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frightened by Vincent's appearance, and stumbled back a few yards. "What the hell? Where did you come from?"
    "Your nightmare," Vincent replied before he dove at the gang leader. Vincent latched onto the man's neck, and the leader changed from a bold, giant brute to a scared little girl in one high-pitched scream. His scream was cut off when he was struck with the lethargy of the vampire bite. The men behind him made a chorus of tenors as they turned tail and ran. Vincent flung the man backward and the gang leader sailed past me and hit the brick wall. The vampire shot off after the retreating gang members and I was glad when they all rounded the corners and I could only hear their terror rather than see what Vincent was doing to them.
    I also didn't want to stick around to see what plans Vincent had for me. I swung around and saw my way out in the form of the would-be rapist. The man was aware enough to raise himself on his hands and knees, and that gave me just the boost I needed. I ran at him, jumped onto his solid back, and used him as a springboard to grasp the top of the brick wall. The gang leader crumbled beneath my shoes, but I had my hold and pulled myself over. I dropped down the other side and high-tailed it down the other side of the alley. I didn't get far before a moving shadow swooped out of the unmoving shadows and stood in my way.
    "I'm not going back with you," I refused.
    His voice was flat-line and bored. "That isn't why I followed you," he replied.
    I raised an eyebrow and narrowed my eyes. "Then why did you follow me? Feeling a bit peckish?"
    "I'm fond of my existence, and my existence is bound to yours. If you die, I die," he reminded me.
    "So you were just saving your own neck by biting theirs?" I quipped.
    "Exactly. I was also thirsty. You drained me of most of my energy."
    "You mean with that glowy light thing?" I guessed, and he nodded. "What was that, anyway?"
    "Your body reacted to danger and your wound by stealing my life-force to rejuvenate your own."
    "I like to think of it as permanent borrowing."
    "I don't care."
    I frowned and crossed my arms. "Obviously, but mind getting out of my way so we can go our separate ways?"
    "Without a guide you will destroy us both," he argued.
    "Are you trying to tell me that I can't take care of myself?" I asked him.
    "Wouldn't think of it," he blandly replied.
    "Good, because otherwise I'd have to kill you, or destroy you, or whatever I need to do to make you into something a vacuum can take care of."
    "That would kill you," he pointed out.
    I waved away his comment. "Details, details, now are you going to be my guide or do I have to go off and practice my damsel-in-distress routine again?" Vincent's mouth straightened into a perfect line, and before I could stop him he'd lifted me in his arms and sped out of the alley and down the street.

Chapter 6
     
    The wind whipped past us, and my hair whipped me. "I can walk!" I protested as I pulled my hair out of my mouth and eyes.
    "Your ability is not in question, it is the speed that is up for debate," he replied.
    "My speed is just fine for a human!"
    "Your speed is pathetic for what you have become."
    I rolled my eyes. "Don't give me the same b.s. that Bat was saying, or I'll slug you with a cross."
    "That is mere fiction," he retorted.
    "Bat smothered in garlic?" I suggested.
    "That is fact."
    "Then I'll beat you with a bat if you don't let me-"
    "We're there." Vincent jerked to a stop and unceremoniously dropped me to the hard ground. I yelped and glared up at him as I rubbed my wounded posterior.
    "Could you give a warning when you put on the brakes? Something like a light on your nose blinking?"
    "Look around."
    I growled, but my eyes heeded his command and glanced around us. That's when I realized we stood in front of my apartment building. We'd covered a lot of miles over one bantering session. "Wow," I murmured in awe.
    "If you can take care of yourself than surely you have no more need of me. Goodnight."