I hadn't realized that the wounds of both Nate and Chris remained to an extent. Nate was faring better with the scratches across his face and body closing, but still noticeable. Chris on the other hand maintained a couple serious looking wounds from Nate's knife and arrows from the cops' crossbows.

I nodded and Chris followed me. There were some medical supplies in a cabinet. I helped apply medical gauze.

"Will this even help?" I asked, eying the deep wounds with some concern.

"I've been in worse shuffles before. Your undead friend may heal faster, but I'm resilient. A night's sleep should fix me right up."

As Chris washed his face in the sink, I returned to the kitchen to find Nate sitting at the table. I couldn't tell for sure, but he seemed slightly paler than before.

"Are you okay?" I questioned, concerned.

"I wasn't at my full power, but then again, neither was he. You should know, he's a werewolf. Half-transformed tonight."

"A werewolf..." If both vampires and werewolves existed, I'd hate to know what else did. "But what do you mean by half-transformed?"

"He stopped the transformation part way, and therefore, was only a fraction as powerful. Probably because of you, truthfully. Werewolves have it in their mind that they are the good ones. Why? Well they don't have to harm people to survive. But that doesn't mean it's not hard for them. Although werewolves are stronger fully transformed, they are prone to frenzies. Especially the younger, inexperienced ones. The wolf part of the brain can take over the human in them. When this happens, it's easy for civilian causalities to pile up. From the start, he seemed to think he was saving you, so he risked fighting with half his power to make sure he didn't harm you himself. Though even at half-transformation, I was surprised he had enough common sense to realize I wasn't his real enemy. These days most werewolves and vampires fight each other without reason," Nate leaned back in his chair.

"And you weren't at full power either?"

"I've been weak. The healing I did yesterday and just now, it drained my energy, and... I haven't fed in a while," he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Fed? As in people?" I quieted my words to match his volume.

"No. I have alternative ways that help me get by. But I need some source of sustenance. Otherwise..."

"Otherwise what?"

"Nothing. The point is, I just made a deal that no blood would pass though my lips. Damn, I would have left this asshole at the door if I knew he'd want to play this game..." He put his hands on my shoulders, squaring my body to his, and stared deep into my eyes. "Later this week if I tell you to back away, or run, you do it okay?"

"Why would-"

"Okay?" he interrupted forcefully, but still hushed.

"Okay."