Resting on the hillside, a stone’s throw from the creek, a small, unpainted cabin sat. Though it looked old at first glance, the cabin was constructed five years prior and served as a hunting retreat for the fall and winter months.
     David led Evonne inside and closed the door. He looked out the window, making sure they weren’t followed.
     “Why are you doing this?” Evonne finally asked, ringing the water from her pants.
     “Can he find you here?”
     “I don’t know.” She shrugged.
     “When was the last time you two shared your blood?” he asked, turning from the window.
     “That’s kind of a personal question.”
     “When?” he pressed.
     “It’s been a while. Why?”
     David relaxed. “We should be safe here.”
     Evonne glanced around the small living room. The furniture was a hodgepodge, odds and ends brought here from yard sales or basements. A couple of antlers hung on the walls, with one full head of a buck above the plaid sofa. A small kitchen sat off to the side. There were no large appliances, only counter space and camping pots and pans. The door beside the living room apparently led to the only bedroom. Quaint was an overstatement. The small cabin could comfortably fit in her room back at Eden.
     “I can’t stay here,” said Evonne, reaching for the door. “We need to help them.”
     David moved in front of her, blocking the exit. “They’ll be all right.”
     “Gabriel’s weak right now, and SEVEN had the place surrounded. There’s also two werewolf packs closing in. They might already be there by now.” Her own talking began to worry her further.
     “He isn’t that weak,” David pointed out.
     “But what if something happens to him?” An onslaught of different images came to her, each one ending with his death.
     “Do you love him?” he asked.
     Evonne stared at him, shocked and confused by the question. “Why are you asking me that?”
     “Do you love him?” he repeated, his words sharp.
     She wanted to sweep the question away. “I care about him. But what does that have to do with anything?”
     “Will you runaway with me?”
     Evonne tilted her head, confused with everything he was saying. “What’s going on with you, David?”
     “I’m leaving all of this,” he truthfully answered. “Will you come with me?”
     “Where are you planning to go?”
     He sat on the old sofa and replied, “Anywhere. Everywhere. There’s a whole country out there we have yet to see. Danger follows Gabriel. Hell, he makes it his job to charge into dangerous places. Answer this: ever since you’ve known him, how many times have you been shot at, harmed, or even chased across an ocean?”
     “That’s not fair,” she snapped. “Everything that has happened to me is because of my father. While I was in Europe these past several months, nothing bad happened to me. You know why? They couldn’t find me. I was in Paris, Madrid, and plenty other large cities. I guess I started to relax a little. Then I got the bright idea about coming back here. And you know what happened right when I got off the plane? I was drugged in some asinine plot to hurt my father. This has nothing to do with Gabriel.” She stopped her little speech as she realized what he may be planning. “You think my father would feel better if he knows I’m with you instead?”
     “Anything will be better than what we do have.”
     “I’m happy where I’m at.”
     David looked up at her, eyes hinted with sadness. “I’m not.”
     She studied him. The sadness was twisted with fear. “Did Saros let you leave?”
     “She doesn’t know. She has a new pet to play with, and his stubbornness has yet to yield.”
     Evonne let out a small laugh. “Demetrius.”
     “Will you run away with me?” he repeated, the question becoming a plea.
     “I won’t leave Gabriel.”
     “I asked you once before and you told me you would said yes.”
     “Things are different now,” she said, shaking her head. “You think running from my father is bad? You can’t outrun Saros.”
     David stood from the sofa and walked over to her, placing his hands to the side of her face. Evonne grabbed his wrists, stopping him.
     “Stay with me,” he said.
     She wanted to reply and tell him how stupid he was to run, and how ridiculous his plan sounded. Instead, she found herself fluttering with nervousness as his lips touched hers. Evonne slid his hands from her face, holding them between their bodies. She pulled away.
     “You would risk everything for me?” she asked.
     David lifted his eyes to hers, the words painful to say. “I already have.”
     Evonne laughed, breaking the awkward tension. “That’s a line if I ever heard one. And what if I say no? Are you going to kidnap me?”
     “Do I have any other choice?”
     Staring at him now, she knew this person through and through. She couldn’t say that about Gabriel. But could he protect her? Evonne refused to answer that question. Why did she need protected? She should have the strength to protect herself. David was as new to this life, as well. He had nothing special to offer. What made him the better candidate? Perhaps her theory was true. Her father may stop looking for her if he knew she was with David.
     But running from Saros and from Gabriel? They wouldn’t let them get far. And this new realization angered Evonne. No matter where she went, she would still be controlled by others.
     In the midst of her mental rebellion, Evonne pulled David close, kissing him the way she wanted to for years. This wasn’t the daydreams she remembered, but that didn’t matter. She had him in her arms, her every intention clawing for one goal.
     David left her as he opened the door to the small bedroom. Evonne went inside willingly. She had no one to answer to in this moment. It was the culmination of everything that sent her into the arms of David.
     He embraced her once more, terrified to let go. “All these years,” he said, “and it’s only now that I have the courage to hold you. Why was I so afraid?”
     “You had everything to lose then,” she replied.
     He looked into her eyes, seeing the fractured girl he would do anything for. “Gabriel took the only thing I loved. I have nothing now.”
     Evonne placed her hands to his face, keeping him from moving away. “I’m standing right here.” Feeling the anger stir again, she leaned in, her mouth to his, hoping the eager kiss would quiet him. Her ploy worked. David guided her to the bed, his body over hers.
     The strength within his body called out to her, the cry far more powerful than the anticipation of sex. The only thing Evonne wanted from him rested within his veins. And as her mouth settled on his neck, her teeth scraping at his skin.
     David’s body jolted at the touch of her teeth but he didn’t stop her. His hands moved under Evonne’s shirt as his body begged to feel her skin against his. The fear of being caught was one thing, but the fear of turning back now was greater. Throughout his body’s pleas, he turned a blind eye to the pain in his neck.
     The blood entering Evonne reminded her of the strength within Demetrius, a strength that would take her centuries to reach. A familiar taste was mixed with his. Images flooded forth as she saw herself in a sea of white, her body thrashing in agony, and then this blood soothing her pain. Saros’ blood. The images were once sealed away to spare her the pain of remembering. But as she foolishly drank, her anger soared. Even as she suffered under the command of the drug, she was denied the memory—sheltered as always.
     David pulled away, startled at what he allowed her to do. He sat back, his hand to his neck as he recalled Saros’ threat.
     “I’m sorry,” Evonne said.
     “Up until now…” he struggled to say. “Saros sees me as her property. No one is allowed to touch me. Only she has the right to…” He stopped upon hearing his own words.
     “Do you really believe that? Then what are we doing right now?”
     “Things have changed too much between us. I would give anything to go back to how things were.”
     She narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s not what you said before. Why the sudden change?”
     “I’ve had plenty of time to think,” he forced himself to admit. “I still feel obligated to your father.”
     Evonne sat up and back away from him. “You’re going to hand me over to him.” Furious, she left the bed.
     David grabbed her arm. “No, I’m not.”
     “I can’t believe you,” she said, yanking her arm away.
     “We don’t belong in his world, Evonne, and we don’t belong in this world. We will always be outsiders within this new life of ours. We have been branded by Alex. We will always remain targets.”
     “Outsider?” She laughed. “I may always live in the shadow of my father, but at least I’ve come to peace with what I am.” She saw herself channeling Demetrius as she spoke. “This isn’t an existence I’ve grown to hate. I love the fact that these hands can rip flesh from bones and these new teeth can grant me all the blood my body craves.”
     He looked at her strangely. This wasn’t the girl he remembered. “You sound like them,” he said, disgusted.
     “I’m no longer in denial. There’s a difference.” She stepped closer. “You came here to rescue me from what? Gabriel? Are you jealous?”
     The muscles in David’s jaw tightened. “I’m angry at what he did to you.”
     “The order was give by Saros. You should be angry at her, not him.”
     “She told me that it was his wish to have you.”
     His words scratched at the old wounds Evonne wanted to bury. “Don’t confuse a wish with an action. He was ordered to turn me. If not, I was to be killed. So which would you prefer? Me as I am before you now, or some corpse rotting in the dirt?”
     “I would prefer you as human.”
     “Something you can hunger for?” Evonne shot back. “Or someone you can protect with that new vampire strength of yours? I’m not your damsel in distress.” She threw her hand around his neck and pinned him to the bed, her body over his. “I can take care of myself.”
     “Is that so?” he replied, his expression turning cold.
     Evonne had no time to react. David brought his hands up, pushing her off of him. She stumbled back and found him on her, throwing her into the wall. Gaining her bearings, Evonne swung an open hand at him, her nails catching the side of his face. The attack fueled David’s rage. His hands went for her again as he pinned her to the wall. With instincts taking over, he went for her neck, his body now begging for her blood instead.
     As David began to drink he heard Evonne laughing. He pulled away, dumbfounded by her actions.
     “Deny it all you want,” she said, still giddy, “but instinct wins every time.” Her face grew stern as she pushed against him, dropping him to the bed. She moved over his body and straddled his waist. “There’s another reason you brought me here tonight.”
     Still playing her own game, Evonne removed her shirt. She looked down at him, reading his shocked expression.
     David fought to keep his hands from touching her. With each unsure movement, they moved closer to her, finally reaching her bare stomach, daring to go higher.
     Covering his hands with hers, Evonne guided them to her breasts, her body rocking forward at his touch. She lowered herself to him, her mouth to his, the kiss more feverish than before.
     Something else frightened David. He stopped her as he searched for the source to his fear.
     Annoyed, Evonne grabbed his wrist and pinned them to the bed. “How many times have you wished for this very moment but stopped yourself from acting? If you stop me one more time, then I’m walking out of this cabin and back to Gabriel.” She relaxed her hands.
     David forced himself to ignore the nagging feeling as his hands returned to her, sliding around her waist and pulling her close. But as they continued kissing, the feeling wouldn’t leave. Again, David stopped her.
     Evonne looked at him and scoffed. Grabbing her shirt, she left the bed. “I’ll sleep in the living room.”
     David forced himself to breathe. He imagined the ominous feeling smiling at him, congratulating him on defeating his temptation. No matter how much praise he felt, his body ached to return to her.