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to stay indoors.
    Reaching the second floor I cautiously peered around the banister. I could see Annie’s door at the end of the corridor; it stood wide open spilling light into the hall. I frowned; where was he? I edged along, staying close to the wall. As I crept closer to the door and the square of light, I could hear a faint high pitched keening that became louder the closer I got to it. Bracing myself for whatever lay ahead of, I stepped in the door of her apartment and stood in the warm sunshine.
    The first thing I noticed about the apartment was just how bright the place was. Annie had taken me at my word when I’d told her to open all the curtains. Not only had she opened them but she’d also partially taken them off their railing hooks so there was now no chance of them being closed again. Walking further into the room I glanced at the front door. The lock hung at an odd angle from where Aidan had forced his way in. I saw her then. She was sitting in the window alcove, her legs tucked up under her body; she watched me anxiously and as I signalled to her to indicate where he was. She shrugged in the direction of the kitchen.
    I wasn’t sure of what exactly I should do at this point. The kitchen was still bathed in shadow where the blind was down and the high counter and table provided additional cover. I took one more step into the room, my shoe brushing against a screw that had fallen out of the lock in the door; it rolled harmlessly away on the floor but the high pitched keening stopped abruptly.
    I stood completely still and waited, holding my breath. Surely he wouldn’t risk the daylight, but I couldn’t be sure and Sam wasn’t here to back me up. My heart thumped against my ribcage as I turned to stare into the shadowed kitchen. The entry to the kitchen lay between me and the further safety of the bright sunny room. I ran. My legs felt like dead weights as I made a break for the safety of the sunlight. All thoughts of safety disappeared as something snagged my foot sending me face first towards the carpet. My body hit the ground awkwardly and the breath was knocked out of me. I felt disorientated for a second and I could hear screaming ringing in my ears. My hands and fingers scrabbled at the carpet of their own volition, trying desperately to find a grip in something, but Aidan grabbed my leg tighter and with one tug dragged the lower half of my body into the kitchen. I lashed out at him with my free leg and I felt my foot connecting with his jaw. He grunted but his grip never lessened. Annie ran across the floor towards me.
    “ Get back into the window and the sunlight!” I shouted at her; after all, she didn’t have the weapon that I did. He gave one last pull and I found myself skidding across the tiled floor. My head and back connected with the table with a loud crack splitting the timber and sending it all crashing down on top of me. I lay there stunned for a few seconds; stars and black dots danced before my vision. Newborns always forget how strong they are and tend to cause more damage than they really have to. I remembered the lectures Sam had taught me on the best ways of dealing with vampires; he was so afraid I would get hurt. Trying to pull myself up from under the broken table, strong arms lifted me by the front of my jumper. He lifted me as though I weighed little more than a feather and I knew this wasn’t the case. Slamming me against the high counter in the kitchen, I could feel the bruises already beginning to blossom across my skin.
    “ You turned her against me, you stupid meddling bitch.” He spat the venomous words in my face. His fangs were fully extended and saliva clung to them as he spoke. I stared into his completely black eyes; there was no pull or power to them yet but there was also nothing of Aidan in those eyes.
    “ Aidan,” I tried in my quietest voice; I didn’t want to anger him further. “I didn’t do this. Annie rang me because she was afraid you might do