The long line of people and bouncers had disappeared. Students were coming and going as they pleased now.

Eli walked to a deserted wall and leaned against it, propping a leg up. He let out a long breath before he started. "Johnny Cordova invited me to that party. I told him I wasn't going to show, but I was stuck at home with my gramma for spring break, so I said 'what the hell?' The party was boring for the first hour. I was actually about to bounce when this beautiful brunette walked in with her friends and boyfriend."

"Hold up." I put my hand up and pointed at myself. "Me?"

Eli rubbed his hands together and looked away, nodding. "I couldn't take my eyes off you. I felt like a creepy ass stalker and was jealous as hell of your shithead boyfriend. I overheard his friends making fun of him because he couldn't seal the deal, but then he joked that you were most definitely going to give it up since he put something in your drink. I think it was GHB or some shit."

What? Todd would've never done something like that. Would he? We never had sex, but he understood the reason, or at least I thought he did.

I crossed my arms and shook my head. "You're lying. Todd loved me. I'm the one who ruined us."

Eli studied my face and scoffed. "I can't believe he actually made you believe that. When I heard what he did, I found you, and you were already acting out of it. You immediately started hanging on me and telling me I was the most beautiful guy you'd ever seen. That's when it all became clear. If you were acting like that toward a total stranger, you couldn't be left alone, especially not with your dumbass boyfriend who wanted to take advantage of you."

"Yeah, and then you took advantage of me, didn't you?" I screamed.

Eli stood up to his full height, clenching his jaw. "No fucking way."

I took a step back, trying to figure out if I should go back inside.

"Hey," Eli's voice was suddenly soft, forcing me to look at him. His expression was pleading. "I'm sorry. Just hear me out, okay?"

I wanted to hear his side of what happened that night. From everything I remembered, I was the slut from hell, and every one of my friends ditched me for that very reason.

I sighed, wrapping my arms around myself. "Okay."

"Your friends ran and tattled to your boyfriend about me, and he was pissed, but since he knew why you were acting like that he was patient, for a minute. When you wouldn't let go of me, your boyfriend lost it. He called you every name in the book. And that's when I flipped out. I'm pretty sure I broke his nose, and he deserved it. He left with your friends, and you stayed with me. I took you to my house and took care of you all night. I fell asleep in my bathtub because you were sick most of the time. When I woke up, you were long gone."

I turned away from Eli and let out a heavy breath. Holy hell. Todd was a total prick.

Todd made me believe the entire fight was my fault and that I'd been acting like a complete slut. If Eli's story was true, then none of it was my fault. Todd had drugged me and left me with a complete stranger. I would have to think of a special way to repay my ex for his actions.

"How am I supposed to believe nothing happened between us that night?" I asked.

Eli was suddenly behind me. "Because I have dignity, Lilly. And I admit, I wanted you, but I didn't want a drugged out version of you. I may be Nico's best friend, but I don't touch his supply, and we never take advantage of girls. I've been taught better than that. I drink sometimes, but I don't do drugs, and Nico doesn't either. Nico deals to pay his tuition, and that's it."

"Oh." I relaxed as Eli wrapped his arms around my waist and lightly set his chin on my shoulder.

"Do you believe me?" He whispered.

That was an important question. Did I believe his story? Could I trust Eli?

It made a lot more sense than what everyone else had told me. Todd's tongue had been down my ex-best friend's throat days after he dumped me and it had mortified me. Even if it had been my fault, you'd think my best friend would've had my back, which hadn't happened.

That's why I blamed myself.

For all I knew, she could've been in on the whole thing. It was no secret she'd crushed on Todd for years.

Eli flexed his arms around my waist. "Lilly?"

"I believe you." The words barely left my lips.

Eli let out a breath as he spun me to face him. When I wouldn't look at him, Eli lifted my chin until our eyes met.

Flutters came to life in my belly.

"I'm glad we cleared that up. I've been so confused. You ran out on me that night, and I thought I would never see you again. I'd tried like hell to get your face out of my head, but fuck, Lil, it's like you've completely moved in and took over or some shit." Eli's gaze grew serious as he searched my face. "When you showed up in the fall, I was so damn happy to see you, but when you refused to acknowledge me, it hurt. I couldn't figure out what I'd done wrong. Now that I know, I can't blame you for treating me like that."

My chest constricted. This whole time, I'd been awful to Eli. Awful to my guardian angel.

I frowned. "I'm so sorry. If I would've known, I wouldn't have been so bitchy. Thank you for telling me the truth."

Eli leaned his head back, examining me from under his lashes. "Does this mean we can start over?"

"I guess," I shrugged at the sexy way he was looking at me.

Damn. His hands on my waist were doing funny things to me. No wonder I refused to leave his side that night. Even under the influence of drugs, I'd known he was the most amazing guy I'd ever seen.

"You guess? I was hoping for a 'hell yeah!'" He smiled playfully.

I laughed, and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressing my cheek to his chest. "Hell yeah."

Eli's arms tightened around me as his lips fell to my head. "That's better."

Tingles of excitement washed over me when I felt his lips form into a smile.

We were starting over.

A loud beeping came from his pocket.

Eli let out an irritated huff when he was forced to release me. He pulled out his phone and read the text. "What the hell?"

"What?" I asked.

Eli narrowed his brow as he typed a reply text. "Something's going on up north. My buddy and his girl went up there to see the ball drop on New Year's Eve in Times Square. He's saying some off the wall shit."

"They drove all the way up there just for that? Why?" I would hate that. Traffic. Lots of people. No, thank you.

"Yeah, he likes to travel." When he didn't receive an instant reply from his friend, Eli tugged on my elbow. "Come on."

Eli slid his hand down my arm, lacing his fingers through mine. My whole body tingled, and was suddenly aware of him.

The warehouse was blazing hot when we returned to the beanbag chairs only to find out that Nico and Jessica had disappeared.

I skimmed over the faces in the area, but didn't see Jessica anywhere. "Damn it! Where are they?"

Eli turned his hat backward before typing a text. Eli with his hat backward was sexy as hell, and that must've been my kryptonite because I melted into his side. Eli glanced down at me and gave me a soft smile.

I wanted to find Jessica and Nico so we could leave. They could do whatever it was they were doing some place else. This warehouse was gross, and I wanted to be in a quiet place where I could talk with Eli.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"He's on his way. Jessica needed a drink, and she got sidetracked by a glow stick vendor." Eli glanced at his phone again. I guess it must've gone off, but I hadn't heard it. He pulled me into his side as he watched something on the screen. His body suddenly stiffened before he yelled, "Holy shit!"

I waited for an explanation, which never came.

He sent more texts, and I guess one of the messages knocked him over the edge because his hold around me tightened as he pulled me forward, maneuvering us through the crowd.

Whatever he discovered had started a fire in his ass because Eli seemingly transformed into the hulk. He picked up the pace, ripping me around the hordes of students like a rag doll. I could only assume we were headed toward the exit.

"What the hell?" I yelled as he yanked me around a huge group of partygoers that were jumping up and down.

"We need to get the hell out of here now!" Eli looked scared when he glanced at me.

A fearful Eli was something I'd never seen, so I didn't know how to react. When we finally made it out of the warehouse, he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and ran toward the parking area.

"Put me down! What the hell is the matter with you?" I did my best to hold my skirt down over my butt, which was nearly impossible. "What about Nico and Jessica? We can't just leave them."

When he didn't answer, I started to get scared. Whatever he'd seen had freaked him out bad enough to leave Nico behind. I couldn't leave Jessica. She needed a babysitter. And no matter how much Eli liked Nico, I didn't like the guy one bit. Nico was a sleazeball in my book, and he was probably already calculating how to get Jessica's panties off.

Eli unlocked the Charger and placed me in the passenger seat before going to the driver's side. Once his door was closed, Eli started the engine and peeled out.

"What the hell is going on, Eli? We can't leave them here. Jessica needs me. I can't just leave her."

Eli hit the steering wheel. "I know. Be quiet for a second. I need to think."

I texted Jessica. I knew it was a lost cause, but I had to try. Jessica didn't text back.

"Fuck!" Eli hit the brake, and flipped a bitch in the middle of the road, taking us back to the party. "Okay. You need to stay in the car. I'm going in to get them and then we're getting the hell out of here."

I was freaking out from his aggressive driving so I only nodded in response.

"I mean it, Lil. Don't leave the car. No matter how long I take." Eli gave me a hard look before he threw his phone in my lap. "Watch it."

With shaky fingers, I pressed play.

Someone was recording a parking lot from inside what appeared to be a motel room.

A loud screaming sound invaded the audio for a long moment. The screamer had to be somewhere near the camera.

When the horrible scream ended, the recording zoomed in on a man running toward a blue sedan, keys in hand.

I wanted to see what he was running from, but it became suddenly obvious. Just as the man reached out to open his car door, a young woman raced up behind him and latched herself to his back.

He let out a yell before falling backward on the girl that was attacking him. Momentarily dislodged from the man, the girl squirmed under him. Blood appeared to squirt from the man's shoulder.

The video suddenly whipped around, making me dizzy.

It landed on a young woman, not much older than me. Someone had tied her to the bed. What the hell?

She looked familiar, but I couldn't tell who she was since her face was oddly contorted. Not to mention, her eyeballs were completely black. She appeared to be focused on the person carrying the camera.

A deep guttural growl came from her throat just before she released an ear-piercing scream. She had been the screamer from the beginning. Her body flailed as she fought against the ties holding her wrists and ankles.

Dark burgundy liquid leaked from a hole in her neck. It had to be blood, but it was so dark I couldn't tell.

The recording stopped mid-scream.

"What is this, Eli? Some sick joke?" I glared at him. That was horrible. How could he watch something like that and do nothing?

"She's my buddy's girlfriend. He told me she was bitten like that guy you saw in the parking lot, and within ten minutes she was like that." He pointed at the video as if it was supposed to answer all of my questions.

"Um... okay?" Setting his phone on his lap, I turned to stare out the window.

Yeah, that was a crazy video, but I didn't know the girl or Eli's friend so it could be a hoax.

No. It had to be a hoax.

Eli pulled to a stop near the entrance of the warehouse. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

I nodded. My expression must've given me away because Eli didn't move.

I glanced at him. "What?"

"You don't believe me, do you?" Snatching his phone off his lap, Eli ran a finger over his screen, scrolling through photos. When he found the one he was looking for he shoved the phone in my hand. "Here."

The couple in the photo were popular on campus. It was Rick Seely, the starting running back of our football team, and his girlfriend, Delia Sanford, the sorority president of Alpha Delta Pi. I'd seen her a week before break when her sorority tried to talk me into becoming a pledge.

"Do you believe me now?" Eli's hand found my shoulder, his expression pleading.

I pulled up the video again and fast forwarded to the girl tied to the bed. Now that I had a name and a face to match up with the monster in this video, I had to figure out if this was her. I watched it a couple more times, and I came to my conclusion.

The screeching, black-eyed thing was the one and only, Delia Sanford.

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