On a cool mid-April night, Caleb Taylor carefully maneuvered through the thick undergrowth of the forest. Despite the oppressive darkness from all sides, it was a beautiful moonless night for a hunting excursion. Caleb paused at the edge of a break in the trees to appreciate the evening's gentle breeze.

Enough to mask my exact location, he speculated.

He had learned not to let the prey's scent be acquired too easily by the predator, or else the hunt ended rather quickly. Glancing at the illuminated face of his new watch, he calculated the span of time that had passed since he had entered the forest.

Always fighting the clock.

Despite his preoccupation with quietly navigating his way through the pitch-black terrain, he took the time to breathe in the fresh scent of the forest. He attempted to gauge his location against the preliminary reconnaissance he had conducted prior to sunset. As he stepped past a tree and under one of the overhanging branches, he pivoted his body closer to the ground and heard a small tearing sound. With a quick tug and a sharp scrape against his left arm, he felt a stab of pain as needle-like brambles raked across his skin.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, tentatively probing his left arm where his clothing was torn.

Glad I'm wearing older clothes, he absently credited before quietly proceeding on his way.

A minute passed before he heard a small shuffling sound not far from his location. He froze, grasped the trunk of a nearby tree, and scanned the area in the direction of the noise. His heartbeat increased slightly, and he momentarily closed his eyes to concentrate on calming himself.

Peaceful forest, calm forest, peaceful forest.

As his mantra ended and he opened his eyes, he was more at ease and continued to sweep the area visually. His eyes widened with sudden recognition as he stared between the tree trunks across a distance of approximately sixty feet at what appeared to be two small orbs of bright green. A predator's eyes.

Realizing that all pretense of stealth had been lost, he turned and fled in the opposite direction through the bushes and tree limbs in a race against time. An image of a rabbit running from a fox flashed in his mind.

Barreling like a bullet through the darkened forest, he heard the sounds of his closing pursuer. The ground dropped sharply before him, and he half-tumbled down an incline, barely managing to keep his balance to the bottom. He righted himself and turned to run, but was startled by a whooshing sound from above. A dark image leapt over him and landed beside him with a heavy thud. He staggered backwards with surprise at the towering presence before him, crowned ominously with glowing green eyes.

"Enough!" a woman's authoritative voice commanded. "You violated our agreement."

"W-What?" Caleb stammered.

He craned his neck upwards to make eye contact with the tall, imposing woman standing before him. Her long, red hair was pulled back tightly over her head and tied into a neat ponytail. She had a model's high cheekbones, and her shapely form was displayed by a pair of faded jeans and long-sleeved shirt. She was beautiful and, best of all, his to adore. Katrina Rawlings was his mate.

My vampire, he proudly thought, my love. However, he was simultaneously concerned by her current demeanor. My unhappy vampire.

"Remember our arrangement, my love?" Katrina chastised. "If you're injured, our game stops."

Their game was called Find Caleb, invented by Alton, a friend of Katrina's who had been helping Caleb establish a way to channel her need for hunting into a sport that did not kill or harm anyone. Unfortunately, though not surprisingly, he endured occasional minor injuries. Still, he easily dismissed such inconveniences in lieu of his foremost goal: pleasing her.

"C'mon, it's just a scratch, Kat," he countered using the nickname he had given her soon after they met. He had been amazed that she allowed it, because she hated pet names, much less nicknames. Only their mutual friend Paige usually got away with it.

He reached back with his right hand to touch the spot on his left arm where his shirt was torn. However, this time he felt something warm and sticky to the touch, and his arm stung when his fingers touched his skin. As he retracted his hand, he strained through the darkness to stare at his blood-covered fingertips with a wide-eyed expression.

"What the..?"

"See? How did you think I found you so quickly?" she interrupted pointedly. "Your blood scent was easily carried on the breeze to me, just as freshly-cooked hamburgers on a grill would to you."

"Yeah, I see what you mean. Sorry about that," he sheepishly offered. "I guess I'm the hamburger tonight, then."

She stared down at the handsome, twenty-six-year-old man standing before her. He was precious to her. In fact, she loved him more than life itself. And his pale, blue eyes and athletic body were simply beautiful to behold. It pleased her that he had maintained a steady exercise regimen since winter, which had only enhanced her already considerable physical attraction towards him. But it was his sincere, kind nature and caring demeanor that had captured her heart.

"More like a hot dog," she quipped.

A smile touched his lips.

Her expression softened, and she reached out gently to grasp his left arm. "Turn towards me, my love," she beckoned with a sigh. "You're so accident-prone sometimes."

"I try my best," he innocently countered.

Katrina beamed with satisfaction and conceded, "I know you do."

He's actually made great progress in a short time, she thought. But I suppose that when vampires play rough with humans, accidents will tend to happen.

She examined the cut on his arm and saw the blood beginning to seep into his shirt. Deftly ripping open the remainder of his sleeve, she bent down to lick the blood from his arm. Its fresh scent elicited a strong desire in her, but she forced it under her control. No, it's not a desire, she temporized, it's a dark hunger, a ravaging thirst. And it wants to be quenched soon.

"Ouch," he muttered under his breath as the stinging sensation continued in his arm. "Stupid thorns."

"If it's due to some of the brambles that I saw further back in the forest, then it's the poison in the thorns that's causing your discomfort. Let me fix that for you."

She pressed her tongue against his injured skin and held it in place for a few moments. He quickly felt the build of a soothing, numbing sensation. He was forever grateful that vampire physiology was so handy for first aid. Their saliva could both numb, and summarily heal, wounds. Such an ability enabled vampires to feed on humans, or other animals, relatively painlessly, if they so desired. Wounds healed in mere minutes, leaving no trace of offending fangs.

"There, better?" Katrina asked. She certainly felt better just from tasting his blood, which she found both addictive and irresistible.

He appreciated the lingering numbness in his arm and reached back to the wounded area, feeling no cut or abrasion.

"Good as new," he gratefully replied.

"Good," she said and bent her head down to kiss his lips warmly.

He responded in kind and reached out to interlace the fingers of his hand through hers. Not wanting to break the moment, he gently snaked his free arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. Her soft lips were intoxicating, and he wanted the kissing to last forever. Granted, while Katrina might be an alpha vampire, the most dangerous and violent variety, she was also a passionate woman. Added to that, she was so kind, caring, and attentive towards him. Even in her most ominous of moods, he knew that she loved him. Of course, that's not to say she didn't intimidate him on occasion.

Such a small price to pay for the companion of a lifetime, he decided.

"I love you, Kat," he whispered when their lips parted from yet another kiss. "And I love our weekend getaway."

She had suggested that they spend a romantic weekend at the forest retreat that she had picked out on the Internet. They rented a cabin, and upon arriving, ensured that its windows were blocked out with dark cardboard from the sun's lethal, ultraviolet radiation.

"As I love you," she softly replied before kissing his lips, his cheek, and the soft skin of his neck. She listened to the melodic rush of blood pulsing through his arteries and the rhythmic harmony of his heartbeat causing her thirst to build.

He noted that his lover's eyes were still glowing green, like two small emerald orbs in the darkness. That meant one of three things: she was angry, aroused, or hungry. Somehow, he felt that aroused was a possibility, but hunger was most likely given his recent open wound and her tasting him. He couldn't recall the last time that she had fed, though they had brought plastic packets of blood with them to store in the cabin refrigerator.

"Want a little nibble?" he quietly offered.

Katrina kissed his neck once more. "Do you mind?"

She's so polite to me on that topic, he noted appreciatively. She had never once taken blood from him without his approval. It was one of the things that she had promised him after declaring him her mate.

"Happy to oblige," he replied with a grin.

She gently guided him to the ground and encouraged him to lean back against a large fallen tree trunk while adjusting his posture for easy access to his neck. While she didn't have to draw blood from the neck, it was her favorite location.

Call me a traditionalist, she reflected.

She squatted down to straddle his body between her knees then bent towards him while placing her hands on either side of his body. Her soft lips kissed his neck and formed a seal against his skin. As she pressed her tongue against him, he felt the telltale numbness begin to grow. He held very still, and moments later, he felt an increased pressure as her fangs fully penetrated him.

Small, slurping sounds emitted from her as he lay prone with his eyes closed. The darkness and sedate sounds of the forest were soothing as he floated on a sea of euphoria. He relished such peaceful moments of tranquil bonding with Katrina. However, the time slipped away before he knew it. The slurping ceased, and she withdrew her fangs from his neck. Finally, her tongue pressed against his skin, and she gathered additional saliva to the wound area until it sealed fully.

"Thank you," she whispered before affectionately kissing his lips. He's perfect for me, she resolved in contentment.

"Anything for you, Kat."

They leaned back against the fallen tree trunk for a time, merely appreciating each other's company and the peaceful Georgia night. Beyond the canopy of treetops, the sky's blanket of darkness provided the perfect backdrop for a spectacle of stars, at which Caleb thoughtfully gazed. When he shivered from the growing chill in the air, Katrina extended her arm across his shoulders, pulling him close against her body.

His eyes moved from scanning the stars to gazing into her beautiful green eyes. He marveled at the wonder that was the stunningly beautiful woman sitting next to him.

She's a phenomenon! She's nearly five hundred years old, and yet, her body's cells regenerate almost magically. He envied that she would appear thirty forever.

He smirked as he pondered her angelic profile while she stared into the night sky.

Yeah, and as if that weren't enough, there's always her blazing-fast speed, tremendous physical strength, hypersensitive senses of vision, smell and hearing, and immunity to illness or diseases. Never mind that she has virtually no need to sleep, and her endurance is seemingly limitless.

As if sensing his close inspection, her attention reverted to him.

"Such a penetrating stare. What are you thinking, my love?" she softly queried.

He appears mesmerized, she recognized, and I'm not even trying to hypnotize him.

A knot formed in the pit of her stomach at that thought. Not that I'd ever try that again, she resolved. It seemed like only a few years since she had managed to hypnotize Caleb as a child to encourage him to forget about her killing his abusive father before his very eyes. The effort had worked at the time and allowed him to grow up believing that his father had simply abandoned him and his mother. Then she had departed Caleb's life until meeting him again as an adult the previous fall.

Regrettably, her hypnotic legacy had caused painful and disturbing flashbacks and other emotional repercussions for him as an adult. Fortunately, on their recent spring trip to London, a vampire psychiatrist had been able to remove her hypnotic block.

Thank goodness that instead of anger or fear he was grateful for my help. She was happy that the event actually seemed to bond them even more closely.

"Just thinking about you, Kat," he gently replied. "Pondering at how remarkable you are, you and your kind."

She rolled her eyes and mildly chastised, "I would've thought you'd have tired of such thoughts already. There are so many more interesting things to think about, rather than vampires. We should be old hat for you by now."

His eyes widened, and he reached up to caress the side of her face with his fingertips. Her eyes curiously darted to his in return.

"You'll never be 'old hat' for me," he promised. "You're amazing, and I'm still dumbfounded to be of any interest to you at all."

She frowned over his self-deprecating train of thought. Her hand darted upwards to grasp his chin firmly between her fingertips, and she moved her face to within an inch of his. Her green eyes momentarily flashed brightly before returning to their previous hue.

"Listen closely to me, oh-human-mate-of-mine. You saved my life when you were only eight years old, at a time when I was ready to give up my existence completely. You, and you alone, gave me a reason to keep living. You gave my life meaning and purpose. If anything, vampires are nothing more than predators. However, you're an angel, wholly and completely. So I don't want to hear you say such things. Got it?"

He silently nodded, and she released her grip on his chin. He continued to stare at her in mild challenge, though he remained quiet at some length before speaking again.

"You talk about yourself like you're a monster of some kind," he whispered. "But all you've ever been to me is the object of my dreams."

Her heart fluttered as the thick emotion in his voice washed over her. Then her lips found his, and she kissed him passionately. He gratefully responded and felt her hand cup the base of his head as she pressed against his lips. They traded kisses, each enjoying the warmth and passion of the other, each sharing in the love they held for one another.

Time seemed suspended as they reveled in their nighttime paradise. However, the continually dropping temperature eventually made its presence known to Caleb. While Katrina was blissfully immune to extreme temperatures, she felt her mate shiver slightly.

"Let's return to the cabin, my love," she urged as she grasped his hand in hers and half-lifted him to his feet.

Her arm instinctively wound around his waist in a semi-protective manner as they walked back up the dark incline towards the direction of their cabin.

By the time the small, nondescript cabin loomed before them, it was well past two in the morning. Caleb yawned and massaged his arms with his hands to generate some warmth as they walked through the front door. As soon as Katrina closed the door, she moved in a blur to stand before him. Her deft fingers unbuttoned his bloody shirt. A moment later, she cast it into the fireplace. The embers from the waning fire relit with the fresh fuel of his ruined shirt.

"Why don't you go ahead and take a warm shower?" she suggested as she undid her ponytail, allowing her long, red hair to cascade across her shoulders. "I'll join you momentarily."

He nodded, stifled a yawn, and made his way into the cabin's sole bathroom. She smirked at him as he departed, finding his innocent sleepiness endearing, and then added some cut firewood to the fireplace. The wood soon crackled anew as she heard the shower running in the bathroom.

Fire in the hearth, and soon, fire elsewhere, she thought as she slipped from her clothes and moved towards the bathroom to join him.

Caleb had quickly fallen into a deep sleep after the lovemaking that followed their shower. Even in his exhaustion, the striking, red-headed vampire knew exactly which erotic buttons to push to elicit the amorous response she had needed from her young mate. He had performed well for her, due in no small part to the increased stamina his body had acquired from a regular regimen of exercise.

While lying in bed next to him, Katrina stretched for a moment before relaxing against him. She rolled onto her side and held his body close to hers, breathing in his body's scent and listening to the strong thrumming of his heartbeat. The bedroom was so quiet that she easily heard the sound of his blood rushing through his arteries. His regular breathing was like a soothing mantra to her, and she reveled in knowing that the human male in her arms was hers...all hers.

I adore him. He's my everything.

After a time, she grew somewhat restless. Knowing that sunrise would come all too soon, she wanted to appreciate the night and the great outdoors before having to sequester herself inside during the impending day.

Stupid sunlight, she fumed. I used to love the sun. Now it just impedes me.

Minutes passed before she slipped from underneath the covers, being careful not to awaken Caleb. He shifted slightly, but remained asleep as she slipped into a pair of jeans, dark t-shirt, and sneakers. Then she slipped from the bedroom to the cabin's front door. Moments later, she stood outside near their rented SUV, appreciating the night air. She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, and categorized the host of scents and sounds around her.

She quickly identified a pair of bats flying around a nearby tree. I can smell a raccoon not far away, too.

The breeze blew through the trees as she registered other scents. Hmm, tree blossoms, freshly sprouted grasses, and moisture from overnight dew. The odor of burnt wood from the cabin's fireplace. Sounds of water lapping against the shore in the nearby lake. So many sounds and scents that I never noticed as a human.

Everything was so natural and peaceful, and it filled her with happiness to be there. She wandered through the forest, but stayed relatively close to the cabin in case Caleb needed her.

Paige complains that I worry too much. Perhaps I'm just paranoid.

Then she replayed a brief series of memories, quite dramatic and potentially fatal events that she and Caleb had shared since last fall. A number of times, such dramas had occurred under seemingly innocent circumstances.

He seems to have a penchant for attracting danger.

"Paranoid nothing. I'll stay close to the cabin," she resolved out loud.

The remaining hours passed all too quickly, and she eventually felt a telltale change in the atmosphere. When the eastern sky began to lighten with the hint of an impending Saturday sunrise, she paused to consider the beauty of the new day. Of everything entailed in being human, she missed sunrises the most. She used to revel in the feeling that a sunrise heralded the promise of a new day and the opportunity for a fresh start to life. But since her turning, the morning sun brought a new meaning: her potential death from its ultraviolet radiation.

Sensing the impending rays preparing to break across the treetops, she returned to the cabin to find Caleb still soundly asleep.

Standing in the bedroom doorway, she observed her lover and mate with a tender expression. She once more contemplated how he was the embodiment of a loving life-companion for her. She slipped from her clothes and slid beneath the covers to lie next to him. Her arm draped across his chest as she laid her head on the pillow next to his. Soon, she lazily dozed and let her thoughts roam freely.

The remainder of the weekend passed quickly. During the day on Saturday, Caleb partook in some mid-morning fishing at the lake. He had been hesitant to leave Katrina cooped up alone in the cabin, but she had insisted that he needed to enjoy the beautiful sunshine for a time.

"You're still human, after all," she had insisted. "And your body needs some sunlight once in a while. Besides, I want to read this new mystery novel I brought with me."

In the end, he had reveled in the fishing experience and even caught three nice-sized bass, which he cleaned and stored in the cabin refrigerator to have for dinner that evening.

He spent the remainder of the day indoors with Katrina. They played Trivial Pursuit for a time, but the score rose astronomically in her favor, so they moved to card games. She taught him how to play a couple of variations of poker. He gaped at her dexterity, as well as the ability for her to both shuffle and deal cards so quickly that he barely saw her hands move before her. The infuriating thing was that she never even broke eye contact with him while doing so. He won as many hands as he lost, and by the end he was definitely getting the hang of how to play.

"You're good at everything, you know," he dryly observed.

She smiled in response. "Thank you. But unlike you, I've had nearly five hundred years of experience to draw upon."

He rolled his eyes at her, although he had to admit that she was probably correct, yet again.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked with a glance at his watch. There were still a couple hours of daylight left before it was safe for her to attempt leaving the cabin.

Her eyebrows playfully arched, and she adopted a predatory expression. "Oh, I have a couple of ideas," she offered as she rose from where she sat at the cabin's small dining room table.

He started to rise to meet her, but she moved in a blur to wrap him in her arms. Her lips passionately pressed against his, and she hugged him to her while herding him towards the nearby couch. As they fell over the backing and onto the cushions, he chuckled as she didn't seem to miss a beat kissing him. Once again, she pushed those erotic buttons in him, and he found his excitement quickly rising.

Then time stood still.

That evening, Caleb cooked his fish over a small grill located just outside the cabin while Katrina sat in a folding nylon chair watching from a comfortable distance. Like most vampires, she detested the scent of cooked flesh of all kinds. However, she took pleasure in watching him cook, and she appreciated the happiness emanating from him in waves. The camping trip had been exactly the relaxation that both of them had seriously needed.

As if on cue, he commented, "It's such a shame we have to leave tomorrow. This has been really nice, Kat."

She lazily twirled her ponytail between the fingertips of one hand. "It has been wonderful, hasn't it? We'll have to do this more often."

He agreed and continued frying his fish.

"Hey, Kat, I've been wondering something about vampires recently. Where exactly are vampires derived from? After all, you were all humans before your transformations. I mean, it's not magic, right?"

Katrina quietly observed him at length. It's valid question, really, she thought, though most of her previous partners had never bothered to delve too deeply beyond the fact of their mere existence or her incredible abilities and attributes.

As the silence grew, he tentatively spied at her out of the corner of his eye before refocusing on his cooking. She easily detected the intensity of his curiosity.

"The truth might surprise you," she began. "Actually, even among some of the oldest of our kind, there seems to be some doubt as to what the original vampires, or beings, were exactly. However, it's been generally accepted that the 'originals' couldn't have been something indigenous to our planet."

He looked up after her voice trailed off to silence, and his eyes widened slightly. "You're saying the original vampires were aliens?"

She shrugged, well-acquainted with the outlandishness of the notion. "Who knows? There may not have even been more than one originally."

"So, was it...were they humanoid or animal?"

Again, she shrugged broadly and focused past him to the forest beyond. "Whatever it or they were, their conversion process changed our bodies into what you see before you," she explained. "We may not even resemble the image of the original beings. We're all strange, mutated hybrids of them for all I know. Whatever they were, one fact remains: they were excellent predators."

He silently conceded the truth in her statement while turning the fish in the skillet. It's an amazing premise, if true. But then, maybe it's something that will never be known. Maybe all the vampires who know the truth are all long since dead and gone.

Eventually, he wondered out loud, "So, when and where exactly is that vampire conference supposed to happen this summer?"

When they had vacationed in England during his spring break in March, Alton Rutherford mentioned that a special vampire conference was pending somewhere in Europe during the summer. Alton was an eight-hundred-year-old vampire and one of Katrina's closest friends. He was also her former mentor and had taught her sword fighting, as well as financial investment strategies.

Katrina's mood darkened somewhat at his mention of the conference. "Early to mid-June. The exact date and location will be determined sometime in the next week or so. Alton's supposed to call me when it's set."

He tried to act nonchalant. "So, are we going, then?"

Her eyes darted to her mate. "I haven't decided yet, my love." Then she sighed with what sounded to him like resignation. "But it would mean a lot to Alton if we did."

"Oh," he casually replied as he finished cooking the fish.

She leaned forward in her chair. "Has Alton called you or something?"

He looked up at her with surprise. "Called me? No, I was just curious. I just wasn't sure whether to offer to teach this summer or not, that's all. I figured I'd wait until I knew more about your plans for us."

She settled back into her chair, gazing up at the evening sky. "I see."

Silent moments passed as she pondered the prospect.

"Well, if I know Alton, we'll probably end up going," she finally conceded. "You wouldn't mind, would you?"

He shook his head and offered an innocent expression, "Not at all. I've never been to Europe. So, any chance it'll be near Romania?"

"You mean Transylvania, don't you? Caleb Taylor, I should come over there and bite you in the neck."

He playfully snickered as he carried the skillet towards the cabin. She growled under her breath, but rose from her chair and followed him inside.

Caleb made his way into the kitchen, where he popped open a container of pasta salad and dished some onto his plate beside the sizzling fish. She watched as he warmed a glass of blood for her in the small microwave and poured himself a Coke. Then he took his drink and plate to the dining table and returned to remove her glass from the microwave.

"Dinner is served," he announced while placing the glass at the table setting next to his. Then he sat down to his meal.

"Thank you," she offered as she sat next to him to sip from the glass of blood.

Yum, type A. My favorite. Caleb's blood type, in fact.

He ate in relative silence as she contentedly watched him while finishing her own liquid meal. After cleaning up the dining room and kitchen, he took her by the hand, looked into her eyes, and asked, "It's our last night here at the cabin. How about showing me more of the great outdoors?"

She was only too happy to oblige.

They spent most of the evening walking around the lake, appreciating each other's company as much as the beautiful scenery. He was amazed by how alive the forest continued to be after dark. It was like living in another world, more ominous in some ways, and yet peaceful in others. But eventually, it was time to return to the cabin, and the night passed too soon.

On Sunday, Caleb fished some more, but released his catch. By evening, they loaded their SUV and made the long drive back to Atlanta. He dozed off mid-return and was still asleep by the time Katrina turned their vehicle into their estate driveway.

The estate was in the center of five acres of property, situated among similar acreage lots in an elite neighborhood addition in the small community of Mableton, just outside downtown Atlanta. The upscale Pine Valley addition sported heavily forested properties, of which Katrina's lot bordered a scenic wooded park that sprawled throughout the addition.

The house itself was a two-story structure comprising over six thousand square feet of living space. Once parked in the cavernous multi-bay garage, Katrina gently roused Caleb, and he stretched with a wide-mouthed yawn as he exited the vehicle.

"I'll unpack the SUV," she offered. "You go get ready for bed. You have to teach in the morning, after all."

There was no argument from him as he made his way through the garage and into the house. He felt exhausted, but thoroughly satisfied with their weekend getaway.

Life returned to an unremarkable pace until Wednesday, when Caleb received a cryptic text message from Katrina during one of his history lectures at Robert Fulton Community College in downtown Atlanta where he was a faculty member.

Shipment from Alton arriving this afternoon. Can you come home early?

Fortunately, his last class that day was just prior to lunch.

The delivery service truck pulled into the driveway less than half an hour after he arrived home. The wooden crate removed from the back of the panel van by the two deliverymen was quite large, in excess of six feet long. Caleb watched closely, directing the men to place the crate in the middle of one of the two empty car bays in the garage.

As the panel van departed, he stared at the crate with a perplexed expression. Then the garage door began its closing descent, and Katrina appeared beside him as a displacement of air rushed around him. The sunlight had barely cleared where she stood, and he peered up at her.

"In a hurry or something?" he asked with a smirk as he looked down at her pale bare feet sticking out from under her faded blue jeans.

Don't get your feet burned in the process.

"Just curious," she casually replied, although she intently stared at the crate before them.

"Got a crowbar?" he asked as he scanned the periphery of the garage.

Katrina lurched forward to pry the crate lid open effortlessly with her fingertips amidst a series of loud creaks as the nails were unceremoniously ripped from the wood. Caleb gawked at her as she dropped the lid aside on the concrete floor and playfully wiggled her fingers.

"Not necessary," she quipped.

"Show-off," he mumbled while removing the packing from the top of the open crate.

As he dug out more packing materials and laid them aside, he revealed a leather-covered couch, such as one would see in a hotel or office waiting area. However, it appeared worn and had a couple of small marks on the black leather covering. He instantly recognized it from their trip to London in March. It had to be the one he had found in the London Tube tunnels outside of an old entrance to the lower levels of the tunnel system. A number of vampires who had been spying on Alton were operating from there, and Caleb had been the one to discover them.

Katrina stepped forward and tore the side of the crate apart to gain easier access to the worn piece of furniture. She laid the crate section aside and scowled.

"I bet this is --"

"The couch from the Tube tunnels," he interrupted excitedly, then picked up a small white envelope taped to the top of the couch. Written on the front was Caleb in a black gothic-like script.

"It's in Alton's hand," she observed.

He opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside, also written in the same style of script.

"Wow, really nice handwriting," he commented as he began to read.

"That's just him showing off," she dryly observed as she studied the message from over his shoulder.

Caleb,

How are you, dear boy? I'm sending you a token memento from your recent trip to London. Truth is, I didn't have the heart to throw it in the bin after you went to such trouble finding it for me. Tell Katrina I said it should look nice in your living room.

Plans are being finalized for a large conference in Slovenia this June. I'm hoping you will show an interest in accompanying Katrina. It should prove very educational for you, and the scenery will be breathtaking. Plan on at least a two-week stay.

Should you decide to make the journey, I'm certain you'll enjoy seeing Europe, as well as spending some quality time with Katrina. By now, she's probably already reading this message over your shoulder, so I will close. Please give her my regards. Naturally, I'll be expecting a ring from her very soon. However, please call me when you have time, Caleb.

Best Wishes,

Alton

Caleb quirked his lips as he finished reading. "He's got you pegged, Kat."

But she was less amused and immediately groused, "Harrumph. Reading over your shoulder, indeed. And the couch is definitely not going in our living room."

His right arm snaked around her waist, and he bent his face up to kiss her lightly on the neck. She lifted her head slightly to allow his lips easier access, but muttered, "What's he up to?"

Such an unusually chummy letter for him, she reflected.

While it was obvious to Caleb that his mate was displeased with Alton's message, he was quite excited about the prospect of going to Europe. Slovenia, in particular, sounded exotic to him. Also, he had already come close to deciding not to teach this summer at the college, anyway.

If nothing else, it gives me more time with Kat.

"So," he gently ventured, "We're definitely going, right?"

Her mind raced with a host of thoughts. She contemplated Alton's message, a storage location for the couch, the prospects of the upcoming conference, and the preparations that needed to be attended to leading up to their departure. Then she peered down at her mate and noted his appraising expression. Her features softened somewhat, and she quickly kissed the tip of his nose.

"I'm considering it, my love," she replied. "Alton's correct, of course. It would be an ideal opportunity for you to see more of Europe. However, I'd like more details regarding the nature of the conference first. With Alton, nothing's ever as simple as it appears."

"It would be a longer vacation for us," he said temptingly. "I mean, I had a great time in London. But the week flew by so fast."

She noted his thoughtful expression. Great time in London, she sardonically recalled. When you weren't trying to avoid being killed! Still, it's just like him to be so forgiving.

"Too true," she muttered, still deeply in thought.

Slovenia is a curious selection. I wonder whether it's the northern or southern region.

It had been years since she had traveled to that part of Europe. The country was conveniently situated near the beautiful Mediterranean. And while the southern part was very classic and touristy, the northern part was very mountainous and often remote.

I'll call Alton later.

"Any ideas where we should place the couch?" he asked.

She warily observed him and ventured, "The Salvation Army, perhaps?"

"Hey, you can't just give away my memento-couch," he retorted with a pleading look in his eyes.

Granted, the couch isn't particularly practical, but it's a hell of a conversation piece from our adventures in England.

She rolled her eyes at him and disdainfully conceded, "Fine. But it's certainly not going in our living room."

What an utterly ugly piece of furniture, she thought irritably. Alton has the oddest sense of humor sometimes.

"My man-cave?" he countered. The estate's small library had been hastily converted into his study when he had moved in.

"How about the garage instead? We'll need to move furniture around in your study before it will fit."

He carefully measured her disapproving tone. At least he had won a small victory in maintaining possession of it.

Today the garage; maybe someday the study.

A few days later, Katrina was trying her hand at baking a cake. Her cooking skills had waned in the centuries since becoming a vampire, as none of her previous human mates were the type of people that fostered such domestic endeavors in her. Aside from her only human husband, Samuel, whom she had lost to influenza while she was still a human, the only person that caused her to consider cooking was Caleb. It pleased her to cook for him, and he genuinely appreciated her efforts. She had already mastered a host of breakfast-related specialties, so desserts were her latest endeavor.

She was on her third, and most successful, attempt of the day with a devil's food cake when the phone rang. Darting to the phone with her uncanny speed, she whipped the receiver up to her ear amidst a small cloud of flour.

"Hello?" she asked in a polite, yet curious voice.

"Hello, this is Tammy Mendez with Atlanta Central Realty," the soft, feminine voice prompted. "May I please speak with Caleb Taylor?"

Katrina's eyes narrowed, and she guardedly replied, "Caleb's not in at the moment. Can I take a message for him?"

There was a pause. "Actually, I'm sorry. I thought I was dialing his cell phone when you answered, but I see that I accidentally called his secondary number. I have information for Mr. Taylor that he requested regarding available town houses in the Atlanta area. I thought he might want to go over the results and perhaps tour some of the prospects."

Katrina was caught off guard by the realtor's response, and her mind raced to understand why Caleb would be looking at town houses.

He hasn't said anything to me about this recently.

"Oh," she absently commented. "Well, you can probably reach him on his cell. He's at the college until later this evening."

"Thanks very much. I'll do that," the lady politely replied. "Sorry to have bothered you."

"No trouble at all," Katrina said before hanging up the phone with a perplexed expression. Then she glanced back towards the kitchen stove where she had been baking the cake, feeling her motivation wane by the second.

Her mind raced to try and understand the nature of the phone call.

What's going on with Caleb? Have I done something wrong? Is he unhappy living with me? Why hasn't he said anything? Is this about my not letting him put that old couch in the house? Why wouldn't he have said something?

It appears the only answers lie with Caleb.

She checked her watch and determined that there were still a couple of hours left before sunset.

Trapped at home until then, she ruminated. I guess I should go ahead and finish his cake.

"I can always press his face into it later, I suppose," she muttered under her breath as dark emotions began to overtake her while she mulled the topic over and over.

A couple of hours later sunset had fallen, and Katrina changed into a turquoise blouse, fashion jeans, and knee-high black leather boots. She finished tying her hair into a tight ponytail and headed towards the garage.

She made her way to Robert Fulton, where the parking lot was rather empty by that time. As she walked through the parking lot, she reflected on when she had enrolled in Caleb's history class the previous fall semester, as well as the enjoyable experience she had while listening to his lectures. He had a real gift for teaching, and she loved how fulfilling it was for him.

Her features fell slightly as a wave of sadness rolled through her at the possibility that her mate might be unhappy living with her. She breathed in heavily as she pulled the door open leading into the social sciences building.

His office door was closed, and she failed to hear anyone inside. She confirmed the time, having estimated that he was likely finishing his last class that evening. She bit her lip and decided to slip up to his classroom.

Maybe I'll stand outside and listen to the last part of his lecture for old time's sake.

Then a sinking feeling shot through her stomach as she contemplated what the evening's conversation with him might reveal.

As she approached the classroom, she noted that the door had been left cracked open a sliver, and she heard his voice carry out of the room. She wanly smiled at the sound of him in "lecture mode" and peered in to see that his back was turned to the doorway as he scribbled notations on the chalkboard. She slipped into the classroom in virtual silence and sat into an empty seat on the back row near the doorway.

"So that's why the Texans were unable to relieve the troops at the Alamo before the Mexican Army overtook the fort. Keep in mind that the facility was never intended as a tactically defensible point, so its own inadequate design contributed to the fall of the defenders as much as their relatively outnumbered forces and poor logistics," Caleb explained, completely oblivious to Katrina's entrance.

However, as he turned and scanned the room's faces, his eyes immediately fell upon her, and he smiled.

She felt a wave of confusion flow through her as she once more sensed a disconnect between his behavior and the phone call from the realtor.

He smoothly fell back into his lecture without drawing further attention, "However, on April 21, 1836, Sam Houston and the Texan Army marched against and defeated the Mexican Army at San Jacinto. While this was a tactical victory for the Texans, it hardly resolved the issue of settlement in the largely contested Mexican territory. It's not until we discuss the Polk Administration and the Mexican War during the late 1840s that any resolution occurs on that matter. But let's stop there for tonight."

Barely two seconds following the end of his statement, the students scrambled for the door. He shook his head at their hasty departure, as well as the passing glances that a number of male students gave to Katrina on their way out. As he gathered his notes together, he failed to notice that she had moved to stand beside him. When he turned to pick up his textbook he lurched slightly at her unexpected proximity, and his eyes immediately noticed the intense look in her eyes.

She looks sad, he noted.

"Is everything okay, Kat? I was surprised to see you at the back of the room," he ventured. "Although it was a nice surprise, actually. It reminded me of when you took my class last fall."

She towered before him, staring silently down into his eyes. "I was going to ask you the same thing, actually."

He gently placed his notes and textbook back onto the podium and reached out to take her hand in his as he stared up into her eyes.

"What do you mean? Kat, what's wrong?" he pressed. But then he felt a wave of nausea in the pit of his stomach and insisted, "Has something bad happened to Paige or Alton?"

She squeezed his hand while shaking her head. "No, they're fine. It's you I'm worried about."

His eyes narrowed. Me?

"Caleb, are you happy with us?" she asked as her emerald eyes drilled into his. "Is this about that old couch Alton shipped to you? Have I done something that you're displeased about?"

"Hardly, Kat. I've never been happier," he countered.

"Then why are you looking at properties in the Atlanta area? Are you moving out?"

His face went blank, and she immediately sensed his confusion. His expression changed to shock, and his eyes widened as if in realization of something.

Okay, that's definitely not the response I expected from him.

"Moving out?" he asked. "Why would I move out? Are you wanting me to move?"

"What?" she retorted. "No, of course not. But I got a call for you from a realtor late this afternoon..."

His pale blue eyes reflected immediate understanding, and he welcomed the feeling of relief that settled over him.

"Oh, you mean Tammy Mendez," he said. "A fellow professor recommended Tammy after buying a new home and selling his old one through her office. And her assistance isn't for me. I'm just helping scope out a place for Paige to move into, that's all."

"A place for Paige?" she blankly asked.

A split-second later, a sense of embarrassment began to form as she registered the nature of his endeavors. Paige Turner, a young vampire that Katrina counted as one of her dearest friends, had promised to relocate from Los Angeles to the Atlanta area later in the summer. Paige was also Caleb's surrogate vampire, a designated protector for him who would take care of him if anything ever happened to her.

"So, you thought I wanted to move out?" he queried with a suspicious expression. "Kat, that's crazy! I love you, and I've never been happier living at the estate."

She had only convinced him to move in with her the past December after they confronted the dangers presented to them by a rogue vampire named Chimalma. Since then, he had enjoyed the increased time with her. He also appreciated how much their relationship had strengthened.

She pulled him to her and enveloped him in a warm embrace, heedless to the sense of foolishness that she felt. She was just so relieved that the entire affair had been merely an unfortunate misunderstanding.

I'm so paranoid, she chastised.

Caleb appreciated the closeness of her body, and his arms wound around her slim waist in response. While no longer bewildered by her behavior, he felt bad that his helpful efforts for Paige had caused her to misinterpret the situation.

"Sorry, Kat. I should've mentioned it already, but my mind's been so preoccupied with so many diversions this week."

She rested her chin on his shoulder, and her eyes narrowed to slits. "Yes, you should have mentioned it, I think. But I suppose I'll forgive you," she conceded. "This time."

"Paige texted me a few days ago to ask for my help. And honestly, I didn't expect the realtor to get back with me so quickly. I explained to her that, with Paige taking that security contract job overseas, there's all summer to scope out prospects."

"Except that you might be in Slovenia with me part of the summer," she reminded him.

He patted her lightly at the small of her back and whispered, "Well, sure, there's always Slovenia. I hope that we're able to go."

He paused for a quiet moment before adding, "But since you mentioned the couch..."

"One issue at a time, my love," she gently cautioned him.

"Oh, sure," he conceded before changing the subject entirely. "So then, aside from being surprised by realtors, what else did you do today?"

"I baked a chocolate cake for you," she offered as she parted from their embrace. She hoped that it had turned out okay.

He'll probably like the frosting, at least, she anticipated.

"I really lucked out then," he said with a delighted expression. "Chocolate's my favorite."

Luck is right. You actually get to eat it instead of being smothered by it, she contemplated, though with a vastly improved mood.

Later that evening, while consuming a sizable slice of the cake, Caleb called Paige to discuss some of the available properties the realtor had recommended. The perky vampire listened to the variety of options and locations that he described and agreed to investigate at least six prospects.

"Whatcha think, kiddo?" Paige asked after he finished highlighting the interesting ones.

"Well, the market's pretty slow here," he admitted while switching the phone to his other hand. "It's probably good odds that the homes may still be on the market by summer's end."

While refilling a glass of water for him, Katrina listened with interest to the conversation, including Paige's end of the chat. It wasn't as if she were eavesdropping, really. Had her mate desired privacy he shouldn't have sat in the kitchen, or at least should have made the overt effort of sequestering himself in one of the other rooms in the house. He's well aware of how keen vampire hearing is.

"Thanks, Kat," Caleb absently muttered as she sat the glass down next to his plate.

"Yeah," Paige agreed. "Things are pretty slow out here, too. I guess I'd better put my townhouse up for sale pretty soon. I'll put most of my personal belongings in storage before I leave. I want my place to be in show-worthy condition while I'm away."

He savored a mouthful of cake.

"Caleb?" she asked.

"It'll be great to have you out here, you know. We miss you," he said in a muffled voice.

"Are you eating?"

"Mm, sorry," he apologized. "Kat made this great chocolate cake."

"Twerp!"

Katrina lightly ran her fingernails down the back of his neck, marveling at her mate's keen appreciation for her friend and former pupil.

I should be thankful they pair off so well, she reasoned as a somber mood overcame her and she stepped away. If something were ever to happen to me, I'm relying on Paige to look after him.

"I miss you too, tiger," Paige finally offered in an uncharacteristically soft voice. While she wasn't one for displaying overtly intimate feelings to others, much to her surprise, Caleb brought that quality out in her. Suddenly self-conscious of her tone, she fell into a playful display of sarcasm. "And I miss that gruff old lady of yours too," she quipped. "Tell her I said 'hey.'"

His eyes peered across the room at Katrina, who scowled.

"Hey back at ya, shorty," she wryly retorted, knowing full well that the vampire could hear her. "Spoiled brat."

Paige chuckled at that.

"You know, it would really help my efforts if I knew what part of Atlanta you want to settle down in," Caleb ventured.

There was a pause at the other end before Paige finally replied in a quiet voice, "Oh, I dunno. Somewhere close to you guys would be fine."

Katrina's eyebrows rose slightly as she put clean dishes away from the drain board, but she said nothing.

Makes sense, I suppose, she mulled.

Caleb's eyes slowly swiveled over to Katrina before answering, "Okay then. I'll focus my attentions within, say, twenty miles?"

"Sure, that works," Paige agreed.

They said their goodbyes, and he finished eating his slice of cake.

"This is a great cake, Kat," he offered. "Thanks for baking it for me."

She happily beamed in response. "Anytime, my love."

He tentatively looked up at her from where he sat and wondered if his conversation with Paige had somehow bothered her. "You know, Kat," he began, "If it bothers you for Paige to move so close to us..."

She moved to stand behind him, draping her arms across his chest. "No, my love. I'm perfectly fine with what we decided."

Her thoughts were momentarily lost in silent recollection. It had been less than a month since her in-depth discussion with Paige regarding the young vampire's affections for Caleb. Following that, Caleb had urged the blonde vampire to relocate to the Atlanta area. It's probably for the best.

"Kat?" Caleb gently asked as he sensed his mate's quiet distraction.

Katrina broke from her reverie, hugged him, and gently patted him on the chest. "Sorry," she answered. "Everything's fine, Caleb. We'll find a suitable house for Paige."

He craned his neck upwards to brush his lips against hers.

"Thanks, Kat," he noted with gratitude.

If only Alton weren't so established in England, maybe he could move closer as well, he mused. He had no remaining immediate relatives, so Paige and Alton constituted the closest thing he had left to family. Since his mother's passing, he had felt so alone in the world.

Family is so important, he silently recognized. It's wonderful to be surrounded by those that care about you.

The next few weeks passed uneventfully for Caleb and Katrina. Finals and the spring graduation ceremony were both over by the second week of May. Despite the fact that she hadn't yet committed to attending the Slovene conference, Caleb declined offers to teach during the summer semester. Instead, he cleaned out his office a week later and was free to pursue a host of activities at home. At the very least, he would have a free summer to spend with Katrina.

He started his time off by reorganizing the contents of their cavernous four-car garage, including sorting items to be stored in the attic. He also tended to some plants in the large flowerbeds in the front yard, though Katrina assured him the lawn service that she had contracted with could handle that. He conceded to feeling a little stir-crazy with all the free time on his hands.

One morning around four am, Caleb rolled towards the left side of the bed and found that Katrina was gone. Such a revelation wasn't unusual, given that his mate could only safely leave the house after sunset. It stood to reason that sundown to sunrise would be the prime time for vampires to socialize, roam, or hunt. So he wasn't offended when he frequently woke to find Katrina missing. He knew that by morning she would likely be lying next to him to greet him upon waking. On those few occasions when she wasn't, she was usually somewhere in the house preoccupied with one of her numerous interests.

After making a quick trip to the bathroom, he still felt restless and proceeded upstairs for a glass of ice water. He paused in the main hallway halfway to the kitchen upon hearing voices coming from the back section of the house. He immediately recognized Katrina's voice, but strained to listen to the other female voice. Moments later, a telltale giggle gave away the guest's identity.

Paige! It's Paige.

It had been less than two months since he had last seen her, but it felt longer. He easily recalled his flight to California to convince her to relocate to Atlanta so she would be closer to him and Katrina. Fortunately, she had agreed, but stipulated that she had to complete a contract security job over the summer first. Despite the delay, he was excited that she would be making Atlanta her new home in just a matter of months.

He quickly pattered through the kitchen and into the entryway to the living room at the back of the house. Katrina winked at him from her place on the couch, and their guest rose from the recliner where she had been sitting.

Paige's petite body was lithe as a ballerina's. Her youthful, twenty-something features were haloed by her blonde bob, evoking the flapper dancers of the 1920s. A set of piercing, deep blue eyes targeted Caleb, while her playful smile appeared nearly devilish against a backdrop of pearly white teeth. She had the kind of mischievous grin that made him feel as if he'd just sold his soul but relished the bargain. Her form-fitting blue jeans and high-cut Ramones concert t-shirt playfully evoked exuberant sexuality.

She took in his appearance with amusement; his slightly mussed hair looked appropriate given his ensemble of cotton sweatpants and Georgia State football t-shirt. "Hey, tiger," she purred invitingly. "Come give your big sister a hug."

He crossed the short distance in seconds, and she giggled as he hoisted her off the floor, encasing her in a bear hug. She patted him on the back with one hand while playfully pinching him on a butt cheek with the other.

"Hey," he yelped as he hugged her tightly to him. "No pinching!"

"Sisters don't typically pinch their brother's butts," Katrina observed dryly, though she considered no less a playful response from her best friend.

Paige popped a quick kiss on Caleb's cheek and quietly retorted, "We're more like kissin' cousins, really."

Katrina rolled her eyes.

"Missed you, kiddo," Paige whispered in Caleb's ear.

"Missed you, too, babysitter," he whispered back, still holding her tightly. "It's great to see you!"

Oh, I'm liking this a lot, Paige appreciated. Then she abruptly pulled away from him, teasing, "All right, you can stop groping me. It's getting just plain creepy now."

He chuckled, shaking his head, while Katrina observed the pair with a good-humored expression.

"And somebody smells particularly tasty," Paige observed with a sly expression. Her bright blue eyes gleamed as his scent generated a strong urge for his blood.

"Sounds like somebody's hungry," he countered and eyed his mate. "Want anything, Kat?"

"Just you," she suggested. "But heat up a type A for each of us, I suppose."

"My favorite," Paige remarked with approval.

"Gee, I wouldn't have guessed," Katrina mocked.

"Two type As coming up, m'ladies," Caleb crisply snapped.

Minutes later, he returned from the kitchen with two glasses of warmed blood. He placed one glass on the end table next to the recliner where Paige sat and handed the remaining glass to Katrina as she reclined on the couch.

"Thank you, my love," his mate offered appreciatively.

"Thanks, kiddo," Paige remarked and made a small space on her recliner. "Have a seat, and take a load off."

But Katrina gently cleared her throat and motioned to the empty cushion next to her. Caleb shook his head slightly at his mate's rather possessive response and wearily plopped down on the couch next to her. Truth was, he was too tired to care where he sat.

However, Paige briefly stuck her tongue out at Katrina, who scowled in silent reply.

"You're up early," Katrina absently observed before taking a sip from her glass.

"Yeah, couldn't get back to sleep," he replied with a tired sigh.

"Don't you have to teach later this morning?" Paige asked.

"Thankfully, no. The semester just ended, and I'm taking the summer off," he explained.

Katrina procured a small pillow next to her, placed it on her lap, and lightly patted it with her hand. "Why not lay your head down?" she suggested.

He shrugged and lay prone with his head on the pillow as he stared at Paige. "I thought we wouldn't see you until later in the summer. What brings you to town?"

"I'm actually headed to my contract job, but thought it would be nice to visit for a few days on my way there. Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Katrina insisted. "We're happy to see you."

"You're always welcome here," Caleb added with a yawn, to which Paige appreciatively winked at him.

Katrina sat her glass down on the end table to her right and pulled a comforter from across the back of the couch. She smoothly unfolded it and draped it over him. "Tell us what you've been up to," she prompted as she soothed her fingertips through Caleb's hair.

As Paige recounted her packing activities at her home in California, the preparations for her contract job, and a host of other information, Caleb was lulled into a comfortable state. Somewhere during the drone of Paige's conversation, his eyelids grew heavy, and he effortlessly fell asleep.

As Katrina waited for Paige to finish speaking, she momentarily reassessed Caleb's state of consciousness before looking at the young vampire across from her with a curious expression.

"Now that Caleb's asleep, why don't you tell me why you're really here? Not that you're not welcome here, of course, but we've known each other a long time, and I recognize when something's up with you."

The edges of Paige's mouth upturned slightly with amusement at her friend's direct query. Always looking for the angle, aren't you, Red? The truth was that she felt slightly uneasy about her reason for being there. Her feelings weren't something she was used to laying out for everyone to see. "Remember the conversation you and I had with Caleb at my townhouse back in March?" she asked.

Katrina nodded. How could I forget? You confessed some strong feelings for my mate that night.

While not entirely surprised over the revelation, she had felt a little uncomfortable with it. Still, Paige had been very open and honest with her, which had reassured her somewhat.

"Caleb said I had nothing keeping me in California anymore," Paige offered, and then paused to look over at the young man across from her to assess his state of slumber. "Well, after you both left, I didn't think too much about it. Then the past couple of weeks, I've been mulling those thoughts over a little bit. Frankly, I've been feeling a little lost without you two around. So, I figured I would stop by on my way overseas. I wouldn't mind spending a little time with our boy, in fact. Maybe scope out some of the houses that he's been nice enough to check into for me?"

Katrina was reassured that her friend seemed to be laying everything out on the table in a straightforward manner. A sardonic smile crossed her lips.

"It's silly, but it almost sounds as if we're negotiating joint custody over him, doesn't it?"

"Aren't we?" Paige insisted.

"Fair enough," Katrina amicably conceded as she continued to run her fingers lightly through Caleb's hair. "Naturally, I'm sorry if I seemed a little suspicious."

"I'd be surprised if you weren't, Red." She was all too aware of her friend's tendency for suspicion, and possessiveness, when it came to Caleb.

"Caleb was correct when he said that you're always welcome here, Paige," Katrina insisted. "Your timing's pretty good, actually. Caleb's been rather stir-crazy around here as of late with all the spare time on his hands."

Paige smirked, content with her friend's more settled manner. "Oh, I think I can take care of that for you."

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