~Lovers~ he thought with a smile ~How long has it been since I have had a lover? Several centuries at least.~ But, he had never been happier than when he was with Isabelle, she was unique, unlike anyone else he had ever known. Full of a beauty that made others pale in comparison it was a shock to his very old senses. Someone had once likened love to a person suddenly seeing color for the first time. If that was true, then his feelings towards Isabelle were more like a blind, deaf mute who had drank nothing but water; suddenly being fed champaign while seeing, hearing and talking. It was common among vampires to experience emotions far more intensely than Humans, but this was still brand-new to him.

A bang on the door startled him from his introversion and he stood and opened it, in fell a sobbing Isabelle. She looked terrible, there was a cut on her neck, several on her hands and her shirt was ripped. Thankfully, she was not bleeding badly. He slammed the door and bent down to pick her up, she immediately clung to him like a life-raft as he carefully carried her over to the couch. She was crying openly now and he just held her while she soaked his shoulder. He was softly rubbing her back and cooing gently, rocking her slightly back and forth trying to calm her down. Ten minutes later, her sobbing had stopped and she just lay silently on his chest.

~Isabelle love, what happened to you?~ He poured his strength into the unspoken statement, supporting her in every intonation and syllable.

~They grabbed me, Alex. Oh God they grabbed me and were going to rape me. And I couldn't stop them, I couldn't even move I was so scared~

~Shh, it's alright now love, who were they?~

~Most of them I don't know, but one was…~

~Who? Who did this too you?~ He asked genty.

~I'm so scared to think about it right now, Alex~

~Okay, I'll look. Don't worry love, it'll be okay.~