A/N: I know, I am so cruel aren't I? All that time. Well it wasn't my fault! I swear that computer has it out for me but no worries. This is an emotional chapter - and I do not mean romance. Yuck! Also, we find out who that mysterious man was...DUN DUN DUN!!!!

Chapter 3: Can't be Real
Akkiko

She was cold; the ground was hard beneath her. "Where am I," she moaned, too tired to open her eyes and speak normally.

"In your mind, a place safe from Crimson so she won't hear us," was the reply. She struggled to open her eyes but saw nothing but impenetrable darkness before her. "Listen closely to me Raine. You must embrace the thorn."

Her eyebrows furrowed over her closed eyes. Thorn? Embrace? What was he talking about? "What?"

"You must embrace the virus and what you are."

She sat up in the bed and glanced around her. She was in a finely furnished room. The door opened suddenly and she jumped at the noise. A man walked in, a vampire. He glanced at her and smiled warmly. "You're awake."

She nodded and then screamed suddenly as the man from her dream appeared in the doorway. "Look out!"

The man turned and looked at the door frame but then frowned. He didn't want her to feel bad so he began a mock dual with the thing in to doorway. "Aha! Take that you evil...person...you!"

He finally had the person pinned when Raine sighed and twirled the sheets around her fingers. "I am crazy aren't I?"

The man stood up and smiled. "Was my acting that bad?"

"You would be talking in a higher pitch if you had really been in a fight." She glanced at the doorway and frowned. He was gone. "Sorry, it must have just been from the dream."

He stared at her hard all of the sudden. "Raine, you're a vampire, you don't dream." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, look, my name is josh; if you need anything let me know."

He left and she watched him. "Vampires don't dream," she asked aloud. She shook her head. "I need to get out of here."

"Jump out the window."

She turned to see Crimson and she shook her head. "Are you crazy? That's a three story drop!"

Crimson glanced out the window. "Need I remind you that you killed quite a few people and you are after all a vampire, you can do it."

Raine nodded. She had a point. She lifted the window up and then closed her eyes, feeling as though she was committing suicide. Then, she jumped. Her knees instinctively absorbed the shock as she hit the ground and then she began running as fast as she could to the one place she felt safe at. Alden's house.

She ran until the sun had fallen behind the horizon. Even if she just got to see the moonlight kissed valley, she would feel better. A wave of dizziness swept over her suddenly and she gasped when she appeared on Alden's front porch. She sighed and looked out at the valley. It was covered in fog, with a few brave trees poking up among the mist. "Raine?"

She gasped and turned when she heard Alden's voice, then something in her made her grin seductively. He had been working out and the heat came off him in waves. She stepped towards him. "Wonderful to see you." She clamped her arms around him in a death grip and felt his thoughts become one with hers. He was scared, but knew that Raine, his sweet little Raine, could never in a million years kill someone. She chuckled at that. Oh how little he knew. His body went limp all the sudden and she gasped, coming to reality and dropping him. "Alden?" He didn't move and so she shook him while calling his name.

"What did you do Raine?"

She looked up to see the man from her dream and she screamed. "Get away from me! You're evil!"

He shrugged and turned to walk away. "If I'm so evil, why am I here instead of Raine? My name is Viro, if you need me call."

"Raine?" She looked up to see josh and then she let her tears run down her face. "I.I killed him josh!"

Josh looked at her in worry. "It's alright." He turned to the men with him. "Take him to the hospital and make sure no one sees you!"

A/N: what do ya think? I know this was a little short, next one will be longer I promise.

Index