Chapter 2

Chapter 2

There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't blame myself for what happened that night. It haunted me every day. The fact that I continued to breathe, and Emma didn't, coated my heart in pain and sorrow. The cost had been more than I was ever willing to spend, but I couldn't take back what happened. It had been too late to try and save her, and because of that, I would never see Emma again.

I never should've gotten involved romantically with a member of the dark world. Even if he didn't act like an evil vampire. If only I'd been aware of what he was before I'd fallen for him. Not that he'd made it obvious, but maybe if I'd been paying better attention, I could've figured it out. If I hadn't decided to remain with him after falling in love, even after knowing what he was, my sister might still be breathing.

Would not falling for him really have solved all your problems Sky? I thought to myself harshly, pulling myself out of my pity party.

Was it really conventional to put the blame on Leon though? He'd done nothing but love me, despite keeping secrets from me in the beginning. The things that happened weren't truly his fault. Hell, he'd been willing to kill his leader to save me and avenge my sister. Despite all of that, though, I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicions about the whole situation.

I sighed and rubbed my temples with the tips of my fingers, trying to ignore the sudden pain that pulsed there. Staring up at the dilapidated building where Emma had died, I was filled with regret and heartache. Ever since the night of my sister's death, I would come here often. Try as I might to stay away, this place seemed to call to me like a siren's song. The promise that I made here beckoned me back with some kind of dark magic that had only gotten stronger these past two years. I'd felt something the moment she died. Like a spark had been ignited inside of me. It faded almost immediately, until it was completely imperceptible, but it was still there. Looking back now, I knew what it was. It was the dark magic. Emma's sacrifice had fully initiated the promise I made to try and save her life.

According to vampire legend, promises sealed in blood were bound by an otherworldly magic. A magic even more powerful than the creatures of the night themselves. It was a form of contract that was not to be taken lightly either. Even though I hadn't been the one to physically kill my sister, I might as well have when I said I'd become a vampire.

That had been Theo's plan all along. He was always going to kill her, he just needed me to say those words first. I was magically bound to this promise I would never be prepared to keep. It was hard to explain, let alone talk about, my sister's death to anyone. Especially since I couldn't tell anyone the truth, and I wasn't very good at lying. The police had it chalked up as a freak accident. The official reports claimed she fell off the docks and broke her neck. A tragic event that made the local papers. Hiding what had really happened was all thanks to Leon, and he even provided the costs of a small funeral to keep things looking normal. He made it seem that way to protect the vampires from discovery, but I knew the truth of what happened to Emma, and it killed me not being able to tell anyone.

Emma and I didn't have many friends here in Philly, so thankfully I'd only had to lie to the few people who bothered to show up at the funeral. Even Emma's boss from her job in the bakery only stopped by to confirm that she wouldn't be working anymore. The prick had been lucky that Leon dealt with him instead of me. He'd been rude, and he didn't even seem to care that she was dead.

Most of my trust in Leon was obliterated the night she died. Once he'd cleaned up the circumstances surrounding Emma's death by sweeping everything under the rug, I cut off all contact with him. How could I stay with someone who treated my sister's death as casually as a mafia boss did when they committed murder? Though that was basically what the clan of vampires were. He did all but hide her body in the forest to keep the blame from being pointed at the clan. That was definitely something I wasn't prone to forgive easily, even if the person who was actually responsible was dead now too.

Now Leon was in charge of the vampire clan. He'd been able to buy me some time as a human, but we both knew he was too busy with his new responsibilities now to worry about me beyond that. Or call to see how I was doing. The breakup had been hard on me, and as a result I'd been pretty depressed these past two years. I didn't believe it was anyone's fault but my own, and I still harbored some pretty emotional scars toward myself and Leon.

Another sigh escaped me, and I tried to shake the thoughts of Emma's death from my mind. I looked to the right from the hill I sat on and saw the city of Philadelphia spread out before me. I scanned the city from my perch, watching how the lights illuminated the sky above. It almost covered the beauty of the stars above me.

The lights of the city themselves looked like fireflies from where I was, the sight breathtakingly beautiful even from here. It certainly was peaceful at this time of night. Traffic could be slightly heard over the rustle of the wind, but other than that it was quiet. It was almost like a fairy tale the way the lights shimmered over the city. This may be the night I was going to die, but as last moments went, these weren't so bad.

I didn't want to speak too soon though, so I looked around for Leon. He, of course, was the vampire that was going to change me. As the leader of the clan, it was within Leon's rights to make the decision on who was going to do the deed. I knew he would've regardless. Despite the two of us no longer being together, Leon wouldn't have let any other vampire change me. It would've put me in too much danger of being killed rather than turned. Apparently some of the clan members blamed Theo's death on me. They should get in line on the blame game.

There was a small part of me that was worried another vampire would come along and take a bite out of me before I had the chance to be turned, and honestly I should've been keeping my guard up. That and the possibility that the stranger dressed in black might've found me should've been enough to keep me worried, but I refused to be scared anymore. I had enough to fear tonight without the thought of being someone else's late-night snack. No one from the clan was supposed to be here anyways, they were under strict orders to stay away. Well, that's what Leon had said. But I wasn't sure if I trusted him anymore.

The sounds of crickets suddenly stopped, and I instantly stilled, aware that I was no longer alone on the hill. Before I could curse my wandering thoughts, a gentle hand touched my shoulder and I jumped. Not because he'd scared me, but because Leon's touch sent sparks skating across my skin. The contact lit me up like lightning had been shot directly through my veins, and my nerves lit up as well. It was a new sensation, one that had my heart momentarily confused.

I looked up to find Leon staring down at me. His eyes were lit with wicked amusement, most likely at my reaction, and a smirk lined his lips. Almost instantly, irritation replaced my nervousness as I stared up at the reason I was here tonight. I fought a scowl as Leon beamed at me, no doubt enjoying my awkward mix of reactions to his presence.

"Enjoying yourself?" Leon chuckled.

"I was until you showed up." I replied gruffly. I sat up swiftly and rubbed my hands together to dislodge the wet dirt and grass that was stuck to my palms. I resisted the urge to swing my head in the other direction with an obnoxious "humph," and instead tried to glare at him, but his smirk only grew.

There he was, the bain of my existence and the reason I was in this mess. The love of my life. Well he had been at some point. Now all I could think about was how much of an arrogant ass he was, and it was a wonder I hadn't seen it before with the way he was smirking at me now. Like he knew it was annoying me. I couldn't help but wish I could wipe the know-it-all smile off of his face. Though once I was a part of his world I probably could.

The possibility almost made me smile.

Leon chuckled again and sat next to me with an almost satisfied huff. I ignored him and the way my heart started to stutter from sitting so close, despite my urge to bloody his nose.

Damn hormones, I thought bitterly. Why couldn't I just get this over with and move on with my life? I didn't want all of this extra baggage around the two of us on top of my death. Tonight was going to be hard enough for us both as it was.

Leon sighed, and I realized the silence between us had become lengthy. He never was very good at being patient. I knew the silence between us was bugging him. He wanted to talk, but he also knew me enough to know I wasn't going to spark up a conversation when I was angry.

He finally caved and spoke up.

"Skylar," he winced a little as he said my name and it amused me. He could easily break me in half, yet he was still afraid of my reaction. "You know I have to do this."

I looked back at him sharply, all sense of calm and peace officially gone. "I don't see anyone holding a damn gun to your head."

"No. The gun is against your head."

With the shock of truth from his words, the fight left me just as quickly as it came, and I sighed. "I'm sorry." The words felt bitter coming off my tongue, but I said them anyways.

"Don't be sorry. But you know as well as I do the repercussions of the promise you made for your sister two years ago. You can't run anymore, even if I let you." I watched from the corner of my eye as Leon clenched his hands into fists. Did he think I'd been stupid for making this promise?

"The promise I made?" I snapped. A fresh wave of anger coursed through me as I thought about that night. "You mean the promise that was supposed to keep her safe? The promise that I made before Theo killed her anyways? That promise?" It hadn't been like I had much of a choice in the matter. I couldn't call "time out" and rendezvous with the team to discuss a plan. I'd been panicking while Leon ate dirt and Emma slowly died via strangulation. The promise had been the only lifeline I thought I had. Clearly Leon had no control of the situation or our safety.

He didn't lash out. He knew it was pointless to do so. I felt him tense though, this time in frustration, next to me. "I didn't mean to get you involved, Sky. You know that. All I ever wanted was for you to be safe. For us to be together without any secrets between us. You know that." Every single word came out as a pleading whisper, trying to make me understand and believe he hadn't meant for this outcome.

I thought about how easily he'd let Ralf pin him to the ground and let out a short and bitter laugh. "And now look where we are. I'm about to be the farthest thing from safe, and you're going to be the one who does it."

Not that I wanted anyone else to do it. The thought of another vampire from the clan touching me was almost enough to make me vomit. There was no way I would survive if it wasn't Leon. I wasn't about to admit that to him, though.

When my eyes met his once again, I couldn't deny that I'd missed him these past two years. The proof was thumping hard in my chest. I could see the sadness in his emerald eyes, and I knew he was thinking the same thing. I looked over the vampire, not really expecting anything from him, but checking him out all the same.

Leon wore a sleek black t-shirt tucked into designer dress pants that were also black. The outfit clung to him like a second skin. Tight enough that his muscles bulged and rippled under his shirt when he moved. Each muscle was chiseled and sculpted like the god he was. I knew my way around the expanse of his chest, the hard flatness of his stomach, all the way down to the regions that I knew could bring pleasure.

It was like he went to the gym all the time, but you'd never find anyone at the gym who was as strong as Leon. I knew he was twice as strong as the normal human. Could probably bench press five rhinos stacked on top of each other. I tried to not think about how gentle he could be as well, now was not the time to get caught up in memories. Even if said memories were pleasant and distracting.

His pale face was as perfect as usual. He was drool worthy in every way possible after all. Clear skin the color of cream, he made pale seem like the best type of skin tone. It was unmarked to the human eye, but he had a scar on his neck. It was the bite mark that'd made him into a monster. I couldn't see it, of course, but he'd told me it was there. Almost like a reminder that he was a creature of the night.

Because the other abilities he'd gained weren't enough of a reminder.

My eyes traveled to his snow-white hair. He liked to call it blonde, but I knew the difference. It was currently a light silver in the moonlight, casting a halo around the top of his head. Though he was no angel. His hair framed his face perfectly, ending just below his ears. It was slightly wavy and created a fresh out of the shower style that added to his charm.

Like I said, drool worthy. I once thought he dyed it that color, but it was all natural. Even his eyebrows and eyelashes were light in color. The effect might have been off-putting on anyone else, but I thought it made his looks come together perfectly.

This was going to be a long night.

"It's not like you forced me to go that night." I admitted grudgingly, looking away from him when I felt my blush stain my cheeks pink. "Still, isn't there something you can do? You're their leader now, aren't you?" I saw him physically stiffen next to me. His body tensing up in distress. His eyes went from sad to angry and reproachful, and I could almost see the beast in him coming to the surface.

"I am the Mare Dom, yes, but they don't trust me yet."

It wasn't a lie, but I got the feeling he was hiding something from me. I decided to let it go for the time being. I tried a different tactic. "You killed Theo though."

"That's exactly why they don't trust me. They know I didn't kill Theo just to become the Mare Dom. I did it to keep you safe. You have to remember, Theo was a respected leader among the clan Sky, and his death was by my hands. So yes, I am the Mare Dom, but that doesn't mean I'm welcomed."

I was horrified by his words as the possible meaning sunk in. "Are you in danger?" The words left my mouth before I could stop them, and I kind of felt stupid saying them. Leon was a vampire. He was quite capable of taking care of himself. I had to resist the urge to facepalm.

Leon just scoffed, clearly trying to save his ego. "I'm the strongest vampire in the clan. The clan is a lot of things, but they aren't stupid. They have a right to challenge me, yes, but they know they wouldn't win if they did."

I rolled my eyes even though I'd basically said the same thing in my mind. "So humble Leon."

He shrugged. "Just stating facts."

"Then who's ordering you to do this?" I asked, steering the conversation back on track. I knew Leon didn't want this fate for me. At least, I thought I knew.

"Our kind holds strongly to promises. You didn't just promise Theo to become one of us that day. You promised the whole clan, hell the whole factory, me included. You're bound to honor it and fulfill it."

I felt like the statement was true, but it was more of a loop from what I already knew than an actual answer. Again, I chose not to comment. I just didn't have the heart to fight tonight. Instead, I looked back at the night sky. I knew there was still a little part of me that hoped I could somehow talk Leon out of this, but after his confirmation on what I already knew, that seemed impossible now.

"I was trying to protect my sister Leon, how did it come to this? She died staring Theo down to keep my soul and my humanity safe. What would she think of me now?" I was aiming for snippy, but I couldn't quite pull it off. Instead I sounded hopeless and full of fear.

"Skylar, I'm sorry." There was pity in his voice, and I cringed. Pity was the last thing either of us needed tonight.

"Please," I began, looking into Leon's eyes. "Don't apologize. There isn't any room for that now."

"If things could be different, you know this wouldn't be happening. You know it's not what I would've wanted for you, but it's the hand we've been dealt. Besides, it's not so bad. You'll see."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Not bad? Leon, I lost the only family member I had left. She's dead. I will never get to see her again because I'm going to die too. But I'm not going to the same place she is. I'm going to be right back here. Living eternity out without her. Living an eternity out as a monster."

Leon flinched at my harsh tone. "Not all vampires are monsters."

I knew he was talking about himself, but I still didn't trust him. Had he been a monster once too? "When did you retain enough of your humanity to decide that for yourself?" I snapped.

He looked out at the old factory for a moment, then he spoke softly. "Did I ever tell you I used to be a Hunter? Hunters are closer to their human side then they are to their vampire side. Every vampire is different, of course. Different abilities, and even different levels of humanity. For Hunters, since their humanity is a big part of who they are, they're small in numbers. Not a lot of vampires keep their humanity. To keep the chaos from taking the humans over and vice versa, the Hunters are charged with protection. They are the elite, the knights in shining armor."

"Okay, I follow." I didn't because what the hell did this have to do with anything. But I listened all the same.

"But even Hunters can still have moments of weakness. They can even kill humans to feed. But I'm different. I've killed far fewer humans than any other vampire, ever. I was never a monster, Sky. I was always me. I've made mistakes as much as the next person, but I've never enjoyed killing humans."

His words rang with truth and I softened despite my raging emotions.

"That's good to hear, I guess. Maybe I'll be lucky, too." I doubted it, but I could feel my resolve on the matter shrinking slowly.

"You'll have me there with you. You were my only weakness as a Hunter. That's why I stopped and joined the clan. I know you haven't wanted to see me these past two years…."

"Leon, stop. Emma is dead. Gone. I know you didn't mean to. I know you thought you did it because you loved me. But you couldn't have, or you never would've gotten involved with me or my sister. You would've walked away the day you met me and never looked back." Why couldn't he see that? After Theo was killed, he became leader yes, but when I needed him most, he'd chosen his clan over me. I understood the reason, sure. His clan was in chaos without a leader and he needed to glue it back together before a chaos of another kind broke out in the city.

At the time I took it personally, but eventually I understood his reasoning. The past was now in the past. Sort of.

That didn't mean I still wasn't left all alone to grieve. When I needed someone to hold me at night and chase the dreams away, he was gone. I didn't have him to tell me for once something in my life was okay. Instead, I'd adapted to being alone. Hardened myself enough to learn the hard way of life and remain tough. I didn't need him for more than just making sure I knew enough about this life I was about to join. To be able to conquer it like the survivor that I was. Heartache was just another notch on my hard life. I'd learned long ago to accept the way it was, and would be, for the rest of my life.

We sat in silence as my words echoed around us. The only sounds were the soft movement of the water and the night life in the city. I let those sounds calm my anger. What Leon said wouldn't change things despite the confidence he had that they would. I looked back over the dark waters, losing myself in the feeling I got from this place.

"You know this place calls to me. Every night I feel a pull to come here." I whispered the words, desperate to keep my mind away from the pain it felt. I didn't know if Leon was aware of the magic. He'd mentioned it, but I wasn't sure if he knew just how binding it'd become for me. It was a scary thing, as all things unknown were. I wasn't sure if the calmness I felt here was right or not. It didn't feel evil, but that didn't mean it wasn't a wolf in sheep's clothing. It was called dark magic after all.

He didn't say anything at first, and I fought to look at him. When that didn't work, I picked at the grass nervously, trying to ease the tension that had taken up residence in my spine. The grass was still slightly damp with dew, and I could feel the dirt under my nails as I clawed at the ground.

When I was about to speak again, to change the subject and break the almost uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke.

"Sacrificial magic is binding, Sky, it's not unusual that you feel a pull to this place, it's where the promise was made after all."

His words confirmed the suspicion I had about the place. It was because of the magic that I couldn't stay away. "What if I would've moved? Would the pull go away?"

Leon sighed. "There will always be a pull calling you back here until the promise is kept. You can't run away from dark magic. It wouldn't be wise to try. The pull would only become stronger the more you resist it and the further away you go."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

I risked a glance at him, and saw he was looking right at me. It looked like he was trying to figure out what was going on in my head. It made me notice that something about Leon himself seemed different. Hell, something felt different, and I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was. It was like a constant thrum under my skin that pulsed every time he leaned closer to me. A pleasant hum that took my breath away. I wondered if he felt it too, but I wasn't about to ask him out loud. Despite wanting a distraction, how we felt about each other was the last thing I needed.

Was it because of the two years we'd been apart? I shook the thought away. I wasn't dwelling on that anymore. It could've been because of his new role in the clan, but looking at him now, I wasn't sure that was it. He seemed less intense, softer somehow. Being the Mare Dom should've had the opposite effect.

He did look as if he was more in touch with his human side then his inner monster. It made me remember how gentle he used to be with me. I truly never thought he was a monster, even after I knew what he was. I loved him in spite of the consequences and repercussions. Maybe a part of me would always love him, no matter what happens tonight or any other night.

Looking at him caused the hum in my chest to make an appearance again. What was that? It felt like another connection, almost the same as the dark magic. A pull of some kind.

I suddenly realized I was staring into his eyes, and I looked away before Leon could see my blush. I was unsure about the blooming emotions running through my mind. It wouldn't do either of us any good to succumb to the sudden urge I had to kiss him. The feeling was absurd. I thought I was over Leon after everything, but the heat in my chest was stating otherwise. I missed him, yes I was willing to admit that, but it hadn't changed anything. Nor would it change what was going to happen soon.

Leon gently grabbed my face and turned my head to him, forcing me to meet his gaze. The electricity I felt became all-consuming as his skin touched mine, and it was all I could do to not lean into his touch like I had so many times before. Despite whatever it was that was different about him, my feelings seemed to be the same.

His eyes were full of regret and sadness when mine finally reached his. I thought I also saw a hint of loneliness in them as well, but the look was quickly replaced by lust. That look made all the fight and anger I had for the past two years evaporate in the air around us. It was like I could see into Leon's soul when I looked into his eyes. All the desperation he felt to protect me was there under the surface of the badass act he put up all the time. Despite what happened, despite his actions, I knew deep down Leon loved me. After two years, those feelings were as strong as the day we said I love you for the first time.

Leon leaned in closer. His distinct smell of cinnamon and apricots overwhelmed my senses. I forgot how amazing he smelled, and my heart stuttered with how close he was. He leaned the rest of the way towards me and brushed his lips against mine. His lips were soft and inviting, the whisper of their touch made mine tingle with need.

Somewhere in my mind I was screaming at myself to get a grip. I was a hot mess. Too much had happened to forgive him this easily, but I was tired of fighting this feeling, and that made me realize that I was going to lose this inner battle to stay away. The feelings that fluttered under my skin were intense, and it was all I could think about now.

I wanted him to kiss me. I needed it. All the loneliness and sadness from missing him flooded to the surface of my mind and I parted my lips in invitation. For a little while I wanted to just forget about the pain. Forget about the soul wrenching sorrow. All the loss I'd endured, including him, to evaporate in the air. Even if it was a temporary fix. Even if it was Leon himself using his vampire voodoo on me. I wanted it. I needed it like I needed air to breathe.

He took the invitation without hesitation and almost eagerly crushed his lips to mine.

Despite how hard he slammed his lips against me, his kiss was gentle. The feeling of overwhelming love spread through my veins like fire with the contact. Sparks ignited as he pulled me close and ran his hands along my body, claiming what had always been his. The feel of him against me made my body come alive under his touch, illuminating me like a beacon of light in the darkness that surrounded us. I was almost certain someone would see us here, the glow felt that real.

It took everything I had not to moan in pleasure as his hands explored my body. His gentle touch ran the length of my sides and made their way over my stomach. They lightly brushed the underside of my breasts, and I bit his bottom lip to encourage him further. Lust had taken over the rational part of my brain that would've pulled away from him. It was as if he was trying to make up for lost time by rediscovering the feel of me, and in my heated state, that was fine by me. I'd wanted this for so long, even if I hadn't been consciously aware of it. All the loneliness I felt flew from my mind as he caressed me with warmth and love. His touch felt familiar and comforting, calling my soul like nothing else could.

These feelings that ignited in me were new, and I had to fight not to think about it too much. I mean we'd kissed plenty of times before, but this was intense. I wasn't completely sure where it all came from. It could be chalked up to a multitude of reasons. Loss of years together, the dark magic's pull, our fear of the unknown. Whatever the reason, it made the kiss so much stronger than it's ever been. Awakening new feelings of love that I never thought possible, at least while we were touching like this.

I wove one hand through his hair while the other one pulled him even closer to me. I grazed my palms across the expanse of his back, feeling the muscles contract there as he continued to move his hands across my body. The feeling made me need to be closer to him. Our bodies molded together perfectly, like we were made for each other.

A growl of possession slipped from his mouth, but he silenced it as he deepened the kiss. It became more heated as his hands sought lower down, grazing my hips, and neither of us could get enough of the other.

Pleasure, pain, love, fear, and lust fought its way through every fiber of our beings. It wove through every touch and connection of our skin. What words couldn't be spoken were expressed with the contact that swept through the both of us. The kiss was electric and full of need from being apart for so long. Or maybe it was like we hadn't been apart at all. It drove us past the point of despair and pain and erased any memories of loss that'd taken hold of us.

Leon moved from my lips and kissed his way down my neck, his breathing ragged and full of need as it tickled my heated skin. Like the feeling on my lips, his touch brought the buzz under my skin to life as he made his way down my neck. I sunk into the feeling that was Leon, wanting to just forget the fears of the unknown that was ahead of us. I was ready to forgive everything that's happened, just to spend eternity with the one I loved once more.

With a lot of effort, Leon released me slowly, still breathing hard with need. "We have to get started or the clan will come looking for me. I promised I would update them as soon as you were asleep." His words were like a cold splash of water on my heated skin. I'd almost forgotten what we were doing here. Nothing like my impending death to ruin the mood.

"You mean dead? I'll be laying there dead while I change." I said. Trying, and failing, to sit up from where I now laid on the ground.

Leon had somehow managed to lie on top of me in our heated kiss, and I felt my cheeks redden in embarrassment. Leon looked down at me and gently stroked my cheek, tracing the patch of red. "It'll be alright, Sky. You won't even feel it. I'll make it as painless as possible; I promise." His cheeks were flushed with excitement, from our kiss, and his eyes were lit with mischief. His mouth was pulled up in its familiar smirk. He looked like a little boy, the weight of the world not pressing so hard on his shoulders as it'd been when he joined me. I hadn't realized he'd been so stressed out till I saw the tension gone from around his body. He must've been as nervous about seeing me again as I'd been to see him.

I snorted. I couldn't help it. Dying couldn't possibly be painless. There was no way. Not that I had any experience with that, but still.

"What's going to happen to my body for three days? Are you going to bury me and make me claw my way out of the earth on the third night?" I asked wryly, wriggling my eyebrows playfully. I was trying to make it sound like a joke, but I was semi-serious.

It was Leon's turn to snort. "Sky, this isn't like in the movies. It doesn't work that way."

He got up from his spot in the grass to stand above me. He held his hand out to me, waiting to help me stand. His hair was slightly ruffled from where my hands had run through it, and his clothes weren't in the perfect state they were in when he arrived. I couldn't help but smirk, even the perfect could be ruffled up. I took the hand he offered and stood. No point in delaying the inevitable any longer. The lovely reunion moment was over, but the electricity we sparked still saturated the air.

"I was trying not to think about what we were about to do. Making a joke seemed to be safer then running away screaming." I rolled my eyes.

Leon's eyes became heated as he squeezed my hand. "I like a good chase."

The asshole winked at me.

I felt my pulse jump to my throat at his words, despite my annoyance. The feel of excitement lit up my veins with his warning. It wasn't a threat, and I wasn't scared. I should not have been excited to test that theory. Bad Skylar. The contact of his skin still sent jolts of electricity through me, left over from our heated kiss. That's why I was excited, I tried to tell myself.

I didn't believe me.

I ignored the sudden urge to lean back into him. I wanted to grab him and pull him back to me to continue our kiss where we left off. Damn supernatural attraction powers, I thought.

Leon gave me a smirk, no doubt he could hear my heart beating fast, but he didn't comment. Nor did he try to kiss me again despite what I was sure was a pleading look pasted to my face.

Instead of playing out the dirty thoughts filtering through my brain, I forced myself to let go of his hand and took a step back, needing some fresh air that didn't smell like him. Alluring as he was, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist the pull for much longer if I stayed this close. I turned back towards the city to gaze at it for the last time with human eyes.

I looked over my shoulder at Leon. "Do we really have to go in there?" I asked in a weak last attempt to fight my way out of this. I didn't miss the sense of dèjá vu from my words.

"Yes, Sky."

Unless Leon had changed someone else in the years he spent as a member of the night, I wasn't entirely sure that he knew what he was doing. I was willing to bet we were winging this. It made the fear of actually dying instead of being changed seem more real to me.

As Leon took my arm and guided me towards the factory, it seemed like he considered this just an average day in the life of danger and death. Even though my odds on surviving the night seemed slight, I couldn't run away and escape the final night I was to be a human being. Not anymore.

Death always won.