thats right because she was a vampire she woudl most likely draw them near. he hadnt even thought of that, the thought however didnt help to ease his mind. he followed her movments keeping his hand wrapped around her's as they made there way to a small building. he cocked his head to the side as he examined the building. funny he hadnt even noticed it before.

"alright that sounds good. as long as your ok with me being over" he certanly didnt want to intrude and he knew he would have to sleep at some point and that she wouldnt have to so he just wanted to make sure he wasnt being a bother.

"I don't mind," Ana replied as they went into the building. The inside was as nondescript as the outside, with a counter against the wall and a door behind it, but there were at least a dozen of her kind inside. All of the other vampires immediately turned to look at them as they walked in, and Ana bared her fangs a little at them.

"He belongs to me," she said softly to them. Slowly, they all went back to what they were doing and Ana walked up to the counter.

"You've never brought a live one with you, Annie," the guy behind the counter commented. "Your usual?"

"I've also never had a live one to begin with, Connor," Ana retorted. "Three of my usual."

"Three?" Connor asked, surprised. Regardless, he wrote it down and went into the back room to get what she asked for.

"It needs to last me the night, rather than just as a snack," Ana explained. Conner raised an eyebrow suggestively, glancing at Bain, and Ana sent him a wry look. "Not what you're thinking."

"You say that now," Conner replied, handing Ana a small cooler. She took it easily. "See you next time." Ana nodded and turned back to Bain.

"We can head back now," she said to him.

He froze once they entered the building. he fought the erg to listen to his fight or flight response as it kicked in and dash out of the building. The feeling of all those predatory eyes watching him made him feel like a rabbit cornered in a wolfs den. The feeling slightly decreased when there gazes turned from him but not enough to calm him completely.

He followed Ana up to the counter keeping stride with her. He made note of the way the other vampires eye brows raised and Ana's response, but otherwise left himself out of the conversation. Once done and they were back outside relief washed through him.

He had hopped that because he had become accustomed to her that being around others of her kind would not affecting him in such a way. But perhaps being in such a small confined area with a good number of predators was not his cup of tea… at least not for the moment. He had high hopes of over coming that particular obstacle though.

He mentally shook off the rest of his uneasiness to address Ana. "So… to your place then?" He had wanted to inquire about the building and more specifically about the awkward exchange between her and the other vampire but decided that perhaps now was not the time because he had other things to worry about.

Ana nodded, holding the cooler in one hand and opening the door again. She ignored the stares from the other vampires in the building easily. She knew most of them, and was older than most of them, and so knew that none of them would be willing to pick a fight with her.

"It would be best to go back to my apartment," she said. She gestured to the cooler. "I need to get these into my refrigerator." She gave him a small, almost sheepish smile. "My dinner tonight, you understand." That way, she wouldn't need to go out hunting, and they could spend the evening in her apartment. "Was there anything you wanted to get while we're out, or are you all set?" She looked at him, searching his expression for any sort of fear or disgust. If she was willing to admit it, she was still afraid that she would scare him off somehow, and she was starting to... care for him.

He nodded in understanding when she indicated the cooler. He didn't want her food to go bad ether. He watched her for a moment before he answered her. She seemed to be assessing him, and he had the awkward feeling that if he said or acted the wrong way now that he could ruin something, he wasn't quite sure what that something was, but her knew he didn't want to ruin it now.

"Well actually could we stop by this small Chinese take out restaurant, its on the way to your apartment, that way I wont have to venture out for food later." he smiled easily his fear ebbing away quickly now that he was not in a confined space with a group of vampires.

He waited for her approval, hoping that he had answered or for that matter acted in the way she was hoping, before setting off in the direction of the Chinese shop, after weaving their way down streets and around people he made a quick stop at the Chinese take out and picked up a small order of food before setting off with her to her apartment. Though he couldn't help but notice that there were fewer people then there usually were at this time of hour.

Ana nodded, agreeing with him.

"We can stop, of course," she replied. She didn't mind stopping with him so he could get something for himself. It wouldn't be fair if she was the only one with 'dinner' that night. A stop on the way back to her apartment wouldn't take too long, and she'd be able to get the contents of the cooler into the refrigerator before they went bad.

She also noticed how few people there were out and about, and it worried her slightly. The 'thinning of the herd' was a phenomenon that humans tended not to notice, or not to care, but it was something that vampires who had chosen a place to settle were wary of. It was usually the first sign that another group had moved into the area, and after her confrontation with Marcus, she was more wary than usual. Something was going on, and she wanted to find out what it was. She stayed close to Bain as they walked, just in case.

He was thankful that she seemed content with whatever she was looking for and stopped studying him. With food in hand they headed back to her apartment. Occasionally he scanned the few people on the street then he would cast his gaze back to Ana. She didn't seem overly worried so he put his mind to ease, well to as much ease as he could.


(Nya I feel as if there should be some sort of conflict but I couldn't think of anything at the moment T.T I feel kind of brain dead)

Their evening together was rather enjoyable, at least for Ana. Before Bain left again, she made sure to give him her cell phone number. As much as she missed the 'old days,' she still appreciated such modern conveniences as mobile phones and electricity. Thankfully, the next day was Saturday, so Ana didn't have to worry about classes at all. She was still lying in bed, relaxing, when her cell phone rang. She reached over and picked it up, checking the caller ID. She smiled when she saw Bain's name.

"Hey," she answered.

"Hello, my sweet," Marcus's voice said from the other end. Ana felt her veins turn to ice.

"Marcus?"

"My dear little witch, I told you it was a bad idea to keep company with your food..."

"Marcus, what have you done? Where's Bain?"

"I've had to... detain him," Marcus replied. "I would suggest you come and see me, my sweet. I think you'll want to hear what I have to say, and I would much rather say it face-to-face. I'm in town, inside that quaint little abandoned church on Eighth Street."

Ana didn't hear anything after that. She'd already ended the call and left her apartment.

The first thing that Bain was aware of was the pain. His body was only slightly sore but it was his head that made him groan in pain. It felt as if it had been slammed against cement which in all actuality is probably what had happened.

He could remember bits and pieces of what had happened after he had left for home after spending an evening with Ana. There had been someone following him. He could remember having that uneasy feeling as if he was being watched. Then in the blink of an eye he had been hulled off his feet and into an alleyway. From there is where his memory became hazy. His body felt sore which probably meant he had tried to fight back, with little success is would seem.

After the throbbing of his head subsided to something akin to bearable he opened his eyes to survey where he currently was. He was seated in a chair were rope that was wrapped tightly around his chest kept him in place. In front of him he could see a row of dusty pews that lead all the way back to a door. To his right and left side there were windows so neglected with years of inattention that nearly enough light could seep through their murkiness to be able to see the walls and corners of the building.

His first assessment was that he was in a church. His second assessment was that he had been abducted by what he could only assume were vampires. Not because of where he was but because of the uneasy feeling as if he were the pray and there was some unknown predator watching him from one of those dark corners. Several things crossed him mind in those moments be was alone. He wondered if he was to be bait for Ana. He also wondered if he had just been an unfortunate soul that had run across a vampire that liked to play with their food, and yet still his mind ran with more possibilities. But whatever was happening his resolve that he would fight for his life was strong.

Marcus looked over from where he was flipping through an old bible when he heard the human groan.

"Ah, you're awake," he said. "Good. You are coherent? Yes? It would be a terrible thing if you were of no value to me after I went to all the trouble to acquire you..." He glanced at his watch. "My wayward daughter should be here momentarily. If I know her, then she will move as fast as her body can carry her to be here to save you." Marcus smirked. "Maternal instinct, I suspect. She was barely a mother herself when I gave her new life, after all."

Getting up from the pew he was sitting on, he walked over to the human casually to look him over. After a moment, he shook his head.

"I don't know what she sees in you, really. You are weak, boy. You have nothing you would kill for."

It took Ana barely ten minutes to get from her apartment all the way to the other end of town. She almost didn't care who saw her as she sprinted down back alleys and jumped across rooftops to get to the old church. She knew exactly why Marcus would have chosen the old church, too, and the meaning didn't escape her.

There was a sort of twist in her heart when she saw the tiny abandoned church. It looked so much like the church of her childhood that she couldn't help but hesitate just slightly before she went and threw one of the doors open.

"Marcus!" she shouted.

Bain turned his head sharply in the direction the voice had originated causing him to wince in pain as for a moment the pain in his head intensified sharply before subsiding again.

He took in the appearance of the other male in the room. So he had been right, he was being used as bait. He hated himself in that moment. He hated that he was a weak male and that he was the reason Ana was going to but herself into harms way. And he hated that he was powerless to do anything.

Bain glared menacingly at the man that was approaching him. Oh how he wished he could tear the man in two but before he could indulge in that particular image a loud bang caught his attention having him once again turning his head sharply to see what was happening. And then he saw her, Ana, her furious shout echoing off the walls. And though he was relieved to see her he was also mad that she had put herself in harms way by coming for him.

"Ah, welcome, my sweet," Marcus greeted, smiling. He turned around to look at her, arms extended as if to offer an embrace, the way a father might to a daughter. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Let Bain go, Marcus," Ana said. Her voice snapped like a whip, similar to how she used to keep her younger blood-siblings in like. Marcus grinned even wider, seeming pleased with her behavior.

"You sound so fierce," he said. He swept up to her, using one of his hands to gently caress her cheek and neck. Ana slapped his hand away, but didn't get the chance to snap at him again. "Unfortunately, I do believe we should take care of business before we indulge in pleasure, my dear." Using his other hand, he made a sweeping gesture towards Bain. "I seem to find myself in possession of your toy, so it seems we each have something the other wants."

"What do you mean?" Ana asked warily. "I have nothing of yours."

"You misunderstand me, my sweet," Marcus crooned. "I don't want something of yours. I want you."

He glared at Marcus's back as he and Ana exchanged words. He hated this man and he hated being weak, being human. It was something he never thought he would think and yet here he was thinking about it. If he was stronger he could have fended him off, he could protect Ana instead of her protecting him.

His scowl only deepened as Marcus gestured toward him. He was not a toy, of that he was sure. His hatred for this man only seemed to grow as their conversation continued. "What do you mean you want her?" His voice held a nasty hint to it.
He wasn't thinking rationally anymore. He was angry, his head was still pounding and now Ana, his Ana, was being talked about as if she were his possession. If he had not been human he probably would have ripped the other males throat out.

In spite of Bain's confusion, Ana knew exactly what Marcus was talking about, and she hesitated involuntarily. Now she knew exactly what this little game was about, and she knew exactly what Marcus wanted.

"I won't," she said. "You let me go, Marcus, you said yourself that I was free." And she refused to be caged again, no matter how high her status in the 'family' would be. Marcus sighed indulgently and shook his head.

"My dear sweet witch," he said. "I never once told you that you were free. I told you that you could go. There is a difference." He took a step towards Bain, and Ana took a step forward as if to protect the human. Marcus smirked a little. "And I know you, my dear. You've taken to your little toy, and you want to protect the poor thing. I understand, I really do, but you've left me with no choice." Marcus lifted a hand towards Bain. "Now... You want him back... and I want my enforcer back. It's a very simple thing. And if you're thinking about refusing... Well..." He shrugged, and his hand flashed out and back. A gash appeared on Bain's face, steadily dripping blood. It wasn't deep, but the scent of the fresh blood made both vampires shudder slightly. Ana's eyes dilated a bit as she inhaled slowly, as if to savor the scent. Then she closed her eyes and shook it off.

"Leave him alone, Marcus," she said. "I'm the one you want, so leave him alone. Let him go."

"You still react properly, even after all this time," Marcus observed. "You still crave fresh blood. At least you haven't taken to drinking animal blood, which is only to the good." He glanced from Ana to Bain and back again. "Let's see how you react this time..." His hand flashed out again, but this time it was across Bain's collarbone. The gash was larger this time, much larger, and it barely missed the major veins. Ana's eyes locked on the spot as blood steadily flowed, her pupils large and dark as she panted shallowly with repressed desire. It took her longer to tear her gaze away this time.

Before he had a chance to react Marcus's hand flashed toward his face. The action was so quick he hadn't seen it coming let alone expected it. He wasn't even aware that Marcus had actually made contact with him until he felt the trickle of blood slip down the side of his face and then the small sensation of stinging set in. The action itself had caught him off guard, even thought it probably shouldn't have, but the shudder that shook Ana's form when she caught the sent of his blood made him just a little bit uncomfortable.

Bain didn't even flinch when his skin was split the second time. Sure it may have stung a little but his adrenalin and anger was still high which helped to mask any pain he may have felt. The anger he felt flowed through him and a calm rage started to set in. He wasn't afraid of death, at least not at the moment, no his mind was to focused on Ana and what she would do. He was starting to accept his helplessness, he had no control over what was happening or what would happen. He didn't trust Marcus but he did trust Ana. Whatever happened now… it was in her hands.

"Do I need to make my point again?" Marcus asked as he watched his fledgeling struggling to control herself. She might be getting old by vampire standards, but he was older still and had better control than she did. He raised an eyebrow when she hesitated before answering.

"I... I won't be controlled, Marcus," she said, finally tearing her gaze away from the blood steadily dripping to the floor. She pinned her eyes on her sire in an attempt to ignore the enticing scent. Marcus shook his head with mock sadness.

"A pity," he replied. "I suppose that means I have to treat you like the unruly child you are and take away your toy." Before Ana could react, he reached over and nicked open one of the human's major veins. It would take a little while for him to bleed out, but he would.

"No!" Ana shrieked, trying to rush over and help Bain. Marcus caught her and pinned her arms to her sides, holding her still as she struggled desperately to get free. "Let me go! Let me save him! Please, Marcus!" She kept struggling even as she watched Bain loosing blood. "I'll do anything!"

"Do you give your word?" Marcus asked calmly, holding her as she fought to escape. "You'll be mine again."

"Yes!" Ana cried. "Anything! I'll come back to the family! Just let me save him!" Marcus eyed her for a moment to gauge her sincerity, and then let her go. Ana darted over to Bain and fell to her knees next to him, pulling him close to her. "Bain... Oh Bain, I'm so sorry... This is all my fault... You have to trust me, alright? This might hurt a bit, but I promise, you'll be okay soon."

He was going to die, of that he was certain. Already he could feel himself getting weak from the loss of blood. He didn't struggle though. He wasn't going to scream and fight, he wanted to go out with dignity. After all he was still bound to a chair and there was nothing he could do to save himself so he let himself fade his eyes never leaving Ana. His one regret was that he had put her in this situation.

Slowly the sounds around him began to fade as his head started to droop. It wouldn't be long now soon he would be in the eternal embrace of darkness. And then he felt it. There were hands on him, it must have been Ana's hands because he could hear her voice calling him through his cloudy mind.

Trust her? Of course he trusted her, but he couldn't say it. Couldn't get the words past his lips. He struggled to stay conscious unsure of what she intend to so to save him or for that matter what she had sacrificed for the chance to save him. But soon such thoughts seemed trivial as his mind became more unfocused. If it weren't for the ropes holding him in place he probably would have tumbled to the floor by now. Unconsciously he leaned more against her.

With a quick twist of her wrists, Ana broke the ropes binding Bain to the chair and caught him as he slumped over. She would have to work quickly... He was almost gone. With a quick murmured apology, she sank her fangs into his throat and took what he had left. Then, barely pausing, she opened a vein on her wrist and raised her arm so that her own blood would drip onto Bain's lips and into his mouth.

"Come on," she breathed. "Wake for me. You'll be okay, just drink from me."

He felt something being pressed to his lips and his automatic response was to open them. Soon the coppery tang of blood filled his mouth. His first reaction was to cough and gag to get the taste out of his mouth but when the flow became to much for him to refuse, he swallowed. After a few mouthfuls he pulled away. His body felt as if liquid fire was running through it. Oh how it burnt! His body began to convulse and all thoughts fled him. The pain was bad, it was so much worse then when he had been bleeding out. What was happening to him?

He thrashed for a moment or two more until the pain finally started to subside leaving in its wake a dull throbbing sensation that permeated through his entire body. He still felt sluggish and his mind still felt cloudy but he didn't feel like he was fading any more. Slowly he opened his eyes to meet Ana's.

"what-what happened?" He asked sounding more then a little tired.

"She saved you the only way she knows how," Marcus supplied helpfully, a smirk on his face. "Very well done, I must say. I don't think I've ever seen a successful turn when the newborn was so close to death."

"Marcus, go away," Ana said softly, not looking at him. Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"You gave your word that you would come back to the family, my dear," he reminded her. Ana's lip curled a little. "Don't forget that."

"I'm not forgetting anything!" Ana snapped, facing him. "But I didn't say when I would come back." Marcus snarled a bit, knowing he'd been temporarily outmaneuvered.

"Six months," he spat. "Get your affairs in order and then you will keep your word and return to the family." With that, he turned and left the church. Ana sighed slightly, and then helped Bain sit up.

"How do you feel?" she asked him softly. "No numbness anywhere, no stiffness?"

Bain kept his eyes trained on Ana's features, he wasn't interested in what Marcus had to say though what he had said rocked him to his core. He started up at Ana confused fear clearly written on his face. Had he really… was he really a… he couldn't even think the word at the moment. It was all to much to take in especially with his mind still being a little fuzzy.

He listened quietly to their conversation as his own thoughts began to settle. She was going to have to go back with Marcus and it was his fault. He felt terrible how things had turned out. Not only that but now e was going to be a hinderance. He new next to nothing about vampires and now…

His train of thought seemed to scatter as Ana helped to sit him back up. He groaned and clutched his hand to his head. He had a head ache and was somewhat sore all over but he didn't feel any stiffness. He experimentally moved a few of his limbs. "No" He said thoughtfully as he continued to examine his appendages to make sure he could feel them all. "No stiffness or numbness… just sore"

He repositioned himself into a more comfortable sitting position before he let his gaze wonder up to hers. "So, is it true… am I really a…" He paused unsure if he really wanted to say the word out load. As if saying it would make it that much more real. "Vampire?"

Ana bit her lip and looked down at her lap.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, barely more than a whisper. "I just... I couldn't let you die. Not when I could do something about it." She tried, but wasn't able to meet his eyes. "I didn't want this for you... You deserve better, but when Marcus..." she trailed off. "I can understand if you hate me now." Hatred or not, however, she would still teach him how to take care of himself, if he would let her. "It's early in the day, still. You'll be stuck in here until sundown, but I can go and bring you back something, if you're hungry." He would be hungry soon, even if he wasn't at the moment. Most newborns tended to be so for the first few days as they got used to their new diets. Ana was old enough that meals every few days and a few trips into the sunlight wouldn't kill her, but Bain would burn up in an instant if he went outside now.

Getting to her feet, she held out a hand, offering to help him up.

"The soreness will fade," she added. "You'll feel better in a little while, though you might be a little lethargic until the sun sets."

He shook his head no at her question. "No, I'm not hungry" He wasn't sure how he felt about what his choice of food would now be. It hadn't bothered him that much when Ana had had to feed but he wasn't sure he would be able to stomach the stuff. He turned his gaze to the covered windows. He wasn't sure when he would be able to see the sun again. The though saddened him but he pushed the feeling down. He had more important things to think about.

When Ana moved to stand his gaze landed back on her. He eyed her hand for a moment before taking it and letting her help him up. Once he was fully standing he dusted himself off and nodded at her comment. He took a moment to stretch hoping to get rid of some of the soreness. Once he was done he look at her again.

"I don't hate you" He finally said. His eyes narrowed as he thought of Marcus. He was the reason this had happened. "I hate him" It was true, he didn't hate her she had after all saved his life and if he had been any normal human he probably would have avoided her once he found out what she was… but he hadn't. So he couldn't let her take all the blame in this.

he sighed "So… what happens now?"

"Now we wait," Ana replied simply. She chose not to answer the harder part of that question, instead focusing on the easiest answer. "Once the sun goes down, we can leave and see about finding something to eat, and then we'll go back to my apartment for the day." She looked at him. "We'll have to do something about your classes," she said. "You can't go to the daytime ones anymore." She sighed. She had to terminate her own enrollment in the college, as well, and start packing her things. She'd promised to rejoin the family, and that meant going back to the family seat. She bit her lip as she realized something else. "Bain... What will you tell your family? Your parents?" She wasn't going to tell him he couldn't see them, because there was technically no rule against such a thing, but it had to be done carefully.

"I-I don't know" He said honestly as he looked off to the side in thought. What was he going to do about his family? He couldn't very well see them like this, could he? And even if he could it wouldn't be for long, they would notice that he had stopped aging eventually. "Maybe I'll visit them one last time before disappearing." He shrugged. "I'll have to come up with an excuse or maybe i'll just have to fake my own death." It wasn't something he wanted to do. He hated the idea of still being among the living while his family grieved over his 'death', but it was probably the most practical thing to do.

"As for school… I'm not terribly worried about it anymore, I can only take night jobs now anyway. And anything I had been studying wouldn't be open at night" He shrugged again as he looked at her. She had said she would go back with Marcus and he had given her a months time, where did that leave him exactly?

"So… you'll be leaving to rejoin Marcus in a month… how long is it going to take me to get used to… this?" What he was really curious about was how long it was going to take her to teach him the ropes. At the moment it didn't seem as if she would be bringing him with her, which put him in a bad spot. Perhaps he would pester her about it once things became more… stable. Besides he didn't want to leave her alone with Marcus.