He kissed her back, resting his hands hesitantly on her hips. The sudden, unexpected brush with death had left him awash in confusion and uncertainty, and he still wasn't entirely sure that Mary hadn't obliterated his heart - he certainly felt like he was bleeding out - maybe this was some trick the brain played whilst one was in the throes of death.

As Mary took off her shirt and began tugging at his belt buckle, the absurdity of the situation hit him full force. His last coherent thought was to completely ignore any further thoughts. After all, terrifying was simply a synonym for exciting, and this, right now, was the fuel time burned to keep the whole world going. To start asking questions would be downright blasphemous. Instead, he closed his eyes and let sensation after sensation wash over him, finding his way around Mary's body on instinct and the map of her he'd been drawing in his head for so many months. Even the lust for blood, awake inside him as always, had been quieted enough to slip away with everything else.

The tires screeched as James slammed on the brakes outside of Chris Peterson's house. It was the last place he'd thought to check - it had seemed unlikely that a vampire would bring someone into his home, to where he slept. What if Mary had managed to survive, to get away? All she would have to do is wait until sunrise, and that would be that. And why would Mary, however irrational she'd been, allow Chris to take her to completely unfamiliar territory?

With a sinking feeling he realized he was wrong - neither one of them would have come back here. He had missed them, Chris had already disposed of her body, and now he was back home brushing his teeth and slipping into pajamas. Mary had been right about one thing at least- Chris would die tonight.

James' heart jumped when he saw Mary, alive, well, and sleeping. Sleeping? Maybe she couldn't find Chris' car keys after she killed him. She would have been tired, and she'd had several drinks earlier in the night. Staying the night here had probably been the best option she had.

James: "Mary?"

Mary: "What are you doing here?"
James: "I was looking for you."
Mary: "Oh. Good. Can you give me a ride home?"