"What is that?" Ira inquired, twirling an index finger at Lana's mouth.

An embarrassed Lana pawed at her lips assuming he meant the dried clotted, blood that still consumed the bottom half of her face.

"I'm not talking about the innards dear." Ira laughed. "I was talking about your smile. It's beautiful. If I'm not mistaken, I've seen you smile on only one other occasion..."

"When?" Lana asked in a high pitch, drawing her brows together. At what point had she slipped and showed him anything but annoyance?

"When you kneed me in the goods, darling," he said sarcasticly, quick to cover his crotch in a joking manner.

Lana couldn't help but to chuckle slightly reminesing on the . "Well, you desevered it!" she spout, argueing her point. "And don't make me laugh. I don't like you!" She hoped her lie wouldn't be overtaken by the grin that still tried to break through her mock-harsh face.

"Lana, darling, nobody ever deserves such a low blow," Ira disputed nonchalantly.

"Look, buster," Lana shot him her stank eye. "First of all, don't try to "woo" me." She made sure to add air quotes along with a sassy sway of her head. "Second, I dish out what I feel is deserved. It's a little thang called justice, ever hear of it?"

"So that guy back there, he deserved it?"

Lana was stumped. How could he inquire something to which he was the cause of, blaming it on her? She couldn't even reply to that.

"Relax, he was a bad man. One I'm sure you would have taken care of eventually anyway."

It was as though Ira merely seemed to love firing lana up. She was begininng to think he got off on it.

"Screw you," she said.

"You're a hell cat, you know?" Ira said, giving her ear a little flick with his fingers.

"Fuck off." Lana swatted at his hand. "I'm far from a feline! Quite the opposite actually, neanderthal. Get your facts right before speaking," she growled.

Ira's winced. "Ouch! Are you always so wound up, little girl?"

"No!" she sputtered. "Only when arrogant guys annoy the fuck out of me and think they know everything about everything." Then, feeling like she'd stung him pretty good, she shot him a Betty Boop wink to seal the deal, and partly to be a little flirty. "Know what I mean?"

Ira seemed pleased with her for some reason. Maybe he saw through her. It was driving her crazy. Lana could hear Raya and Bruce coming up behind them. It made her feel awkward to know they were looking at them right now.

"Ugh. Why are we still arm and arm? You ain't my man," she insisted.

Although, a boyfriend would be nice about now, she thought silently. She had kept her thoughts about Robby dormant. It was better that way; he was never good for her or to her really. Not ever. It had felt like such a long time since Lana was really appreciated by a man. Ira's compliments, though sometimes extreme, touched her in an odd way.

Ira looked down at their entagled arms. "It's kinda nice," he commented softly, embrassing her a little, and he held her tighter.

"Ewww, yuck," Lana huffed, pulling herself free. "Hold on too long and it's gonna cost you, blondie," she teased.

"What do you mean?" Ira asked.

"I'm a call girl, douche. didnt you figure rthat out when you were stalking me? Or were you too busy sniffing my underwear or doing some other weirdo, stalker thing?" she said. True, she'd only made one house call, and she would be strictly answering phones for Raya from now on, but why not get it out in the open now?

Ira only rolled his pretty eyes in amusement. Either he thought she was kidding, or her witt just tickled him. Who knows?

"By the way, what's up with your Edward hair-do anyway?" Lana taunted, changing the subject. "Ah, nevermind. I don't care." She hadn't even given him time to muster up a clever response.

"You haven't seemed to mind my hair-do so far. In fact, a few moments ago, I could have sworn you liked it a lot," he replied never-the-less. "I'm still not complaining."

"Don't flatter yourself. I just used you as a pawn to piss Bruce off. He's such a prick. Ugh! I can't stand him!"

But Ira on the other hand...even through their constant bickering, she was undeniably attracted to him. He knew it, she knew it. She wasn't sure if it was actually him, the mystery surrounding him, or the fact that Bruce didn't care for him. It was an added bonus to be able to infuriate the beast master with Ira's assistance, one that satisfied her on many levels. Defying Bruce felt better than an orgasm to Lana - even better than the ones that made her whole body shake and left her weak kneed and bed-ridden for at least an hour. Just thinking of it kind of made her a little soft.

"Listen, guy, just look over me." Lana placed her palm on her forehead in frustration, then pushed her ebony hair back. "I've been going through a lot. I just have so much built up hosilty and aggravation...I guess you're just an easy outlet." Lana caught herself and hastily added, "But don't think for one minute that I trust you, 'cause I don't. Forgive my harshness, but I honestly have no reason to trust you."

"Touche," Ira replied. "That hurts my feeling, Miss Loveridge. Do you think you can see yourself giving me a chance to redeem myself?"

Ira's words struck her. She wasn't expecting him to say that. She expected him to be angry, maybe even insulted...but hurt?

"Ah, there it is again," he said, and she realized she was smiling.

He seemed sincere, but from past experiences, she knew that didn't mean shit. A guy hadn't made Lana smile in a long time, nor feel warm inside - in fact, men hadn't mad her feel anything at all besides sad and betrayed. Well...except the guy at the Holiday Inn, but that was different. She knew she would never see him again. They'd mutually used each other. Yeah she had Robby for a few years, but he had always made her more sad than happy. With him, it was always about him. She had only been a mere vessel to him, her feelings invisable. To him, she was just someone to use for a place to stay crash, loan him money he never paid back, or to take blame for his idiocity. Ultimately, it hardened her heart over a period of time. But now...it was kind of nice to feel the lttle bufferfly effect under a man's glare. The fact that he was willing to fight for her affection was starting to grow on her, like sticky moss on tree bark. Still, she had no intentions of letting her guard down. Maybe she'd be open to letting her panties fall down, but her heart was off limits to anyone.

Raya and Bruce followed behind them, soaking in everything they said. It was making Bruce sick! Who did this creep think he was, chatting his fledgeling up like that?

"Do you hear that shit he's feeding her? She can't honestly be buying that!" Bruce grumbled. "I wouldn't even eat that rat bastard if I were starving."

"Hey, cut her some slack. Let her get some attention, she could use it you know. She did eat the only man she had been with for the last three years. Even if he was a total dick, he was her boyfriend," Raya said. She didn't particularly like Ira hitting on Lana either, but as long as Lana didn't do anything crazy, it should be fine. "How long are we going to follow them? You do know I'm wearing heels, right?"

"You won't get sore. You're a werewolf," he reminded her.

"Oh I know, but all of this walking is wearing them out!" she complained.

Bruce looked at Raya's fancy pumps. "You should invest in some boots in this line of work, doll."

"Never!" Raya yelped painfully. "I will never, ever wear boots! you go buy some boots or something, Mr. Loafers. Eek, how can you wear those hideous things?

"I had a business meeting, babe. Business men dress sharp. You should know that," Bruce said, giving her a condesending wink.

"Whatever, Bruce- oh yeah, that's not even your real name . . ."

"As the time changed so did I. I'm very old, like you will be one day. I couldn't just be walking around in a toga. Don't you think people would stare if I drove a chariot instead of my Mercedes?"

Lana, up ahead but well within earshot, startled. "You have a Mercedes?" she yelped. It was actually the only thing she overheard in their whole conversation.

"Never mind his Mercedes, I have something funner," Ira teased.

"Funner than a Mercedes?" Lana raised a skeptical brow at Ira.

"Yep," he said, then snatched her closer to him, so that their hips (though hers shorter than his) were pressed together. "Hold on."

Lana was taken off guard, but she wasn't afraid of Ira at all. Her hands flung over his shoulders, and she was focusing on his wide grin when everything went black. They were surrounded by buildings and shops, but in the blink of an eye, they were back in the woods, next to Raya's trashed Impala - the very place she'd met him.

"Holy fucknuts! What just happened? Where in the shit did they go?" Raya panicked.

Bruce closed his eyes in consentration. "Hmmm, I see your car..." Bruce said, then opened his eyes, raised his brows at Raya before adding, "It looks like shit, by the way."

"Sorry I don't have a pink Cadilac," Raya griped, then in an undertone added, "Though it would match my toenails."

Raya stared at the ground idly, then caught on to the meaning behind Bruce's words.

"What do you mean, you see it? It's like seven miles away,"

"Well, through Lana's eyes, of course," he grumbled.

"I'm not sure I follow. . ." Raya confessed.

"We're connected. I told you. I can always feel you and find you. I can see through you, if I wish, but I hate doing that. Gives me a headache," he said.

Raya stared with a wide mouth. "Okay," she said finally, "That's not creepy at all."

Hah! So he did know where she was before...but somehow, things didn't add up. Why would he set the gas station imposter after them? He didn't appear to be harming them at all now. In fact, he seemed to be trying to keep them out of trouble. If he was so concerned about their well-being, as his fledgelings, why would he want to harm them? The newly arose questions puzzled Raya even more than contemplating bedazzlers. Why would you do such things to denim? Why would you defile your tennis shoes with fake gems, for Christ's sake?

"So, about that Mercedes?" Raya asked.

"This way," Bruce said, gesturing for her to follow him.

The Mercedes was as splendid as a gigantic, shiny black diamond. Raya wanted to melt just looking at it. It must have been an eighty thousand dollar ride, and to a girl like Raya, that released the endorphins of love in her. Yep, Cupid stabbed her with his arrow, and it had a shimmery Mercedes symbol on the end. When she glared back up at Bruce with gaga eyes, she was seeing him with a whole new level of respect. Any man that could afford a car like this has to be doing something right in his life. She'd been doing everything wrong for years just to afford something as orgasmic, but all she had was a beat-up Impala.

Bruce held the door open for her, and just as she suspected, the inside even smelled pretty - like a mixture of new expensive car and whatever delicious cologne Bruce wore. She was in high-class hooker heaven as she sunk down into the cozy passenger seat, not even caring when Bruce openly chuckled at her obvious admiration.

"You're a total gold digger," he said with a hint of humor in his voice.

"Hey, I gave up on love long ago and I don't do drugs. Every girl has her vice," she admitted.

"You must be a hard girl to please," he said.

"Not really. I'm pretty darn pleased at the moment. After the crazy week I've been having, this feels like it was all worth it," she said.

"Worth it?"

"Yep. I guess if a girl has to become a werewolf, it could come in a worse form than a Armani wearing, Mercedes driving, asshole."

"About that...I mean, you know how strong the anger is when you're...like me." He paused a moment before adding, "at least I didn't kill you."

"Why didn't you?"

"When I tasted you-" He paused to think. "Never mind."

No matter how much Raya prompted, he wouldn't give up what he was about say, so she suficed to relax against the warm leather and let her mind drift.

Lana slipped out of Ira's iron embrace and he let her, musing at the shock on her fairy-like features.

"Okay, what are you?" she asked.

"I'm a vampire, of course. With a few bonuses," he said.

"You magical bastard. So you have more tricks?" she said with a suspicious twang.

"Lots," he replied seductively, with a smug smile.

His words teased and assaulted her body. Oh the things those words implied that he could do. It was as though her libido was being held ransom, the payment for it's release? One steamy, wild romp in the sack with Ira. Lana returned a likewise grin, then bit her bottom lip.

"Come on," She said, snatching his hand.

She led him to the Impala. The outside was trashed, but inside was cozy enough - after she brushed broken glass off of the back seat. She hopped in, pulling him over her and planting a fierce kiss on his lips. His coolness next to her fevered skin was, surprisingly, not uncomfortable. On the contrary, it was refreshing.

Raya was enjoying the smooth, luxurious ride so much, when she laid eyes on the vandalized Impala, she was angrier than she had been the first time. The crater-like dent slap in the middle of the top from were the werecat had jumped on it, the jagged, shattered windows, the limp tires, the mean words covering it- it was infuriating.

Why did he stop here? She growled in frustration. Then she saw Ira's head moving in the back seat. It clicked right away, they were fucking making out in her crappy car. Not only was it a hunk of junk, but now, someone besides her was about to spill love-juice all over the back seat. And one of those people she didn't like at all.

Raya stormed out of the Mercedes, stomped up to the car door, and kicked the it right on the spray-painted word "mutt".

"What the hell, Lana? Are you seriously getting nasty with this vampire prick?" she screamed.

Lana poked her little head over Ira's shoulder.

"What the hell yourself! Can't I have a little privacy?" she shouted back.

"No. This is my car. That's just gross! Get out."

Lana didn't budge, but glared daggers at Raya.

"I mean it, get out."

"Why are you so fucking crabby? What's got your panties in a twist? Did daddy-alpha not give you any attention?" Lana spat as she maneuvered around Ira and climbed out.

"Screw you, Lana. I don't know what you're talking about," Raya huffed, getting up in her face.

"I know you like the prick. You're stupid. He fucking turned us into monsters. Ira has done nothing!" Lana shrieked, getting almost nose to nose with her sister.

"He made us commit murder, that's what he did."

"And Bruce didn't? I killed the tow guy when I got my car, Raya. Not because of Ira, but because of what Bruce did to me."

"So you're just going around killing people? And fucking evil, twisted vampires? You've changed Lana, Bruce was right, you're a stubborn bitch."

"You're a bitch!"

"Ladies, ladies-" Ira tried to interupt.

"Shut up!" They both screamed at him.

"Er, we have company," Bruce said, pointing behind Lana and Raya.