Gold met brown and stared back at one another. Her skin began crawling and she felt the knife fall from her hand. A smirk crossed his face and she took a deep breath. She looked back at Aedan and took the stake from him.

"What are you doing?"

She met the blue stare and said "This is my fight."

He shook his head but she turned back to Coyle. The vampire stared back at her and she heard Belenus growl. She held her hand down and he became silent as she slowly approached the beast. His gold eyes were alive with fire and it stirred her blood. Her fingers tightened around the stake and she stopped walking.

"Are we really going to do this?"

Her eyes darkened and a hint of red crept into them. His smirk vanished and his golden stare became black. Never had she seen red in his gaze and even now he kept that side of him hidden.

"Your pulse is moving faster than before. Nervous?"

A cold smirk reached her lips and she flexed her free hand.

"No."

A low hiss passed from him and she shifted her balance to her toes. He lunged for her and she shifted to the side. His hand came for her throat and touched tips of her hair. She sent a blow to his face and he blocked it. A twisted smirk crossed his face and he knocked the stake from her hand.

It clattered against the ground and rolled away. She growled as he reached for her throat once more. His movements were fast and she was barely able to register them in time. He swung a shot at her stomach and she moved to the side. A hidden punch hit her side and sent her to the ground.

She rolled out of range and rested on her knee. He came at her and she threw her arms up in defense. His fangs flashed and she jerked her neck away. The teeth grazed her skin and she rolled away. Resting on her knee again, she focused on steadying her pulse and watched him rise.

"Impressive."

Her eyes narrowed and he moved. She pulled the stake around as his arms circled around her and he knocked her onto her back. She felt her pulse pounding and it echoed in her ears. His fangs rested just above her throat and the stake pressed against his chest. He rested frozen above her and she counted her breaths.

He hissed and flicked his tongue against her skin. She pressed the stake into his chest and he jumped back. She rose to her feet and watched his black eyes narrow. Hot liquid slid down her neck and she watched his fangs flash.

"I underestimated you."

She wiped the blood away and focused her gaze on him. He listened to her steadying pulse and heard her blood flow slowing. Her eyes lost their red tint and were deep brown. Strands of blonde fell into her face but she didn't bother to brush them aside.

"Aine, are you all right?"

She smirked.

"I'm fine."

Coyle smirked and glanced at Aedan. The blonde man was forcing himself to stay put. He could read the murder in the human's eyes.

"Focus on me. I'm the one you're fighting."

His gaze shot back to her and he looked at empty space. He blocked the surprise shot from the side and jumped back. He stared back at her and watched her adjust the stake in her grip.

He jumped forward and reached for her throat. She blocked it and he grabbed the fragile throat with his other hand. Her eyes narrowed when their eyes met but he found her pulse calm.

"It ends here."

Her eyes flashed and he lowered his mouth to her throat. Her pulse echoed in his head and her blood called to him. He grazed her skin with his fangs and waited. She brought the stake around to his back and he caught her wrist. A squeeze forced the stake free and his teeth pressed against her skin.

She stiffened in his hold and he could smell her blood. Slowly he ripped through the delicate skin and she closed her eyes. The lurch was quick and her jaws tightened as he drank. She couldn't think of a way to get free and her mind began to grow foggy. Her arm became heavy and he released her wrist.

Her limb dropped to her side and she felt the strength in her legs wavering. He brought an arm around her as her legs buckled. She fought to stay awake but the darkness was drawing her closer. A gun clicked by his head and he grew still.

"Get your filthy hands off her."

He fixed an eye on Aedan and pulled his fangs out. She wavered as he closed the bite marks with his tongue and reached for the gun. He was met with an elbow in his face. The vampire recoiled and he caught Aine. His arm held her against him and she forced her eyes open.

"You going to survive?"

She took a deep breath and stared up at him.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved."

"He would've drunk you dry."

She pressed against his chest and stabilized herself. Slowly she lowered the gun and he brushed his hand along the wound.

"I won't let him take you away from me again."

She smirked and said "He won't."

"Are you two finished?"

She looked over her shoulder and found his eyes burning. A trail of blood ran from the corner of his mouth and a bruise was forming along his cheek.

"I forgot how good you tasted. I haven't forgotten how much you reek of him."

She smirked and turned her body to face him. Aedan stiffened behind her and tightened his grip on the gun.

"I always hated that about your kind. People don't go around smelling one another for identification."

A snarl echoed between them and he lunged once more. She felt his hand closing in on her throat and a gunshot echoed in her ear. The sound forced her eyes shut and she opened them. Coyle stood mere inches away from her holding his hand to his chest. Blood ran down his hand and dripped onto the ground.

He lifted his gaze to meet hers and the black was empty. A slow smirk crossed his face and he dropped to a knee.

"I knew you wouldn't kill me."

"That won't."

He chuckled and said "You're wrong."

His other knee hit the ground and he held a hand against the ground. The pain was spreading through every inch of him. Fire scored his inner body and he looked up again.

"He swapped the bullets."

She looked up at Aedan and he lowered the gun. Slowly he met her gaze and she looked back at the vampire.

"Answer me one thing, Aine."

"What?"

"Why can't I taste my own blood?"

She held his dying gaze and a knowing smirk crossed her face.

"I removed it."

He smirked.

"It's a miracle you're still alive."

She watched him lower the blood covered hand to the ground.

"You don't want to know how I am alive?"

"You died from vampire poison. There are methods of reversing the effects."

He smirked and looked up at her.

"I did miss that mouth of yours."

Her smirk vanished and she studied his black stare. Never will she see red penetrate those mesmerizing eyes or hear his dark velvet voice again. His hold on her was finally gone and she felt weary. Slowly she left the silent man's presence and approached the dying vampire. He watched her kneel down in front of him and pull something out of her coat.

He sat back slowly and she opened her hand. His ring rested in her palm and she slowly caught his cleaner hand. Her touch was warm on his skin and it sent chills through him. She slid the ring to its old place and met his gaze.

"We knew this would be how it ended."

He smirked and nodded as his eyes fell closed. She felt his hand tighten on hers and watched him pull it up to his lips. He brushed a cold kiss against her hand and released her hand. She drew her hand back against her and watched him turn into dust. Slowly the dust was blown away and she was left kneeling on the ground with his blood all that was left of him.

"Aine."

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was gone. The vampire that earned a place in her heart was gone. She smirked and slowly rose to her feet. Quietly she turned back to Aedan and walked up to him.

"Are you okay?"

She slowly smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. His blue eyes danced for her and she nodded.

"Just tired."

He smirked and wrapped his arms around her. She listened to his steady heart beat and closed her eyes.

"Let's go home."

She nodded and felt the pressure against her leg. Opening her eyes, she looked down and found Belenus staring up at her. He whined and she placed a hand on his head. He leaned into the touch and she rubbed his ear. Slowly her hand fell to her side and they headed back to the forest.

The walk back to the boat was quiet and when the sun brushed her face on the beach, she waded over to the boat. Aedan pulled himself up first and helped load Belenus. He lowered his hands again and she laced her fingers with his. He pulled her up and she felt his arm circle her waist as they disappeared into the cabin. Slowly she dropped to the warm bed and felt everything drift away with the waves.