chapter 1

Jordan Sinclaire sat in the window seat of what was supposed to be her's and her husband's home. She lazily petted her black cat, simply named Blackie. She looked out into the night, watching as the storm clouds rolled across the full moon. "Oh, Bryan... I hope you're watching over me now. I need your strength. I need your guidance. I need you."

Her fiance', Bryan Clark, was a wonderful man. Handsome, strong, his mind was balanced, and his touch could start fires. They fell in love while in college, and once they were stable in their careers - her's as a psychologist and his as a wrestler - he had asked Jordan to marry him. On the eve of their nuptuals, Bryan came up missing.

His car was found stopped at a traffic light. The driver's side window had been shattered, and there was blood on the seat. The police didn't hold out much hope for finding him alive. She had found out after putting on her wedding dress.

Three years had passed since that night. She'd tried to move on as best she could, but still held a glimmer of hope that he would be found. Their best friend, Brian Adams, had told her she should try to move on in her love life. "If he comes back, and you two still love each other, then drop whoever you would be dating at the time," he had said. As she sat there, she wondered if he would still agree to that. They had been seeing each other whenever he came off the road.

Jordan looked down at Blackie, and asked, "why did I get involved with Adams, when Bryan still hasn't been found?" As if to answer, the cat looked up at her, and meowed. The cat snapped his head toward the mailbox at the end of the driveway. He yowled and hissed. "What's the matter, Blackie?" She looked outside, but didn't see anything. A moment later, there was a knock at the door. She padded over to the door, and asked, "who is it?" "It's your fuck buddy." She unlocked, then opened the door. "I love the way you phrase our relationship," she said sarcastically.

"What should I call it," Adams asked. "You fuck me to near exhaution, then send me home." "You know why I won't let you stay..." "I know. I'm sorry, I just think that you could atleast move on enough to let me spend the night." She took a moment to speak. "Why don't you stay tonight? But, if Bryan is dead, and he comes to haunt the house, I'll make sure he kills you first." Brian smiled, as he wrapped his arms around her. "You're superstitious, Jordie." He kissed the tip of her nose, then gently pressed his lips to her's. She greatfully accept his long sweet kiss. When it ended, though, she said, "don't ever call me Jordie again."

Outside, next to the mailbox, stood a man - 6' 6", 250 lbs., and dead. His once beautiful hazel eyes had turned yellow during his transformation. His long wavy black hair that was once dotted with a couple grey hairs, hung passed his shoulders and clung to him, because of the sprinkles that fell from the sky. His transformation changed nothing in his heart. His love for her still filled every ounce of his body. When he saw his best friend go in their house, and put his arms around the woman that was supposed to be his wife, he was torn between turning away forever, and killing the man he had called brother.

chapter 2

Bryan stood outside the sliding glass doors leading to the balcony from the bedroom. As he peered through the sheer curtains, he saw Adams carry Jordan into the room. He set her on the floor, and threw back the covers on the bed, then turned his attention back to her.

His hands went to her hips, and pulled her flush against him. His lips came down on her's softly, then they let their tongues mingle in a sultry dance. Brian's hands went to the hem of her nightshirt, and pulled it up and over her head. Jordan's hands went to the hard plains of his chest, then around his neck.

He nibbled on her lip, then turned his attention to her neck. She unzipped his tight shirt, then let her hands slide down his torso to the bottom, and pulled it off. He pressed her full breasts against his hard chest, then laid down with her under him.

Bryan had seen enough to know that Jordan was moving along in life. But the fact that she chose his best friend, and business partner, continued to upset him. He still stood there and watched, as Adams stood from the bed, and removed his jeans. When Brian returned to her arms, he entered her, and made love to her for quite awhile. Once they were both spent, they lay in each other's arms, panting for air. Brian told Jordan, "I love you."

Bryan heard, loud and clear, when a cry rang out from one of the other bedrooms. A child's cry. Jordan flew from the bed, put her robe on, and went into the bedroom next to her's. Bryan walked over to the doors, and stood in shock at what he saw. Jordan held a girl, no more than three years old, in her arms. He listened as they spoke. "What's the matter, Angela?" "I had a bad dream about Daddy." "How could you have a dream about your daddy? You never got to meet him." "I know, momma, but it's the same man from the pictures on your desk." "What happened in your dream?" "He came here, and he had sharp teeth, and he wanted to take you away from me." Angie began to sob again.

"Don't worry, baby. If your daddy ever came back, he wouldn't want to take me from you. In fact, he'd be pretty happy to know he has a little girl."

Bryan's chest constricted. 'That's my daughter?' His body turned to mist, and slipped through the cracks in the door. When his body took shape just inside the door, Jordan and Angela screamed at the top of their lungs. Adams came running down the hall in his boxers. "What's wrong," he asked before turning on the light. "Holy shit! Clark? Is that you?"

Bryan shielded his face. "Turn the light off!" Adams turned it back off, and asked, "is it really you, bro?" "Don't call me bro. We'll talk later. Right now, I want to get to know my daughter." Jordan, Angela and Bryan met in the middle of the room. Jordan reached her free hand up to touch his face. "Baby, I want you to meet Angela Lynn Clark. She's two and a half years old."

Not wanting to push things after hearing of her dream, he took her tiny hand, and kissed it. "Hi, sweety. I'm Bryan Clark. I'm your daddy." "Daddy, why did you scare me and mommy?" "I didn't mean to. I'm sorry," he said with a small grin. "Shouldn't little girls be asleep at this time of night," he asked her. "I had a bad dream." "I heard. There's nothing for you to worry about. I'll never take your momma away from you."

She reached her little arms out to him, then. He took her from Jordan, and held her like a precious porcelain doll. He kissed her forehead. "Now that you know everything is ok, do you want to go back to sleep?" "Yes, daddy. I'm sleepy." "Ok, you go night-night, so I can talk to mommy and Uncle Adams." He laid her in her bed, and tucked her in. "Good night, Angie." "Good night, daddy."

chapter 3

As soon as they left Angie's room, Bryan asked, "why didn't you tell me?" "She was going to be my wedding present to you. I had just found out a few days before you came up missing." "Speaking of which, where the hell have you been," Adams asked. "Right now, you had better watch your mouth around me," he said between clenched teeth. "Bryan, calm down. Let's all go to the den, and have a talk."

They all went downstairs. Adams turned on the light, but Bryan quickly told him to turn it back off. Once they were in the den, Jordan poured a drink for them. "I think we'll all need one of these." They all sat down. Bryan asked, " so what has been going on since I've been gone?" "You know the most important part already," Jordan said. "I mean between the two of you." Adams and Jordan looked at each other. "Don't lie to me, Jo. I know what happened tonight." "I... We...," she stammered.

"Me and the ol' lady got divorced. Jordan was still mourning the loss of you. In an effert to comfort each other, we spent more time together. We went to lunch, hung out, played pool... Shit like that. A couple months after Angie was born, she became real depressed. I stayed here, as her guest, and helped her out. One night, we took our comforting too far. We've carried on like that since, but she never let me stay in her bed all night, for fear of you haunting her, or coming home, and finding me here," Adams explained. "Well, I did." He downed the whiskey in one gulp. Jordan was right; he needed it.

"Where have you been," Jordan asked. That question is what kept him from coming home. "As you've noticed, I have a thing for the dark now." At Jordan's nod he continued. "I don't want you to see what I've become." "Why? It wouldn't matter to me. I was ready to marry you. I was ready to spend the rest of my life with you. Why would it matter to me what you look like now? Is it some kind of scar on your face?" "No."

He pointed his finger at the candle she always left next to the chair he sat in, then at the others strewn about the room. "What the fuck," Brian said. "As you can tell, I'm not quite human, anymore." "Oh my God..." "I wish he could save me, but no one can now." "Bryan, I wouldn't care if you were a vampire. You should have came back." "Nice choice of words, Jo. That's exactly what I am."

She gasped. "You're not going to... I mean... You won't kill us, will you?" He smiled at her. "No. I love you, and you have to take care of Angie. And, no matter what Adams has done, he's still my best friend. I did think of ripping his throat out, but I can't blame him or you for what has happened." He let out a sigh. "The only question is what are we going to do now? I still love you, and Adams seems to have something for you, even if he says you two are just fuck buddies." Jordan looked at Adams. He shrugged and said, "he's right. I wasn't lieing about what I said earlier."

Jordan put her face in her hands. "I'm so confused right now. I can honestly say that I love both of you. Bry, you were going to be my husband, and I'll always love you. Adams has been there for me these past three years. He's been very understanding, and loving, and supportive. Hell, he helped me in the delivery room with Angela. I don't think I could make a decision right now."

"I'll give you time. I would understand if you chose Adams over me. I couldn't offer you the life I did before. I do love you, still. And Angela." With that said, he turned to mist, and left through the window.

chapter 4

When Brian awoke in the morning, Jordan wasn't next to him. He put on his jeans, and went down to the kitchen. That's where he found her making breakfast for them. Angela sat in her high chair with a bowl of cereal. He walked up behind Angie and tapped her on the shoulder, then hid. She looked all around, but didn't see him. Then, he jumped up, and said, "boo!" She started giggling, and said, "you're silly!"

Brian stepped up behind Jordan, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Good morning, beautiful." "Good morning, Brian," she said, sounding depressed. He tightened his arms around her, then kissed her neck. "We weren't dreaming last night, were we," he asked her. "If so, we all had the same dream. Angie asked me where her daddy is." She turned off the stove, and turned around in his arms. He picked her up, and set her on the counter that was behind them. He leaned his forehead against her's. "Everything will turn out for the best." "I know, but we chose a hell of a time to realize our feelings for each other. Now I have to choose between a vampire that was supposed to be my husband and is the father of my child, and a very handsome mortal." She lifted her hand to his face, and he held it there.

"You could always choose neither of us." "That would be too easy, and would break all of our hearts." She let out a sigh. "There are so many things pulling me to you, but I promised to be his forever." "But he realizes your life would be hell with him. Could you handle only having him at night?" "That's one of the strikes against him." "Can you handle living with the idea that he may drink from your neck one night?" "That's another. I just don't know what to do." She wrapped her arms around his neck, and laid her head on his shoulder. He held her tightly, and tried to comfort her. "I think he's rushing things on you. You just found out he was alive, and he just walks into Angie's room, wanting both of you to take him back." "I know, baby. I think that's what makes this the hardest. I've spent the last three years wanting him to come back, and now that he is, I hate to say it, but I wish he wasn't." He tilted her chin up with his finger. "Don't say that. He needed to know he was a father, no matter what kind of creature he is." "I know," she whispered. "Tell ya what... To make things a little easier on you, why don't I watch Angie today, while you're at work?" "Too late. I called in sick today. I have to have time to take all of this in. Don't you have to go back to training today?" "No, I have some time off."

Jordan wrapped her arms tightly around Brian, as if he would disappear at any moment. "You've been my savior for the last few years. I couldn't push you out of my life." He pushed her hair out of her face, and pressed his forehead against her's. "No matter who you choose, I will always be here for you and Angie." The look in his eyes proved every word he said was true. She closed the space between their lips. Time seemed to stand still for them, until Angie said, "Mommy, I'm done." They ended the kiss, and smiled at the cause of their interruption. Adams helped Angie down, while Jordan set the food on the table.

Jordan, Brian and Angie spent the day together like a family. They went for a picnic in the park, Brian pushed Angie on the swings, then Brian and Jordan laid on the picnic blanket, watching Angie chasing squirrels. At the end of the day, when Jordan tucked Angie into bed, the little girl said, "Mommy, I had fun with Uncle Adams today." "I did too, Angie." "Is he gonna be here tomorrow?" "That's up to him, hunny." Jordan pulled the covers over Angie. "Now, you need to go to sleep. Goodnight, Angie. I love you." "G'night, Mommy."

Jordan left the room, and closed the door. As she turned to go down stairs, Bryan stood in front of her. "Jesus, Bry! You scared the hell out of me." He laid his hand on her cheek, and smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Jo. Can I tell Angie goodnight?" "I don't see why not." He kissed her forehead, then went into the room. "Angie?" She peeked out of the covers. "Daddy!" She jumped up on the bed, then jumped in his arms when he got to the side of the bed. "Hey, sweetie. How's my girl?" "Good. Where were you this morning, Daddy?" "I had to leave before you got up." Angie turned toward Jordan. "Mommy, can I stay up so I can play with Daddy?" Jordan looked at Bryan. "Not tonight, hun. Your Daddy and I need to have a talk." Angie looked at her father, as if she were about to cry. And it nearly broke Jordan's heart. "Maybe Daddy can come play tomorrow night." Angie smiled at Bryan. "Can you, Daddy?" "Of course I can." "Yey!" "But, you have to go to sleep now, ok?" "Ok. I love you, Daddy." "I love you, too." Bryan laid her down, and tucked her back in. "Goodnight, little angel." "G'night, Daddy."

As he pulled the door closed behind him, Bryan looked down at Jordan. "You wanted to talk to me?" "More like spend some time with you. I missed you, and let's face it, last night's reunion didn't go well." "Is Adams here?" "He's downstairs watching boxing." Bryan nodded. She grabbed his hand, and lead him to the bedroom. "Adams must be terrible, if you're willing to drag me in here." "This isn't about him, right now. This is about us. I want to lay down with you. I want you to hold me like you used to. I... just need to feel you near me again." Bryan laid down on what used to be his side of the bed, and held his arms open for her. She smiled at him, then laid down, and wrapped her arms around him, before laying her head on his chest.

"I missed you so much, baby." "I missed you, too. How did you find out I was missing," he asked out of curiousity. "The police sent an officer to here. Adams' ex-wife was here still, but I had already gone to the chapel. As Mom was zipping my wedding dress, there was a knock on the door. He came in, told me they found the car with blood all over your seat. What happened?" Bryan sighed. "A guy broke out the window, somehow, he put the car in park, then he took the keys. I don't want to talk about the rest. It's too gory." "Bryan, I need to understand what happened." "He sliced my throat with his fingernail, then pulled me out of the car. The last thing I remember from that night was being in an alley, and him drinking my blood."

Jordan moved up to lay her head on the pillow, so she could look him in the eyes. She couldn't keep her head on his chest anymore. It was weird for her, because she no longer could hear his heart beating. It was hard enough for her to keep her arms around his cold body. "Please, don't think like that. I know I'm not normal, but I'm not exactly weird." "I wasn't thinking that you are weird. Just that I can't hear your heart, and you're cold as ice. Inside, you're still the man I loved." He sighed again. "Past tense." "I have to get used to the changes." She laid her hand on his cheek. Then, she surprised him by kissing him on the lips. He deepened the kiss, refamiliarizing himself with every crevice in her mouth. Her mind and body became fuzzy, and she was filled with more than enough heat for the both of them. She laid her leg over his, then he slid a leg between her's.

Bryan was aware when Adams came up the stairs. As Adams neared the door, Bryan formed a plan to get rid of him. When Adams looked in the room, in his mind, it appeared as if Jordan were naked, and tangled with Bryan. He moved from her lips, to kiss her cheek, her jawline, then her neck. He looked up at Adams, and sent a message with his mind to him. "She will always be mine." Brian had seen enough. He went downstairs, and out the door. He got in his car, and left.