J.A. London

For some reason, I thought Victor could heal that wound better than anyone else. It's strange to think that this vampire, the embodiment of all my hatred, could act like a suture.

I'm leaving the door partly open," he says as he follows Tegan. "You scream if you need me."Once he is outside, Richard says, "He does realize that if he hears your scream, it's already too late.

One cannot fight for so long without the scars building on one's soul.

He turns to leave, stops, looks back at me. "Just so you know: What you did for Victor means a lot to us. You could have left him to die.""No, Richard, I couldn't."I see in his eyes that he understands. I didn't save Victor because I knew that his being alive was best for Denver. I gave him my blood because I didn't want to live in a world without him in it.

For most vampires, it's an automatic response - scent blood, fangs drop.

I start to cross the street, stop, turn back. "You are not what I thought."He smiles. A devastatingly beautiful smile.I race across the street to my apartment building, to home, to safety. Because that smile scares me for reasons I can't explain. I only know that it makes me want to see him smile again.

I press my face against his chest, inhale his scent, take comfort from it. "I'm so sorry, Victor. I'm not sure I realized how truly awful this is for you.""It could be worse. I might not have you."I sink against him."Trust me," he whispers.

The vampires took everything from me, but I'm looking into the eyes of one who has the power to give me back a reason to live, who can heal my gaping hole of sorrow.

I like you, Dawn. I've seen a lot of humans, from far away and up close. I've never met one like you. I think you're the closest thing to a sunrise I'll ever see.

I've always thought that if I bury my feelings now, I can dig them up later when I have time to deal with them.