Invaluable Error

He looked at the woman as she asked which one it was, her gazing out into the ocean of small humans. Then before he could say anything she guessed him right. A bit of a smile crossed his lips as she told him that she would want her children to look like that...if she could have children. The Vampire looked at her confused. Wern't all human women suppose to be able to reproduce and have more small humans? Atleast that is what he learned in school...a very long time ago. He listened to her as she said she wouldn't want her children to have red curly hair and freckles. Vincent then, beginning to relax tensed as she dramatically jumped up and placed a foot up on the bench, leaning into it a bit.

But then she took off her fedora and held it over her heart, announcing that she was the unlucky part of the girls in her family. That she was plauged with infertility. He chuckled at the same time she laughed. It reminded him of the cliche plays he could save for months on end to go to as a child. He liked watching plays but acting on stage wasn't his forte. However, he could easily pursude somoene to believe he was someone he was not. Then he kept his red eyes on her she sat back down, aplogoozing for having a thing for theater...and her clothers screamed it. Atleast for moderndays. He smiled charmingly and sat back a bit.

"I don't get out much because raising a child dosn't give much room or time for freetime but I used to go to plays all the time. Believe it or not I used to live in New York and went to a couple of Broadway shows. But I havn't been to a show in atleast four years."

His eyes drifted from her to watch the tiny creature. He was suprised that the child had not done anything yet to cause trouble for him or anyone else but...Vincent wasn't going to hold onto that hope. Sooner or later...another incident was bound to happen.
 
Rachelle smiled, quickly enjoying the company of this stranger. "So, you live around here? I'm just visiting myself, for a few months, then it's off to Saint Petersburg in, wait for it, Russia!" She threw her arms wide, her smile wider. "I'm going to college there. Just thought I'd stop at my hometown before Summer was over and school starts, you know?"

She sighed, cupping her chin with her hands, a light grin on her face. "Maybe after I get my PHD, I'll adopt or become a foster parent...I just don't want to be one of those fat old women who stay at home all the time with twenty foster children." She chuckled. "Not exactly the point of spending all my damn moneys on a PHD. Gonna become a doctor in the arts."
 
Then she asked if he lived around here, he looked over at her.

"Just outside of town auctully. When I moved from New York and adopted my... son I thought change in environment would be a good thing. I've always lived in the big cities."

He listened as she explained she was only visiting her hometown, here, before taking off to school. Vincents's eyes widened as she stated where she would be attending school. The vampire looked at her suprised. Russia was home to him...he was born there as a human to a couple of tourists who decided to settle into a home in St. Petersburg. Though, instead of learning english as his first language his parents taught him Russian. The vampire could speak it fluently along with english, though english was his second language. It had been a long time since he had returned there. St. Petersburg was the place where he was raised and lived for twenty-two long years. It was a hard life but a long one too. At one point he caught an Illness and his parents nor him had the money to pay for the treatments nessary to heal him. One night as he was sitting out on the patio, consrained to a wheel chair for his illness made him unable to walk, he was confronted by a strange man. The man told him that he could help him here and now, help him walk again...help him so he didn't have to tolerate the hospital nor his Illness. Eager to be healed and get back to life he agreed. The man leaned in and bit him on the neck, drinking till he was unconcious. But the man was right, he could walk again and his illness no longer plagued him! But now he had a taste for human blood...he had not been informed beforehand that the cure was vampirism...

A light grin came to her face as she used her two hands to cup her chin. He listened to her. If he was going to have any chance of dumping the kid off on her before she left the country he would have to. She explained how she was going to get her PHD and maybe adopt children but not be the woman who had like twenty foster children. Or children for that matter. Vincent chuckled and smiled, looking at her.

"No...One child is more than enough for one person. When they say it takes a village to raise a child, they wern't kidding at all..."

Without realizing it, his eyes went a bit softer as he rememberd his childhood.

"You lucky to get to go to Russia. I was born and raised there. My accents mostly gone since I hardly see the need to speak Russian when I'm here in the United States. But it's still all up there, I remember every word since it was my first language. Good luck with school...and Doctor in the arts? What is it exactly that a woman like yourself wants to do...?"



 
She laughed, "Yeah, I know, Doctor in the Arts, weirdest thing ever. I want to become a play director, maybe, or a museum commissioner for the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg."


"So, you're from Russia? You certainly look like someone from Russia, or at least that part of Europe. I learned Russian in highschool, and we took a trip to Russia after Summer started, and I absolutely loved it." She smiled, brushing her hair behind her ear. Taking a sketchpad from her bag, she begins drawing his profile unconsciously.
 
The Vampire listened as she laughed, a cute laugh, but he shook that from his mind. Now definitly wasn't the time to think any improper thoughts. Afterwards she would probably hate him for just leaving her to take care of the kid. Then he listened as she explained the occupation she wanted...a play director or art commisioner for the art museum. Either was a good choice...he guessed that not all woman were after a man for one thing. It was just that they were the women who mostly attracted to him. All he had wanted was to eat, but most wanted him to fullfill thier selfish desires. Vincent knew better than that though,,,and he wasn't going to take any chances. He leaned in a bit closer to her, not much and smiled, looking towards her.

"Either would be an excellent choice career wise and it seems that you have the talents to fullfill either position..."

Then he listened as she explained her first experience with Russia and how much she loved it. Vincent was a bit suprised to hear her say he auctully looked like he was from Russia. Not a lot of people noticed since there was such a diversity in America.

"Yeah, I am. Lived there until Till I was in my late teens. Then after recovering from a tramatic Illness decided I needed a change. It's been refreshing. Then when a friend of mine died in an accident two years ago his child was too tiny to remembering anything really so he calls me his dad. I adopted him a few weeks later. He has lots of energy and this is all still new to me. I'm trying but it's not easy."

As he looked down at her he saw a sketch pad with a skeletol base of a new drawing on it. She was beginning to draw his profile so he sat still and waited for her to finnish. Afterwards he leaned over and looked at it. He smiled and chuckled lightly then shifted his sight to her eyes.

"Excellent work, you drew me much more handsome than I really am. I like it personally."

Vincent smiled playfully before calling out to the child to play nice and becareful on the playground. Then the Vampire looked back to her, listening for anything she might say.
 
"Here, you can keep it if you want, for not taking the photograph." She rips out the paper after signing it, handing it to him. Her watch beeps. "Crap. I've gotta go. Here's my card for my business in town. I'm there most hours of the day and night, so I probably won't miss your call or drop in." She hands him a colorful card, complete with the address and phone number of Levine Commissioned Art.

As she begins to leave, she turns around saying, "And if that hole Allistair answers the phone, hang up and call again in five minutes. He'll know it's a personal call."
 
He was suprised when she handed him the drawing. The vampire didn't expect it at all. Keep it for not keeping the photograph? He forced a smile for her and nodded thanking her. As he did the woman's watch beeped and she scrambled to her feet, seeming in a hurry to get somewhere. She told him she had a business in town and was there most of the time...day or night. The woman stated she wouldn't mind if he dropped in or called as he was handed a busniess card. He looked at it and was colorful, complete with all the information he might need to know. Vincent looked up at her nodded, pulling out his wallet and tucking the card into his pocket. His voice half serious, half jokingly.

"I don't know if I'll have time to stop by but I'll definitly give you a call. Maybe I'll want another picture."

As she walked away she told him to call back if someone other than her picked up. He called back to her that he understood then got to his feet, going to look for the child amungst a storm of small humans. As he did though he got dragged away by a group of kids, insisting he play with them.
 
Rachelle smiles, leaving him, before making a call to Allistair, telling him where to pick her up. Within moments, his black hearse roars down the road. Allistair was eccentric in all things dark and brooding, but often made sure not to bring it up in the workplace, as he knew he would quite possibly lose his job if he made some of Rachelle's commissions turn out bad because he had been talking about things that go bump in the night. She didn't really mind, but when she listened to it while drawing or painting or whatever else was required for her job, she drew darkly.

The boy was one of the group of children demanding that he play with them, a silly game of some sort, though he didn't right well know.
 
By the time dinner time rolled around Vincent had removed himself from the game, laying back in the grass. He was trying to catch his breathe after being forced to play with about thirty small humans. He then stood up and staggered over to the boy, grabbing him before going back to the car. Vincent went and seatbelted him in. Frowning he looked down at the child.

"You are a demon child, I hope you know that small human child, says the Monster."

He went over to the drivers seat and sat down, shutting the drivers door. Vincent laid his head against the headrest and sighed, closing his eyes. He wondered weather he should return home with the little demon or go find him something to eat here. Then he rememberd the business card in his wallet and he pulled it out, looking at the address. He drove around till he found the building. It was a good sized building. Not too small and not too big. The man parked and looked over at the child.

"So help me...If you misbehave you will be in so much trouble when we get home."

He unbuckled the child and picked him up. As he made his way into the building he spotted a black herse in the back. His eyes widend a bit. Vincent thought she was an artist...someone into drama. Why in Hades would she need a hearse? Slowly he walked into the building and looked around, finding a man on the front desk. Vincent went up to him and he brushed some of his dark hair out of his face, looking at the man with his piercing, supernatural Red eyes. He clenched his jaw a bit before speaking, knowing full well his fangs were visible. It had been awhile since he last fed and he was getting hungry.The vampire set the child down as he asked, his fangs showing a bit:

"Is Rachelle In...?"
 
Allistair glanced up, seeing the man approach him at his desk. Upon seeing the tips of his incisors, he smiled, saying, awe-filled, "Aw, shit, are those real?" Allistair was dressed toe to head in dark clothing, a black steel cross dangling from a chain around his neck. He was of Latin descent, as made apparent by his olive skin and dark hair and eyes. His thick rimmed glasses covered ebony eyes that held a certain childish glint about him, despite his slightly intimidating clothes, demeanor, and foul mouth. "Damn, those contacts look so real! Where'd you get them?"

Light gothic folk music played in the background, a satirical song about a beast of a pirate bay. The floors were dark green jade, the walls a deep mahogany. Paintings hung upon it, all done by Rachelle. Several had name plaques, complete with prices, ranging anywhere from a dollar to a hundred. On Allistair's desk, papers were scattered everywhere, sticky notes on the computer, and quotes blinked on the screensaver, varying from "A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." to "Die, v.: To stop sinning suddenly." Several doors lined the walls, leading to Rachelle's various workshops and galleries.

Regaining his composure, Allistiar said to the man, "Rachelle's in the fourth door on the right. Shut the door quietly, else she'll throw something at you." He laughed lightly, remembering past times. Once the man was out of earshot, he called her on her buzzer. "A man in dark clothes is asking for you. Should I press the panic button?"

Hearing Allistair's claim, she laughed. "Did he have a child with him?" At Allistair's positive answer, she said, smiling, "Let him in. I met him at the park earlier. He's fine, no need to press the panic button, no matter how much you might want to." She was working on a commission for one of the wealthier citizens of the city, an acrylic painting of the commissioner petting a black panther, and drinking from a chalice. What it was supposed to mean was lost on Rachelle, but she was in no position to judge her clients.
 
Vincent looked at the man at the desk. This man was dressed from head to toe in dark clothing a black steel cross even hanging from his neck. The man looked to be of Latin decent because of his dark hair and dark eyes. From the strange music in the background he was going to guess that the hearse outside wasn't Rachelle's after all. The vampire had seen this type before...the type who was as deeply involved with the gothic/supernatural life style you could get without auctully being a werewolf, krusnik, or vampire. Even still Vincent didn't choose the red eyes or pale skin. He looked great in dark clothing before he was turned into a Vampire....it just so happened to stay that way afterwards. Once the man looked up he must have seen some of Vincent's fangs cause in an awe filled voice asked if those were real. The vampire clenched his jaw shut for a moment before chuckling lightly. Before he could say anything the latin stated that the contacts he was wearing looked so real. If he only knew that they wern't contacts...these were the eyes of a monster. Vincent stayed as composed as he could, awnsering his question as honestly and realistcally as possible.

"I got the fangs done by a dentist over in Russia along with the contacts. When I bought them I never really took into mind the pale skin so now I look like a vampire. But I couldn't let quality products go to waste just cause of what someone might think."

After that the man who must have been Alistair regained his composre. He directed him to four doors down on the right; and to shut the door quetly or else he would have an object hurled at him Via the artist. Vincent nodded and thanked him.

"I won't be too long so I'm going to leave my son up here. I know it's not your job but I'd rather not have to pay for him wreaking anything expesive that might be back here. So...here."

Vincent pulled twenty dollars from his pocket and handed it to Alistair, his cold skin accidently brushing against Alistairs as he did.

"I'll be Five minuets. Thanks."

Without waiting for his response he went down the hall and quietly opened the door. She was in the room like he said, painting something that must have been for a client. The vampire silently shut the door and went and leaned against a wall, unnoticed for a few long moments before he spoke up.

"Good evening Rachelle. Remember me?"

His voice was somewhat teasing as he pushed himself away from the wall and walked over to her, looking down at the painting. It was a rich person drinking something and petting a black panther. The painting was very good quality and it almost made him wonder who had requested it.

"So...I got hung up at the park after all. If you'd like I"m going to be in town for dinner. My treat if you'd like something to eat."
 
Seeing him when he began speaking, Rachelle said, smiling, "Hey, yeah, I'd totally love to go with you. Just give me a few minutes to finish this section." She quickly runs her large background brush along the upper left corner, painting in the dark burgundy of a curtain. Soon, it was finished, and Rachelle ran to the sinks in the back of the studio. After cleaning the brush she was using and the pallet, she threw a white tablecloth over the painting. "I've got to change out of these clothes. There's a sitting room across the way, just make yourself at home. There's coffee and cookies or something if Allistair did his job correctly this morning." She holds open the door, pointing to the sitting room's door, then makes her way to the room to the right of it, her temporary living quarters.

Once in the changing room there, she changes into clean clothes, wiping the paint from her hands and face. Running a brush through her hair, she checks that her clothes are actually clean, and makes a self-note to go to the laundromat soon. Leaving the group of rooms that she was living in until she left for college, she goes to the sitting room, finding him. "Okay, I'm ready."
 
He was relived that she had accepted his offer for dinner. Though he would have to force down some human food it wasn't going to be entire a waste. Vincent would be able to get closer to her until he found the perfect moment to take advantage of her kindness, leaving the kid with her. The vampire watched her finnish off her painting before cleaning up her art supplies. The human woman told him to go wait in the waiting room across the way while she changed for dinner. He nodded and left the room, drifting into the the room. The smell of Coffee was strong and there were sugar cookies sitting on a plate on the coffee table. They were the kind with a crumbling bottom and pink frosting on top. He went over and sat down on the couch with a heaved sigh. Though this whole ordeal he had not...or felt like he had a chance to relax. Children were not his specialy and luckly had never claimed them to be. They had too much energy for him to keep up with when he wasn't feeding as well now a days. He ran his tounge along the tips of his fangs. The Vampire could tell his body was begging for it's next meal. He cleched his jaw tight, trying to ignore the pains of hunger he felt. Then she came into the room, all dressed into clean clothes, telling him she was ready to go. Vincent stood up, brushing the wrikles out of his clothing as he did. A warm smile tugged at his lips.

"I am up for anything...plus I am not in town that much. Why don't you follow me out to my car and Show me the way to your faveorite restraunt? If that is okay...plus I don't have a babysitter so I will probably have to bring my son. I hope you dont mind too much."

He waited for her response then went out to the car, picking up the child on the way. He buckled him into a booster seat in the second row back before getting in himself. Vincent followed her directions to the restaunt.
 
Seeing the man come by to pick up his kid, Allistair said to him, "Hey. He wasn't a problem. Or anything. But, who am I to judge. Twenty dollars for five minutes is better than I'll ever get in this lifetime." He smiled, trying to stay on Rachelle's good side. Seeing Rachelle leaving with him, Allistair asked her, "Leaving? Want me to close up shop for the night? In other words, can I leave and you won't call me in the middle of the night wanting to know why I wasn't here to let you in because you forgot your keys again?" He smiled, remembering the past times she had done that.

"I'll have your tongue for that comment, swine," Rachelle laughed, sharing an inside joke that she and Allistair had been running for a few years. She patted her pockets, making sure she actually had her keys so he wouldn't have more ammunition against her forgetfulness. "Go ahead. I shouldn't be out too late anyways. Besides, you've got school tomorrow, don't you?" Allistair was only in highschool, and technically wasn't old enough to be taking a job, but Rachelle had felt sympathetic for him when he explained his home situation and gave him a job where he had a reason to be gone from home most of the time he wasn't at school.

Once in his car, Rachelle gave directions to a Vietnamese place that she frequented. Turning around in her seat, she asked what the child's name was, smiling at the kid, then turned to him. "I don't even know your name. It seems you have put me at a disadvantage."
 
Vincent was a bit suprised to hear that the Alistair was still in high school. He'd expect someone like him, having the obsession he did, to be graduated or something. Then again he had graduated high school or...something similar over sixty years ago. To Hades if he knew what young people were up to these days. She made sure she had her keys before they went out into the car. Once the small human was strapped into the second row back he climbed in and started the Car. She told him about this Vietnamese Place she liked to go to and once they drove up the road gave him directions. As they were driving Rachelle turned, looking at the small child and asked his name. His eyes widened a bit and he cursed underneathe his breathe. If he remembered correctly he had not even heard the child's name himself. When the child did not give awnser to her he silently let out a deep breathe he was holding and said:

"Damien...His name is Damien."

Then the next thing he knew she turned to him and said she didn't know his name. The man chuckled lightly, keeping his eyes on the road. It was getting dark out. It was lucky that he saw better at night. As they pulled up the restrant and parked he looked over at her. His red eyes seemed to glow a supernatural red in the continuously dimming light. A charming smile was spread across his lips.

"My name is Vincent. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, My bad."

With that he went around to her door and opened it before picking up the child. Not being Familiar with the restraunt he followed her in.
 
"It's okay, I forgive you." She smiled, a mischievous look in her eye. Leading Vincent into the building, she was promptly greeted by a giggly waitress who stopped hugging Rachelle long enough to ask if Vincent was her boyfriend and lead them to a free table. Whispering to Vincent as they were led to the table, she smiled, "Ignore Mirabella. We were friends in school, and she acts like she hasn't seen me in a century."

At the table, another waiter brought menus and cups, asking what they wanted to drink. "Nuoc mia, please," Rachelle ordered, a sugar cane juice she loved. "and I'll just have the pho ga with bean sprouts." Pho ga was basically a chicken noodle soup with basil and several other herbs, and flat rice noodles. She smiled politely at the waiter, waiting for Vincent to order.
 
He followed the woman in, the child in tow. As they stopped at the place where they would be seated an excited bubbly woman greeted them. She was dressed in the uniform for the resraunt. It appeared as if the two knew each other and he smiled a bit charmingly at the two as the bubbly waitness asked if he was Rachelle's boyfriend. He chuckled as she did.

"I am not so lucky. I happen to not be from arond here and she is showing me around town."

After she showed them to a table Rachelle told him that they knew eachother in high school and the waitress was just excited to see her. He nodded comfiriming he understood. Then A Waiter brought them cups and took her order.He ordered the same, not knowing what else to get. It would seem like a waste to buy alot of food he would have to choke down. It would make him Ill later on tonight. His body wasn't designed to digest normal human food anymore so naturally he knew it would reject it. VIncent talked small talk with her until the food came. Then his stoumuch churned, despite that he managed control the normal sour expression he would normally have. He took a sip of his drink, chenching his jaw he did his best, managing to control his thirst. Vincent paid attention to her words and responded. Then he took a bite of the soup...it would have been fantastic had be been human. But he wasn't...As he took another bite, swallowed it and sighed his fangs became visible for a few moments.
 
"You okay, Vincent? You're looking under the weather." Rachelle said, looking at him closely. She had noticed his eyes and teeth, but figured that everyone was different and he could do whatever he pleased, so she didn't bring it up. "Is it the Pho? 'Cause I'll have a word with Mirabella's manager if it is." After his answer, she looked over at the aquarium, with its exotic and colorful fish swimming around inside.

She smiled at him, bringing up a funny situation she had been in a week ago with Allistair. The skin around her eyes crinkled as she laughed, a feature given to her by her Turkish ancestors.
 
"I am Fine thank you...but yeah. I have been sick recently. The terrible illness I had when I was a teenager still bothers me sometimes. It's not contagious though so no worries."

He smiled a warm smile, managing to conceal his fangs once again.

"And no...The food is excellent. It's not often I find a great restraunt with such great service. Your friend, Mirabella from High School seems pleasant and your assistant back at your work...well he's an intresting character to say the least. But I guess I have no room to speak...my skin being as pale as it is and my eyes are pretty noticable. But my skin is just lasting effects from my illness. The eyes are just contacts...a good Friend of mine back in Russia sent them to me for my birthday awhile ago. He paid so much for them I felt it would be a shame if I didn't wear them."

She then looked towards the fish tank full of colorful fish, recounting a funny story about her and Alistair. He chuckled at the story and returned her friendly smile before usering the child to quit making a mess and to just eat his food. But deep inside him his monster roared and demanded food. And that food was human blood. Vincent swallowed a lump in his throat as he caught himself looking from her wrist to her neck. He could hear her blood flowing through her body. Her heartbeat nice and strong...It was getting harder and harder to resist. But he couldn't let her notice...not now.
 
"Yeah, Allistair is, how you say, a special case. I probably shouldn't say this, but he won't mind." Rachelle takes a breath. "Allistair lives with his father who beats on him. I saw him walking home from school one day and offered a ride. His house was really far away, on the outskirts of the city, so we had time to talk. I don't know why, but he felt he should tell me about what's going on at home. How he was contemplating killing himself. So, I offered him a job working with me until he gets out of school. I've payed him in full in advance until then, because I know I'm leaving in a few months. I work at such odd hours with him because I know how much he wants to stay away from his house. So, yeah, that's the gist of it."

Rachelle tears up, remembering the scared thirteen year old she drove home, how hurt he seemed, both on the outside and on the inside. She brushes at her eyes, wiping away the tears. "I'm just glad he doesn't have any younger siblings...Allistair's a good kid, if a little weird. He wants to be a humanitarian when he grows up, working for UNICEF and the Peace Corps. And next year, when he graduates, he thinks he has a good chance at Valedictorian. If I wasn't moving, I'd try and adopt him, but I can't do that to him, take away his shot at getting a scholarship by taking him to a foreign country where he doesn't know the language, or the kids there will look down on him. And in a situation like that, he'd need a constant, and in college, I won't be able to provide that." She stopped, realizing she had rambled.
 
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