." He tried to break free of her grasp, but she held him firm with only one hand.

Devin smirked as she looked into his eyes. "I said that I'd think about it. And now that I've thought about it, I've decided that I'm going to kill you. So sorry." She told him just before she plunged the stake into his heart. An instant later, all that was left of him was a pile of dust.

Turning around, Devin was going to go search for Ashtyn. They'd split up, hoping to cover more ground in the short time that they'd be out. She sighed with relief when she saw Ashtyn walking towards her. While Devin knew that her friend was more than able to take care of herself, one never knew when something could happen and she was always relieved to see Ashtyn at the end of the night.

"Productive night?" Ashtyn asked, seeing that Devin looked a little more relaxed than she had when they'd left the house.

"I should ask the same of you." Devin replied, seeing the same in Ashtyn.

Ashtyn sighed. "I only ran into one vamp and no info."

"Three here and we're going to be paying a little visit to the pier tomorrow night." Devin told her and began filling her in on what the last vamp had told her as they started walking back towards the house so that they could get Dale and Brett and bring them back to their bus so that they could get some of their things.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Fifteen

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�There is nothing in the books about Scorpion.� Evan threw the last book in his hand across the room, barely missing Ashtyn who ducked it and grinned.

�Wow, Evan, never knew you had it in you.� She teased, bending down to pick up the book and setting it on the table.

�What about you guys, ever heard of him?� Devin demanded, looking at the five vampires who were sitting around. As soon as they had returned Devin sat everyone down and informed then on what she had been told. Evan had immediately hit the books only to come up with nothing.

All five vampires shook their heads, none of them having ever heard of �Scorpion�.

Devin threw up her hands in frustration. �Well we�re screwed.� She grumbled. Ashtyn grinned at her as she sat on top of the table.

�Wow, great positive attitude you got there Dev.� Ashtyn giggled. Devin couldn�t help but grin. Normally it was Devin who had to lift Ashtyn�s spirits and attitude.

�Bite�� Devin cut herself off when she saw the grin on Ashtyn�s face and the looks she was currently receiving from the six males in the room. �Never mind.�

After a moments silence, Brett spoke up. �So what do we do now?�

Ashtyn jumped down from the table. �I say Devin and I go back out, find some more vamps, kick some more asses and get more information.�

Devin rolled her eyes as Evan studied her. �Slow night huh?� he asked. Ashtyn pouted prettily as she sat back down.

�Yes. I only got one where Devin got three. It�s not fair. Besides, why wait to hit the pier until tomorrow night? Why not just go now?� Ashtyn�s eyes were shining with anticipation.

Devin shook her head. �We�re going with the guys to their bus to get all the stuff they need.�

�I really don�t think two slayers are needed for that.� Ashtyn countered, anxious to get the ball rolling. �I�ll tell you what, you go with the guys to the bus and I�ll head down to the pier and see what I can find out.�

Devin was about to protest when Dale stood up. �I don�t like that idea.� He stated firmly. Ashtyn turned her head slowly, her eyes meeting his. The way her eyes narrowed told him he�d just crossed the line.

�I don�t recall asking your opinion.� She said through clenched teeth. �But thanks for the input, I�ll keep it in mind.�

With that she jumped down again from the table and moved over to the weapons bag, which they had disregarded on the floor when they had come in earlier.

Evan stood up and followed her. �Ash, I never though I�d ever hear myself say this, but I have to agree with the vam�uh�him.� He gestured towards Dale, who was standing close by with his arms crossed over his chest.

�And that affects me how?� Ashtyn asked looking at Evan who sighed and gave in. He knew once she got that look in her eyes, there would be no swaying her.

�Fine,� Evan sighted.

�NO!� Devin exclaimed coming forward. �This is ridiculous. You could be walking into a trap!� she nearly yelled at Ashtyn.

�And it could be our only way to find out what the hell is going on!� Ashtyn retorted. �Look, I�ll be careful, I won�t let anyone see me, I�ll only slay if need be�alright?�

Devin still didn�t look satisfied. �Alright.� She eventually gave in. �But I still don�t like it.� She muttered before turning and stomping out of the room.

Again, she knew Ashtyn could take care of herself, but the thing that worried her was ever since meeting her, Ashtyn was the type who acted before thinking. She had little to no fear, and Devin was scared to death that one day it was going to end up killing her.

Ashtyn watched her walk away, torn between going after her and going out the front door. She chose the latter. She was out the front door and down the sidewalk before she realized she was being followed. She spun around and found herself face to face with Dale.

�What the hell do you think you�re doing?� she demanded. He was part of the reason she needed to get out of the house. She needed to be away from him, because he was doing things to her senses that just wasn�t right. And on top of that she was having a hard time reminding herself that he was a vampire. And every time she looked into his blue eyes she was having to fight with herself not to jump on him�and not in the slayerly sense of the word either.

Dale shrugged. �I�m going with you.� Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. For once in her life she was absolutely speechless.

Dale raised an eyebrow. �What? Did you honestly think I was going to let you go down there by yourself?� he demanded. He sighed when he realized that was exactly what she though. Jesus Christ what was he going to do with her. He knew what he�d like to do with her�

�Not now,� he silently scolded himself, then turned his attention back to her. �I�m coming with you, or you don�t go at all.� He said finally.

It was her turn to raise an eyebrow. Dale had a feeling if he kept it up he was going to seriously get his ass kicked, but for some reason he couldn�t help himself. This woman, whose strength by far surpassed his own, brought out protective urges in him, along with a few other feelings�ones he had though died along with his body the night he was turned.

Ashtyn suddenly relaxed her stance as she started giggling. �You looked so fierce when you said that.� She chuckled. Dale simply scowled at her, not finding anything humorous at the moment.

�I mean, I suddenly have this mental image of you actually attempting at keeping me from going, and me kicking your ass all over this yard.� She laughed. Dale grimaced.

�Yeah, that image flashed through my mind as well.� He said, his lips curing in a smile. They both calmed immediately when their eyes met and held. They could both feel some kind of invisible force pulling them together, but before either could act upon it, Ashtyn turned away.

�Well, if you�re coming with me just do me two favors.� She said. �Don�t get in my way.�

Dale nodded then asked, �And the second?�

She cut him a sideways look. �Don�t get yourself staked. I don�t want to have to be the one to go back in and tell your friends you�ve been dusted. Follow these two simple rules, and we�ll get along fine.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Sixteen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Devin turned around from the window that she was staring out of when she sensed another presence enter the room. She felt her heart speed up when her eyes touched on Brett, who was standing just inside the doorway.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he took a cautious step forward, not sure if his presence was welcomed or not.

Devin sighed as she walked away from the window and sat down on the couch. "She doesn't think...she just doesn't think!" She exclaimed, speaking of Ashtyn and Brett could easily see the worry in her eyes. "If she keeps on like this, she's going to get herself killed one of these days!"

Stepping across the room, Brett sat down beside her on the couch, hoping that what he was about to tell her would ease her fears a bit. "Dale went with Ashtyn."

Devin laughed humorlessly. "No doubt she's pleased about that." She said, her voice filled with sarcasm.

"She'll be fine." Brett offered, hoping to assure her.

"I know." Devin sighed. "I just wish she'd think about things first before rushing off like she always does." She said and then fell silent. After a few moments, she glanced at the clock and then stood up. There was still four hours until sunrise and it should be more than enough time, but she never liked to cut things close.

"We better get going if we're going to get your things." She told him, her heart again beginning to race at the thought of being with him the rest of the night. Then she silently chastised herself and pushed those feeling aside, knowing that there could never be anything between Brett and herself. That thought saddened her more than she was willing to admit to anyone because when she talked to or was with Brett, she felt something that she never had before...a genuine attraction and a genuine longing to be with him. Not in just a physical sense, but the dream she'd had wasn't helping any of that either.

"You coming?" Brett's voice broke through her thoughts. Devin looked away and missed the slight smile curving Brett's lips at guessing what was going through her mind. Probably much the same as what was going through his.

'What?" Devin asked, not having heard what he'd said, only his voice.

"I asked if you were co-..." Brett trailed off, realizing how it sounded. A wave of need washed over him as he thought of how much he'd like to make her do that.

"Uh...are you ready to go?" Brett questioned and then groaned inwardly. God, he was ready to have a go with her alright!

"Yep." Devin replied as she began walking towards the kitchen where everyone else was still waiting. "I just need to gather a few weapons and we can get going." She paused in the doorway and looked at Brett, who was still standing beside the couch. "Are you coming?" She asked.

Brett nodded. From the thoughts and images flashing through his mind, he damn near really was.

*****

A short time later, Devin and the guys arrived at the arena where the bus had been left. As they all climbed out if the car, it was decided that Carl, Jeff, and Kevin would get the things that they needed off of the bus, while she and Brett went inside to get their stuff from the dressing rooms. Devin felt that the three vampires going to the bus would be safe. It seemed that for some reason, the demon attack the night before had been more focused on Brett and Dale.

"So were you guys supposed to do a show tonight?" Devin asked as she and Brett walked toward the door that would take them inside the arena.

Brett stopped, not even having thought about it. "Yes." He answered and began walking again. "I need to get a hold of our agent and try to explain to him what is going on."

"Does he know?" Devin asked as they stepped up to the door. "That you guys are vampires?" She clarified when she saw Brett's confusion.

Brett nodded. "Yes. We had to tell him when he wanted to schedule us for some outdoor shows during the day. It took him a while to accept it, but he eventually did. He's one of the very few that does know." He explained as he tried the door and found it locked.

"It's locked." He stated the obvious."

Devin grinned at him. "Not a problem." She said confidently. "Now stand back. Wouldn't want to get in the way of this." She told him just before she kicked the door and sent it flying off it's hinges.

"Damn!" Brett exclaimed, mostly to himself. He still couldn't get over the strength that she possessed. "What?" He questioned when he saw the disbelieving look she threw at him over her shoulder. "Whether you want to admit it or not, you are amazing." He said as he followed her down the hallway. He was unable to stop himself from running into her when she abruptly stopped in her tracks and turned around to face him.

"You think I am amazing?" Devin questioned, still not sure if she had heard him right or not. No one had ever really told her anything like that apart from Ashtyn and Jacob, who had been her watcher before he was killed.

"Very." Brett answered as he stared into her eyes. Unable to resist her being so close to him, he pulled her against him with one hand while the other rose to cup her chin and tip her head back.

The instant his lips touched hers, he knew without a doubt that he had never experienced anything like it before. He was completely lost. When he moved to pull her more fully against him, he was shocked when she pushed him away.

"Brett," Devin began softly, her voice trembling as much as the rest of her was from the kiss. "We can't do this." She told him, her voice filled with regret.

Brett looked at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. He saw exactly what he was feeling in her eyes. He didn't understand why she had put a stop to it. "Why?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"It's against the rules." She answered quietly as she looked away, unable to take seeing the expression in his eyes.

"Rules?" Brett asked, clearly not understanding what she was talking about.

Devin sighed as she walked over to the wall and leaned against it. Of course he didn't understand. Until the night before he didn't even know that slayers even existed. It was only natural that he wouldn't have any idea about the rules.

"The rules between slayers and vampires." Devin told Brett when he turned to face her. "It is forbidden for..." She trailed off, searching for the right words. "things...to happen between a slayer and a vampire. And I know that if I allowed that kiss to go any further, there would be no way I would be able to stop it then. I'm so sorry, Brett, it can't happen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Seventeen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

�Alright, stay out of sight and we�ll meet back here in twenty minutes.� Ashtyn said softly. They had just reached the docks with no problem, and so far there hadn�t been any sign of activity, but she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach and she needed to go investigate.

Before she could take more than a step Dale stopped her by touching her arm. She grit her teeth trying like hell to ignore the shocks that went through her entire body.

�Where the hell are you going? I came with you, I stay with you.� Dale hissed. Not only was this woman sexually frustration the hell out of him, she was just plain frustrating!

�I hunt alone.� She told him firmly looking him directly in the eyes. She held up her hand halting his protest before the words could even be formed.

�Dale, I appreciate your concern,� she said surprising herself to find she actually meant it. �But I�m the Slayer; this is my job, like it or not. I�ve done this night in and night out since I was fifteen years old, and I�ll keep doing it until I die.�

She chose to ignore the way his eyes darkened at her last words, and the way his entire body went tense. �This is my calling, it�s what I do. Sure, I may be spontaneous at times and act without thinking, and maybe I should be more level headed like Devin, but that�s not who I am. This is who I am.� She emphasized by holding her arms out. �I�m not changing how I do things�for anyone.�

�Slayers have a short life expectancy, it�s a simple fact.� She said, her voice going a little lower. �I�ve accepted that. I�m not going to live my life being overly cautious. I�m going to live my life to the fullest, kicking as much evil ass as I can. And when my time does come, I�m going down fighting.�

She took a deep breath and continued. �So please, Dale, I don�t mean to be rude, but back off and let me do my job.�

Dale stayed silent, simply staring at her, his glare not lessening nor intensifying. She nearly let out a sigh of relief when a few minutes later some of the tension left his body and he gave a stiff nod, although it was reluctant.

�Alright, but if anything happens�� he trailed off, for some reason unable to finish that thought.

She grinned up at him. �Don�t worry, if I need back up or get into a situation I feel I can�t handle on my own, I�ll call for you. But that means you do the same.� She told him and once she got his nod she turned to walk away.

She turned back when she heard him call her name. �Be careful.� He repeated his words from earlier that evening, and again she had pretty much the same reaction inside, instead this time she felt the unfamiliar sting of tears.

�You too.� She whispered softly, but knew he could hear her with his vampire hearing. Then she disappeared silently into the shadows.

***

Dale paced back and forth, every couple steps looking back at the spot he had last seen Ashtyn. A low growl was brewing in the depth of his chest every time he saw the spot still empty.

�Where the fuck are you?� he asked out loud, glancing down at his watch, seeing that nearly twenty five minutes had passed.

�I�m sorry, I didn�t realize I was late. If I�d known you were in such a hurry to die�again, I�d been here sooner.� A voice hissed behind him.

Dale spun around, his eyes widening when he took in the thing before him. This was not a vampire, it was bigger than the thing that had tried to attack the night before, and looked a hell of a lot stronger.

Being a vampire, Dale knew he was strong and could handle himself, the only problem was, neither he nor the other guys ever truly tested their strength and they weren�t trained in fighting. They had always stayed away from other vampires, and being, well, good they hadn�t had any reason to practice fighting.

And right about now he was wishing he knew more than he did. He quickly masked his fear, knowing instinctively that he couldn�t let this creature before him see just how afraid he really was.

�Who the hell are you?� Dale asked in a low voice, adjusting his stance, ready for the attack he was sure was about to come.

�You don�t know me? Surprising, I thought all vampires did.� The creature grinned, slowly moving forward inch by inch.

�Yeah well, I must be outta the loop. Seems to be quite a few people who I should know of but don�t.� Dale replied sarcastically.

�You may call me Scorpion�for the next few seconds you�re undead at least.� With that the monster attacked, moving quicker than anything Dale had ever seen. One second it was a good ten feet away from him, the next it had him pinned against a crate on the dock.

�Pity, I thought you�d at least put up a little bit of a fight.� Scorpion snarled as he pulled back his hand and for the first time Dale saw the stake. His life and �unlife� passed before his eyes as Scorpion plunged the stake downward.

He closed his eyes, just waiting for the brief pain before he burst into dust, but then his eyes snapped open when he felt nothing. He looked down and found the point of the stake mere inches from his heart. He looked up and saw Scorpion�s shocked look, and that was when he noticed the small hand on top of Scorpion�s larger one, halting the stake�s deadly decent.

Ashtyn smiled brightly at Scorpion. �No need to b e disappointed. You just picked the wrong person to fight. He�s more of a lover than a fighter�but that�s where I come in.�

With that she punched Scorpion square in the face, causing him to drop the stake and stumble back a few steps in shock and surprise. Ashtyn immediately moved protectively in front of Dale.

Scorpion lifted his hand to his face, letting out a roar when he found he was bleeding from her punch. No one made him bleed�ever! �You bitch!�

�You have no idea.� Ashtyn replied before jumping up and landing a solid kick on the side of his head, sending him reeling and falling to the ground on his back. Instantly she was on top of him, hitting him repeatedly until he was struggling to stay conscious.

Once she knew he wasn�t going to put up a fight, she let up, but stayed where she was. �Now where are my manners? I have yet to introduce myself! Mother would be so disappointed. You�re Scorpion and I�m the Slayer. Nice to meet you!� she exclaimed, seeing the way his eyes widened.

�You�re the slayer?� he hissed. She nodded enthusiastically.

�Well, one of them, but that�s not really the point now is it?� she asked. �Now, why are you after my friend here?�

Her tone was light and almost friendly like, but it didn�t fool Scorpion or Dale for a second. There was a deadly light flashing in her eyes, and Scorpion wasn�t dumb enough to challenge her, physically or mentally.

�I was hired to kill him and the leader of Fuel.� He answered. A low grown sounded from behind Ashtyn and she looked over her shoulder and smiled at Dale.

�Down boy!� she told him then turned her attention back to the creature still on the ground beneath her. �Why?� she asked.

�I didn�t ask.�

�Wrong answer!� she said cheerily as she punched him, causing him to cry out in pain.

�You know, I could do this for hours. I�m not the least bit tired. Slayer stamina and all! The real question is just how long can you hold out?� she asked him with a smirk.

�It�s something about a prophecy what involves those two vampires!� he wailed, knowing his time was up.

Ashtyn got up quickly, staring down at him. �Prophesy? What prophesy?�

�I don�t know I swear! I just know it has to do with some kind of ancient prophecy that the Council doesn�t want coming to light.�

This did not sound good. Any prophecy Ashtyn had ever heard of normally predicted a slayer�s death. She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it, knowing she was going to have to get Evan on this right away.

Scorpion saw she was deep in thought and used her distraction to his advantage. He lashed out with his foot catching her in the stomach, sending her flying back into Dale, both of them going down in a heap.

By the time Ashtyn got herself together and untangled from Dale, Scorpion was long gone. �Damn it!� she cried, scanning the area quickly, but knowing deep down he was gone.

Suddenly she spun around to face Dale. �Are you alright?� she asked, looking at the spot on his chest where his unbeating heart lay.

�Uh��

�What did I ask you? I only asked two things. To stay out of my way and to not get yourself staked. UGH!� she threw up her hands in frustration. She glared at him. �You�re not coming along with me anymore�at least not until you get some training.�

Dale stepped forward, surprising them both when he put his hand on her flat stomach. �Are you alright?� he asked concerned. She sucked in her breath as she struggled to find her voice. Giving up she simply nodded.

�You saved me.� He said in awe, staring down at her. Again she nodded.

She knew what she was feeling was wrong, but at the moment she didn�t care. When she had come back and seen Scorpion ready to stake Dale, she had nearly lost it.

It was against all the rules, and although she wasn�t one to be told what to do, she had never really gone against slayer rules before, but now she found she really could care less about the damn rules.

She wanted this vampire with a passion that she had never felt before�certainly never before for any normal man. When she was with him she felt like she had found the missing piece of herself�

Without stopping to think about it, she grabbed him by his shirt, catching him somewhat off guard. She went up on tiptoes and captured his lips with her own. She felt him stiffen, but seconds later she felt his arms close around her with surprising force, pulling her closer to him as he took over the kiss, sending her entire world spinning out of control.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Eighteen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neither knew how they ended up in an abandoned boathouse, and really neither cared. They hadn�t even stopped to make sure the place was safe, not really needing too�both instinctively knowing.

Both wanted control, yet neither was willing to give it. At the moment Dale had Ashtyn pinned against the wall of the boathouse as he ravished her with his mouth and hands.

She tilted her head back and moaned as his lips trailed down her neck, his hands just about driving her crazy with the way he was maneuvering them over her body. She struggled to get her bearings back and regain control, but the instant she felt his hand slip inside her jeans, she willing gave up all control�something she had never done before.

Their clothes disappeared in a frenzied hurry as their mouths met again, their tongues dueling wildly. Dale pulled back slightly only when air became a necessity for Ashtyn. Their eyes met and with a wicked sexy smirk he went down on his knees in front of her, and before she could comprehend the move, he had one toned leg draped over his shoulder.

She was unable to stop the little scream that escaped her when she felt his mouth on her, her hands burying deep into his hair as he drove her wild.

�Oh god.� She whimpered as she felt herself flying, her entire body tensing before she found her release, crying out his name as she did.

Dale didn�t give her time to recover as he stood up quickly, and lifted her. She automatically wrapped her legs around his waist, both groaning loudly when he buried himself deep inside her with one swift thrust.

He started kissing her again, his hands once again roaming all over her body. She reveled in the feeling of his cool bare skin against her own over heated body.

As her own hands trailed over his body, he trembled and drove harder inside her. She lifted her hips and squeezed her legs harder around him; the strength of her grip would have crushed a normal man, but it only inflamed Dale farther. He shoved his hands beneath her and tilted her higher, thrusting even more deeply.

He growled, his mouth next to her ear and the sound made her gasp, her nails raking down his back. The sensations that swept through her felt more powerful than anything she�d ever imagined possible.

His cry of release was low and hoarse, hers a keening wail as they tumbled together into the very heart of darkness.

Sunburn II
2003 K&K Productions

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