I stepped out of the steaming shower and attempted to make the borrowed clothing fit. He was definitely taller than me, so the pant legs dragged on the floor, but I could roll up the ends. The shirt was baggy, and there wasn't much I could do about that.

I knocked on Nate's bedroom door. He slid out and shut the door closed before I could get a good look inside. He gave another rare smile after examining the clothing that was obviously too big on me. "You ready?" he asked.

"As I'll ever be."

Nodding, Nate pulled his hood up, hunched his shoulders, and started up the stairs.

The night was quiet enough. We passed a group of rowdy men on their way out of a bar, but Nate assured me they themselves were not a threat. Just a few drunken humans. Even so, they would be easy targets for other vampires and so we steered clear. We reached the supermarket and I quickly filled the basket with a few of my own toiletries and grabbed some clean clothes to last me my stay.

And food. Once I saw a mountain of snack cakes my hunger made itself very apparent. I grabbed all my favorites, realizing there probably wasn't food back at the Pharmacy when a vampire wouldn't have any use for it anyway. I reached the checkout counter but realized I didn't have any money with me. Nate anticipated this, and already had cash on hand. I thanked him, surprised by his continued kindness. He simply nodded, took the bag and exited the store.

It seemed as though our trip was going smoothly. However, things aren't always as they seem, and unfortunately, I was relieved just a minute too soon. We had only just left the store when everything took a turn for the worst.

Nate seemed on edge as we walked around the corner of the store. Two cars and a couple motorcycles were parked along the curb, with six men loitering around them, smoking and laughing among themselves. Steering me away from them, Nate pulled his hood up and hunched his shoulders as we crossed the parking lot.

"Hey you! Where are you taking that pretty lady?" one of the men called to Nate.

"Keep walking, Elizabeth," Nate spoke softly.

"Hey, we're talking to you!" the gruff man flicked his cigarette onto the pavement and began walking towards us, unpleased.

Soon all six men were surrounding us, chuckling like hyenas.

"Back off." Nate's stern warning showed he found no humor in the situation.

"We're just being friendly, no need to be so serious. You going to get dinner?" a man to my right winked at Nate, then looked me up and down. With my left hand I clung to Nate's arm.

"No."

"Oh! Well if you don't want her then..." A man pulled on my shoulder from behind, and I screeched.

Nate immediately got in between the man and me, his vampiric teeth advising the men to not come any closer.

The eyes surrounding us shifted red.

"What's this? Are you one of those vegan-pussies?" came a slur from my left.

"I hate those guys, always actin' like they're better than us," spat someone to my right.

The circle was slowly closing in on us.

Nate threw the first punch, hitting one of the vampires square the chest. Subsequently, four vampires pulled Nate back by the shoulders, holding his arms behind his back. When I tried backing away, I was held in a similar manner, but by one rather than four.

"Let go!" Nate roared at his captors, twisting and pulling his shoulders to no avail.

"Well not until you learn your table manners. Didn't your parent's ever teach you not to waste food?" a mischievous fanged smile appeared on the face of one of the vampires his making eye contact with me as he helped restrain Nate.

"Yeah, he looks pretty hungry to me, don't he?" growled the vampire Nate had stricken, picking himself on back to his feet.

The distance between Nate and I closed as I was pushed forward. Nate pushed his weight backwards, but only succeeding in doing so by a half a step.

Mere inches from my face, Nate wore an fearful expression. He had ceased his struggling to look at me with brown apologetic eyes, speechless.

The vampire nursing his injured chest glared down at Nate spitefully, and shoved Nate's head down towards my neck. "Bon appétit."