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Lightning flashed across the sky. The sudden brightness illuminated the face of a young woman who stood near the window, her eyes searching for something. What was it that she was looking for? She wished she knew. All that she knew was that it felt as if she had been forgetting something.

Her hair was a light brown color; almost blond. It was held back from falling into her blue eyes by a silver hairpin. Freckles dotted her face generously, though they were almost invisible. Her name was Natalie.

A long sigh escaped her lips, and she brought her fingers up to press them against the cold glass of the window. The chill almost immediately seeped through her skin.

One quick glance at the clock was enough to tell her that she should probably go to bed.

Sighing once more, she walked through the darkness in her room and over to her bed. As she crawled in under the covers, she felt like something was missing.

Her gaze trailed over to the empty half of her bed. Had anyone ever laid there? No one came to mind; she had never really brought anyone home with her before. Then why did her bed feel oddly empty?

She must have dozed off, because according to the clock two hours had passed by, when she next opened her eyes. There was a tapping sound at her window. Rubbing her eyes to make herself feel more awake, she pulled herself out of bed and walked over to the window.

She had expected it to have just been her imagination, that there would be nothing there. Instead a rather tall figure stood before her.

The figure tapped on the window again, pointing to the latch. Natalie wondered briefly if the man intended to cause her harm, before pulling open the window.

Dark hair clung tightly to a pale face, due to the moisture it had absorbed. The eyes- those deep red eyes- looked so familiar.

"Who are you?" she asked over the roar of the storm.

The man didn't answer, climbing silently in through the window. Why was she letting him do this? He tugged his soaked shirt up over his head, and Natalie made herself look away, her cheeks growing rather warm. She busied herself with closing the window.

"Who are you?" she repeated.

"Does it matter?" His voice was deep. When she looked at him again, he was- obviously- still shirtless, and a grin was plastered on his face. "You'd let a guy you don't even remember into your house."

Something seemed to click within Natalie.

"Remember? What do you mean by that?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

The man stepped close to her, brushing her hair off her shoulder. His gaze remained on her shoulder for a moment, and he licked his lips before looking up at her face.

"We've met before," he said quietly, caressing her cheek slowly. "Several times, in fact. Though I made you forget about me the last time..."

"Why do that?" Natalie raised her eyebrows. How could he make her forget? Did he use hypnotism?

"We had a fight," he sighed. "I said it was too dangerous for me to keep coming here."

"Then why have you come back?" Her heart began to pound. Was it dangerous for Natalie, or him, or maybe for the both of them? Would he have hurt her?

"I missed you," came his whisper. "And I didn't do a proper job making you forget about me." There was a painful tug at her heart.

"What's your name?" She reached up, brushing a lock of his still-drying hair from his face.

"Adrian." A sorrowful smile formed on his lips.

"Why do you have to make me forget, Adrian?"

"My world is too dangerous for you, Natalie." His arms wound tightly around her then, and a strange happiness flooded through her. "I can't have you caught up in it."

She was about to tell him that she could handle anything thrown her way, but his lips covered hers. It was a rather deep, passionate kiss; Natalie's heart skipped a beat. After a moment of hesitation, she returned the kiss.

It felt as if she had kissed this man a lot, and knew very well how his lips would move against hers. He did say that they had known each other before.

Natalie pulled away, more questions threatening to burst from her head. Adrian gave a disappointed groan.

"How did you make me forget you?" she asked him. The man gave a heavy sigh. "Was it with hypnotism?"

"I knew I'd have to explain this to you again," he caressed her cheek more, placing his other hand on her other cheek. "Don't- don't freak out, like you did the first time. I'm not human."

"Not... human?" Her eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Why do you think my eyes are red, Natalie?" he asked quietly.

"Contacts?"

"I'm not human," he insisted, shaking his head.

"If you're not human, then what are you?" The woman crossed her arms over her chest and stepped away from the man. Another quiet sigh left him.

"I'm a vampire," he said, stepping toward her again. She backed away from him. "And before you ask me to prove it- and don't worry, I will- I want you to remember to stay calm."

"F-Fine," Natalie nodded, eyeing the man with a nervous feeling twisting around in her stomach. Her back was against the wall.

Adrian drew his lip up slightly, exposing his canines. A shiver ran up Natalie's spine as she saw the pointy teeth grow longer. He stepped close to her again, placing his hands against the wall on either side of her. She squeezed her eyes shut tight as her heart pounded loudly in her ears.

"Do you believe me now?" his voice was quiet. When she opened her eyes again, his face was rather close to hers, watching her carefully.

"I do." Adrian smiled slightly at the answer, his gaze dropping to her neck. "Have you... bitten me before?"

"No," he shook his head, his gaze still trailing over the skin of her neck.

"W-Why haven't you?" Natalie pressed herself back further against the wall as he leaned closer to her.

"Too dangerous," he whispered. The shiver that ran down her spine as his lips pressed against her neck made him smile more. "I could lose control and kill you."

"Then... then why are you... doing that?" Her eyes seemed to glaze over as he kissed over her neck.

"I wanted to try it, before I walk out of your life for good." Worming its way between her back and the wall, his hand pulled her tight against him. His free hand found its way into her hair, tilting her head back a bit.

"Don't do it," she said breathlessly.

"Don't do what?" his tone was almost teasing. Something warm and wet brushed over her neck- his tongue? A quiet moan escaped Natalie.

"Don't- don't leave," she begged. "Please."

"I have to." She could feel him frown against her neck. Her arms wrapped around him of their own will.

"If- if you leave, you can't bite me," she told him. A groan left him and he pulled her tighter to him.

"I need to taste you though," he whispered against her ear. Natalie shivered again.

"And I need you to stay," she panted.

Adrian growled, placing a series of deep, mind-blowing kisses against her lips. Natalie returned the kisses with an eagerness that matched his.

"I'll stay," he whispered against her. "I'll stay this time."

"You want to bite me that much?" she teased, grinning as he trailed kisses down to her neck. He squeezed her, growling.

"I need you," he whispered.

"You... you have me. Will it hurt?"

"Not even a little," he whispered. Natalie's nails dug into his back as his teeth sunk into her skin, a loud moan slipping past her lips.

It didn't feel bad at all. In fact as he pulled slowly at the blood flowing from the wound, Natalie decided that it was probably one of the best things to ever experience. She squirmed against him slightly as he pulled her closer, and he chuckled.

Does it feel that good? his voice seemed to ring out within her head. Natalie gasped, feeling panicked from the sudden invasion of her thoughts.

I don't think you'll ever get used to that, she heard his laugh echo within her thoughts. Even so, Natalie couldn't help but smile.

He would be staying.