Part 1

Ivy had flung herself onto Mia, and there was nothing I could do to help as I staggered to my feet, knees trembling dangerously. They were too alike in their strengths, but Mia was one very pissed off mother at the moment. I got to a point where I figured I wouldn't collapse, and looked up to see Mia's hand around Ivy's throat.

Mia was terrible in her savagery as she began to kill the vampire, even as she struggled under the glaring headlights of Tom's ugly van.

The jail's alarm finally started up -about damn time- and Remus pulled Mia away from Ivy even as I was yelling at her to leave Ivy alone. Mia didn't go without a fight, though. I heard Holly wailing, until Remus shoved her into Mia's arms and slammed the car door, her cries cutting off suddenly.

They took off at a dangerous speed in the slush and ice, nearly hitting Tom on the way out, and then I was closing the gap between myself and where Ivy had fallen, completely motionless.

I collapsed beside her in the snow, feeling like my heart was going to explode from my chest.

"Oh my God, Ivy! Ivy!"

Somehow I got her turned over and pulled her up against me, but her head lolled and her eyes were shut. I felt my body begin to tremble as I held her tight to me, her skin far too pale. I brushed the hair from her face, tears sliding down my cheeks.

"Don't you leave me, Ivy!" I shouted, not knowing what else to do. "I can't live with you being dead! Ivy, you hear me?"

The tears were heavier now, and I choked on a sob as her eyes opened. They were brown. Not black. She was still with me! She was not undead...

I saw her clutching something in her hand, and saw it was a coin laced to a purple ribbon. It was the wish that Ivy had given Mia all those years ago. "I got it back," she said, her voice distantly victorious, her eyes glassy and vacant. "She doesn't deserve love."

I swallowed hard, still trembling. I could hear men coming our way.

"I need... Rachel?" Her vision seemed to clear and she gave a muttered, "Shit," but I only held her closer.

Yea. And that's about how I looked and felt, too. I rocked her, knowing she was still alive. She hadn't died, and I wasn't holding an undead.

"You're going to be alright," not knowing if it was the truth... she looked so pale.

"I'm not," my heart skipped a beat, clenching. "I have to have it," and I looked down at her, seeing tears making tracks down her face.

I knew what she meant. Blood.

The banshee had stripped her of her aura, leaving her raw. But she was a vamp, which meant she could take in aura when she fed.

Unafraid, I pulled her farther up off the pavement, and she started to cry in earnest, knowing she couldn't be the person she wanted and mourning the loss of a dream. "I wanted to be clean, but I can't," she said as I rocked her. "Every time I try to be someone else, I fail."

Her eyes were dilating as her hunger began to take over.

"Not you..." she was saying, but my blood was thrumming in my ears, and I could barely hear her. "I'd rather die than have you give me your blood. I love you, Rachel," my heartbeat joined my blood in my ears, and I felt dizzy. "Don't give me your blood. Promise me-"

I hastily promised her, not needing a frantic hungry vamp on my hands, as the men finally closed in on us. Took them long enough. Some security this jail had...

They were yelling things, telling me to get down, but I refused.

"Go ahead and shoot me! I'm not letting go of her!"

They realized, only now, that Ivy was hurt, and they hesitated. Of course, it was only long enough for a nearby holiday tree to give a shuddering boom and distract everyone as it steamed and dissolved.

Feeling a bit more control, I left Ivy -only after making sure she was able to stay propped against the side of my car- to blame the tree on Tom (he HAD done it, after all) and grabbed my bag and keys.

We were going home. This was ridiculous.

I slipped a shoulder under Ivy's arm and maneuvered her to the passenger door. She was panting as I left her leaning against the hood so I could unlock it. I helped her into the car and shut the door, hearing a safety go off. They couldn't shoot me just for walking away. They had no jurisdiction in a public parking lot, anyhow.

"Hold on, Ivy," I whispered as I got in my car.

"Take me to Rynn. I don't care about him. He's just a vampire." New tears streamed down her perfect face, and I fumbled with the keys before I could get them in the ignition.

Just another vampire?

The car came to life and I pulled us out of the parking lot. No freaking way was I taking Ivy to Rynn. He was no better than Piscary, and I was not about to let Ivy fall into old habits. Wealthly, powerful, and attractive, yes, but he was nothing. He was not worth anyone's love or affection. He was an animal.

And as I turned onto the highway, glancing at Ivy who had pressed herself into a corner to keep as far away from me as she could, her eyes now solid black with hunger, I knew I couldn't allow Ivy to become like that. I would find a way to save her soul.

"Rachel?" She was quiet, and I had to glance at her to reassure myself she had actually spoken. "Rynn's place is the other way."

I could see her in flashes from the streetlights we passed. My eyes went back to the road. "We're not going to Rynn's."

Suddenly, she was a terrified animal trapped in a cage.

Her grip on the door handle was white, and I could hear the panic in her voice, "We have to go to Rynn's-"

"No." It surprised me, how angry I sounded. It must have surprised her, too, because her frantic movement stilled, and I could see her watching me out of the corner of my eye. "You don't need him," I finished softly, knowing she could hear me.

"Rachel?"

She sounded so scared and vulnerable I wanted to pull over so I could give her a reassuring hug. But that wasn't an option. I clenched my jaw, not saying anything.

"Rachel... you promised. You promised!"

I had promised, but what was I supposed to do? Let Rynn take her and do only God knew what to her? Further warp her like Piscary had? We'd made progress, dammit, and I wasn't going to let her ruin it all like that.

"You don't need him, Ivy, he's scum." My insides were shaking as I took the next exit. "I'm not going to let you lose yourself."

Streetlights, bright as day now that we were in the Hollows, lit us up in flashes as we neared the church. Ivy didn't say another word, and it was just as well, because I don't know what else I might have said. I could see her crying silently, only feet away from me, and I could do nothing to reassure her that it would be alright.

Dammit, why'd it have to be like this?

[Part 2 →]