“No worries, honey-bun, nothing. Anyway, it wasn’t me who got her drunk in the first place,” she answered with a sarcastic smile.

Edward didn’t respond but took me by the elbow instead. Grateful, I put all my weight on him because the sidewalk was just threatening me that it would jump up and attack my face. The boy walked me to his car and sat me on the passenger seat with my legs outside. For a second the world spinned again, my stomach with it. I groaned. The vampire towed me forward forcefully; I was now hanging like a rag doll and if he wasn’t holding my arm I would have surely fallen down. I felt his other hand brushing my hair aside and then the cold marble landed gently on my neck. Because of his skin temperature it coud easily replace any ice-bag. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, begging my stomach not to turn inside out again.

“By the way, Eddie, since when have you been tanking teeny-boppers up?” the girl’s voice so near me made me start; she was moving without a sound.

“Shut up, Eve!” Edward growled. “Mind your own business.” He sounded so menacingly that even I was a little afraid.

“Easy, honey-bunny, no worries.” Eve raised her hands up in surrender but moved closer to me.

My boyfriend stood between us as if he wanted to protect me. Protect me from what? From this anorexic Barbie? “You will regret it, Eve!…” he growled.

That was when ‘Mati’ walked out of the pub impetuously.

“You’re threatening my doll?” The muscle-man got ready to fight. Edward on the other hand, clearly relaxed. Was it possible that this Eve was a greater threat than a hooligan on steroids? Or maybe it was just my alcohol-intoxicated brain playing with me?

“Aren’t you too old for playing dolls?” the vampire joked maliciously.

“You… you…” the slaphead stuttered; apparently his IQ was too low for him to even come up with a comeback.

Suddenly, Eve gently laid her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go,” she said looking into his eyes.

And the big, tough guy, like a little kitten, followed his mistress. Edward’s eyes followed their departure. Where do they know each other from? Was echoing in my head.

The vampire bent over me, looking in my face. “Better?” he asked tenderly. “Can we go or will you ralph up again?”

I was feeling a little better but would it be enough to live through the drive? However, I wanted to get out of that place and be in my warm, soft bed as soon as possible. So I nodded and pushed my inert body fully into the car. I collapsed on the seat, feeling vibrations of the engine being switched on. The last thing I remember is the feeling of Edward’s cold lips on my temple.