The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

ok. So I'm back! Let me know what you think of this new twist!

Back at the mansion Natasha locked her self in her room, she wouldn't let him in, no matter what he said, or how many apologies he made, she withdrew from him, didn't speak anything to any one. It had been two days now that she was in that room, Sarah had bothered Matic non-stop about the wedding dress, just making him feel worse. He knew the way she was right now, Natasha wouldn't go through with it. She didn't love him any more; she was too scared of the monster with in him. She came back to the mansion, but she never came back to him. And how could he blame her, he had killed a human right in front of her! He tried to speak with her, tried to make it right. But when ever he knocked on the door, she wouldn't answer, wouldn't even speak through the door to him! The only way that he knew that she was even still in there was because the maid that brought Natasha's food, said she was. He had thought about breaking down the door, and just kiss her till she remembered the love that they had, but he knew no amount of kisses would bring them back to where they were. Matic couldn't believe that it had only been three days before that she had stood up in front of the two covens and swore that she would stand by his side and become a vampire to be his wife. How could he make her honor her words when she didn't love him any more? He wouldn't push her against her wishes. And he knew if something didn't happen in the next week that would change her thoughts of him; he would have to find another to wed. He would have to let her go. His fists tightened even at the thought of it, but he knew he could never live a life time with a woman by his side that despised him. Sarah had insisted that she do the wedding dress any way, saying that they would get through this little love spat. He wished he believed she was right.

"Matic?" It was Kyle. Matic didn't lift his head from his hands, where he rested against his desk. "Matic you have to talk with her… the wedding is only two weeks away, you have to do something." Matic looked up at Kyle.

"She won't speak to me Kyle, what am I supposed to do?"

"I don’t know. Anything!"

"What? Break down her door and force her to marry me?!"

"If it will work."

"Well I highly doubt it will. She doesn't love me any more Kyle, she hates it here."

"You don’t know that."

"Why else would she lock herself in her room and not speak to any one?"

"Because she's scared. Think about it Matic, she's trapped, she doesn't have any other home besides this one. She has no money; she probably doesn't even know where she is!" Matic stayed silent as he listened to his older brothers words. "It may have nothing to do with you. She probably just feels like she doesn't have a life any more, that she's no one!" Matic looked up at him with a skeptical look. "Okay, maybe it has a little to do with you, but you don’t know that."

"And how am I supposed to know? She won't speak to me!"

"You have to try Matic."

"I have."

"You have to try harder." Matic lowered his head back into his hands.

"It's no use." He mumbled out. Kyle sighed as he walked out of the study where Matic had spent the last two days. If Matic wouldn't try, Kyle would. If Matic didn't marry by the end of these two weeks the was going to chaos, he couldn't let that happen to his mothers coven, not after all this time. Kyle ran up the stares and walked down the hall to the closed door. He knocked on the door gently.

"Natasha, its Kyle." He waited for a moment; he didn't hear any one on the other side. "Matic isn't with me, I just want to talk with you." Silence. "Natasha. Please. Matic needs you. He's in trouble." He heard some one climb off the bed.

"Is he alright?" She asked from behind the door. So she did care about him, that was good.

"No, please, open the door." He heard the click of the lock and then she slowly turned the handle, and opened it a crack. Kyle took the handle and opened it all the way and stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him.

"What wrong? Is he hurt?" Natasha's body tense for Kyle's answer, her concern showed though the expression she fixed him with.

"Of course he's hurt. You won't speak with him." She shoulders relaxed and she moved away from Kyle, back to the bed where she sat. "Natasha, he loves you. He's sorry for what he did, but you have to understand it's in his nature." Natasha looked up at Kyle frowning.

"It's in his nature to kill humans?!"

"Yes, or to kill something! He needs blood to stay alive."

"He said after he killed the man that it was only a human. Kyle, I'm human! I understand that you have to feed on blood to survive, but… I mean, in different circumstances, he could have easily killed me instead of that man. What's the difference between him and me?"

"The difference is that the man that Matic killed was a murder, he raped and killed 17 children, all under the age ten, before he was caught. Vampires may be killers, but we are kills that are always justified. At least all the vampires in my mothers coven. And that includes Matic. He killed that man, only on the basis of knowing the crimes and horrible things the man had done with his life. Matic would never ever hurt you, or any other human that was innocent, and pure in their actions. Matic loves you, but the more you keep this up, the more you don’t speak with him, and the more you lock your self away. The more his love is dwindling. He thinks you hate him, that you hate this place. If you continue this resentment toward him he will let you go. He won't force you to marry him, but for his case I really hope you come to your senses and do marry him. If you don’t, he will find another to marry. Not because he wants to, but because he has to. If he doesn’t marry there will be chaos, and war. This isn't just about your feelings toward Matic any more, this is so much more. If he doesn't marry before these two weeks are up, the two covens will be separated forever and probably brought into war over it, and that means death. Not just for vampires but for humans as well. If a war is sparked between these two covens, all the people in this whole country side will probably be slaughtered, or taken to be changed, just so they would have more vampires on the battle field.

I understand if you don’t feel the same way about Matic as you did before. And I get it if you can't marry some one you don’t love. But I think there is a part of you that does still love him, because once I told you that Matic was in trouble you instantly opened the door. I know you still care about him, just by that fact alone. But if for some reason you decide that you can't marry him, end this. Tell him to find some one else to marry. And do it before it's too late. Do it before too many lives are the cost of your resentment toward him. But if you do love him, then love him! Don’t block him out because he killed a human." Kyle sighed, breathing in deeply then let it out. "I don’t know if what I just said to you will change any thing, but I truly hope it does. Just speak with Matic. Even if it is to tell him it's over. Him knowing for certain is better than this silent treatment you've been giving him." Kyle was silent as he looked at Natasha's lowered head. "I'm sorry if I've upset you. I'll go now." Kyle walked out of the silent room and gently closed the door.

Matic paced back and forth in his study. He hadn't slept, hadn't fed, and hadn't stopped worrying since the last time he had seen Natasha run from the mansion. He was waiting for Kyle to get back from going to the town, he should have gone himself, should have seen for himself, but Kyle had convinced him that he would look and Matic would then be able to look through the country roads. Matic had tried every road around the mansion trying to find her. There wasn't even a slight trace of her sent. Where could she have gone? He needed her. These past days had shown him that, he couldn't live with out her, he couldn't even think for a moment with out thoughts of if she was alright, if she hated him, if she would ever forgive him, if she was hurt, or happy, or if she even missed him at all. His fingers found the ring that she had worn wrapped around his pinky now. He was determined to have it back on her hand, he wanted her in his life.

"No trace." Kyle said as he walked into the room.

"We have to find her!"

"I know Matic. You can't take the thrown with out her."

"I don’t care about the thrown, I just need her back. I love her Kyle, I truly do." Kyle just nodded.

"I would never think that catching a human would be like catching smoke. I've never seen a human just disappear with out any trace of her scent left behind. Its like she didn't want to be found."

"She doesn't. She hates me for what I did, Kyle. She thought I was going to hurt her that night, that's why she ran."

"I'm very sure she doesn't hate you. I just think she was a little naive of what she thought you were."

"I need her back, Kyle." Matic didn't stop pacing as he thought.

"I know."

"Where could she be?"

"Well I don’t think she got to the city yet, but she might be hiding out in the town some where."

"I thought you searched the town!"

"I did, I meant, that she could be hiding with people. Some one might have taken her in."

"Who would take in her in?"

"I don’t know, the church people maybe. Or some horning man." Matic growled. "Just giving the options."

"I know, I just." Matic hand his hands through his hair. "I just want her to be safe. If she's hurt, Kyle… I don’t know what I'd do to the person that hurt her..." Matic collapsed in his study chair.

"We'll find her Matic, it may take some time, but we'll find her." Kyle placed a hand on Matic's shoulder, the man was torturing himself trying to find this girl. Matic suddenly got up.

"I'm going to the town."

"Matic, you cant tare through that place, people will come after you."

"I know, I wont. I'm just going to ask some people some questions, see if any one has seen her."

"Alright, I'll go with you."

"No, you stay here incase she comes back." Kyle just agreed and let Matic storm out of the castle to the town. It only took a minuet for him to speed run to the town. He walked down the main street, watching people as they walked by under the street lamps. Matic molded with the night and worked his way to the businesses of the town. He reached the gas station, no one knew anything there. He went to the restraint and the inn then finally went to grocery store. He walk in and started toward the isle where one woman held a compact mirror and was putting on lipstick. She spoke to her friend beside her.

"Ya, so he finally said yes to my urging him to go. I still cant believe he invited that girl along on our date!"

"Who is she any way?"

"I don’t know! He didn't even know who she was, he called her May. Retarded name to match her retard brain. She didn't say a word through the whole conversation, all she did was motion for him to go out with me. She probably knew that she wasn't good enough for him." The girl smiled at her self in the little mirror and snapped it closed. "Matt said she couldn't talk, but seriously, she was totally not there in the head, if you know what I mean."

"So is she like a relative of his or what?"

"Hell no! He said he just picked her up on a dirt road by the mansion! Some kind of hippy!" Matic head snapped toward the two woman. Natasha! They were talking about Natasha!

"Where does this boy live?" He said suddenly close to the two girls.

"Uh, sorry were closed."

"WHERE DOES THE BOY LIVE!?" Both girls took a step away from him as he felt his blood lust rise.

"Just outside the town, fifteen minuets north." Matic turned from the two scarred girls and walked out of the store. Once out in the dark he sped through the town, back in the country side. He searched every house with in fifteen minuets of the town, none of them had her scent, none of them had her presents. Each house made him more and more frusterated, more and more angry.

He was running through a field when it hit him. He smelled her! She was close! He sped faster through the field to the little farm house. A red truck was the only vehicle. He walked swiftly too and the thing was sweet with her scent. She was here! He marched up the stepped of the deck, not thinking as he slammed the door open with his shoulder. Three people were around the dinner table, a young boy, an old man, and her. He had finally found her!

"Natasha."



CHAPTER 29

The boy moved in front of Natasha as all three rose to their feet at his sudden presence.

"You won't take her! I won't let you!" The boy yelled out, full of anger and passion. Matic ignored his comment as he looked pasted him to Natasha. She starred at the wooden table, not looking up to him.

"Click, click." The old man had grabbed the shot gun off the top shelf and cocked it at Matic.

"Get off my property." He commanded. Matic didn't pay attention as he took a step toward Natasha.

"Natasha. Please. I love you." He saw her eyes fill with tears before she closed them, biting her bottom lip.

Natasha's heart thudded with in her chest as she heard his voice call out to her.

"If you loved her, you never would have hurt her!" Matt's voice said from in front of her. He didn't know who he was talking to, and how easily Matic could kill him.

"I'll shoot! You take another step to Miss. May, and I'll blow your brains out." The old man spoke up, the gun still pointed to Matic's head. Natasha crunched her eyes closed, willing her self to be somewhere else, any where else. Suddenly she heard the gun fire, and loud bang shattered the room, Natasha cried out as she heard the bullet released from the barrel.

"NOOO!" She screamed as her eyes flew open. It was so quick, and it felt like it was over before it had even started. Her mind couldn't understand why Matic was still standing, why she had her eyes suddenly locked with his bright blue ones, why his hand was to his side, toward Matt's father, in a fist. He slowly moved the hand down to his side and let his hand open, the bullet fell out of his hand, and clinked as it hit the floor, crumpled and destroyed. "Matic." His name was out of her lips before she could stop them.

"You speak?!" Matt's words sounded so far away as she stared into Matic's eyes. Her mind told her to look away, that she needed to look away. But the more she stared into those eyes, the more she wanted to feel the love the man behind them. She mind warned her he was a monster, that he had killed a man! That he was a murderer, that he could kill her! But he had saved her life. He had saved her life and the cost was her heart. Her heart was his. And what is the rest of the body with out the heart? Nothing. With out the heart there is no life, there is no meaning.

"Natasha." Just his voice was life to her.

"DON’T TOUCH HER!" It was Matt, his body blocked her from Matic.

"Matt." Natasha spoke, her voice soft. He slightly turned his head but kept his eyes on Matic. "It's okay."

"May, no, he hurt you!" Natasha's eyes couldn't look away from Matic's.

"No, he didn't. He never hurt me."

"But the scar."

"It wasn't him."

"But-"

"He saved me, Matt. He saved my life." Matt looked from Matic to Natasha then back again, then he slowly, reluctantly moved away. Matic's arms were around her before she could take another breath.

"I'm so sorry, I love you. I'll never hurt any one ever again, I promise, just please come back to me." He whispered in her ear as he held her tightly to him. She wrapped her arms around him, unwilling tears flowing from her. "Please, please! I love you." He pleaded desperately as she started to pull away. His strong arms let her go. When she looked up into his eyes again they were a color she had never witnessed before. They were purple! Bright and vibrant purple. The color showed agony, despair, and sorrow through his eyes. She couldn't explain it any other way, it was like his emotions were so strong they flooded into his eyes just to get out. "I'm nothing with out you. I need you." He whispered staring in her eyes. Natasha forced herself to look away from him. She knew what she was going to do, she had known since hearing his voice again.

She couldn't be without him either.

"Matt, thank you for taking me in… and protecting me… but its time for me to go, I belong with Matic."

"MAY! Time to get up!" Natasha rolled over in the lumpy squeaky bed as the voice urged her to get up. She slowly opened her eyes. She watched the sunlight from the small window creep through dust to light the little room. "May? Are you up?" Natasha blinked and frowned as she looked at her surroundings confused. Where was Matic? And then it hit her. Like a brick suddenly slamming against her head, she remembered. She closed her eyes as the pain came full force back into her torn heart. "May? You have to get up now!" She walked over to the door and opened it. The man behind the door stepped back, looking down at her and blushed as he looked away. "Oh! Uh… sorry… um breakfast is on the table. Here." He said handing her something white folded up. Natasha took it and watched as he walked away quickly. Natasha looked down at her self and her eyes widened as she realized her appearance. The shirt he had given her had covered every thing thankfully, however it was very short and almost didn't cover her lace panties. She quickly closed the door as she unfolded the white cloth he had given her. She gripped the top of it and it flowed down smoothly to the ground. The turned it around to see it was a dress, a summer dress. She unbuttoned the plaid shirt and put on the dress, it fit her well enough, and it was light on her skin. She brushed her out with her fingers then walked to the door and opened it slowly, looking at the empty hall way. She walked down it then down the stairs, some of them creaking with the weight of her. She stopped at the base of the stairs and looked out the doors window to the horses grazing a little ways away behind the fence across from the house. "May! You're up!" She turned her head to look at the man before her; he was in another plaid shirt and black jeans. She forced a smile to greet him. "You want breakfast?" She didn't nod but followed him in to the kitchen. The older man was sitting at the table, already eating his breakfast with a cup of coffee. Despite her pain she couldn't help her stomach clench at the sight of food, she hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning. "We have toast and eggs this morning… how do you like your eggs?" She looked up at him blankly, then down to the stove top where scrambled eggs were cooking. She motioned with her eyes to the eggs and forced another small smile. "Scrambled it is! Why don’t you go sit, it'll take a few minuets to cook." She walked over to the table and sat down across from the old man. He looked up at her and glared as he shoveled more eggs into his mouth. Natasha just looked down, away from him. "I hope the dress is okay. It was my mothers. I know its nothing like the dress you were wearing last night, but I think it looks good on you. Do you like it?" Natasha smiled at him. "Good!" He turned back to the eggs and pushed them around. She heard the toast pop up and he walked quickly over to it. He put them on a plate and then walked to her and set the two pieces down in front of her. "What would you like on it? Butter? Jam? Peanut butter?" Natasha reached out to the butter. The man just smiled. "I'm Matt by the way. I didn't get a chance to really introduce my self the other night, and this is my pop. The old man didn't look up from his breakfast. "Don’t worry about him, its takes a while for him to warm up to any one. It's nothing personal."

"I don’t know why you keep talking to her, Matt! She probably can't even understand a word you says to her." He said with a mouth full of food.

"Pop! She's not retarded! She just can't speak is all." Matt frowned as he walked back to the eggs. He brought over the eggs and piled some one to her plate then pushed some on to his. More toast popped up and he walked over and got his toast, buttering it. "He's just upset because you're wearing my mom's dress. She died three years ago." Natasha looked up at the two men sorry for their loss. "But its okay, we've managed! Right pop?" The man just grunted as he stood up from the table, done his breakfast.

"I'm gonna check on the cows." He said gruffly and walked out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Matt just smiled at her apologizing.

"So where do you live? We should get you back to your family; they'll be worried about you." She looked up at him then looked down, at the toast. She took one up in her hand and took a small bite of it. Matt suddenly got up from the table and walked over to a counter and grabbed at pen and pencil. "Why don't you draw it out, the way. What street you live on." She looked at the blank note pad in front of her. Blank, like her life. She looked up at his smiling face. She picked up the pen and tried to think of how to show him she didn't have a home. She drew a house and showed it to him. "Yes! Your home! Where is it?" She drew an x through the drawing then looked up at him. He frowned. "You don’t have a home?" Natasha just put down the pen as a sign that his guess was correct. "You don’t have a home." The frown was still plastered across his face. She forced her self to pick up the fork and lift some of the scrambled eggs up to her mouth. She chewed and swallowed, feeling his eyes concerned and confused. She glanced at him then looked back to her plate. "Well then." He said, finally finding his voice. "You'll stay here." She looked up at him wide eyed. He didn't even know her and he was offering his home!? "You'll have to live with pop being grumpy for about a month, but after that he should warm up to you." Matt smiled as he bit into his toast and grinned as he chewed. Natasha thought about it. Matt was a very nice man, and this place was safe enough, yes, she would stay. She took the pen up in her hand and wrote on the paper, just the word, yes. "Wonderful!" He said after he swallowed his bite of food. "Oh, but I guess I should warn you. If you stay here you're gonna have to do some work." Natasha just nodded. She wasn't a stranger to work, in face some days she missed doing it. It was one of those things you could do and loose your thoughts into it. Natasha scooped up another bit of eggs into her mouth. The two of them ate in silence after than. When Natasha was finished she looked over at Matt, who was just finishing up as well. Natasha reached over to the opposite end of the table and took his fathers plate then reached over and took Matt's plate. He looked up at her surprised and she just smiled as she walked to the sink and gently placed the dishes beside it. She turned on the water to hot and plugged the sink and then poured some of the dish soap into the pouring water. Bubbles started to form as she walked to the stove top and gripped the frying pan and moved it over to the sink as well. "Thanks!" Matt said as he got up. "Well I better got help out pop. You'll be okay here?" Natasha just nodded as he slipped on his shoes. "Alright, well we'll be back soon." Natasha forced a smile so he knew she understood. Then he left and Natasha was left with her thoughts. She grabbed a dish cloth and started washing the dishes. When she was done that she opened the doors to the cupboards, trying to find where the dishes were supposed to go. However the more she opened the more she realized they really needed cleaning, the dust almost suffocating her with each door she opened and closed. She sighed as she let the dishes wait and took the same dish cloth and started to wipe down the cupboards. She took out the bowls and glasses and what ever else was in them and whipped down the old wooden shelves. She put the dished back the way she had found them and then moved on to the next and the next till she was finished. She found the places for her recently washed dishes and put them away. When she was finished with that she drained the sink and threw the dish cloth in the laundry basket that was just out of the kitchen, it was full. She walked over to it and walked about the house till she found the washing machine. A load of wash was already in there and waiting to be transferred to the dryer. She opened the dryer and found that the dryer was full as well. She folded all the cloths after she transferred the washed load over and more cloths into the washing machine. Both machines rocked slightly back and forth as they did their work. When she was finished folding the cloths, and both machines were still going she walked back into the kitchen and as she walked she realized the floor was filled with crumbs and dirt. So she swept and then mopped as she viewed dried on mud marks here and there. When she was done she swept up the dirt and threw it into the garbage, which was over flowing as well. She took the full bag of garbage out and walked to the door and saw there was a garbage can just off the deck. She walked to it and dumped the bag inside. She stopped for a second and looked up at the still morning sky, breathing in the fresh air, she looked at the view and just realized that the mountains were barley visible from here, just small peaks in the distance. "CRANG!" She turned back to the house, the laundry was done. She took out the load and transferred more in. She folded the cloths neatly. And just left the piles on top of the slightly rocking machines. She walked back into the kitchen looking for something to do, she couldn't see anything there so she turned and walked through the open door way and found the living room, a small T.V. was in the corner and the couch was a tangled mess with blankets and bits and pieces of chips and popcorn. She untangled the three blankets from the couch and folded them up then laid them across the back of the couch. She brushed the bits of food to the floor then walked back to the laundry room where she had seen a vacuum cleaner. She hulled the bulky old thing out into the living room and vacuumed the floor then the cushions. When she was done she hulled it back into the laundry room. She looked at the time left on the laundry then walked back to the living room. She found about an inch of dust across and on top of the T.V. She went to the kitchen and found a clean cloth. She wetted it quickly and walked back to the living room. She whipped down the T.V. Then found the stand needed a whip as well. Then the window ledges and the blinds, and every thing else in the room. She had just finished dusting the room when she heard the crang sound of the washer saying it was finished. She switched over the loads and put the last load in. She folded the dry cloths and put them into the empty laundry basket, neat and perfect. She walked back to the living room and sat down on the couch. It was one of those old couches that once you sat down it sucked you in. She looked around at her work and realized there was a small dying plant by the window. She pushed herself up out of the couch and walked over to it. The soil was so dry it could have been sand. She walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of water then walked back and watered the dying plant. She sighed as she watched the water sink into the soil. She poured a bit more than walked back to the kitchen and dried the glass before putting back on to the shelf.

"WAH!" She turned as she heard Matt's voice. He stood looking out into the kitchen. "I didn't mean that you had to work and clean the whole house!" Natasha just smiled and Matt laughed. "I think you're my angle!" His father walked in after him and stopped in his tracks at seeing the clean room. He looked at Matt then to Natasha. His eye brows raised, but didn't say anything. Natasha couldn't help but smile at his reaction, perhaps he would warm up to her faster than Matt had said. "Well we need to head into town for some groceries, you wanna come?" Natasha nodded.

"CRANG!" Both Natasha and Matt jumped. She turned to the laundry room and walked to it.

"You did laundry?!" She turned her head to him and smiled. "You really are my angle! Where did you come from?" Matt said it as a joke, but it just forced back the memories and pain she had been trying all morning to suppress. She pulled out the dry cloths and pulled the wet ones from the wash and pushed them into dryer. She turned the dial and started up the last load. She started to fold the piled cloths. Matt came up beside her. He started to help her. "Did I say thank you?" Natasha smiled as she looked down and piled another towel on to the pile.

"MATT!" It was his father. The two of them left the laundry and walked into the living room where his father had called from. He was sitting on the couch, staring at the T.V.

"Ya? What is it?"

"She got me a new T.V!" The old mans wrinkles were drawn back into a huge smile as he watched the cleaned T.V. Natasha just smiled as Matt looked at her confused. She walked over to it and slid her finger across the T.V. and showed him, no dust. He laughed.

"No dad. She just dusted! Probably be the first one to since mom passed away." Matt smiled at her as his father didn't even hear him.

"It's so clear! So bright! It looks brand new!"

"So does that mean you'll dust more often?"

"Hell no!" Matt just laughed as he turned back to the laundry room. Natasha followed him.

"After were done folding these we should head into town, alright? So don’t get too comfortable."

"You can go in with out me! I wouldn't know what to get any way." Matt just rolled his eyes.

"Alright! Hey maybe we'll bump into some one that knows ya!" Matt said to Natasha and she stiffened. It had never entered her mind that Matic might actually be looking for her. She bit her bottom lip. What would she do if he found her? "You okay?" Matt asked, noticing her thoughtful scarred face. She forced a smile and nodded. She was anything but okay.



CHAPTER 27

She was in the truck with Matt, the radio was playing some country song she didn't know. Twenty minuets later they were in town, it was small, but it had an inn and restraunts as well as a post office. When he pulled into the parking lot for the supper story Natasha hopped out and walked with him to the automatic doors. Natasha followed him, then he turned to her and smile as he said slightly awkwardly. "If you need lady things… um… here." He handed her two twenties. She could have laughed at the blush crossing his face as she looked up at him surprised. "They have some cloths here that might fit you too. Why don't you go look, I'll catch up with ya." Natasha nodded and took the money and walked down the main isle of the store. She walked to the small clothing section and took a pack of underwear, as well as another bra. Then walked into the health section and picked up some tampons and IBprofen. She had looked at the clothing again, but didn’t find anything in her size at all, so she walked to the counter and paid for her things then walked through the store, looking for Matt. She found him with a cart at the end of the bakery section. She walked to him. He was talking with another boy around his age, they looked to be laughing and kidding around. When she approached Matt smiled at her. "Yea, this is her! May."

"Hello, I'm Eric… Matt's been telling me about you." Natasha just smiled at the man. She reached into her pocket and took out the twenty and change that she hadn't used and gave it back to Matt.

"Thanks." Matt said looking back to Eric. "Well better finish up, I'll see ya later?"

"Yep. Take of her, huh?" Matt smiled as Eric started to walk away. When he rounded to the next isle Natasha just smiled at Matt.

"Well we still need cheese and milk and butter." Matt said as he turned and started to walk down the isle toward the dairy section. It felt so weird being in a grocery store again, felt like another life time ago when she had to buy groceries to eat, and not to just call the maid to bring food. Matt picked up the rest of the groceries and then turned to her. "Are you all done shopping?" She nodded and he smiled. "Alright, well lets go pay." He walked to the counter with her.

"Who's this Matt?" The girl at the teller asked as she started ringing the food through.

"This is May."

"Oh! Hello? How are you?" Natasha just smiled and the girl frowned when she didn't answer. The girl looked at Matt.

"Oh, don’t take it personally, she just doesn't speak."

"At all?!"

"Nope. Not that I know of."

"Where did she come from?"

"I don’t know, we found her by the mansion road. She was wearing a real pretty dress, but other than that we don’t know much about her."

"Huh." The girl eyed her up and down skeptically. "Well you wanna go to the movies on saturday night?" Matt looked at May.

"What'd you say? You wanna go?" The girl gave her a death glare. And Natasha bit her lip and looked back at the girl, she didn't want to make any trouble. So she shook her head no. "Oh, okay. Well I guess that’s a no." Matt said back to the girl, and she looked shocked.

"You can leave her at home Matt, its not like she foaming at the mouth. She'll survive."

"Come on Lucy, she's my guest, I'm not going to leave her at home with my dad. You know how he can be." Natasha didn't want to cause any problems here then she already had, so she tapped Matt on the shoulder, and he looked over at her. She smiled and motioned to the girl and nodded. "You want me to go?" Natasha nodded and smiled.

"See, she can take care of her self." Matt looked at the girl then back to Natasha surprised.

"Yea… alright then. I guess I'll see you on Saturday." The girl beamed as he grabbed a handful of groceries. Natasha grabbed another bag in her hand and started to walk after him. They walked from the parking lot to the truck. He lifted up the groceries and put them in the back. Natasha did the same then walked to the passenger side of the truck and hopped in. He started up the truck and drove out of the parking lot. "Are you sure you don’t mind if I go out with Lucy? I can still cancel." Natasha shook her head no. And he smiled. "Alright… so how about some ice cream?" Natasha shrugged. "Well I want some ice cream." She smiled as he licked his lips. He started heading down the road to an ice cream parlor. That’s when she saw it. A limo, shiny and black heading their way. Instantly she bent over and covered her head, hiding from view. She stayed like that for a few minuets then cautiously straitened and looked behind her to see the limo had carried on driving. She sighed and let her suddenly tense shoulders relax. She looked over and realized Matt was staring at her, his eyes kept bouncing back and forth from looking at the road to her. "Is some one after you?" An inner shiver passed through her body at his question. She bit her bottom lip, she didn't know how to answer that. "Who was in that limo, May?" She looked away from him, hoping to the bottom of her being that he would drop the questions and let it go. "May? Are you in some kind of trouble?" She slightly shook her head, no. "Because if you were its okay. I can help you with what ever it is." She didn't motion to him anything. "May? You can trust me, nothing will happen to you. You'll be safe." Safe. She had trusted some one, they had promised that she would be safe too. Look how that turned out. She tried to blink back the tears that had some how seeped into her eyes. "May?" She didn't turn to him as she looked back at the now distant limo. Her teeth digging into her bottom lip was getting to be painful so she turned from looking at the black vehicle to looking a head at the road. Matt didn't stop for ice cream, and she was thankful to be out of the town. She was relieved to feel slight jerking the truck encountered when driving down the gravel roads, she would be okay. He wouldn't think to look for her on farm. He would think that she had gone to town and caught a bus or a ride out. She breathed slightly easier as she thoughts calmed her. But then the truck started to slow, then stop. She turned to face Matt, his face was contorted in confusion. "May I need you to tell me some how why were you hiding from that limo. If some one is looking for you, it could be a criminal charge for me to help you." She was silent. "May, if you don’t tell me, I'll take you back into town and I'll find that limo and find out who you are for my self." Her stomach clenched. She couldn't go back to Matic, not now. Not after she saw the monster in him. He would make her marry him, make her become a monster as well. She forced her self to reason with herself, that those were the main reasons why she didn't want to go back to him, but the truth was that she knew if she did go back to him, one look in those bright blue eyes would send her completely reeling down into that pit where she couldn't think of what was right, and what was wrong because she was in love. She tried to think of some way to show Matt, to make him believe that she couldn't go back, that she need to stay away. She looked at him and watched as his hands pulled tighter around the steering wheel, white knuckled. She looked at the small scar on his hand facing her. THE SCAR! Instantly she moved to she could lift up her dress. Matt looked at her confused and shocked as to what she was doing. She got the hem of the dress to her hips before Matt stopped her.

"May, you cant do this. You’re a very beautiful woman, but I just don’t want that. I'm not that kind of guy." She frowned at him, realizing what he thought she was doing. She moved his hand away and gave him a reassuring look. She pulled up the dress the rest of the way, ignoring the blush that cross over Matt's face at seeing her lacy underwear. Matt looked away, turning his back to her. "What are you doing!" She took his right hand from the steering wheel. "May! STOP!" She pulled his resistant hand toward her. She placed it on the scar. He still wasn't looking, he needed to see. She grunted and it worked, he turned toward her slightly, realizing finally that she wasn’t offering her self to him. She motioned to her stomach. He turned fully and looked at what his fingers were touching. He fingered the healed flesh, and a frown settled over his features. "Who did this to you?" He asked, anger laced through his words. She starred at him, watching as the thoughts clicked. She hated lying to him, hated letting him believe something that was anything but the truth. "The person in the limo…" She didn't nod, but stayed still. "Shi.t May! I'm so sorry!" He moved his hand from her stomach and she pulled down her dress. He quickly sped up, the frown never leaving his face. He didn't speak till he came to the driveway. He slowed to a stop before fully entering it. "May, I'll keep you safe for now, but we have to tell someone." Natasha's eyes went wide as she shook her head furiously. No! He can't tell any one! "Yes, May, we have to. Some one cant hurt a person like that and get away with it." Natasha reached out to his shoulder, gripping it, trying to make him change his mind, to see the insanity it was to tell anyone. "I know you must be scarred, but this can't go on." Natasha tried to think. She looked at the pen on the dash and grabbed it, she pressed the point of it onto the back of her hand, she drew a rough limo and dollar signs. "He has money." Natasha nodded and pointed to the dollar signs again. "Lots of money." She nodded again then placed her finger against his lips. Then leaned back, letting him think it out. "You don’t want me to tell because he has money and can just buy him self out of jail then come after you again." Natasha nodded. "But May." She placed her finger against her own lips with pleading eyes. "You don’t want me to tell." She slowly nodded as she gazed at him with uneasy scared eyes. He sighed and ran his hand though his hair. "Alright, I get it. I won't tell." Natasha hugged him she was so relieved. "But I think its best you don’t go into town again. And I'll spread around the word that you've left town." Natasha smiled thankful. He looked up at her worried still. "I won't let him hurt you ever again, I promise you." She didn't nod as he started up the truck and drove the little ways up to the front of the house. "You'll be safe here. No one will know." She pulled the leaver to open the door and jumped out. She walked to the back of the truck and grabbed some of the groceries. She couldn't help but think he was wrong, no matter how hard they tried to cover it up Matic would find her. Sooner or later he would.

She ran out of the front door and ran down the drive way till she found her self on a dirt road. Her lungs begged her to stop running but her heart told her to run faster. So she did, she turned left and continued running down the dirt road. She didn't know how long she had run till she came to a crossing, where the dirt road she was on now was intersected by another. She stumbled to a stop as gasping breaths pulled air into her lungs. Tears still ran down her face as she tried to calm herself, having no success. She closed her eyes as she greedily gulped the air, her chest heaving. When she opened her eyes again she saw a big old red pick up truck heading her way, a cloud of dust in its wake as it quickly sped toward her. She forced her legs to move. She made it to the middle of the road and stopped, lifting her arms and waving them so the truck would stop. She stared blankly as it got closer and closer, slowing down to a stop. A young man popped his head up out of the back of the truck as a horn blared down at her. Natasha looked at the old withered man that drove the truck then to the young man, standing in the back. Both had confused frowns across their faces. Finally after the horn blared a second time the young man spoke to her.

"You need a ride?" She could only nod. "Alright, come on back, I'll help you up." She walked around the truck to the tailgate. He walked over and held out a hand for her to take. Natasha hiked up her dress and took his hand and she stepped into the back of the truck. When the two of them were seated down on the hard metal the truck took off again, speeding down the dirt road. The young man beside her wore worn out jean and a plaid t-shirt, very country. "What are you doing out here in a dress like that?" She didn't looked at him, and didn't answer as she stayed silent and just shrugged. "You from the party down the road there?" She nodded slightly, her eyes still down cast, her hands wouldn't stop shaking. "Are you…" He stopped him self, watching as she tried to steady her hands. "Are you alright?" He asked, concern wavering through his voice. She didn't nod as she stayed silent. "Can you speak?" She looked up at him, then back down to her hands and shook her head no. She never wanted to speak again, never wanted to feel again, never wanted to even move again. "Oh. I'm sorry." Natasha didn't signal anything to him. "Well what's your name?" She didn't look up, didn't say anything. "Well can I call you by a name?" She just shrugged. "Hum, what month is it? – May? Yes! May! I'll call you May. Is that okay?" She just nodded, she really didn't care. The truck started to slow as it took a corner then quickly sped up. She watched the cloud of dust cover up her past, watched as it disappeared. Tears started to roll down her cheeks again, she couldn't help it. "Hey! Don’t cry, its okay May. I know you cant speak, but it'll be okay." She tried not to tremble as the pain over took her. She felt it ripping inside of her, each inch this truck took away from Matic tore her heart more and more, till she felt she would scream out at the pain. She felt a warm arm wrap around her shoulders, and hold her comfortingly, pitting her. Her whole body racked as she sobbed and cried. She didn't know how long she was lost in her own tears but soon her exhaustion took her and she fell asleep, the tears drying on her face, untouched. When she woke she felt arms wrapped around her, and for a split second she thought she was back with Matic, till she opened her eyes and looked up into the dark green eyes of the man carrying her. He looked down at her movement and smiled. "Ah! You're awake!" He settled her down on the ground as she took in her surroundings. She was on a farm, he was leading her to the door way of a small house. "We didn't know where you lived so we just took you home. Hope that was okay. Tomorrow you can go back home." Home, she didn't have a home. She couldn't go back to Matic, and her mother and father would never accept her, and even if they did, they would just turn around and sell her back to Matic. Natasha tried to settle her mind as she forced tomorrows problems for tomorrow. "Come on, we have a spare bed room up stairs you can stay in." His smile was almost infectious, and Natasha was sure that she would have found him charming if it weren't for the gaping hole that pulled sharper with each second, reminding her that he was gone, and how much agony she was in. The man led her into the warm cozy house and started up the stairs that were to the left once entering the house. She followed him up meekly. He walked down a small hallway and opened a door to the spar bedroom, it was small and cluttered with boxes. "I know its not much and its kindda dirty, but it has a bed! Oh and here, I brought up one of my shirts to sleep in, it'll probably be a little big on you, but its better than sleeping in the dress." He said smiling, and handing the folded clean plaid shirt to her. "Well I guess that's it. I'm just down the hall if you need anything just knock." He turned from her and started out the door, when she reached out for him to stop. She had to thank him, if it hadn't been for him she would probably still be wandering the dirt roads of the country side. She forced a smile and he understood. "Your welcome." He smiled again. "Sweet dreams!" He turned and closed the door behind him. Natasha slowly surveyed the cluttered room then walked to the bed and sat down on it. The mattress squeaked as she sat down on the edge of it. She bit her lip, trying to stop the incessant tears that crept back into her eyes. She took a shaky breath in then slowly let it out, trying to calm herself. Eventually she took off the dress and put on the shirt. Like he had said, it was way too big for her, but it was cotton and comfortable enough. She pulled back the home made quilt and laid down in the squeaky bed, the smell was so foreign to her, so different, and uncomfortable to her senses. She didn't sleep that night, all thoughts attached to one man that called in to her every time she closed her eyes. Matic.

"Ah! We are missing something, are we not?" Sarah spoke up behind her and Natasha shifted her eye sight away from her to the woman behind her. She pulled something out around her and placed it gently on Natasha's neck. The weight of it surprised her, because it was so big and beautiful that she thought it would weigh a lot more than it did on her shoulders. It was beautiful, and perfect. Matic wasn't going to recognize her.



Natasha's heart pounded in her chest as she stood before the mirror in her room. The three women had left and Natasha was trying to calm her nerves before she walked out the door. Finally she reasoned with herself that the butterfly's wouldn't go away till Matic put his arm around her. So she forced her self to walk from the mirror and over to the door. She placed her hand on the cool metal and grasped it, opening the door and walked out of the room. She walked slowly down the hall, feeling the dress swish with each step she took. When she got close to the stairs to closed her eyes stopped, and breathed in a deep breath then took a step forward and opened her eyes. She walked to the start of the stairs and looked down, watching as all the vampires mingled in the entrance way, some looked up. But then she eyes captured Matic, standing at the base of the stares talking with some one, the person stopped what they were staying and pointed up to her. Matic turned around and he eyes took in her beauty as she started to walk down the stairs. She concentrated on not tripping as she held up her dress a little and walked gracefully down to him. When she finally stood in front of him, he just stared in awe.

"Hi." She said softly. He blinked once, then twice before he finally looked up at her.

"You look… amazing!" She smiled as she looked at him in his all black tux.

"You look really good too." He smiled as he snaked his arm around her middle and held her close to him. The butterfly's didn't go away. He kissed her softly before turning back to the man he had been speaking with.

"Sir Toral, this is my fiancée, Natasha." The man took her hand up in his and kissed it gently.

"I fine wife she will make Prince Matic." Natasha looked from the man to Matic, it just clicked that Matic was a prince! An actual prince! Her prince. She smiled as he answered the man.

"That she will, I have no doubt." The man let go of her hand, bowed very formally to Matic and passed by the two. Matic turned to her and smiled. "You know as stunning as you look now, it still can't compare with those matching black underwear." Natasha blushed.

"You haven't seen the ones I'm wearing underneath this dress." She said, smiling as she talked, looking out into the crowd.

"Hum… is that an invitation?" Before she could answer Kyle interrupted them.

"You're father is here." Matic nodded and he removed his hand from around her waist and took her hand in his. He led her through the crowd of people to the door way, where his father and three other men stood.

"Father, brothers. I'm glad you made it." The kindness in his voice was too forced to be anything but fake. All three brothers looked Natasha up and down as he spoke. Natasha tightened her grip on his hand. "This is Natasha, my soon to be wife." He said the word wife with sharpness, capturing his brothers looks.

"Yes, we've met… but my eyes are you pleased to be able to look upon you again." His father spoke as Natasha shivered in disgust.

"Well please, enjoy yourself, and I will see you on stage at the ceremony." His father nodded and the four men walked in amongst the crowd. Natasha didn't say anything as Matic led her through the crowd once again. "Are you alright?" Natasha just nodded as she continued to follow him. He led her as quickly as he could through the crowded room to the grand hall, where tables had been set up and the stage decorated. Natasha looked around the room wide eyes, all of it was so beautiful! White and black roses were ever where with white banners circling the ceiling. Matic slowed and turned around to face her, smiling. "So what do you think?" She looked up at his beaming face."

"It's fit for a prince." She said staring up at him, smiling back.

"Well it's about to start. We should sit." She nodded as she took her hand and led her up on to the stage where a long table was placed. He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down gracefully. He pulled out his own chair and sat beside her. He faced forward but his hand moved to her's under the table, squeezing it affectionately. With in minuets the whole vampiric society had entered the room and sat in their designated seats. Kyle walked up to the front and smiled as he sat next to Matic. Then Natasha saw Matic's father come up on to the stage and stand in front of the stage looking out to the crowd.

"Stand." He commanded. The collection of vampires stood. "We are gathered for the passing of the thrown, from my self to my son Matic. The one condition filled for him to take the thrown, a wife. He has found one willing to wed him." Natasha's heart thudded within her as she felt eyes starring at her. She squeezed Matic's hand. "For all in favor of this passing of power say 'I'"

"I." The collective monotone sent a shiver down Natasha's spine.

"Alright. Matic?" Matic stood from his chair and walked around the table to stand in front of his father.

"Will you take the thrown and govern this clan with the wisdom you hold?"

"I will."

"Then I grant the thrown to be held by your governing, till the coven doth decides to appoint another, or you abdicate your thrown." Matic's father pulled a ring from the middle finger of his right hand. He took Matic's right hand and raised it into the air. "One individual that believes and can provide proof that this is an unjust transference of power speak now."

"I DO!" Heads turned to see a long figure close to the back. "His to be wife is not a vampire."

"She has promise to be." Matic spoke up against the voice.

"Let her declare it to the coven." Matic's father whipped his head around and looked at her.

"Rise and declare your words to the coven." He spoke and she rose on shaky legs.

"I will stand by my fiancée. I will become a vampire upon the night of our joining." The words slipped out of her mouth, strong and sure, unlike the rest of her body, which was quivering. Matic's father turned back to the crowd.

"Any other objections?" The hall was silent. "So be dubbed, leader of the coven, Matic." The ring slipped on to his middle finger and Matic fisted his fingers. As he raised it up in the air, the tendons in his arm standing out as he flexed his muscles. The sudden cheering filled the hall with excitement. Matic's face was stone as he looked out among the vampires. Then bowed to his father.

"Good, now let us feast! Matic, would you please do the honors?" Natasha's stomach suddenly jerk, with the pretence of something bad. Matic's father snapped his fingers and a man in chains was brought up on to the stage. The man was shaking in fear as he cowered over and looked up at Matic. It was all too quick to stop, she couldn't have even got a word in before it was done, Matic's fist dropped on to the man's skull and it cracked, killing the man.

"No!" Natasha whispered out, and her stomach clenched at the horrid sight, how could he just kill him? Natasha's eyes were riveted on the man's dead body. The blood drained from her face and she quickly got up and ran to the back, passed the curtains to back stage, where she emptied her stomach in to a tin garbage pale. When all the contents of her stomach were gone she dry heaved, bring up only air and bile. The feeling burned through her stomach as the image burned through her eyes.

"Natasha?" His voice was suddenly sickening.

"How could you?" She turned on Matic as she whipped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"What? Are you alright?"

"No! I'm not alright! How could you kill that man? Just kill him?! He never did anything to you! How could you just kill him!" Her hands were suddenly fisted as she pounded down on his chest, the man she had seen for so long suddenly transformed into the monster he had warned her about. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her too him as her strength failed. Tears ran down her face and she let him hold her.

"Oh Natasha! Its alright."

"No, its not! How could you do that?"

"He was only a human." Natasha pulled away from him, looking up at him, with shocked, hurt eyes.

"How can you say that?" His eyes widened as he realized his mistake. "I'M human. Would you kill me?"

"NO! Never, I love you!" He reached out to her and she flinched away from his touch. "I would never hurt you. I love you!" He said it again, as if just the words would change everything, and erase the life he had just took, and the words he had just spoken.

"No…" She took another step away from him. She found that her fingers were at his ring, his mothers ring, the one he had given her. "I'm sorry Matic. I should have see it." She blinked, letting the boiled up tears run down her cheeks. "I've made a huge mistake." She pulled the ring off of her finger, it glided all too easily off of her hand. She took a quick step toward him and took his hand in her's. She placed the fragile ring in his bloodied fist. She closed his fingers around it and kissed the bloodied knuckles. Her lips trembled as she did so. She didn't speak as her fingers reached up to her lips and whipped the blood off of her lips with shaking fingers.

"Natasha…" His voice was pleading, and she couldn't force herself to look up at his eyes, those eyes she knew that she had lost herself in one too many times. Lost so much so that she never saw the monster behind the man.

"Good bye Matic." She turned from him and ran as sobbing gasps escaped her lips.