Aspen didn't understand what kept bringing her back to this place, despite what had happened because of this place. This was the place where her confusion began and where she hoped she could make it end. If that was possible. She was looking for answers, but was blinded to them...or by them. Answers were usually found in the most obvious place, so why not here? Where it all started? At least that was what she had thought when she headed out this way.

It wasn't smart, to be coming here at night, when Danielle was still after her...or so she thought. The girl wanted to change her, but Aspen couldn't afford that. Not with the child she had almost lost when Colton saved her.

Colton, the name she would never forget and the man she would most likely not see again for a long time. But maybe if she kept coming out at night like this...

She rolled her eyes. She shouldn't be here. The sky was dark, she knew it was going to storm. She couldn't see the moon, which was also a bad sign. She had always watched the moon and the stars when she came out at night, but she couldn't even see them. That told her it was time to go.

But Aspen couldn't pull herself away. She pouted and dropped the pink bag she had carried over her shoulder to the floor. She wore dark baggy pants, as usual, with lots of pockets. They were cute, what her best friend would call her "skater pants." Pink converse matched the belt and she wore a baby pink top under her black coat. She felt girly that day. She couldn't remember why she had dressed up, but it made her feel pretty. Plus, she wanted to show off her newly blossoming belly. Normally her small stature would make it hard to see and the baggy sweaters she usually wore, but today her stomach looked obviously rounded. She thought it might be true, about pregnancy making a woman prettier.

The more she thought about the baby, the more she felt guilty. She sat down on her bag and placed her head in between her knees, running her slenders fingers though her long black locks as she did so.

"I really shouldn't be doing this all the time now, huh?" She asked the grave, the silent one, the man she always talked to.

"It's not healthy...."

She sighed to herself and lifted her head up to look at the name on the tombstone. No matter how hard she tried, she'd never be able to read it. She ran her fingers, almost lovingly over the letters.

"You've always been here for me, you know that?"

Cole had been out that night, just like every other night, searching for a bite and any other sort of entertainment. He had been in Demaitre for a few days now, and found it all quite boring, but the large population of immortals in the city intrigued him. He had decided to stick around a bit. It had certainly been longer than he had ever stayed anywhere else.

He had been on a walk, to nowhere in particular, seeking young, sweet blood, but he became sidetracked. From the sidewalk, he could see through the bars of the gate into the cemetery. In the darkness, he could see the form of a young woman, a young mortal woman, nonetheless. In a graveyard at night? And pregnant too, by the looks of it. She was just asking to be killed.

It was rather uncharacteristic for him to enter a graveyard, but he was curious. He followed her, watching her, until she stopped at a grave and sat on the ground. He seated himself on top of a tombstone nearby, behind her, watching her as he often did. He loved to watch people.

He listened to her thoughts, to her words, and found it strange that she should say something like that when she was so alone. "That is an odd thing to say to a tombstone."

As he said this, he wished that he hadn't looked so odd at that particular moment. His hair was bothersome, and refused to lay right, but, like her, he was dressed in all black. He figured he probably looked like a creep, so he tried his hardest to smile sincerely.

Aspen's heart jumped as she heard a male's voice. She wanted to scream, but that was only a first reaction. The second reaction was for her to stand up and swivel towards the direction in which the voice came from.

Her green eyes went wide as she looked him up and down. She knew them when she saw them and a smile spread across her face, but quickly fell. She didn't know if he was like Bliss, or like Danielle. So far she'd only met dangerous females. She smiled to herself. That was the way it was in human society as well, the females seemed the scarier gender.

Her coat was open, and protectively she pulled it tight around herself, as if to hide her belly. Afterall, she couldn't trust every stranger she met and he didn't look sad or kind, as Bliss had. He smiled at her. She didn't smile back. Instead she walked towards him, her eyes full of curiosity. She stared at him as if she were a child, though she was far from it.

When she was close enough to touch him, she reached up, silently and placed her hand on his face. She still hadn't responded to what he said. She shivered as she left her hand there for a moment.

"You are one of them..." she whispered, and let her hand fall gently to her side. She smiled now. She knew she was being foolish, because not being afraid was what got her into trouble last time...but this time she knew better. She wasn't going to be cocky. She didn't want a repeat of what happened in the alley way.

Cole's smile faded as she approached him. He wasn't sure of her intent, as she wasn't of his. As she stepped closer and closer to him, her thoughts became clearer and he frowned a little bit.

And then, she touched him. He hadn't been touched by anyone in such a long time, much less a mortal. "Yes, I am..." he replied, unsure really of what to say, his voice low, whispery.

"You're very bold for a mortal." He licked his lips and swallowed for a moment, before adding, "Don't fear me. I mean no harm." His stale blue eyes stared into hers for a moment, before he whispered again, "What are you doing out here? Alone... At night... It's dangerous for one such as yourself."

Aspen snapped out of the trance she had been in, her eyes gaining a bit more focus. He meant her no harm. That was good news. Perhaps. He had probably come with the intent to harm her, but lately she'd had good luck with the male species. She smiled, well most vampires...except for a select few, she'd had good luck. She was protected by many, wanted dead by none, and wanted undead by one. So perhaps she took her luck for granted, hence her boldness. She had been told that something about her appealed to vampires, whether it be her beauty or her curiosity or what was up for grabs. She used this to her advantage. Afterall, her novel was about the vampires of Demaitre.

She shook her head to herself, realizing he had asked her a question and it would only be polite to answer. Her green eyes locked on his blue ones, making her stomach jump as the memory of a pair of blue eyes stung her heart. She averted her eyes from his and to the ground.

"Can't sleep. I come here a lot, to run from the nightmares. The unknown man in that grave was who I was talking to. I know it sounds silly, but dead men tell no tales, so secrets are easy to reveal, though I should stop doing that. Who knows who has been watching me everytime I come here? It isn't so hard to believe now that someone would be. Afterall, I didn't even know you were here."

She said all this quickly, nervously, as she took a step back from the male and towards her bag which was lying on the ground. Her cheeks were flushed red. She was uncomfortable, though she knew he would not harm her. Her emotions ran awry whenever she needed them in check. She didn't know whether to be afraid or curious, or to let her journalist side take over and be sneaky, which had been the original plan...but she also knew it was hard to hide things from vampires...they seemed to be able to read minds. So she decided to shut up and keep to herself, but that didn't stop her thoughts from flowing, or confusion from driving her half-insane.

((Sorry, I'm getting tired. Don't know if this made any sense at all.))

(It makes a little sense. Lol. I'll work with it.)

Cole couldn't help but smile as she babbled. Nervousness radiated off of her. He frowned softly and bent his neck, attempting to catch her eyes again, "Calm down, Miss. I didn't mean to intrude. I apologize. It just didn't seem right that a lovely young woman such as yourself, carrying such a delicate package," he motioned toward the belly that she had attemped to hide, "should be out here all by herself in the dark. It seems you know as well as I do what lurks in the shadows."

He got to his feet and stepped toward her slowly as she backed away. He was silent for a moment. He stood before her, within a few feet of her, his hand stuffed in his pockets. "It amazes me that you know of us. In the old days, if a mortal knew of the undead, they usually did not live to tell the tale." He tilted his head a bit, studying her face closely. "Consider yourself lucky."

He was quiet for a long time before adding softly, "My name is Cole. Might I walk you home? To see that now harm comes to you?"

The redness in Aspen's flushed cheeks faded slightly. That was the only thing that seperated her from him, a beating heart. She had no reason to be afraid, just because he wasn't human didn't mean he wasn't...well "human" in a moral sense. Just like not every person was a murderer, not every vampire was...okay so most every vampire was a murder, but not everyone was heartless. She was usually pretty good at reading people. Just as she had known Danielle was dangerous from the start, she could tell this male was telling the truth.

Her eyes met his after a moment of silent decision. She would trust him, even just for tonight. Either way, she didn't have much of a choice.

"I come here a lot, to think, to get away....to escape the nightmares. I guess I don't think about the dangers, I prefer to be optomistic..." her voice faded out and once again her eyes fell to the ground. The only man she had ever loved she had met here, in this very spot, and she had not been optomistic, she had run. He didn't know about the baby and she hadn't seen him since the night of the masquerade. She wondered if she would ever see him again.

"I have quite a few of your kind to protect me, in most cases."

One who loved me, she thought, and one who lusted after me.

The other was only a friend, Colton. And Jonas had disappeared. She had to admit, she missed his pestimistic side. She did have a few enemies.

"I suppose even vampires have a tender side, though a few I know do not," she added the last part thinking about Danielle. Her wide eyes met his, anger flashing dangerously in them. It wasn't directed towards him and the look was quickly gone, replaced by awe and respect. No matter what happened, she had to repsect "his kind." She didn't think she could ever do what this man did.

"I guess I wouldn't mind someone to walk me home."

Aspen bent over and picked up her pink bag. "It is getting late, or should I say, early?"

She put her hand on her belly, letting the coat fall naturally, instead of hugging it tight around her. He wouldn't hurt her, at least not tonight. Plus, there was nothing she could do to protect her child and he had already noticed. Despite her fear for her child, she felt proud that he had noticed. Something about the child made her glow differently than she ever had. She wondered if she noticed that she wore no wedding ring...most people just assumed.

Cole turned with her to walk out, his eyes fixed on her face as she spoke, listening intently to both her thoughts and words.

"I used to be like that when I was mortal. I was the servant to a vampire. My master had.. I don't know, a certain sort of protection over me. But, even so, that doesn't mean I was untouchable. There are some who do not obey the laws of the undead."

He walked along silently for a moment, listening to what else she had to say. "You know a lot of us, don't you?"

As she became less-guarded and exposed her belly, he smiled softly, "How far along are you?"

Aspen didn't speak for a moment after he asked her how far along she was. She was too busy thinking about the night she had almost lost the baby. It wasn't too long ago. She couldn't believe the child had ever survived, but he had and she couldn't imagine not being able to feel him kick or the beat of his little heart.

"Almost three months now," she finally answered. ((I fast-forwarded time a bit on this))

She didn't look it. She had always been small, but it was still easy to see that she was pregnant, unlike a month ago when it was impossible to tell. She rested her hands on her belly and turned her gaze away from the male so that she could walk forward without running into anything.

"And yes, I know quite a few of 'you.'"

She smiled and shook her head. They were easy to spot, now that she knew what they were. The way she studied people, she studied them and learned their habits. Now, if he were too stand next to a human, it would be easy to tell the difference. Well, she could tell the difference now. He had not color in his cheeks, and his eyes were hard, inpenetrable. Something that may have come with years of being alone as he was, or mabye something that came before he was turned. She didn't know.

"Do you mind, what is your name?"

Cole nodded, "Are you surprised that I know? I can feel his heart beat... Did you know it is a boy?" He smiled softly. Things were so simple.

"I am Cole, as I mentioned before. You must not have caught it... And you? What am I to call you?"

Aspen felt her cheeks go red once again. So he had said it. She was too lost in thought to have noticed. Some journalist, she didn't even pay attention to the details.

"I'm not surprised you knew about that child, but I am surprised you knew he was a boy," she smiled and looked up at Cole, "I've known for a while. Mother's instinct. I'm glad you can conform that. It's a name I am having trouble finding for him. By the way, my name is Aspen. Most people call me Raen, it's sort of a middle name. It doesn't matter though, whatever is easier for you."

She fell silent for a moment, as she walked, staring at her pink converse. She was too young to raise a child on her own. It wasn't a money problem or that she was too busy, but she was only just a child herself. Well, 21, but she sure felt like a child.

"If you don't mind me asking, why are you here so late at night?"

"Immortality gives you a sharp mind," he whispered, glancing around.

"What would you prefer I call you, Miss?" he asked.

He could feel her underlying fears about her child and he wanted to ask about the father, though he felt he already knew. Instead, he allowed her to change the subject.

"Well, as cliche as it seems, I naturally cannot endure the sun, so I sleep all day and stay awake all night. I was actually looking for... Well... I was hungry..." He felt shame for some reason. He had never been ashamed of himself, but it seemed odd to tell this girl that he had been looking to kill.

He walked along in silence for a moment, that burning question in his mind. "Are you... Alone?"

"Raen," was the immediate answer. Raen had always felt prettier her to her than Aspen. What if she had been named, Raen Aspen. She shook her head, no that wasn't right.

She was pulled out of her childish thoughts by his answer to her question. Though she had known, the answer had surprised her. She could have been vampire food...again. She laughed to herself. What a cruel, yet spontaneous world this was. Once again she had escaped death. She didn't say anything to his answer. She didn't know what to say. She could tell he was uncomfortable with the subject, so she forgot about it. Afterall, it was only natural for him.

The next question he asked made her stomach jump. What did he mean, alone? Of course she was alone, that was until Cole had come. Then she realized...

"Yes, alone. The baby's father left me when he found out I was pregnant. He was afraid. I thought he loved me...but he didn't and I realized I never loved him either. I've only loved one man in my life. A vampire...named Bliss."

She fell silent, feeling awkward for saying that. He was a perfect stranger, yet she had just told him something she didn't tell most people she knew well. What was going on with her lately?

Cole was quiet for a very long moment, considering her words. He'd never heard of an immortal named Bliss, but that was of no surprise. And if she loved him, why wasn't she with him? Why was she still alone? Why wasn't he the one walking here beside her?

"I'm sorry if talking about this makes you uncomfortable... I just... I'm just getting bits and pieces of information from your thoughts... And I was curious."

He was silent for another moment, before adding quietly, "If it is any consolation, I also have only loved one other. The man who made me what I am today... My master... But he didn't love me... And now he's gone." He stared off into the distance. It had been a century or so ago, but it still hurt.

He tried to lighten the mood, by adding, "And I'm not homosexual, if you were wondering." He forced a smile onto his features as he looked back at her.

Aspen smiled at Cole, her dark grey eyes glistening slightly, as she seemed to be thinking about something else.

"No, you weren't making me uncomfortable. Well, not really. I'm just not used to talking about things, but I figured you would know anyway. You knew about the baby."

Aspen wanted to hit herself. She used to keep everything to herself. What happened to the shy little girl she used to know? She didn't know if she liked the change. She seemed to say whatever was on her mind, which, as she had found out, had gotten her into a lot of trouble. With two females, both of which had been vampires. She shook her head to herself.

Once again, she was shaken out of her by something Cole said. So he had been in love once as well. She smiled slightly. She hadn't assumed he was homosexual. She had learned, with Jonas, that vampires don't pick their partners that way. It was sad that Cole had lost his.

"I am sorry for that. I sometimes wonder if there is one person out there that is meant for us all. Someone who will love you back as much as you love them. Nothing hurts more than unreturned love..."

She spoke softly, as if she were talking to herself. Her gaze went up to the sky as she tried to think of something else.

Suddenly she smiled sheepishly at him and blushed.
"And no, I didn't think you were gay, but you probably already knew that," she said winking.

Cole's smile became more sincere. "Not by today's standards of a homosexual at least." He shook his head and looked down at the sidewalk. "It's a silly title. If you love someone and you make love to them, that's exactly what it is. Love. It doesn't matter who they are or what they stand for. But, what can I say? Stereotypes are the rage of today." He shrugged.

"And as for a true love, I'm sorry to say that I've been walking this earth for almost a century and a half and... If Corrigan hadn't been such an asshole..." He stared off into the distance, blushing a little with anger. After a moment, he looked back to her, his already stale blue eyes hard in quiet fury. "I'm sorry... The situation just angers me quite a bit."

He stared ahead of them, watching the people as they walked past them. "I don't know if I ever want to fall in love again," he said more to himself.

After a moment of thought, he looked over at her again. "So... Where is this Bliss, if you don't mind my asking."

Just another block or two and she would reach the graveyard. Amadahy sighed and shoved her hands deeper into the coat pockets. She was dressed more casual than usual. Faded, tight jeans with holes, a red corset with black ribbon, and a black leather coat. Black tennis shoes tonight, not knee-high boots. It was Bliss' fault. He told her to meet him at the graveyard and not to dress like a gothic hooker. She had no clue why, but since she had no other plans for that night she thought "why not?"

Clicking her tongue ring against her fangs, as usual, she kept her pace slow steady. Her mind was thinking only of new pictures to draw and why vampires were associated with gothic clothes when she noticed Aspen. The young and lovely mortal who had enthralled Bliss was walking towards Amadahy with another vampire. The goth vampiress smirked. Her big green eyes seemed to shine despite the thick, black eyeliner. Suddenly, she gasped.

"She's going to have a baby," Amadahy whispered to her self, her smirk becoming a devilish smile. Would Bliss be surprised! Without another thought Amadahy quikened her pace and walked straight into the pair. Her pale skin was glowing with excitement.

"Aspen?" Amadahy asked, stopping aburptly in front of the two. This would be fun.

+++

"Dark night," Bliss told himself, smiling up at the sky. His smile was thin and cold. He was not in a merry mood. He ran his long, ghostly fingers through his wild, golden hair. His heart was heavy with lonliness, he could not deny it. Slowly, he let out a sigh and continued on through the graveyard to the street where he would meet up with Amadahy. He already knew she would not be there. The girl was always late.

The handsome vampire lingered at the gate to check the street. Yes, she was not there yet. He averted his blue eyes from a shiney car; his lack of reflection always bugged him. Fortunately, he almost always looked nice, which pleased him. His mortal life was sad, lonely, and dull due to illness. He never got to leave his room, much less his house. He spent most of his former life in faded, too big clothes lying in a bed reading. Now, he usually dressed nicer. Tonight, he dressed gothic, which was not normal. A black t-shirt with fish-net underneath and faded, torn jeans. He wore his lucky, worn-out sneakers despite their blood stains.

"Silly girl," he snarled, glancing around. Amadahy still had not shown up. He sighed, groaned, and began walking up the street hoping to bump into her on the way.

I miss Raen.

Aspen nodded slightly, thinking to herself. Stereotypes indeed. She used to stereotype a lot of things, not really purposefully, but she did. She tried not to anymore. A lot of her ideas about a lot of things had ended up being wrong. She had learned a lot in the past few months.

"I have a feeling that I will find it hard to love again. It always seems I hurt the ones I love..."

She sighed and stuck her hands in her coat pockets, her gaze stuck on her feet as she walked.

"I have a run of bad luck with that..." she said thinking about her parents.

Then suddenly, something flashed in the corner of her eye. She brought her gaze from her feet, level. Her large green eyes got even larger. Amadahy. What the hell was she doing here?

Aspen bit her lip, a pang going through her heart. This girl reminded her of Bliss, of course that was only because she had met her with Bliss. Aspen didn't really know her well or know what her connection was to him, but maybe...

No, she wouldn't ask. She didn't want to know where he was. After all, she hadn't seen him in a while. How did she know he still loved her? Amadahy's pace quicked as she saw the two and Aspen groaned internally as she approached them. It wasn't that she didn't like the girl, but everytime she looked at her, she thought of Bliss.

"Hello, Amadahy," Aspen responded. The surprise was evidant, "You're out late tonight. Though I suppose that isn't odd for you. It's nice to see you again."

Cole nodded at her words. "Don't give up though. You're still so young... You never know what you can find in the darkest places." He looked over at her, his cold blue eyes warming a bit with his smile, "I'm proof of that."

He sensed another immortal from far off, which didn't surprise him. It did surprise him, however, when Raen seemed to recognise her. He looked over at the approaching immortal and stepped back when she bumped into them to talk to him.

He remained silent as the two spoke, looking the other over and looking back to Raen to see her reaction. This immortal made her sad. He could see it in her eyes. And it was because of Bliss, or so he gathered. He didn't want the two of them to be there anymore.. He wanted this other immortal to go away. He hadn't knew Raen, but already it pained him to see her sad.

"Nice to see you too," Amadahy said, with only a little cheerfulness. She could tell, instantly, that Raen was not happy to see her. Not that Amadahy was clever or anything...it was just obvious. Despite her unwelcome meeting, she smiled as brightly as a gothic vampire could. Her dark red lipstick appeared redder next to her shiny, pearly fangs.

I probably remind her of Bliss, Amadahy thought correctly. Seems like she's no more gotten over him as he's gotten over her. Old boy just has not been the same since he met her. The immortal licked her lips and spent a glance on the other vampire. She thought he was handsome, but what vampire was not?

"I'm just on my way to see Bliss. He wanted to meet me at the graveyard for some reason. Don't know why," she told Raen. "I'm late though, so if you wait a minute he'll be heading this way, looking for me no doubt." Amadahy rolled back and forth on her heels, she could see Bliss walking up the sidewalk that very second.

Bliss froze. He was watching his feet march up the sidewalk, cursing Amadahy and her tardiness, when he glanced up just for a moment to see a surprise. Raen, the mortal woman who held his heart, was standing next to another vampire and speaking to Amadahy. Amadahy looked as pleased as a plum, her gaze beaming towards Bliss. All he could do was stop and stare at Raen's back side. Blood tears began to fill the corners of his eyes, but he would not let them fall.

I thought I would never see her again!

"Here he is now!" Amadahy blurted.

Amadahy did not sound very happy. Aspen supposed she had something to do with that. She hadn't been all that cheerful...maybe she could try to be nicer. As soon as she thought this, Amadahy mentioned Bliss and Aspen's forced smile faded. As if by instinct she reached for Cole's hand. Something to hold on to while she felt as if her world was tumbling down.

Bliss? Here? Now? She struggled to keep her composure. Amadahy seemed pretty smug about what was happening and that made Aspen like her all the less. She suddenly felt like puking. Stress always made her sick, especially now that she carried a child.

Aspen turned around, feeling as if this one moment in time would stretch on forever. The man she had betrayed stood right in front of her. She closed her eyes, forcing back tears. She let go of Cole's hand, just now noticing that she had been squeezing onto it, for fear that she would crumble without it.

Her eyes went back to Amadahy, pain filling them. She couldn't believe this was happening. She became suddenly aware of the child she held and her hands went to rest on her stomach, protection from the ache that Aspen was feeling now. As she turned back to look at him, wondering if it was dream, half-hoping it was, her black hair fell in front of her face. She moved it out of her eyes, reminding herself of his tender touch as he had done the same. She couldn't bare to hurt him again or herself.

The closer he got, the more she wondered what she would say. She should tell him how she felt? Should she keep silent? God, how she wished she had never left that night. She never could forget him. And the closer he got, the more she remembered those ocean blue eyes, his angelic face. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but she would not. She stayed still. Her hands resting on her stomach. Her eyes full of tears that would not fall.

"Bliss?"

Cole was still for a moment, a wave of confusion overcoming him as silence begot them all. Then he looked over at the man that was walking their way. Bliss. He didn't even have to be told it was him. He looked at Raen as she took his hand, concern filling his eyes. "Breath, Raen," he whispered. As she let go of his hand, he placed it against the small of her back, the front of his shoulder against the back of hers, just so she knew she had something there for support. She seemed uneasy on her feet. If nothing else, if he could help no other way, he would be there for her to fall on.

Bliss remained still as Aspen turned to face him. She was just as beautiful as always...and with child. Bliss tensed up. Surprise, confusion, and amazement clawed at his skin. He blinked the blood tears away, not pausing to wipe them away. Before he could think about it he rushed up to Aspen, stopping only inches away. He could feel her warmth, even from that distance, and reached out to caress her face. But his pale, old hands paused before touching her skin. His cold fingers lingered near her face as his penetrating eyes glanced at the other vampire. Bliss noticed the man's hand on Aspen and hesitated to touch Aspen.

Is she with him now? Why does she have a baby?

Bliss looked back at his beloved mortal and smiled as best he could. "Raen," he whispered, "I have missed you." Those were the only words he could let out at the moment. The urge to sweep her up and disappear into the night pierced his thoughts.

"Well, well, Bliss," was all Amadahy managed to blurt out before Bliss cut her off with a nasty glare.

Bliss dared to gently caress Aspen's face. He hoped the other vampire would not mind. Tears had began to trickle down his white cheeks as he lightly kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad to see you."

Aspen didn't move, but the touch on her back relaxed her. This man, a man she hardly knew, was already so protective of her. She felt safe near him, safe from herself and her wild emotions.

As soon as Bliss approached her, only inches away from her, she forgot about everyone else there. She let the silent tears fall, guilt tugging at her. She was overwhelmed. Here he was, the man she thought had disappeared off the face of the earth, standing directly in front of her.

She didn't say anything as he reached up to touch her face, pausing. She knew how it must have looked, the man next to her, her swollen belly. She wanted to rid him of his fears.

As his hands touched her face, she leaned her head into them, closing her eyes. His cold hands brought forth buried emotions. She opened her eyes after he spoke, looking up into his wet eyes. Reaching up, she wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"I'm glad to see you too." She didn't know what to say, so she was silent for a moment.

"Bliss," she said finally answering the unspoken question she saw in his eyes, "I was pregnant before I met you. I just couldn't tell you. Oh, Bliss..."

She dropped her hands and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her. She cried softly into his chest. There was so much she wanted to tell him, needed to tell him. If only they could be alone for a little while, then Bliss could decide if he still loved her.

(Cole is just going to stand there and let them have their moment, so don't wait for me.)

((lol. Poor, Cole.))

Bliss watched with shiny eyes as Raen leaned into his caress. She had not turned away from him and the vampire next to her did not move. Bliss' hope lifted for a moment. Then she cleaned away his tears as gently as only she could. A gasp left his lungs. If he were not so surprised and happy, expressing his emotions in such an open way in front of another vampire would have bothered him. But, he was surprised and happy. Raen's voice peirced the silence in his mind.

"I'm glad to see you too," he heard her say. He could not move. There was quiet pause, neither he nor her spoke.

The question lingering on his heart must have been obvious to her. Raen broke the silence again by telling Bliss she was pregnant before they met. Before he could respond he felt the warmth of her arms wrap around him and her head rested on his chest. He returned the embrace, unbelievably glad to hear her heart beating again. Her tears made him weep more.

"Dear Raen, please do not cry. I love you so much it pains me to hear you cry." Bliss softly rubbed her back and nestled his face in her hair. She smelled like a mother.

((I wonder how this is all going to work out. :blink: Lol.))

Aspen was glad when she felt Bliss' arms go around her, holding her, making her feel safe as only he ever could. She wondered again why she had been so afraid to let herself love him. After all that she had seen and learned since that night she found out, she felt silly. She knew she had reasons to be afraid of others like him, but not him. He would never hurt her...in any way.

Aspen's tears slowed, she relaxed in his arms. It was hard to stop the tears from coming. She had been longing to see him, to let him hold her and now it was happening, yet she had done nothing to deserve it. It pained her to hear him say that he loved her, while at the same time her heart lept with joy. He still did love her, but she wasn't sure if he could forgive her after what she had done...besides leaving him she felt as if she had betrayed his trust and his love, though she had hardly known him.

She remembered that she was hurt because Bliss had not told her sooner. She had been angry, yet she had hidden so many things from him. She bit down on her lip, forcing back the tears of guilt that threatened to break the surface. She calmed.

"Okay," she whispered, turning her face up to look at him with a smile, "Bliss..."

She paused for a moment, her eyes beginning to water slightly, "I love you too."

Bliss felt a pain in his chest. It could only be joy. Raen's words sucked all the doubt, guilt, and sorrow from him in an instant. He stared into her warm, watery eyes and smiled. He pulled her closer, if possible, and kissed her cheek. He was never angry at her, but bitter at his own fault. He felt he should have told her the truth sooner. But all was said and done now. It was the past.

"I'm glad," he whispered. "But, may I ask, who is the father? If he will not take care of you and the child, I will." Bliss spoke bluntly and honestly.

The weary vampire was pleased enough with the fact that Raen loved him back. Until she came along, he was a proud vampire. But his feelings for her made him ashamed of being a bloodsucking immortal. He was not surprised she just left that night without speaking to him again. He wondered himself how anyone could love a monster. Yet, here she was! And she loved him.

((Yes, especially because I've just been informed Raen becomes a vamp? Am I correct? Perhaps we should rush through this part to catch up? I dunno. I don't want to mess up your plans for Raen.))

((Oh yes, we probably should hurry through...*sigh* I'm glad you are on now, but this is going to create a lot of drama! Lol. She is a vampire and is in love with her sire (Colton), which is hard because she thinks she is still in love with Bliss too...*confusion* Anyway, there is still time to catch up and all))

Aspen took a deep breath in, broken up by remnants of sobs. Burying her face into Bliss' chest and holding him tighter. His lips touched her cheek and she let out that breath in a sigh, the feeling of his love for her a relief after all she had been through. She stiffened slightly, though, when Bliss asked about the father. Closing her eyes, she sighed.

"His name is not important. He left me as soon as he found out..."

Bliss' words were a comfort to her. She was terrified of her pregnancy, terrified it would turn out like her last, something she had yet to tell him about. Her little girl. She felt used, abused, just a sex toy...that's the way all her relationships had been, that was why she generally avoided people and love. She had lost anyone she had ever loved, including Bliss. But now he was here, holding her, comforting her and she felt as if she were dreaming.

Please don't let this be a dream, she thought. She didn't want to wake up, feeling just as lost and alone as she was when she fell asleep. Then, she turned around, moving slightly out of Bliss' loving arms. A look at the other two people told her she wasn't dreaming. Cole's presence was real, because she didn't see why she would dream about a man she did not know.

"Bliss, maybe we should go. There is a lot I need to tell you," she said turning back around to face him.

(You mean COLE not colton. I noticed that you get those two mixed up every so often. lol)

Cole stood a ways away, giving them their privacy. He turned away, his eyes averted to the ground. He hated seeing other couples together. It always reminded him of his failed relationships or lack thereof.

He folded his hands calmly before him and shuffled his feet around on the sidewalk. He did not look at them again until Raen mentioned something about leaving. Was she still planning on him taking her home? It made him smile softly. It was a comfort to know that she enjoyed his company.

((*shakes fist* Darn, Cole! Taking Bliss' chick! It's on. lol.))

Bliss reclutantly let Raen slip out of his arms. He watched, quietly, as she stared at the other two. Amadahy was silence, her smile gone. Her expression was vacant. Her thoughts were probably elsewhere. Bliss glanced at the other vampire. Something about him bothered Bliss. Not that he did not like him. Bliss did not know the man, but something inside told him to beware. Bliss smiled, meekly, and cleaned away his tears. He had sobbed enough.

"Would you like me to walk you home, dear?" Bliss asked, his voice sounding more light and crisp than usual. He felt lighter than air. New, colorful images danced in his head, inspiring him for more paintings. His meek smile became a bright grin from ear to ear. "Yes, we need to talk. There is...so much I missed."

He noted Cole looking away. Bliss knew that feeling. Days ago, he was acting the same way. He could not bear to look at couples, or even acknowledge their existence. But here Raen was. Standing before him. He felt like singing.

((*cries* Skirrie's s/n is Cole! It's confusing. *dies* Sorries, I'll pay more attention))


Aspen turned to look at Bliss, then back at Cole, her eyes sad. She didn't want to ditch him, but Bliss being her was a blessing.

"Yeah, I would like that," she said softly to Bliss, "But wait for me just a second."

She pulled away from him, glad that he was feeling better. She could see he felt as she did. Relieved and very much in love.

She walked to where she was only a few inches from Cole so that she could speak to him softly.

"I appreciate everything you've done for me tonight, but I think Bliss and I should go. I mean, he is going to walk me home. Thank you for offering. Here."

She pulled a pen from her back pocket. She always carried a pen and took his hand, writing her cell phone number on it. Of course, she knew he would probably wash it off or something, (considering Cole doesn't have it later) but she figured it was better than nothing. She had no paper. She hoped she would see him again. He had been so kind, so if it was meant to be, she knew she would.

"Bye Cole. Bye Amadahy."

She then turned from them both and walked back to Bliss, taking his hand in hers.

"Let's go. You can tell me all about what has been going on with you, then I have a lot to tell you."

Cole looked down at his hand as she walked away, a small smile on his face, but as he dropped his hand down to his side again, the ink rolled off of his skin as if it was water. His skin had no pores to hold the ink in. He bade farewell and then was gone. He wanted very much to go feed.

((Sorry Middy! I didn't want Cole to leave. ^.^ Aw, well. He gets some later. lol.))

Bliss waited as patiently as he could while Raen bid farewell to the others. He shot Amadahy a glance that meant "go on, you're free". She accepted it with a tart grin and nodded a goodbye to Raen. "Later, gator," she mumbled to Raen before turning away. She continued back to where she had come from, seething a little. She had bent to Bliss' whim only to go home bored. A drunk mortal would have gotten more attention from Bliss than she. Clicking her tongue ring against her fangs, she wondered home.

Bliss did not pay the least bit of attention to Amadahy. Raen was there, how could he focus on anything else? As soon as the other two left Bliss helped himself to his love. He darted to her, stopped in front of her, and cupped her face with two, cold hands. She was as warm as he remembered.

"Yes, I'll go first," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead, then stepping away. He eyed her little swell of a belly and smiled. "I've been painting a lot more, lately, he told her, offering his arm for the walk home.

Aspen didn't watch as Cole walked away. She already felt guilty enough for ditching him. Instead, she took Bliss' offered arm as they began to walk.

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see more of your paintings. You are a beautiful artist."

Aspen's mind wandered. What else had Bliss been doing? How long had it been since she had seen him? Forever it seemed. She couldn't believe he hadn't given up on her. Already she had started to give up on him. Why she didn't go to his house, try to fix things, she didn't know. She knew she had been afraid, but now that he was there with her, it was impossible. She loved him, he loved her, what was there to be afraid of?

"Tell me, what was the last thing you painted?"

She tried to keep her mind away from other things. Good news first, bad news later.

Bliss closed his eyes and conjured an image of his last work. "An angel mourning," he replied. "A beautiful angel beaten and scarred. He had fallen from Heaven, but unlike the other demons, regretted it. He tried to redeem himself by rescuing two children. He saved them, only to watch them grow into corrupt members of the Church. The painting depicts him kneeling before a fallen temple, weeping." Bliss stopped speaking, realizing he had rambled on more than he wanted to.

He stared down at Raen as they walked along the sidewalk. He could smell her life and youth; he could feel her warmth. As much as he wanted to carry her off into paradise, he withheld his urges. He understood he had placed a heavy burden on her heart. If anything like a relationship could happen, it would have to happen slow.

The vampire-in-love smiled down at his beloved and could not help but wonder what things she had gone through.

((Sorry I took so long to post))

((So, how should this work. Do you want to keep posting in here? That's fine with me, or should we pretend we talked and go on to something else?))

((*thinks* Let's just say our charas talked...blah, blah, blah...and we can start on something else more recent. ;) ))