The pain in my chest was unbearable, the wooden stake was wedged into my heart and I could feel the blood vessels inside of me tearing. My hand rested on top of the wooden stake and wondered if I should pull it out.

Out the corner of my eye saw Luc edging away from me. He stared numbly at the stake protruding out of chest. His face looked gaunt and he kept muttering over and over, “I am sorry Celia.”

“I don’t understand,” I croaked.

Judging by the expression on Luc’s face he did not understand what he was doing either. He raised his hands over his head, grabbing fistfuls of hair and sobbing. He muttered words I could not understand and slunk back into the shadows of the room to watch me die.

I gripped the wooden stake that was protruding out of my chest and fell back against the bed. Blood oozed from my wound and saturated the white satin sheets beneath me. I tried to keep calm by focusing on my breathing but every breath I took was agony.

My mind began to drift and I found myself focusing on the beautiful high vaulted ceilings above me. The ceiling was decorated with mural of angels and cherubs playing with each other in the golden clouds of heaven. From their painted paradise the angels looked down on me, watching as I bled to death.

“Mia…” A distant voice of a woman echoed.

That voice. I kept hearing that same voice.

A sudden wrench of pain between my ribs made me gasp in agony. The wooden stake was wriggling around in my chest as my breathing became increasingly shallow and erratic. I tried to keep the stake still with my hands but my hands would not stop shaking.

Unable to bear the pain any longer I made the difficult choice of pulling the stake out of my chest. Closing my eyes I braced myself and yanked the stake out of my chest.

I inhaled sharply and sat bolt upright clutching nothing but air. I looked down and saw that I was in my dorm bed, covered in my blue comforter and wearing my favourite panda pyjamas. There was no blood and no stake.

It had all been a dream- a really bad dream.

I sighed with relief and threw the blankets back. There was a small hand written note on the side of my desk from Luc.

‘Dear Mia,

I hope you slept well. Please forgive me for not waking you. Once the storm had passed I found it impossible to bring myself to wake you. So I carried you too your dorm room instead (do not worry, nobody saw us).

I have left a carton of ‘juice’ in your wardrobe and hope to meet up with you for lunch. In my absence Nico and Jacques will attend to you- please stay with them at all times. They will help keep you safe when I am not there to protect you.

-Luc x’

For a few seconds I felt all mushy at the thought of being lovingly carried across the campus by my dark vampire love. But that delusion was shattered the minute I noticed the pile of clothes that I had been wearing yesterday. I glanced down at my panda pyjamas and realised that I could not have put these on in my sleep.

“Oh my God Luc, you are such a pervert!” I snapped out loud and screwed up his note and threw it across the room.

Not only did that asshole skewer me with a wooden stake in my dreams, he also took advantage of me while I was sleeping. I immediately took off the emerald ring he had given me last night and shoved it in my sock drawer. There was no way I was going to stay married to a creeper.

I officially hated being a vampire.

An hour later I left for college. The storm had passed during the night, making the weather crisp and fresh. Harsh sunlight beat down on my fragile vampire eyes making them water. The sunglasses gave me no relief, which made me wonder how I was going to cope in the summer. I now understood why vampires prefer to be awake during the night.

It was a relief to get inside the college buildings and away from the sunlight. I meandered through the crowds towards the campus cafe. I had a couple of hours to kill before my next lecture. Oddly Jacques and Nico had not showed up to babysit me, so I was enjoying my freedom while it lasted. So I found a quiet table to sit at in the café and cracked open the carton of blood. I guess this was my new coffee routine.

Kicking back I heard a familiar voice, “Hi Mia, can I sit with you?”

I looked up and saw Jack hovering next to me. "Sure Jack, take a seat," I smiled.

Jack pulled out the chair and took a seat opposite me.

"Are you okay, that new sub lecturer was looking for you last night? I was really worried," Jack said.

"I'm fine, but was Luc okay with you?" I asked him nervously.

"Yeah, he was just really worried about you,” Jack explained.

“I was supposed to meet him after class but something turned up so I had to bail. I guess he did not get my message,” I said trying to shut down this line of conversation.

“Umm, have you got a moment I want to ask you something?" Jack said leaning in close to me.

"Sure." I replied, glancing back.

"So there is this party coming up and I’m supposed to take someone with me. And was kind of thinking you could come along with me. It could be like a date?" Jack asked awkwardly.

'Mia, don’t you dare,' A dark threatening male voice suddenly rumbled in my head.

‘This is for panda pyjama-gate, you undead pervert” I snapped back at Luc, before turning to Jack and saying, "Yeah that would be cool."

Jack’s face brightened up and a huge smile erupted across his face, "Thanks! I've gotta go to football practice, but I'll catch you around!" Jack then leaned into me and kissed my cheek.

At that point I felt Luc snap.

'Get here now!' he ordered.

‘Um excuse me but I am not going to be bossed about by you, especially if you talk to me in that tone,’ I replied haughtily.

“Miss Hayden,” Luc’s voice suddenly rumbled in my ear, “Can I have a word?”

I jumped in my chair at the sight of Luc towering over me. The whole café had fallen silent and everyone was staring at us.

‘Do you want me to make a scene?’ Luc said darkly in my mind.

Damn, he moved fast.

I smiled weakly and followed Luc to an empty classroom. He held open the door, waiting for me to pass. The moment I stepped through the doorway into the class room, Luc slammed the door violently.

I tried not to flinch. I stood to my full height as Luc stalked towards. Nervously I backed away from him placing myself behind a desk. Luc slammed his fists against the desk and said, “What the hell do you think you are doing with Jack?”

Angrily I puffed myself up, "Your primitive displays of anger do not frighten me Luc," I spat confidently, “I am not going to be brow beaten by you. If I want to go out with Jack there is nothing you can do to stop me.”

To him I was a possession, an object which he owned- and no one else could have. And this annoyed me. I was not an object he got to claim. If he wanted to be with me then he needed to work for me.

Standing my ground I watched Luc’s dark violent expression. He clenched his fists in anger and for a split second I thought he was going to break something. But then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Luc's face suddenly softened and he opened his eyes and looked up at me. His hands moved to the desk that stood between us. He calmly pushed the desk sideways so there was nothing standing between us.

Nervously I stepped backwards. Luc watched me retreat and for a moment the corner of his mouth curved upwards, in a mocking smile. Then in one quick movement he closed the distance between us. His finger tunnelled into my hair, yanking my head back roughly. I opened my mouth to protest but Luc cover it with his in a devastating kiss.

My whole body went up in flames and I thought I was going to collapse on a heap on the floor. To stop me from falling I grabbed a fistful of Luc’s shirt, unable to think clearly. Luc continued to move his mouth over mine. His kiss was not gentle or restrained. Instead it was a deep, passionate kiss which was almost cruel.

I leaned into him, completely caught up in the moment. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tangled my fingers into his hair. I crushed myself against his hard muscular body, begging for more- and it was only when I did this that he abruptly tore away from me.

I stumbled backwards and caught myself on the desk behind me. Breathing hard I caught the look of satisfaction on Luc’s face.

“I hate you,” I panted.

“That was not what you were thinking when I was kissing you,” Luc smirked

“I double hate you,” I snapped.

“Mia, we are meant to be together. This thing that you have going with that boy Jack, it could never compare to the intensity and chemistry that we share,” Luc said.

“Please, stop flattering yourself,” I said.

“I am going to be frank with you. You are my wife and I do not want my wife being felt up by some little boy. Mia you have until sunset to end all contact with this boy Jack- or I will." Luc spelt out.