Dinner time!

[Rhindeer]

The sun had long since set before Kujin set out to "hunt"--though it could hardly be called a hunt, and he really didn't have to wait for the sun to set to go about his business. Nah, he wasn't strong enough to hunt in the true sense of the word, but yet unlike his sister, he wasn't graceful or patient enough to seduce a victim. It took too much time, and it just wasn't his style. No...he just liked to think of it as...borrowing. He just wandered around until he found a victim, someone who was alone, someone who looked weak enough that he could subdue them, a young woman or an even younger boy. He didn't kill them; that was why it wasn't a true hunt, because the intention was only to take a little, only to take the bare minimum of what he needed to function. He had to be careful enough on adults, and the younger the victim, the more care that had to be taken.

Sometimes, he had to pass potential targets up, ones that didn't look like they'd be able to handle the stress.

Night was the best time to do this. It was easiest to find someone alone and vulnerable this time, especially since there were so many homeless people out here in the slums. There were also a lot of drunkards stumbling about, but he wouldn't go for them--people with alcohol in their blood was bad news for someone who's only bodily fluids consisted of blood and what could be derived from blood. Even the smallest amount went straight to his head, and that...was not fun. That had been one of his first lessons--which, unfortunately, he learned on his own--and he had never forgotten it. The hangover had been a nightmare. That didn't mean he hadn't made the same mistake after that experience, with varying results--he was lucky if he just got tipsy--because, well, unless you could smell the alcohol on a victim, it was easy to make mistakes.

Which was why he now steered clear of the taverns and pubs. His thinking was that, hopefully, any intoxicated folk wouldn't be able to make it this far, so he'd be relatively safe. Of course, he still didn't really know the city, but hey, his thinking had worked in other cities before!

Hands in his pockets and black-haired head bowed as he walked the streets, he looked just like anyone else, but unlike most of the other people who also walked with their heads bowed and coats bundled around them, he didn't feel the frosty cold. That was just for show, as temperature became sort of irrelevent for his kind. But unlike any of the few others that walked the streets, they probably weren't looking at their fellow citizens like he was looking at the wine portion of a dinner menu, judging each one by their age and blush.

So to speak.

Arghh...Kujin winced internally. Noo, can't think like that! Other people were not dinner. He just...had to borrow blood every now and then to function. That was all. Ahem. Besides, he didn't even like the taste of blood. He hated it! His body, on the other hand, loved it...and his tongue thought it tasted pretty good. But it was really pretty nasty! Ugh.

He'd just keep telling himself that. If his sister was around, she'd probably mock his lingering humanity. Screw her.

Sighing, his breath showing in the night air as a puff of white, he slowed his pace as he walked toward the more deserted part of the slums, the alleys where, if nothing else, he was sure to find some bum, and watched. It may take a few hours until he finally sighted the perfect target, someone alone and vulnerable, but he had all the time in the world.

[Anonymous]

The slums were definitely a good place to find people, but a specific person such as what the boy required would not be found so simply.  To find the perfect candidate her would be lucky, for a sickness was affecting the neighborhood.  Good heath was hard to find here as of recent.  Something was going around.  

It just so happened that a pretty young lady walked those filthy streets here and now.  What luck.  All alone and far from where she needed to be, or so it looked, she walked on in the chilly night weather.  A wary two-toned gaze peeked into every ally she passed with a discrete effort, one soft light blue eye on her right and a deep crimson one on her left.  She wore a dark colored beanie, her eyes protected by a pair of prescription glasses, and a nice long-coat. Cold hands were pocketed and her head low as she moved along.  She was perfect.  Small pointed ears stuck out from the beanie, red from the chill, along with her currently rosy cheeks and nose.  Her skin was a healthy tan color, and her hair a faded orange.  She appeared mostly human, and had an unusual scent that would attract this boy further.  

He pace slowed just then, her walking becoming less smooth.  She was tiring out.  She came to a stop and extended her gloved hand to the building, bracing herself as she leaned and panted slightly.  She seemed to not want to be where she was.  Was she there a while?  Tired eyes cautiously looked around before she relaxed to catch her breath.

[Rhindeer]

The tired, short woman panting by the side of a building stood out like a wounded animal among a herd of strong beasts. Except, of course...there really weren't any people in the immediate area around with which to compare her, so that analogy didn't really work, but...eh, the gist of it was the same. Perhaps the better analogy, if he was a fan of analogies to begin with, was a wounded animal that had been separated from its herd, because the streets were effectively empty by now, and quiet save for the distant shout of some crazed drunkard.

Already, as much as he hated it, instinct was starting to take over.

Kujin slowed his pace a little, treaded quietly, and for a few moments just let himself watch her. He was behind her and a bit off to the side, about fifty feet away from her and carefully out of her field of vision. As he'd already noticed, she was shorter than him...and the weariness in her smaller body was was obvious, her actions graceless and clumsy. For a moment, a wave of disappointment washed over him as he watched her catch her breath. Was she drunk? She'd been walking so unsteadily...it would be just his luck the the first seemingly healthy and yet frail person he came across was also intoxocated. Everyone else that seemed a good candidate as a...erm...donor had turned out to be sick, and while Kujin hadn't gotten a cold or flu since he was sired, he wasn't so sure that he couldn't catch a disease if he drank the blood of a diseased person. He didn't think so...but there was so much that hadn't been explain to him, and much of it he'd had to figure out on his own through trial and error. This was one of those things...and he wasn't so sure he wanted to risk it, which was why he wouldn't drink from someone who looked ill.

Otherwise, he could have fed easily a long time ago.

But after he watched the girl for a while, he soon determined that, no...she didn't have the swagger of a drunkard. She just looked tired. And cold.

She'd do.

Sighing, Kujin closed his eyes for a moment. He really hated this part. But already he was feeling light-headed, and his skin was growing thinner. He had no choice but to do this. Letting himself go was worse than feeding carefully every now and then. If he let himself go...not only did he, well, turn into a flesh-clothed skeleton in the extreme, but it also made feeding more dangerous...when he <I>starved for blood, that was when he got careless...

And when people died.

It was said that the longer you lived, the older his kind got, the stronger they grew. But unfortunately, Kujin was really young for his kind, scarcely a century old, which meant he really didn't have any of those nifty benefits yet. He couldn't just appear behind people, moving faster than the eye could see or at least creating the illusion of doing so, nor could he hypnotize a victim with a glance. Rather, he had to do it the good ol' fashioned way--by being patient and quiet. It might have been easier of he did do it his sister's way--befriend them, gain their trust, and then take them--but he couldn't bring himself to do that.

He just...erm...wasn't the type that liked to get that, um, familiar with his meal. Nothing spoiled his appetite faster than that--it was like having a pet pig and then remembering you originally bought the pig to slaughter and eat it.

...Oookay, enough with the food analogies. Damn cravings.

This was was more impersonal. Take them, drink from them, then leave. Violence seemed a bit better than violence and betrayal.

So, that's what he did. He moved quietly, with a skill that came from being a pick-pocket as a mortal, watching her carefully as he silently approached to make sure she didn't suddenly decide to turn around. He was too focused at the time to notice it, but as he drew closer, there was something...odd...about her. His subconscious felt it, or rather, he subconsciously smelled it...but he mistook the growing sense of irresistability for his own growing bloodlust.

It was when he was only feet from her that he threw away caution and struck before she had a chance to get that tell-tale, eerie sensation that one tends to get when someone is behind them, even before they realize someone is behind them. One arm banded around her middle, holding her arms against her body and drawing her own body close to his, while his other hand clapped over her mouth and drew her head back to expose her throat. There was no one around, and this would only take a brief moment, but he still didn't want her drawing the attention of anyone that was around.

Holding her firmly from behind, he leaned over her a little so he could whisper harshly into her ear, "Be still. I'm not going to kill you, but this will hurt more if you struggle..."

It had never worked to comfort anyone in the past, but he liked to at least make it clear before hand that his victim wasn't going to die. Besides, it was a reminder to himself, as well. A reminder to be careful.

Not once did he loosen his grip as he lowered his mouth to the side of her neck, feeling where the life pulsed just beneath the sensitive skin.

Which was exactly where he sank his fangs.

[Anonymous]

She lacked caution.  Even if she had truly been paranoid, she wouldn’t have seen it coming.  Just a smell...  If he were any normal person, she would never have known his presence.  A sweet, sweet scent...  His aura called to her nose.  Just a scent it was, but to her, a wonderful smell.  Even from his distance, it lingered in her nose and tickled her tongue.  It was a great effort to maintain her act.  This was only her second time smelling a Vampire's energy so close, teasing her senses.  He was a young one...turned at about ...seventeen.  He was a young vampire, and his scent...OHH, his scent was luscious.  Her mind went wild with excitement just then, thoughts running about every which way.  

She had distracted herself.  It was for the better though.  The sudden arm pinned her, and that’s when she came back to reality.  Her eyes were wide with surprise, her head immediately making its attempt to see who grabbed her, and her glasses sliding down her nose with the abrupt movement.  At a closer sight, a scar ran across her nose, stretching under each eye.  What could that have been from?  Her head was jerked just then, pinned just like her arms, a small meep escaping her throat.  Her head was held back, pressed against her assailant's shoulder, and he brought his head around.  Two-toned eyes trailed to see as best they could, her glasses knocked further down now.  Drat...now she couldn’t see a thing...

Her senses went wild with his aura touching her.  It was feeling of bliss.  Her body and mind were overwhelmed with his swift presence upon her.  She was completely fascinated by him.  And his voice...  When he spoke, she practically melted.  Her eyes went dim, relaxed entirely.  And as he told her, she was still.  Her body was easily manipulated, only a soft moan escaping her when he drank.  Docile...  She was putty in his arms.  Leaning against the young Vampire, her eyes closed gently and she tilted her head, nuzzling the side of his face with her cheek, another small moan of passion humming from her throat.  Not once did she even TRY to resist.  She was a strange girl all right.  

And this wasn’t just a one-sided pleasure.  Her blood was the wine of bloods, rich, sweet, yet smooth and subtle.  It was like a rare delicacy.  As delicious as it was, it was also equally revitalizing.  This weak girl could boast such powerful blood??  What was she??  What a perfect creature for the so specific needs of a vampire.  Was it true?  Did one with such blood exist??  Could this be a dream??  

Now feeling the effects of lightheadedness, she relied on him more to brace her while she fell unsteady.  This was her first time bitten.  Such a bizarre feeling...  The sensation of you blood being pulled from you was strangely arousing.  A smile hid under his cupping hand.  With all these factors poking at her, she was infatuated.  So THIS was a vampire...  Exhilarating.  Her plans for him were set in stone now.  She was definitely sure that he was the one.  And now, there was no turning back for him...if what she read about her ancestry was true.  

He would be hers now.  It had to be this way to ensure his cooperation.  She was defying her ancestors...  Going against their code...  What she had planned was forbidden...the worst thing she could possibly do...  This would make her a disgrace to her species.  But she would do it.  They were all dead.  She didn’t have to listen.  She could do whatever she wished.  And her tweaked little mind had plans for him.

[Rhindeer]

Kujin should have seen the warning signs. He really should have known better. This girl wasn't putting up a fight at all, had hardly even exclaimed in surprise, wasn't even struggling or twitching in the least. He really should have have seen how wrong that was, especially when, as his fangs pierced her skin, she moaned. But who the hell would actually want to be bitten? Maybe she was just so exhausted she couldn't fight, and her moan was a moan of pain...

Unfortunately, his thought process didn't even get that far, for as soon as the first droplet of blood touched his tongue...

Well...he certainly hadn't been expecting that.

It was always an annoyance to Kujin that no matter how much he hated blood, his body loved it, and the drinking of it was something close to bliss. He could never quite explain the sensation, nor could he control it, but when he tasted blood it wasn't the normal, gross, metallic stuff that made you gag and vomit as a mortal...it was something entirely different. His sister always joked that it was even better than chocolate, and in her human life she had been an addict. But, no...it was something abstract and wonderful, something that was more than just a flavor, but was a sensation that coursed and tingled throughout his entire body. It was easy to get swept up in the feeling if you weren't careful; it was easy to simply stop caring about the life you were draining, to get carried away by the moment...

But this...Kujin very nearly swooned as he drew blood from the wound, the normal, wonderful tingle that he'd grown so used to replaced by a feeling of warmth, and an even stranger feeling of...of...he didn't even know, but if he had felt bliss before, this was ecstacy. Already he could feel his body growing stronger, heat flooding his frigid flesh as his once slowing heart began to quicken and respond to the new blood that entered his veins, and he couldn't help but close his eyes as he drank, hardly even noticing the girl in his arms growing heavier, limp...

He should have known better.

It was only when he began to lower her to the ground in response to the growing sensation of heaviness--Gods, but he couldn't even support her, he felt stronger and yet, at the same time, giddy and weak under the influence of the strange new blood--that he snapped back to himself with a start. No...he couldn't...agh! It was almost torture to withdraw his fangs, but he somehow managed to force himself to draw his head away from her. He was surprised to find he was panting, and that the world was spinning oddly almost like he was intoxicated, and yet he felt exhilarated in a way that he'd never before been...

It took him a few seconds to collect himself before he remembered her wounds, and in one careful motion, he lowered her down to the ground, propped up against the building. Crouching down, he leaned over her and ran his tongue over the twin puncture wounds on her neck, allowing his saliva to do its work and knit the flesh there back together...and he shivered subtly as he tasted the trickle of blood that had escaped the wounds as soon as he'd pulled out. No...control yourself! With another jolt, he jerked himself away from her and shakily clambered to his feet to lean heavily against the building and collect himself, still reeling with the effects of the blood.

Damn...this...this was...something was off here. He shut his eyes, waiting for his head to clear and body to stop shaking. That was strong blood...and different...so different...maybe...maybe she had been drinking...but he didn't feel ill. Kujin drew a deep breath, ran a trembling hand through his black hair, and opened his eyes. His vision was starting to normalize, that loopy sensation of intoxicated ecstacy slowly fading as his body also began to normalize. He drew another breath, and, remembering his target, darted a quick look down her way. What...had just happened...?

He wasn't going to stay and ask. As soon as his mind started functioning properly again, he remembered that she hadn't once resisted, whereas every other victim had. And her blood...something...something wasn't right. A victim that didn't resist. Strange blood that was...just...overpowering. It was too bizarre to be a coincidence.

The first few threads of worry began to knot within him, his gray eyes widening slightly in the darkness. Something wasn't right.

Maybe it was a trap...some people...some people hunted vampires...

Kujin was out of there.

With a surprised hiss of breath, he spun on his heel and ran.

[Anonymous]

He had finished his drink, and he seemed to crave it just as the books told her.  He had set her down against the building and she looked up at him in her lightheaded daze. He could now see her soft smile.  If anything, the expression on her face was purely innocent, like this was all just a coincidence.  Her two-toned eyes were glossy as they stared at him curiously examining his figure.  He had not given her enough time to even explain.  Before she could even open her mouth to greet him, he had the look of shock toward her and the turned to run. But she couldn’t tell what his look was.  She took a moment to fix her glasses and look back at him.

"W-wait!  P-please!" she called out to him, extending her hand.  She felt cold...  Was it the loss of blood?  She was still dizzy, but she still stood, using the wall to help her stand up.  "Don't go...!" her voice became tired quickly and she clasped her wound with her free hand, the other holding her up against the wall.  She began panting again, her vision blurring.  This was way more than she expected.  Her body was completely aroused.  She wasn’t expecting that.  She began to walk in his direction, using the wall to guide her, but stopped soon after moving, out of breath and her vision spinning.  Maybe he took a little too much...  She hadn’t planned on that either.  

Falling to her knees, she yipped and braced her hands out in front of her, staring at the cold ground.  She was too cold...  She should have thought the plan through more.  "Please...wait..." she said between breaths softly.  She felt like she was going to pass out any second now.  She could barely force herself to stay conscious.  This was so not good.  She couldn't pass out now...  What if he left her there??  What if somebody else found her??  She wasn’t strong enough to defend herself.

[Rhindeer]

[Sorry it took so long...I'm sick and very out of it. XD Forgive me if this comes out...weird. XD I'm doing my best!]

Kujin hadn't gone very far. In fact, he'd only made it around the corner of a building to start dashing down that street when the woman's weak shouts finally reached his ears. Wait? Hell no! This was all too suspicious...way too suspicious to not be a trap! The lack of struggling, the way she was conveniently just there, the strange blood...Kujin wasn't stupid, and something was very, very wrong with this whole situation--though he had been foolish and hungry enough to take the bait, dammit! No, he wasn't stopping. He was getting out of there and fast, because for all his luck, even though the effects of the blood seemed to diminish, he just didn't know. There might be something wrong with it...and he was going to get as far away from that woman as he could before any other effects kicked in.

At least...that was his initial thought.

Until other thoughts began to kick in. What if it was just her species, something weird about her blood because she wasn't human herself? He'd glimpsed her ears as he drank, and they were pointed. Not human ears. Maybe she had just been in the wrong place at, for him, the right time by coincidence. That happened, after all. And...he really had taken a lot from her. It had been hard to stop. If he left her there, weak and in the bad part of town, and it really wasn't some sort of set-up...

God, he was weak-hearted! But despite the need to feed or die, he never had allowed himself to become cruel. So that made him soft. Who cared? It was what made him, in some vague way, still human. Kind of. Maybe. He liked to think so.

Pausing and leaning against a building, he ran a hand through his spikey hair and rubbed the side of his face, which, once cold and sunken in with decay, had been replenished by the blood he'd taken and was now warm and smooth--human and alive. Dammit. Go back and right into a potential trap, or leave on the assumption that it is a trap and possibly let some girl die if it isn't. It would be to his better, callous judgment that he just leave...but...well, crap, he wasn't a pushover. If it was a trap, he could fight or flee. He'd taken blood. He was stronger now. He should be able to handle a confrontation.

Okay, then...just...check up on her. If it was a trap, he could deal with it, right? Right. If it wasn't...he could just help her to some inn where she'd be safe and drop her off there.

Kujin almost laughed at the thought. Duh, Kujin! Like you didn't just attack her from behind and chew her neck! Okay, find, let's ammend that thought: haul her over to some inn and drop her off--and then get out of there before he could be reported of something--because like hell she'd go willingly after being attacked. Unless she was nuts. Then why the hell was she calling after him in the first place? Maybe she was crazy...

Well...the ultimate conclusion was that, no matter what, he just had to make sure she didn't die or something.

Damn bleeding heart...he made a horrible vampire.

Sighing, knowing good and well he was probably going to regret this and feel like an idiot, he turned on his heel and made his way back, then stepped causiously from around the corner of the building.

The woman wasn't far from where he'd left her, though it seemed like she'd travelled a few feet without mushc success, and now crouched on the ground panting, obviously horribly weak. Yeah...he had taken a lot. Erk. Kujin stopped where he was and looked at her a moment, body angled slightly to the side in preparation to flee if anything came up, and finally cleared his throat. Ahem. Considering he'd never been in a situation before where a victim actually asked him to stay, he felt quite understandably awkward. What the hell was he even supposed to say? Perhaps another part of the reason why he'd come back was because, well...he was curious about why she'd been calling after him.

She never once seemed afraid, that was for certain.

Uh...

"So...um...you...have to be the only person who's ever <I>asked me to stay after dinner..." Kujin finally said lamely, just to break the awkward silence, though he wasn't looking at her anymore. He was looking around them both, still suspicious of her motives.

[Anonymous]

Her tired eyes looked up at the young vampire as he showed himself and walked back to her.  Thank god, he wasn’t going to leave.  She was happy now.  A small smile and a blush covered her face when she saw him.  He was handsome.  She panted softly still, smiling more at his comment.  "Heh...Yeah..." she said sheepishly.  HE may have thought it was lame, but she thought it made him all the more cute.  He kept his distance still, and she accepted that.  It WAS a little awkward.  "I-I'm sorry...if I frightened you...  I...didn’t mean to..." she said between breaths.  "I-its just...I've never been bitten before...A-and...I-it was kind of interesting..." She blushed a little more.  "So...um...w-would you mind staying...?  I...uh...I-I'd like the company..." She asked timidly.  She was sweet, or so it seemed.  IT HAD to be a coincidence.  She was just unlucky and amazingly interested in him.  How cool was that?  She then slowly attempted to stand up, her body still affected by the blood loss and cold.  The minute she stood and smiled at him again, she near fainted and began to fall forward.

[Rhindeer]

Because his vision during the day was pretty crappy--no, the sun didn't burn him like the legends all stated, but his eyes were still awfully light-sensitive--his vision during the night was heightened, as though to make up for the loss. Still, he couldn't tell she was blushing; he noticed that her face had darkened, but that could mean a million different things. He did, however, notice her slight smile and that...confused him even more. Smiling? After he'd attacked her? Kujin felt himself tense a little, and he shifted his weight from foot to foot uneasily and glanced over his shoulder down the street he had just come from. He still didn't see anyone else around...but hey, one couldn't blame him for feeling confused and nervous about a victim <I>smiling after being bitten!

Kujin quickly returned his attention back to her, and he blinked a few times as she apologized to him for scaring him. Whaaat? And it only got stranger. She commented that getting bitten was interesting. Interesting? Getting attacked, getting your neck bitten, and getting your blood drained enough to make you feel faint and woozy was...interesting? Kujin was quiet for a few moments. That was interesting. Personally, he could think of a lot of things that getting your blood sucked out was; freaky, painful and disgusting came to mind, for even after so many years, Kujin could still remember what it had felt like to be sired, to have his own blood drained, and it had not felt good. It had hurt, he'd been terrified, and the sensation of blood leaving the body at a rapid rate was horrible. It was only really fun on the vampire's end.

What surprised Kujin even more was her statement that it was the first time she'd been bitten. The wording of that was odd...and her continual calm. First time? Why wasn't she flipping out? It was almost like she had expected there to even be a first time!

...And she asked him to stay. For company.

Whaaat?

He was the attacker! He'd attacked her! He'd bitten her! He'd drained her of enough blood to, obviously, make her weak and faint! Why was she so calm?! Why the hell would she ask he, the attacker, to <I>keep her company?!

And more importantly...why was he upset that she wasn't flipping out?!

Gaaah...this was so bloody confusing...

And yet, still no signs of this being a trap. Gods, but if this had been a trap, he could have easily been attacked earlier, like when he'd been reeling from the effects of her blood. This whole situation didn't make an ounce of sense. Maybe the girl was just terribly naive...or...

Duh. Why didn't he think of that? The blood loss was probably making her loopy. She probably didn't even know what she was saying or doing right now.

That made the most sense. All the more reason to get her to some inn where she'd be safe enough to recover. Ugh. He should have been more careful...he usually didn't take so much. Enough to make the target weak, of course, but not enough that they'd swoon and be helpless like this.

Kujin sighed softly and shook his head. "I think you've lost a bit too much blood..." he commented as he cautiously moved toward her, just as she began to stand. And fall forward. Yup. Just as he thought. With a start, he darted toward her in time to catch her before she hit the hard ground, and with a soft grunt, he hoisted her up into his arms to cradle her against his chest. Nope...she wouldn't be walking anytime soon, that was for certain, and a head injury as a result of falling--she was probably too out of it to have reflexes enough to break her fall with her hands--wouldn't really mesh well with blood loss. "Sorry...uh...I didn't mean to take so much. Ah, lemme just get you to an inn, alright? You need to rest..." he told her, and began to carry her toward the nearest one.

Yeah. He made a horrible, terrible, downright sucky vampire. No pun intended. Ugh. Sometimes, he really did wish he could be cruel. Because this just felt...well...stupid. Eat from a victim, then help them and apologize? Gah.

This was just really, really awkward. Oh well, at least the girl was out of it. That made the situation that much easier, and at least it meant she probably wouldn't remember him the next day.

[Anonymous]

She found herself in the boy's arms and laughed sheepishly in a soft tone.  "Heh..." He held her in his arms and she blushed more just being so close to him again.  Yes, part of it was from blood loss, but there was more to it than that.  "I-it's okay...  Don worry about it..." She explained like it was her own fault.  Something was different than before.  His aura was much more potent, probably from being revitalized.  This little vampire had consumed her.  Her eyes drifted shun and her head rested against his chest, taking in his wonderful scent.  "Mmm...you smell nice..." she complimented him, becoming noticeably clingy. She then smiled bashfully when he mentioned an Inn.  

She shook her head slightly as she rested against him.  "I-I don’t like Inns...I don’t like being alone in strange places..." she mumbled, dazed by his emanating power.  Nuzzled against him a little more.  "M-my name is Feilene, by the way...  What's yours...?"  Oh, he smelled so good...  her cravings grew inside her.  She didn’t want him to leave her now.  Her glasses slid down her nose again and she became more incoherent by the second.  "I wan...Talk t...you..." She said before finally passing out.  There was a wallet in her coat pocket if he cared.  Inside was a set of keys and address for her apartment, as well as the room number.  

Something affected him as well.  Being close to her gave his body a strange, but powerful feeling of relief and relaxation.  Like being with her soothed his body and mind.  What was it?  The blood that he would now crave was pulsing to him, yet he was still left in the dark.  His body would feel secure holding the only food it could now survive on.

[Rhindeer]

Kujin raised an eyebrow as she continued to speak, and even laugh. Erk. Hopefully he hadn't taken so much blood that it would leave permanent damage to her or something. Hopefully her brain was getting enough blood because her behavior was certainly strange to him, so the only conclusion he could draw was that it was that she just wasn't all there right now. And then when she murmured that he "smelled nice"...Kujin very nearly dropped her, the statement was so unexpected, and both eyebrows raised in surprise as he looked down at her. What? Was she...sniffing him? Alright, then.

Mentally, Kujin added "hallucinations" to the growing list of side-effects that he was assuming were effecting her as a result of losing the amount of blood that she had. Maybe she thought he was someone else? That would certainly explain why she was so calm. Conversational, even. Then again, she had called after him when he'd fled...so...she probably knew good and well who he was. Ugh. Well...this was hurting his head now, so he'd just stop trying to psycho-analyze her for now.

He continued on his way toward the inn even as she spoke, ignoring the feeling of something sharp pressing against his stomach. She didn't like inns or being left alone? Well...she'd just have to deal. It wasn't like he had any other options or like he knew where she lived, and he was already going out of his way to make sure she didn't end up the victim of some perverted thug or another vampire who didn't share Kujin's idea of morality. Hell, and to make up even more for his carelessness, for overdoing it and putting her in this kind of unpleasant state, he even planned on paying for her room.

He really needed to stop being so nice. Dammit.

Once again the girl--or, woman actually; heh, she looked older than him, his own body frozen in time, but it was just a habit of his to assume that he was actually older--surprised him by nuzzling her face against his chest and giving him her name. And asking his.

And saying she wanted to talk to him.

Luckily for Kujin, he was saved from having to come up with some sort of response to her words because that was also when she lost consciousness, her body growing heavier in his arms.

The passing out bit, though...Kujin wasn't so sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

All the more reason to get her to an inn where she could rest and recover better.

...Once he took care of whatever the hell was poking him! Agh, he'd been ignoring it as best as he could, not wanting to pause and waste time, but it was getting really irritating now! Pausing, Kujin lowered the unconscious Feilene to the ground and rubbed his stomach, and then promptly began a quick search of the woman to find the offending object that had been stabbing him. It didn't take long, because it seemed to be the only thing on her, in her coat pocket--a wallet, stuffed full with a set of keys...which seemed to have been what had been digging into him when he'd been carrying her.

Keys...hmm...

Kujin wasn't really one to snoop or pry, but he took the opportunity then to remove the keys and thumb through her wallet for "clues". Maybe she lived around here, and if so, well, then he wouldn't feel obligated to shell out coin for an inn and she wouldn't have  to be left in a "strange place" like she said she hated. Worked for them both. If it wasn't too far away, that is; Kujin had his limits, and he wouldn't be carrying her across the countryside when he could just dump her in an inn instead. A piece of folded up paper slipped out and fluttered to the ground and, after quickly examining it...sure enough, it was an address.

Huh...she must have just moved down here recently, then, if she was still carrying around the address to her home. That explained why she'd looked so lost and out of place earlier, and why she'd been in the bad part of town to begin with. Made sense.

Pocketing the keys and slip of paper and returning her wallet to the opposite pocket--just so it wouldn't annoy him--he once again hauled her up into his arms and set off. The place was only a few blocks away, no biggie.

Didn't mean he didn't get lost, though.

Eventually, he found the place, and after a few fumbled attempts with the keys, having to balance an unconscious woman in his arms while at the same time having to try and figure out which key fit into the keyhole, the door finally swung open. Kujin waited a few moments before he finally stepped inside, listening for any sounds that might alert him to anyone else that might be living there. That...wouldn't be good if she didn't live alone. Because then there'd be a lot of explaining involved, and...yeah. He'd like to avoid that, though if someone did suddenly show up, well, Kujin had nothing against hastily setting her down in the doorway and getting out of there.

The home was quiet, though, so Kujin finally carried the woman, Feilene, inside. The place was also small and cozy, so it didn't take long at all for him to locate the bedroom, where he laid her down gently on the bed. Alright, mission complete. Now he was off, and if all went well, she wouldn't even remember him! Carefully, so as not to make too much noise, he set her keys and the paper with the address on it on a nightstand next to the bed, then turned to leave. His job was done, and she should be fine now.

Odd, really...he felt strange as he started to walk away from her, a strange sense of emptiness filling him. Ah well. He did his best to ignore it as he reached her bedroom door.

[Anonymous]

I guess you could say she was new here.  She had just recently moved here, but the reasons would wait until later.  She was nice and cozy in his arms while he took her home.  She had craved this feeling for such a long time now.  And now it was hers...  There were no lights on in her apartment except for a lamp in the entry and one by her bedside, both unusually dim.  They made the rooms glow only softly, keeping it mostly shaded.  A closer look would reveal a large number of bookcases lining the walls of the living room area.  There was a table and two chairs for the kitchen, and a recliner chair with an end table where the entry's lamp sat.  Hundreds of books, and old books, filled this room.  There was even a stack next t the lamp in her room as well as the living room.  She read a lot.  And these were definitely not simple books.  These were very rare and ancient books.  She was set down on her bed and mmmed softly, curling up as he attempted to sneak off.  Even in her sleep, her body knew his was gaining distance.  

As he made his way out of her bedroom, a tiny creature's shadow waddled across the floor with the sound of a pitter-patter.  A toy Yorkshire terrier quietly plopped its bottom down in the doorway and looked up at the man.  This thing was beyond tiny.  It was a runt, fully-grown and still eight inches tall / long.  The fuzzy little dog tilted its head and its cute little tail wagged, but it made no noise.

[Rhindeer]

Kujin very nearly leaped out of his skin when a shadow moved across the floor, followed up by a fuzzy little animal, but since he couldn't really do that, what he did do was give a jolt of surprise and an audible gasp. Crap! But then his eyes fully registered the animal, and he gave a soft, nervous chuckle to himself for being all spooked over such a little creature. Still, it was unexpected; he hadn't heard anything else inside the house.

Still amused at himself, he was about ready to move around the little dog and continued on his way, but then he paused and blinked before he could hardly twitch a leg. Wait a minute...he looked at the dog more closely, tilting his own head at an angle.

It wasn't growling at him...or running away...or acting nervous and skittish. It was wagging its tail and watching him curiously. That was...that was really strange. Ever since being sired, one thing Kujin had gotten used to was the fact that animals suddenly seemed to hate him. Dogs would either bark and snarl, or they'd cower and shy away. Horses rolled their eyes and stomped anxiously. Everyone always said animals had a sixth sense, and, well, that seemed true in his case. He hadn't had an animal react positively to his presence in a long time; they seemed to know he was damned.

Kujin cringed slightly at the word and promptly shook it from his head. Nah, enough about that. Besides, the current issue was this.

Genuinely curious, completely forgetting about his whole "drop off the girl and make a hasty exit" plan, he crouched down slowly and carefully extended a hand out toward the little dog, inches at a time. Just because he was technically dead didn't mean being bitten hurt any less. "Hey...puppy, puppy," he called softly, adopting that softer, almost child-like tone of voice that people tended to use when talking to something cute. "C'mere, puppy." He waggled his fingers a little, motioning it closer.

It probably wouldn't come, but...eh, you never knew.

[Anonymous]

The dog's tail only wagged more as he coaxed it over and when he was close enough, it got up and scampered over to his hand and licked his fingers playfully, its little body wiggling along with its tail.  At a closer look, the dog was a she.  She rolled over and played with his hand, using her paws.  She wasn’t a puppy, but she sure acted like one.  She nibbled on his fingers gently, knowing that it was bad to bite too hard.  

A small giggle was heard from behind him just then.  Feilene was sitting up on her bed and watching him play with her.  "Natasha likes you..." she said softly, scooting to the edge of the bed.  "Um...thanks for taking me home..." she smiled, fixing her glasses so she could see him.  "Would you like something to eat or drink...?" she then giggled more, realizing what she had said.  "I-I'm sorry...I didn’t mean 'drink' like that..." She then thought about it again.  "Um...well...if you want to...um...I mean...I don’t mind..." she smiled sheepishly.  Her two toned gaze stared at him softly, taking in his handsomeness.  She could still smell him, and she wanted to be close to him again, but she would have to wait.  She couldn’t rush it.  "So...um...I don’t think I got your name...  I'm Feilene..." She introduced again.

[Rhindeer]

Kujin's hand gave a twitch as the dog scampered over, but he held himself steady even while mentally preparing himself for the tiny jaws that were sure to clamp down hard on his fingers. But instead of sharp teeth, a soft pink tongue lapped at his hand, and the little dog was practically squirming in what he took as playful excitement. Still no growling...no biting...no fear. For a few seconds, Kujin was stock still as the dog rolled over and batted at his fingers, then nibbled on them gently, for, though it was silly to admit and though he'd never admit it, he was actually kind of afraid that if he made any sudden movements now, the dog might change its--or rather, her--mind about him.

But then, gradually, he relaxed and grinned, and reached over with his other hand to tickle her belly while she laid on her back, tentatively at first and then more playfully. The dog really didn't hate him. That was so strange, but Kujin wasn't complaining! It was refreshing, because Kujin had loved dogs when he'd been mortal, and since then, after being chased by some dogs and bitten by others, and now actually getting to play with one that didn't seem to loathe him...it was great! Laughing softly, genuinely enjoying himself, he gently tugged his hand away so he could wiggle his fingers and entice her to chase his hand in a small circle on the floor.

Suffice to say, by then he'd completely forgotten about leaving.

And about the woman.

The sudden giggle that came from somewhere behind him made Kujin remember, though, and his gray eyes widened as he gave a start. In another quick movement, he jerked himself to his feet and spun around, hands behind his back like he'd just been caught sneaking sweets out from under his mother's nose. Sure enough, there was the woman he'd carried here, sitting up in bed watching him, and despite himself, Kujin could feel a sheepish blush coloring his cheeks--a fact made worse by the fact that, even in the dim light, she could probably see it. Wow. This was sort of...embarrassing...being caught right in the middle of playing with a puppy-sized dog when he should have actually been, ah, leaving. Bowing his head slightly, Kujin gave a discreet, but nervous, cough.

"Ah...yeah...Natasha...the dog, heh. Um...sorry...sorry about tonight. I'll just go now, and, um, it was no problem...hope you feel better soon..." He glanced behind him as he took a step backwards to make sure he wouldn't step on little Natasha. What? What was he supposed to say to someone he'd just attacked! It was just a little weird. He'd never stuck around to converse with someone he'd used as a meal before, and somehow, he didn't think anyone thought it was poor manners that he didn't linger around afterwards making small talk.

Still...the woman seemed more "all there" now. And she still didn't seem bothered.

Kujin had taken all of two steps before her next few words made him freeze completely.

She'd offered him something to eat and drink, promptly corrected herself, and then gone on to say she wouldn't mind?!

She knew good and well what he was and she didn't mind?! Much more, she didn't mind him drinking from her?!

Wait, wait, wait...alright, he needed a time out here. This was...sort of confusing to the point that, in his mind at least, it defied all logic.

"What? Okay, hold on a second...um...you know what I am, right? I drink blood. I drank from you tonight. I attacked you tonight. I could have killed you, even on accident. As it was I took too much...look what it did to you. So, uh...why do you look happy about this? And why are you offering it up again? Especially since you're still weak! I think." He took another step backward. "It doesn't make any sense. You don't know what you're saying...unless..."

Suddenly he blinked, realization striking. Then he shook his head and sighed, and looked at her more closely. He was glad for the dimness of the lights; he could see clearly in this kind of light. "You've had experience with my kind before, haven't you?"

That would explain her calm...

But then...if she'd had experience with vampires before...and was calm about this whole thing...

The pieces were gradually falling into place. It was all an assumption, but Kujin was going with his gut until proven wrong. "Did you plan this?"

He still hadn't given her his name, he realized. But he had more important things on the mind right now, and introductions were near the back of his list.

[Anonymous]

This town had certainly proved worth his attention.

Experience was the key. Lla'rete was not that old, but tracking down vampires for sixteen years, and twelve of them in the eye of humanity, had given him a certain edge in the subterfuge required. It didn't take him long to locate the non-human underground in any town, and he knew all the right questions to ask the regular townsfolk concerning mysterious killings, fang marks and maiden abductions. He had attained something of a sixth sense for a town troubled by the undead, even when the windows and doors weren't bedecked with garlic, or when holy symbols didn't adorn the walls. It could be said that he knew his stuff.

This town in particular had recently contracted a more benevolent vampire infestation. The deaths concerned had been few and far between, but numerous other people had found themselves unhabitually tired, with faint scars on their necks. Some people had even been the targets of strange, seemingly unmotivated assaults. It didn't take long for Lla'rete to hear about these things, and it provoked the same mix of reactions in him as always when he did. Anger, another thief and murderer stalked the night. Determination, another step to climb on his eternal speciesist vendetta. Anticipation. Another life to take in his mad revenge.

Lla'rete had found this spot quickly. The wayward speck of blood, the faint converging footprints. It looked as though there had been little struggle, this time. (The victim, dead before they could retaliate?) No: Two pairs of footprints walked away. Together? A kidnapping, as well? (A convert?) The slayer's blood boiled. A vampire taking a life was bad enough, but to expand their numbers, add more links to the chain? More deaths. More converts. More work for Lla'rete.

He followed the footprints. Little speed was needed to catch up to someone who was carrying someone else, even if it was a Vampire. No flight, though. (Good, perhaps a weaker bloodline.) He heard them before he saw them, and drew int the shade of a doorway.The vampire, (Lla'rete's lip curled in groundless hate.) was male; weak. He was dragging the victim (A girl, most likely a virgin.) with apparently little strength. (Don't get cocky, they have other attributes.) The two entered an obviously well-inhabited building, lights illuminating a number of windows. Could he have made his lair here? (Have I misread this?)

He shrugged to himself, and darted with catlike speed up the side of an adjacent building. Crouching in the moonlight, Lla'rete briefly glimpsed the two through a stairwell window, before another light went on partway up the apartment block. He moved slightly, and prepared to make the jump. Before he leapt, the moonlight caught him and illuminated him clearly for the first time. Black hair in a braid; the dark coat, with darker fur; a glint of silver armor. And the sword on his back, and the axe at his side. It was the sword he would use, today.

Grappling the side of the building, slid through an open window into someone else's room. Ignoring the figure in the bed, he moved through the door with the minimum of sound, thanking his luck that it wasn't locked. It took little time, then, to locate the room they had moved into. Bracing himself for any number of possibilities as he placed his hand on the doorknob, (Other vampires, other victims, a trap?) he uttered a small prayer to his father and opened the door, his right hand already at his sword.

(I don't know about etiquette, but having my first character attack yours in my first Roleplay probably breaches it, Rhi. Sorry.)

[Anonymous]

OOC: Wow, okay... XD This was unexpected all right.  Oh, and jus ta let ya kno, my char is a Vampire hunter as well  ^_^;  Not by profession, but by race.  But its okay...I just cant let ya kill my little Vampire slave *Evil Cackle*   *Shifty eyes*



Little Natasha waddled off calmly after her play companion was taken by Feilene.  She didn’t mind though, and happily left the area.  Reaching the shadows again, she paused, ears perked.  Something was outside.  

Feilene listened with a grin as he tried to put things together for her.  She just nodded her head in agreement as he rambled on.  When the boy came to a pause, she looked at him curiously.  Experience?  Well, not exactly.  Not physical experience, but book knowledge and unusually accurate dreams.  "Um...well...that depends..." then he cut her off.  Ouch...he hit the nail on the head.  "Heh..." she smiled sheepishly.  "Um...I-in a way...  P-please don hate me...!  I-I uh...I wasn’t trying to be cruel or anything...I-I just wanted to finally meet you..." Finally?  Oops...  Smooth...just give it away...  She'd been stalking him for so long and she finally got to meet him.  But now he was probably going to freak now that she slipped.  "Um...well..." she looked down at her sheets and twiddled her fingers.  "P-please...just let me exp..."

Natasha then started barking In her tiny yip voice.  She ran to the door and hopped around defensively when it was opened.  She saw a leg and immediately latched onto it, tugging at the pant.  She growled at the stranger who held a weapon.  

Feilene looked past the Vampire boy, wanting to see what had riled Natasha.  The door was opening.  "Um...Excuse me...!  This isn’t you room...!" she explained, playing dumb, but knowing full well that he was an intruder.  Natasha never barked unless it was an emergency.

[Rhindeer]

[XD W00t! Excitement and surprises! And it's all good, Ceiling! ^_~]

Finally meet him?

Finally meet him?

That implied that she'd known about him for quite some time...

But instead of freaking out because he'd obviously had a stalker of some sort, Kujin's eyebrows arched with curiosity. "Why didja wanna meet me?" he asked, pausing and looking at her calmly. Her stuttering, her apologizing, the way she pleaded with him not to hate her...she came across as sincere, and, God, but she'd even offered him more of her blood! If she went through all this trouble just to <I>meet him, and had obviously known about him for a while, there had to be a reason behind it. It didn't seem like she had malicious intentions; if she did, well, she certainly wouldn't have had to go through this much hassle to carry them out.

She had to be the first person he'd come across that knew what he was and still wanted to talk to him. Seemed most people were afraid he'd murder them or something as soon as he got a hunger pang. He couldn't hardly blame them, though, considering the reputation his kind had, heh.

Feilene's explanation was cut off, however, when Natasha began her frantic yipping, the sudden, high pitched sound making him jolt. But it wasn't just the barking that got him; dogs didn't tend to bark for no reason at all, and as he turned his body quickly to face the sound, he saw that the little terrier had its full attention focused on the door. Instinctively tense, he glanced quickly back at Feilene--maybe someone else did live with her, or she'd been expecting someone or...something. Even though it was the middle of the night. But she was watching the door with what Kujin took as confusion.

She hadn't been expecting anyone...

Shit!

The door opened, and the terrier immediately latched onto some part of the intruder. Probably an ankle or something. Kujin didn't know or care, because he was no longer watching the dog, but the door. Or...more appropriately...the man that came through the door. And even more appropriately, the sword that was attached to the man, his hand already at the hilt in preparation to draw it--as though he knew good and well what he was walking into.

Oh, yeah, and the axe at his side. Can't forget that.

Kujin felt the blood drain from his face, his gray eyes widening. Shit again! It was a bloody hunter! As if that wasn't damned obvious from the freakin' stake he wore as a necklace!

He heard Feilene protesting, but he knew good and well from experience that that probably wouldn't deter the guy at all. And no amount of "wait, but I'm a good vampire!" would work, either; these vampire hunters, at least from his brushes with them, meant some serious business, and nothing would sway them. It sounded bloody stupid, anyway...and, hell, he couldn't honestly say he was "good", either. Not even to himself.

But instead of panicking like he wanted to--dammit, but he'd been sired at sixteen, and he hadn't changed a bit; that left him at quite a disadvantage, physically--he took a deep breath and backed away toward Feilene. Maybe she had the right idea. Okay. Just be calm, play dumb. He had just fed. He looked human right now. Maybe the guy hadn't seen what he looked like until now and had just been going off of clues up to this point. He gave a quick glance to Feilene. Good. She didn't have any neck marks. He'd sealed the wound with his saliva after drinking from her, and cleaned up the blood, as well. Alright, then...play calm. If he was lucky, if the guy hadn't seen him before...there was a possibility that he could bluff his way out of this, just act like a normal human that was surprised by the intrusion.

If not...or, even worse, if this guy was one of the ones that could sense vampires...then he'd have to resort to desperate measures, or, well, die. Heh. Fun...

Argh! He'd been so damned careless! He knew this was a bad idea!

"Dunno what room you were looking for, but you got the wrong one...can we help you?" he asked, working hard to keep his voice steady, and taking pains to speak in a careful, practiced way that kept his fangs hidden behind his lips.

[Anonymous]

(Vampire hunter... Species? I'd have to say my guy's only employed in that area.)

To business!

Lla'rete had indeed been in a few "Bedroom door" situations before, and no few of them had been similar to this one. Both victim and vampire were surprised, but more because he had walked into the room without consent than because either of them expected a staking. The victim seemed to be more afraid of him than of the vampire beside her, which could mean a few things. She had already been Turned, she was disorientated by the lack of blood, or the vampire was in some way controlling or threatening her. At no point did the possibility that the vampire was not dangerous present itself to the hunter.

Lla'rete dismissed the first option, as his second step carried him into the room and he gently knocked the dog away from his leg. He had no special sense for vampires, but his experience had at least given him the ability to discern one at sight. The male... Even as weak-blooded as he was, he still carried himself with the subconscious stance that hinted at hubris, a knowledge of superiority. And the innate fear that struck when an obvious slayer walked into the room. The woman had no such telltale signs, though there was something strange about her.

The slayer ignored the nagging sensation that warned him of the third.The most important thing in these situations was to seperate the civilians from the monster. If endangered, the vampire could resort to hostage taking, or just outright killing to up its strength. Lla'rete moved towards the bed, and as the two people made their weak attempts to sway him, grabbed the female by the arm. Lifting her with little difficulty or ceremony, (Weak, drained, possibly turning.) he pushed her behind himself and turned back to the vampire, his other hand drawing the silver-inlaid sword all the way.

And then his weakness came to light. Lla'rete hated vampires, as much was obviously true. But killing in cold-blood, without knowledge of circumstances or motives, was something that he could never achieve. He hesitated, then, and gave his opponent a chance.

"Hello, demon."

[Anonymous]

The boy had stepped back and toward her.  Her attention turned to him for a moment, then back to the door where Natasha defended her.  Then the Vampire boy played along with her.  She sighed mentally in relief.  Good, he was on her side fo now.  Thank god he didn’t turn suspicion toward her for this.  Who the hell was his guy?!  How dare he interrupt her right in the middle of this! This wasn’t good.  She could tell the boy was scared.  Crap...  

A grunt came from Natasha as she was tossed aside by the intruder's leg.  She was tossed aside and tumbled along the ground as the stranger broke into the apartment.  He ran past her and into the room with her master.  Feilene felt yanked as the man pulled her from her own bed and put her behind him.  Who the hell did he think he wa...?! Then it hit her when he spoke.  He was after her little Vampire.  Immediately after realizing, she frowned.  The man drew a sword and her expression grew angered.  How dare he!  Bastard!  Oooh, he was going to pay for barging in like this!  After she worked so hard too.  

"Natasha!" she commanded in a soft, yet stern voice, backing away from him.  

Without warning, the man would feel jerked rather forcibly by the back of his coat, pulled right out of the bedroom.  A furry arm wrapped around his neck from behind, and another clawed hand gripped the wrist that held the sword firmly.  A deep growl was heard as an unusual Werewolf's head rested beside his now.  The muzzle was short and the long and wispy black and brown hair covered the pet.  

Feilene stumbled toward her Vampire and clung to him, slightly out of breath still, and her glasses almost falling off.  "A-are you okay...?" she asked in a concerned and tired voice.  Hanging off of him tiredly, she looked back at the man with a frown.  He disgusted her.  "W-who are you...?!" she called out .  "Do you normally barge in to people's houses and kill them...?!"