Welcome to Gaia! ::

Something within Thomas stirred, but was quickly snuffed out by his new vampiric instincts. He laughed. "So fierce, little one. But I'm done playing nice. Let's see if your mind changes once you're on the threshold of death."

Thomas lurched forward, intending to drain her, but instead flew backward as lightning struck his chest. A woman was standing over him. "Nadia," he said, clutching his chest wound. He fell unconcious.

"Not really. We'd better tie him up. I don't want to see how angry he is when he wakes. He's been entranced. I can see it in his eyes - they're all dark. There may be a way to snap him out of it. He'll still be a vampire, but at least he will be Thomas again. Are you okay? You look upset. He'll be okay, you know."

Nadia produced a length of rope from her rucksack and began binding him tightly.

"Well, I dunno if there actually is a way to save him. He may just snap out of it on his own or with the help of a blow to the head. Most likely we'll have to end up killing him."

She finished tying the knots and sat down heavily on the ground. "Are you going to be okay if I do him in," she asked, taking aim with her gun.

Thomas's father stood over him, whispering words he could not hear. He then placed a burning hand upon Thomas's forehead, pushing him down - back into his body.

He awoke with a start and groaned in pain. "Damn it, Nadia. What the hell did you do to me? Set me on fire?" He rolled to his side and lay down, letting the wet grass cool him. "Untie me, will you?"

Nadia eyed him closely as he lay there, trying to quench the burning in his chest. "He seems normal. A vampire - but normal. I say we kill the b*****d," she said angrily.

She could still feel his boot on her face.

"Come on, Nadia. Don't be so sensitive. So I kicked you. That was wrong - I think we can all agree. But I wasn't myself. Now will you all quit being dramatic and untie me before the sun comes up? I'm on your side and I'd like to live!"

He rolled back into a sitting position. "Come on, help me out, here. I'm on your side. I'll go back to camp and keep performing my duties - nothing has changed... but we're running out of time. I need to get under cover. Please," he pleaded, looking into Trinity's eyes. "Please."

Nadia sat down next to Trinity again. "You don't know much about vampire possesions, do you? When they entrance you or when they posess you, you watch as if you were a bystander. You cannot control your actions, but you can see everthing that happens. Thomas was someone else for that brief time, but he was still able to see what was happening. He was helpless to do anything."

"Kind of like now," Thomas snapped. "The sun is coming up, so how about untying me now?"