A twisted smile grew on her face, her hand reaching for me.

“I'm going to enjoy killing you, maggot.” She said gruffly.

But before she could reach me something slammed into her from the side- sending her crashing into another overturned train car.

The person landed with a hiss before their form made sense to me.

“Xander!”

It really was him.

At his name he turned to me. My eyes widened when his met mine. Instead of his normal chocolate brown they now glowed a fiery red with slitted pupils.

I blinked and suddenly Xander was at my side.

“Are you alright?” He asked softly.

I nodded numbly gaze locked with his red one. Those predatory eyes looked me over with sudden concern as he dusted glass shards from my hair.

“You're bleeding.” He stated gently taking my hands turning them to show my dirty bloodied palms.

If at all possible his eyes darkened and his mouth looked... odd as it formed into a tight grim line.

He glanced up at me- that red a major contrast to his dark skin- his mouth opened as he leaned towards me before he froze. He took a deep breath then started quickly pulling glass from my palms.

He went to speak again but stopped as Mindy started moving, drawing his attention.

“Stay here.” He warned as he stood facing her.

Mindy stood tossing her head as she roared again before she was charging forward.

I flinched as Mindy crashed into Xander but he didn't move more then a foot at the impact. He took hold of her long twisted horns then flipped her onto her side, slamming her into the ground.

I watched as they fought, each blow they exchanged made me cringe, their impact shaking the ground.

I wanted to hide. Wanted to make this whole thing disappear. I wanted to stand up for myself instead of having Xander do it. I wanted-

Mindy jumped away, smile twisted as she taunted Xander. “When I'm done with you I'm going to finish off your little play thing. Erase him from the face of the earth, that's what people like him deserve.” She cackled. “I'll snap his neck then- then he'll understand. He'll understand everything!”

Xander grabbed her by the throat, lifting her up hissing in her face, elongated fangs jutting from his mouth.

Before I realized what was happening I was running.

“Xander stop, don't hurt her!”

He froze, both of them turning to me as I stumbled over to them. With my distraction Mindy broke free of Xander's hold putting some space between us.

My arms wrapped around his waist, Xander stiff in my hold.

“Lumir-?” His voice thick as he spoke around his fangs.

I pressed my face into his back. “Please stop, this won't help anything.”

“But she's hurt you- countless times!” He growled deeply. “It's what she-”

“She isn't worth you becoming a killer.”

At that Xander froze and looked down at me, his expression grim and lost.

Mindy started laughing making Xander snap back to her as she charged. But Xander was ready as he grabbed her outstretched hand and flipped her hard into the ground.

She jumped back to her feet only to be tossed again this time flying into a tree- dazed.

Xander detached himself from me and walked over to some rusting train track. He kneeled- digging his hands- claws- into the metal where he quickly broke off a rusted strip. He walked over to the still dazed Mindy where he twisted it around her, binding her to the tree's base. Mindy struggled throwing her head around as roars bellowed out.

Xander appeared back beside me pulling me into his arms and he just breathed. In, out and again. His breaths ragged and strained, he buried his face to my neck.

Worried I hugged him back, slowly my adrenaline faded.

The sound of his phone jarred us from our thoughts, he moved away freeing me from his surprisingly comforting hold, as he pulled his phone out.

“Hello? Yes. Yes I have him, he's safe. Yes I will, bye.” He answered whoever was on the phone then noticing I was watching him he smiled.

I tried to speak but my words fell away from me. I just barely heard Xander say my name as I fell forward into his arms.

***

My eyes fluttered open, then close with a groan. Everything hurt, every inch of me was swore and it was way too bright. I opened my eyes again this time slowly. Was I in a car?

I turned my head to the drivers side- nobody sat there and the car wasn't moving. Where was I?

I took in the cool grey interior of the car, sleek black leather seats, the odd dangling item maybe some kind of tooth hanging from the mirror.

A sigh drew my attention.

Turning to the open car door on my side to see Xander sitting in the grass, he tossed the few blades of he had eyes tight around the edges as he watched me.

“Hey… how are you feeling?” He leaned towards me placing his hand to my forehead.

He was so cold. I shivered making him quickly remove his hand.

“Sorry…” he whispered.

Sitting up I looked around, we were on the other side of the tracks, the sun was beginning to set leaving us in the beginning of semi-darkness.

I sighed internally. Which meant I was out long past my curfew.

Xander sat back now looking at the ground.

I looked at him, like really looked at him. Because I noticed there was something wrong with him. His tanned skin was ashen, his white hair was a mess of curls but even those were dull and sort of flat. What was wrong with him? Was he sick?

“Are you sick?” I voiced my question.

He jumped. “No I'm fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah…” Though he wouldn't look at me.

“How did you find me?”

Xander looked up at me carefully like I might faint again. “I just started searching for you from the school.”

My eyes widened as I looked around us panicking. “Oh my gosh- the school? Mindy- where is she? What... what happened?”

A pained expression crossed his face till it vanished showing the sad sickly looking Xander.

“That's been taken care of. I… I can’t tell you more than that.”

I nodded my head. I don't know if I really wanted to know. At least not now.

I was about to say something when he cut me off.

“I'm sorry for scaring you today,” He took my trembling, newly bandaged hands placing them against his cool face. It felt nice to my sore skin.

He frowned. “I'm so sorry, Lumir…” He said my name like maybe he would never say it again.

Why was he sorry? My head started to pound. I drew a line, it was too much too soon. I leaned back. Why was the car spinning? Glancing down at Xander and the hand he held.

“Thank you… for saving me.” I whispered.

He glanced back up at me with the most heartbreakingly sad smile. The wind blew, the trees swayed and creaked- groaning as they moved. 

Groaned like a force pulling them apart, like metal being torn- like a hand reaching through to crush-

Abruptly everything came back in vivid focus. The Minotaur- Mindy chasing after me, the horror from thinking I was going to die, crawling around in the moldy train car, seeing Xander and what he changed into- those bright red eyes, glowing watching- then nothing.

Fear coursed thickly through my body. I hunched over holding my head.

Xander looked up at me when I all but stopped breathing. My body shivering as it fought to make my lungs work.

“Lumir?”

Suddenly I was looking up at Xander as he held my face between his cold hands.

“Breathe, come on. Lumir look at me, only at me. Breathe.”

I looked at him, gasping. Flashes of Mindy crashed through my head, her black animalistic gaze- hungry for my end. Her words haunting as she reached for me.

“Lumir look at me. You're safe. I promise that you will be safe with me. She can't hurt you here.” He said. And I wanted nothing more then to believe that. I struggled but finally focused on him. “I'll never let anyone- anything harm you. Ever again.”

I gripped his hand to my face and looked into his eyes- they were on fire, a bright reddish copper, his pupils slitted in a odd cross like shape.

“You will always be safe,” He closed his eyes as if he was thinking of something, then they flashed open. “Now when I snap my fingers all of your fear of this day will fade, you will remember it but you won't be scared.” His voice low but ringing clear in my ears. He leaned his head against mine and snapped his fingers.

I calmed almost immediately. All of my fear of Mindy and the creature she was gone- just like that.

I blinked looking at him but he leaned his head against my chest with heavy sigh before he looked to me, his eyes back to their normal chocolate.

My brain tried to make sense of what just happened, of what I just saw, of my disbelief of what I knew and what I saw being the same.

Xander Wendell, the new boy in town, my new friend... was a Vampire.

After another quick phone call Xander said he would take me home.

The car ride was awkward and definitely not how I pictured our first time completely alone. But my thoughts just wouldn't rest long enough for me to start up a conversation and Xander wasn't jumping at the chance to start a conversation either.

I still couldn’t believe it. Xander was a Vampire.

Not one of those fake old timely movie ones or the fantasy book ones but a real honest to goodness Vampire.

My head spun. A Minotaur and a Vampire in one day both students- wait they both went to my school.

Did that mean there were others? Other Xander's? Mindy's?

I peeked over at him, the streetlights giving him a surreal beauty. I half smiled. He probably had his reasons for not saying anything, so he could just tell me when he was ready and till then I'd keep his secret.

I leaned back in my seat with a content sigh watching the lights play against his skin.

Suddenly his frown deepened as he pulled the car over. He sighed hitting his head to the steering wheel.

“Xander? Everything alright?”

“No.”

I waited for him to explain.

His hands squeezed the wheel. “Lumir, why aren't you asking questions? Or getting mad or anything? You're just sitting there- smiling.”

I blinked. Huh, I guess I was acting weird. Must be whatever he did to me. “I didn't want you to feel weird and on the spot, I guess. If you wanted to tell me anything you'd say it when you were ready.”

He chuckled weakly turning to look at me. “Goddess, you're so pure.”

A blush crawled to my cheeks and I was thankful for the dim lighting only to quickly cover my face. He could probably see me.

He laughed loudly this time and I groaned.

I completely hid my face. “You can see me right now, can't you?”

I could just hear the smug smile in his voice. “I can.”

I blushed harder. “Geez this is so embarrassing.”

His hand ghosted across my heated cheek brushing my hair behind my equally hot ear, then held it there. I stared confused as he spoke softly.

“It really is, isn't it. I'm sitting in a car with someone other than my family that knows what I am.”

I chanced it and placed my hand over his. “And what are you?”

He closed his glowing eyes, lowering his hand but I held on to it.

“I'm a Vampire.”

I nodded. “Does that mean you were turned?”

He gripped my fingers. “No I was born, like normal.”

Like normal he says. “When was that if you don't mind me asking.”

He smirked catching on to my real question. “I'm seventeen, Lumir. Just seventeen.”

I didn't buy it. “So what does this... you know all of this mean?”

He thought for a moment before looking at me, eyes glowing that blazing red, a crease forming between his brows. 

Without thinking I reached over gently pressing my fingers there, massaging the spot. Xander twitched but stayed. Blushing I yanked my hand away. 

Why on earth did I do that!?

“I don't know how much I'm allowed to tell you.” He finally said.

“Then tell me what you can.”