Why so friendly?

C

Carter

Guest
Original poster
Todd walked at a slow pace through the streets. The city was quiet at this time of night, and he absolutely loved it. Silence had always been his best friend, adn he never needed anyone else. Looking over towards the small shops on the opposite side of the street, he wondered to himself what it would be like to be a simple person shopping around for a bit of food or some nice clothes. He had never known these things, he had never needed to. Everything he had he had simply taken, and thats how it would always be with him. He never had a family, never felt love or generosity, those things were foriegn to him.

He continued on, washing his thoughts away with his current goal. He was headed towards the cities best night club, not by choice but by rule. He had a mission, and it needed to be carried out. His dress shirt and slacks weren't exactly proper attire, but then again his future actions couldn't even be described with the word proper. Looking up the street, he could see the sign and the girls waiting outside, for some reason this place loved letting the males in, and it wasn't a gay bar. For some reason, the woman in this town just couldn't get enough of this place, and he had a hunch as to why.

He simply walked past the guard, who didn't even notice him thanks to the small motivation he placed into a certain group of giddy girls at the front. His abilities amused him, and it wasn't simply for a distraction, soon a woman pulled a knife on the man and stabbed him repeatedly. He needed a distraction for more than an entrance. Soon everyone was flooding inside, but he didn't get touched once, people actually formed arounde him as if they were terrified to even touch him.

Once he actually reached the bar, it was pretty much clear, except for a couple groups of grad students who were enjoying themselves before they're finals. He sat down, yawned soflty and began to look around. That girl had to be here somewhere, where else would she hide in a town like this. She had to know he would find her here, or anywhere else for that matter, but this place gave her an environmental advantage. She would easily be able to conceal herself among the masses. So he would have to find her through other means. He looked up above him and around the rest of the establishment, there was a second story dance floor wrapping around the main floor in the center, and a balcony bordered it, so that people could look down on the rest of the crowd.

So he rose, maneuvering his way through the crowd, he began to climb the steps. As soon as he was higher than the rest he began looking, not for a person, but for that one aura he saw. For this wasn't a mission or goal for someone else, but for him and him alone. He was going to find this girl, if it killed him, which he figured it probably would after he found her, or whoever was chasing her along with him. For the girl wasn't actually the true targer, but simply a means to get to his real target, the man that had killed his wife. The man didn't know who he was, and he didn't even realize that Todd had anything to do with the woman that he had raped and murdered in the alley beside they're house. They man was simply fiending for his fix, and figured that the excitement would carry over until he could get his next big high.

Another thing this man didn't realize was what Todd was actually capable of, and he knew very well that the man had no idea who was after him. Todd knew why he was after the girl ofcourse, the intent simply dripped off of him as Todd watched him make his way into the club. Ofcourse a man of his stature wouldn't of had made his way past the front door if it wasn't for Todd creating such a ruckus outside. Todd knew what he was doing, and he knew exactly how it needed to be done, but the next question was, why was the girl eating away at his mind. What was about that girl that made him want to save her as much as get revenge on that disgusting piece of trash. He would have to think about this some other time, becuase he could that the man was about to make his move.
 
Breathing coming in sharp gasps, the girl had crawled in through a garbage chute and climbed her way into the club. There was no way she could get through the front door looking like this, not without the bouncer calling the cops. Her platinum blonde locks were tangled and matted with a sick combination of mud and blood, most of it her own. A deep bruise colored her left cheek, marring the flawless pale skin that would normally cover her face. Her bright red eyes were wide with fear and anxiety, and soon her emotions consolidated themselves into one raging emotion. Hunger. The drive for survival made her snatch a girl roughly her size and drag her into a dark corner. Soon after she emerged wearing the soft dress that the girl had been wearing. She had even stolen the jewelry, knowing that if she didn't blend in, she was going to die. A moment later she managed to find the bathroom, and she spent a hurried minute rinsing her hair out in the sink and patting it dry with paper towels. It was still awful to look at in the flourescent lights of the bathroom, but in the dim spinning lights of the club she would be fine. Maybe it would even look like hair dye.


She edged out of the bathroom and looked around rapidly, unable to calm her erratic breathing as her slender arms braced against the wall behind her. Everybody was a suspect, anybody could grab her at any instant. Her main fear was Him. The man who had caught her, her main abuser, the one who showed her off in that awful cage as if she were some sort of toy or entertainment. He had never once said his name, and in turn he had stolen hers. She was just Girl now. Her body trembled and she knew that she had to keep moving. She had to blend in with this crowd and get lost in the confusion. After a few hours it might be safe to make a run for it, but not yet. It had taken months of planning to even escape the cage and flee from the house, and now it was all on the line. He had come home earlier than expected, severely cutting off her time to hide.


The crowd was swelling and fluctuating like a giant sea of people, and more than once she found herself shoved into somebody. "Sorry," she found herself saying, her voice a soft squeak that scarcely beat a whisper. Soon it became too much for her to handle and she ran to the edge of it all again, seeking the solid comfort of having a wall behind her. That was when she saw the stairs off to the side, leading to the second floor. She bolted for them and raced upstairs, then took the time to actually look around. People were everybody, but most didn't even glance at her. Keeping her hands wrapped around her own body and rubbing her upper arms as if she were freezing, she tried not to think about feeding. He had kept her starved, that girl earlier was the first she had had in nearly a week. She bit her lower lip anxiously and kept her gaze pointed downward, just moving for the sake of moving.


She paused her steps for a moment and looked around quickly just to take stock of where she was, and that was when she saw Him. He had found her, and was only a couple of yards away. With a gasp, she turned and ran for her life. She raced around the balcony and down the stairs, but the crowd made it impossible to escape unhindered. Worse, a girl walked right up to her and began to berate her in a very drunken tone about 'daring' to wear the same dress that her best friend was wearing tonight. Of course, the girl didn't realize that it was the exact same garment, nor that her friend was actually in a dead crumpled heap in a dark corner. Shaking quite badly now, Girl tore herself away from the snarky drunk and pushed through the center of the crowd, whispering prayers to herself.
 
Todd decided to make his move, he had actually followed her up here, he was only feet away. Before the man could even think of the spoils that came from that sweet prize, he was down, and Todd was done. That was it, no one saw a thing, everyone was still frantic, and he instantly went for her. He grabbed her hand, hoping she would follow him, almost wanting to beg her too, but he couldn't do that now. They needed to leave. He rushed her down the stairs and out the front door. The police were there now, taking witness's towards they're vehicles for questioning, and trying to calm the main mass of people that were suddenly flooding the streets to get home.

He pulled her into a side alley and instantly backed up a bit, he didn't need to get to close to her now. By the looks of it, she probably thought he was there to just kill her off and make it easier for everyone, or even worse she would think he was some kind of pervert who was gonna have his way with her. He didn't want either of them, and he put his hands up to try and emphasize that point exactly.

" Look i'm horribly sorry for whatever happened to you, and for whatever was about to happen to you. But, I needed to kill that man, and I didn't want to see what happened to my wife happen to another woman.... " He then actually relaxed a bit and caught his breath. He hadn't had to move that quick in years, but he simply couldn't contain himself. The rage that rose whenever he saw the malicious intent on that mans face just made him break free. Shit, his ears were still poking out a bit through his hair, they were usually concealed by it, seeing as how they were the same tone. He took another deep breath, and felt his fangs and claws slowly retract, he missed how good it felt for them to tear through his gums and fingertips. He missed the actual " rush " of taking that kill, it felt so good for him to release everything that had been building for the past year.

He then suddenly realized she was still standing in front of him, they had actually only been standing there for a few minutes, but it seemed as if a half hour had passed atleast. He then stood straight, wiping down his jacket, which was somehow still spotless through-out the whole riot that he had caused, if he had known things would have gotten that out of control, he would have made this move months ago, but he still forgot about why this was all possible. He had to wait for this girl to escape, to lure that man out, who stayed caged up in that house all the time, that damn man never left, not even to check how nice it was outside. And, now that this girl made everything possible for him, he was going to make sure she was atleast taken care of and clear of any other dangers.
 
The tug on her hand was expected, but she still cried out in blind panic as she whirled to face Him. She blinked when she saw it was a different man who had hold of her, but there was no time to think as he pulled her out the door. The sight of cops made her cringe and she whimpered softly in fright, but it appeared that wasn't their target. Once they stopped in the alley, she backed against the wall and just stared at him. Who was he? He must be working for Him. Now he would take her back to that awful place and she'd be locked up and punished until her body couldn't take anymore. She was so convinced of this that she gave herself a minor anxiety attack and probably would have given herself a heart attack if her heart had still been beating. As it was, she was shaking badly and could hardly focus on anything but his presence.


His voice made her flinch, but the expected shouting didn't come. There was no mockery, no cruel insults, not even the falsely seductive tone that would have told her that he planned to have his way with her before taking her back. She blinked uncertainly and watched him as he apologized, unable to truly process what he was saying until she realized something. He mentioned killing a man. Did he mean.. Him? Was she actually free? Could she stop running now and go back to living?


Almost as soon as that thought occurred to her, it was crushed. What was living? She had forgotten. There were no memories before her capture, and she had no idea how much time had passed. All she knew was that she would be caught again, even if He was dead. There were others - there were always others. She didn't even dare speak to the man before her now, even as she watched him relax and go back to a state that appeared much more human than before. Her slender fingers clutched and released the hem of her dress repeatedly, a repetitive action that kept her calm enough to not scream bloody murder. She watched him, yet her bright red eyes danced around, never staying in one place for more than a few moments. The shadows could be hiding anything, and they were surrounded by them. It seemed to her as though the alley were a death trap just waiting to be sprung. His apology must be a ploy, a trick to lure her in close and add to her final humiliation. Were others hiding around them, watching?


She shivered and slid her hands around her own body again, like she had before when she was hiding in the club. Even to her own touch, her body felt too thin and battered to properly hold life. How was she even still standing? The jewelry that she wore felt heavy, weighed down with the guilt of knowing that she had stolen a life that probably didn't deserve such a fate. Was that why this man had snatched her away? Not to apologize, but to punish her for killing the girl? It was all she could think about, her guilt consuming her almost as much as the paralyzing fear that kept her from moving a single inch from where she was now.


"I-I d... didn't mean t-to kill her.." she stuttered in a fearful whisper, her voice soft yet rough with disuse as her throat was abused from doing nothing but screaming and begging for countless months.
 
Todd stopped suddenly at her words. Is he talking about Her, is he talking his His Wife? There's no way, he watched the man kill her himself, they had beat him after he tried to protect her, but it couldn't happen, he was helpless with his body pulverised and in tied up in a corner. They made him watch, it was ridiculous, he couldn't do a thing and he hated himself for it. Suddenly, he came back to the current situation. She must have been talking about someone else.

" Who are you talking about? I'm not here for that, but I do have to apologize on why I am here. I needed you, I have to be honest, I used you. I knew you were locked up in that house, and I needed you to escape on your own, so he would believe there was no one else involved, cuz I knew he was leave that damn house to chase after you. He only had three or four people there with him, so he wouldn't tell his protection to just up and leave. So yeah, I do need to apologize on why i'm here. But, i'll make it up to you, help you get used to this type of life, a free life. And i'll protect you from anyone else who wants to get back at the person who cut off there pay check. "

He was serious about his words, he felt horrible for leaving this girl there in that house, knowing what she was going through. He had secretly implanted survielance equipment through-out the house, so he would know when to make his move, how it was going to happen, and what kind of shit he was going to run into on the way. He had watched that house for months, and he had learned every single routine in that house down to a T.

This girl was going to need help, and who better to do it then the one that ended her turmoil? Atleast the situation would break the ice and help her learn to trust someone other than herself. He knew that for months she could only count on herself for hope or for the strength to get through the day, she had only had herself for that long. Now, he wanted to make up for what he had let her go through. But, what if she didn't want his help, what if she suddenly ran off and never looked back, he would simply have to walk away from the situation. He would have to hope that she would trust him, so that he would be able to give her that help.
 
His response told her a few things, but it confused her more than anything. The first important thing that she grasped was the fact that he had no idea she had killed a girl in the club. Either that, or he was faking ignorance. For now she would assume that he didn't know because it frightened her less. The next things he said kind of swirled in her confused mind and she had to remain silent to sort them out. He apologized again, which was strange until she processed the fact that he had known what was happening when she was a captive. That thought struck her and she just stared at him. He knew what was going on and did nothing? It only proved what she already thought about everybody, but somehow it still felt like a fresh wound on an already beaten body. She looked down, understanding a little better now that he had simply used her as a means to destroy Him. So, he was truly dead, but where did that leave her?


That was when the final part of what he said kicked in. She looked back up at him and tilted her head, her expression fading to one of confusion. He wanted to help and protect her? No, it was a lie, he just wanted to control her. That was all men ever wanted. It wasn't like she was pretty or seductive, why did they feel the need to toy with her? She didn't want to trust him, she didn't even want to be in this alleyway with him. Yet what options did she have? Out one side of the alley were dozens of cops, all likely to question her and demand answers. The other side? Unknown. She hadn't a single penny to her name and the only clothes she owned were the ones she was wearing. No resume, no formal education that would get her a pretty piece of paper telling that she was qualified for a job, nothing. She didn't even have a family to run to. All she had was this guy. She didn't even know his name.


"W-Why?" she finally asked. One word, so many questions. Why had he watched her torture? Why was he helping her now? Why had he killed Him? Why was he offering to help her when he owed her nothing? Why didn't he just kill her or sell her to the highest bidder as anybody else would have done?


Suddenly a pair of cops passed the entrance to the alleyway and paused, talking to each other about the chaos in the club. Neither one looked to see that there were people within hearing distance of them. Girl couldn't help but look at them, but her sight wasn't what affected her most. She could hear the rush of blood in their veins, the soft thuds of their hearts calling out to her like the sweetest song. From here, she could even smell the unbandaged cut that one had on his hand. She shuddered and tore her eyes away from them, her breathing stuttering as she tried to focus on anything else besides the intense desire to attack. If she moved, this guy would punish her. That was her only thought, the only thing that kept her from lashing out. He was the same as Him, that's all there was to it. It was impossible and stupid to think otherwise.
 
Todd's abilities sometimes amazed him, right now at that very moment he could basically read her thoughts, through the aura she was emitting. It was dripping with fear and flooded over with paranoia. The girl was basically in shock, and her more basic instincts were kicking in, and they were telling her to get away, somewhere far away. So, he did the most rational thing he thought he could do. He pulled out a pen and a business card and wrote his address and cell number on the back.

" If you decide that you need help, when you calm down and you can actually think. If you decide that you need help, just give me a call or show up, i'll stay home for the next 24 hours, but I have other things I need to do as well, so I'll give till this time tomorrow night. "

He didn't try to come off to bossy, or demanding. He made it more of a suggestion, so that she knew that she had a choice to just walk away and do things as she saw fit. He then tipped his head and offered her a few dollars.

" You'll need bus fair and some money for a hotel, i'm sure you can find one in the directory pages of a phone book somewhere around here. There should be a phone booth on one of these corners. Go clean up and relaxe, let yourself calm down so you can think rationally. And, if you decide you will take my help, give me a call and I can come get you... " He took a slight pause to look around and make sure things were starting to calm down.

" It should be pretty safe to leave now, i'm going to go, you just be safe. I know he was working for someone and they will probably still want they're ' money '. So just try and be safe about it, find a hotel thats out of town not anywhere near downtown, this is just one of the clubs he owns, and he has more in town so it won't be safe. " He said this kinda quickly, as if he needed to leave. After he told her this, he put the money in her hand and headed out of the alley. He had made plenty of money out of the lfie insurance claim him and his wife had gotten on the day of her marriage. So he didn't have to worry about anything when it came to helpin someone out, or not having to work for the rest of his life, but that was besides the point, he didn't care for the money.

He walked to his car, unlocked and started it before he even opened the door. After pulling out of the parking lot, he drove past the alley once to see if she was still there. But the police had a car parked there now, and he didn't see her standing with any of them, so he figured she must have already left, or was just leaving around the block. Either way, he hoped she would call sometime soon, he still wanted to draw out a few more people, and if she was with him. They would come for him.

He pulled around the block, speeding through an alley to get home. The only thing he wanted to do now was get a little bit below the radar and listen for any news. He had a few radio's set up around his house to monitor the police feed. If anything happened with a kidnapping or anything he would hear about it, but there was a good chance that if she got taken, he would never even know. He just hoped that a few of the friends he contacted were still around the area, maybe they had seen her passing by. He pulled out his phone, and began going through his contacts. He would know if anyone had seen her by the time he got home.
 
Suddenly she found herself with cash and a business card pressed into her hand, and the guy was gone. She had been so distracted by the thought of feeding that she scarcely even remembered what he said, but it didn't matter. The business card told her everything that she really needed to know, including his name. Todd. It was a harmless seeming name, and she found herself looking down the alley after him. He was already gone, and the cops at the other end were beginning to realize that somebody might be down here. So, she stuck everything in a hidden pocket of the dress and took off, desperate to not be found. Around the corner, at the back of the club, she found a payphone. Faintly recalling what he had said, she pulled out the phonebook and flipped through until she found a list of hotels. All she needed was something cheap, and her eyes scanned the names until she found one. It was located uptown, but in a neighborhood that was never popular. Chances were it'd be cheap and fairly empty.


With a plan in mind, she darted down a different alley and emerged on the street. People seemed to be everywhere even though it was quiet considering the hour. Immediately she felt anxious, but she knew that she should take a bus or she'd be walking for quite a while. Biting her lower lip to try and control herself, she edged over to a bus stop and watched the bus approaching. Without a word, she boarded and stuck a dollar in the little box, then slid into an empty seat. One guy at the back of the bus kept looking at her, and she felt as if she were being destroyed inside just by those looks. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and got off the bus early, walking the last blocks until she reached the hotel.


She had been right. It was cheap, definitely not five stars. Without even providing a name, she was given a room key. All she had paid for was an hour, just enough to get herself together. Once she was inside, she glanced around. An old television on a sagging entertainment center, a questionable looking bed, and a tiny bathroom. It might as well have been paradise after the hell she had gone through. She locked the door and padlock, then closed the curtains and went into the bathroom, locking that door as well. Carefully she undressed, going to great lengths to ensure that she didn't get anything like dirt or blood on the clothes. They were all she had, so she'd have to wear them again. She turned on the shower and let it run for a few minutes to warm up, then stepped in.


It was heaven. For several minutes she simply stood there, letting the scalding water wash over her. The feeling made her aware of the injuries she still carried, but she didn't care. This was bliss. How long had it been since she could wash away the disgusting mess? Too long to remember. Finally she snapped out of it and scrubbed her hair with the mini shampoo bottle provided, mildly surprised that this place even provided that luxury. The water in the bottom of the tub turned a nasty, murky brown for a while. Finally she rinsed the suds away and began scrubbing the rest of her body. She used an entire bar of soap until it was gone, and still she felt filthy. At least she appeared clean, though. The water was turning cold, so she shut it off and stepped out, drying herself quickly. She combed through her hair with her fingers, letting it air dry. It curled naturally but that couldn't be helped for now.


Once she had slipped back into the stolen clothes, she left the room and the motel behind. She kept thinking about the guy from earlier, and how he had been kind to her. He probably had motives, but it had still been the first show of generosity that she had in months. She wandered the streets aimlessly until she finally pulled out his business card. Maybe she should find him.. No, that was stupid, he'd just use her somehow. He already admitted to using her once, didn't he? Frowning, she crumpled up the card and threw it in a trash can, then kept walking. Maybe she should just leave town and find someplace new. That idea wasn't half bad, she decided. Maybe she could fend for herself.


After a few blocks, she noticed a car seemed to be following her. When she turned to look, it would always pass or turn, but then it seemed to appear again almost instantly. She wasn't sure if she was being paranoid or not, but the third time that it happened, she was trembling. Ducking down an alley and cutting across to a different street, she turned her steps to lead her back downtown. More people meant she could blend in easier, she decided. The car appeared again, this time slowing and parking a few yards behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw two men step out, dressed in suits and both looking at her. Without further thought, she bolted and turned down a different alleyway. She cut through an abandoned office building, racing up the stairs until she reached the roof. Now she was starting to wish that she had called Todd instead of trying to survive on her own, but there was no time for that. She ducked down behind a tarp and waited, simply listening for footsteps.
 
Todd reached his building, he was walking along towards towards the top of the parking garage, he came here to think all the time, he needed to plan his next move. His bright silver hair was blowing in the wind, and he could feel the calming sensation of the strands scraping against his forehead softly. Suddenly he heard alot of commotion, he looked over, and saw the same exact girl running across a roof. Then she suddenly hunched down behind a big tarp, and two well dressed men scurried onto the roof after her. Suddenly they both stopped, spoke for a moment, and split up, the one on the left would reach her first, and the one on the right would try and catch her when she ran. It was a ridiculous ploy, but against such a scared girl, it was bound to succeed.

He hurried and ran to the edge, he saw there was only around fifteen feet inbetween him and the next building. He backed up a few feet and leaped. It seemed as if it took no effort, and he landed as elegantly as he had jumped. Hurried across, he could see there was only two more buildings between him and the girl, so he woud have to be quick. He quickly closed the gap to the next building, and he didn't lose stride. Without losing a beat he cleared the next building easily and landed not fifteen feet from one of the men, and he had no idea of his presence.

Todd quickly moved in, quickly taking out the mans spine. A simple grab and twist was all that it needed, but in just the right spot, and the man was a crumpled heap of flesh and bone. He then rushed to the girl, if he could get between him and the girl before he knew he was even there, he would have a huge advantage. He quickly moved to her side and hushed her, he looked out over and strode around to her other side, as soon as the man turned the corner and saw her. Todd had already grabbed ahold of him, and quickliy dispatched the man over the side of the roof. He couldn't scream as he fell either, Todd had crushed his windpipe as he threw the man, so that no one would hear anything, except for the blood curdling smack at the bottom.

He sighed softly, taking a deep breathe to calm his nerve, he turned to find the girl, she was still in the exact spot that she had hidden. He had figured as much, the scene that happened seconds before was quicker than the blink of an eye. The man was gone within a matter of milli-seconds. Ofcourse Todd was used to this type of speed, he had used it many times to save his own life, and the lives of his team back in his glory days. But, ofcourse the girl wasn't used to such speed and ability, she seemed a bit shocked, but maybe that was simply because of what had just transpired, the fact that people were still after her.

" So are you ready to take up my offer now? If I hadn't lived down the street, then I wouldn't have been able to save you as I just did, and you would be at the mercy of someone much worse than the man that had kept you locked up.... " He follwed these words with a slight pause, trying to let her get a chance to catch her breathe and truly grasp the concept of what he just said. There was a whole company of men who were pretty upset about the death of that man, the police were even talking about it over they're private channels.

He was hoping she would accept his offer, because if she didn't he would have to follow her around and dispatch the men one by one as they came for her, and if he could atleast get a little information from her, anything. He might be able to take them out in one fowl swoop. Which he hoped to do, he would have to get ahold of a few more friends ofcourse, which he would probably do anyway. But, that was the least of his worries, he still had to hope that she would take his protection. He didn't even remember to mention that she would have a whole loft to herself, the building he owned had 9 full studio apartments within it, and the top three were his. He smirked softly to himself, thinking about how long it had been since she had probably even had a bed of her own.
 
It took a few moments, but she did eventually hear footsteps getting closer to where she was. She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to come up with a plan. There were two of them and only one of her, but she was a vampire. That should give her an advantage, right? But what if they weren't human? She had no idea if they were or not, and chances were that if they were chasing her, they already knew exactly who and what she was. So a flat-out attack was out of the question. The only option she had was to run. Nodding to herself, she opened her eyes and heard the steps approaching on the left side. Peeking around that side hesitantly to be certain she was hearing correctly, she blinked several times upon seeing a man laying on the ground as if dead. Confused beyond belief, she turned back around and almost cried out when there was a figure right in front of her. At the last moment she caught herself, realizing it was Todd. How had he found her again? Did he kill that man?


As he vanished from her sight again, she stood up and watched him hurl the other man over the side of the building. The lack of a scream surprised her, but the thud seemed to echo. She flinched and peeked over the edge, unable to help herself. All she wanted was to see for herself that he was dead, but there was no mistaking what that growing bloodstain on the concrete was. Amazed, she turned and faced Todd, listening as he started speaking to her. His offer was apparently still valid, and now she could think of no reason to not take it.


"Yes, p-please.." she stuttered slowly, starting to get a better grasp on speaking in normal tones. Her anxiety and stress had her tensed more than a wound spring, which likely accounted for the nervous stutter. Hopefully that would fade with time, but she didn't give that much thought. She reached in her pocket and drew out the money that he had given her, what was left over. There was still quite a bit considering how little she had used, and she offered it back to him silently. Not once did her gaze meet his since she kept it slightly looking down out of habit. That was one lesson that had been beaten into her, one of the first.


Once he took it (or refused it), she lowered her hand and stepped back slightly, fidgeting again with the hem of her dress. What was going to happen now that she had accepted his offer? Would he really protect her like he just had, or was that just a show to get her to trust him? That would really break her heart, she realized. It could just be something to destroy her mentally, what small part of her that still remained functioning after everything else. She tried not to think about it too much, tried to believe that he really meant it. For now, that was impossible, but at least she was trying.



thm_phptGwqpZ.jpg [Just realized that I never added her picture and thought you might like a reference ^^;]
 
Todd smiled softly at her words, the first smile that he could enjoy in a long time. Now that he had met his goal, he could actually do some good for someone to start to atone for what was yet to come. His smile still stood solid as he took the money from her, not because he needed it, but because it would probably make her feel a little better. He turned then, only looking back once to tell her to follow him. He led her back down to the street, not even glancing at the man in the middle of the street as they passed him. From here his building was only a couple blocks down. He looked up a bit, and was quite suprised at how much distance he covered in such a short time. He congratulated himself in his mind and kept on with the walk.

He then began to put his attention on her. He could easily tell how scared she was, not once had she met his eyes. Probably trauma or the simple fact of what she had to go through was the cause of that. The other thing was that she always seemed to stay behind him, as if she still didn't trust him and kept a good keen eye one him at all times. Which was perfectly fine with him, the more relaxed he acted around her, the more she would relaxe around him, over time ofcourse. He didn't want to have to manipulate her emotions, he wanted her to grow to trust him normally, or she still wouldn't ever be able to trust anyone else. If she didn't learn, than she wouldn't be able to achieve a normal life, and thats why he was there. Or so he hoped.

As they entered the building, he led her over towards a service elevator, that acted as the main. He took her up to the eighth floor and stopped. As they exited, they wakled down a small hallway, soft ambient lights kept it at a relaxing level, but still bright enough to see your way. The only door in the hallway was about 20 past the entrance/exit to the elevator, and a nice sized chain door gaurded this flat. It was one of his personal guests flats, but they ofcourse were on vacation as always, they simply used it whenever they were in town.

He lifted the lock, pulled a keychain from his pocket, and proceeded to undo the lock. After he did, he placed the keys and lock in his pocket and slid the door to the side, where it swung a bit slowly around before finally settling in the grooves of the rail. He then led her to the room, opened it, and intoduced her to her knew home.

The walkway was four feet across and the ceilings were nine feet high. After the walkway, to the left was a kitchen, and to the right a nice inlaid living room. A small step down was the border for this room, and in the corner of the whole area was a small eating area, or dining room as the more suburban race liked to call it. The two bedroom stood across from eachother through a small hallway on the adjacent side of the dining room, or straight across, There was a bathroom in each, and a walk in closet. One room was acustom to a womans preference, and the other to a man, both closets were also stocked with clothes for all occasions. He showed her around, showed her the fridge and pantry were full, and there was also a spending card on the fridge if she needed anything. He had called in advance to make sure everything was ok for her to stay.

He then handed her a set of keys for the front door and her flats floor. Along with the padlock and key for it incase she wanted to close the chain door. He then showed her all the windows, which had 2 inch tempered steel bars surrounding them, but could be opened from the inside for fresh air. He then handed her a card with the security code for her flat, he continued to explain to her that it was from a private company and that every flat had it's own private system, there was also a 24 hour two man security team in a secret room at the entrance. No one got in or out without them knowing.

The place was perfectly safe, he made it this way, for his " business ". His clients needed protection and that was what he offered. Extensive training for top notch government faces across the world were normally who he dealt with, but then ofcourse there was also the underbelly of it all, and he had his fair share of the lowest scum of the earth. But, he prided himself in his skills, and he knew they were honed to near perfection. His ofcourse "advantages" helped him out greatly for recruitment, but that was a thing of the past.

He stood around for a moment, letting her take everything in. He didn't want to make an exit right away. He wanted to make sure this was a place where she could relaxe, and start thinking about what she wanted to do with her life, and how she wanted to do it. He knew she would need help, and he knew she wouldn't even talk to anyone but him right now. So he simply stood back, letting her poke and prod around the place, she was probably paranoid about hidden cameras and what not. Thats when he suddenly spoke up once more.

" Also, there is a panic room and a emergency beacon that will alert my staff instantly if anything was to go wrong, I shall show you where it is, and where the other hidden switches there are around the house. " After saying that, he proceeded to show her the panic room behind the shower in the woman's bathroom, and the switches that were cleverly hidden in every room.

" As you can see, this is my specialty, and I gaurantee you I am very good at what I do. But, im sure you have questions on my intentions, and I promise you I will be 100% honest with you and answer every question to the best of my ability. I need you to trust me, and you will know why if you only ask. I don't know if you'll agree with what I have to say, but I promise again that you will not be harmed anymore in any way. I swear my life on it.... " His demeanor suddenly got a bit more serious, his aura darkened a bit at the thought of those men hurting someone else, someone that he was beginning to care about. Not based on phsyical appearance or emotional attachment, but out of sympathy and pity for this girl, who was as beautiful as she was, and she was never able to experience the life that she deserved. At that very moment, he promised himself that he would do anything in his power to make sure she lived that life, whatever it took.
 
She was glad that he took the money back, not wanting to seem greedy or ungrateful by keeping it when she no longer needed it. In the back of her mind, she still feared punishment for everything, but that didn't seem to be his motivation. She nodded slightly and followed him back down the stairs that she had fled up to get to the roof, and she realized it seemed farther on the way back down. Had she really been so panicked that she didn't notice the distance? Evidently. Once they reached the street, she trailed after Todd, her eyes everywhere at once. She saw the people arguing across the street about something that was broken, watching them for a few moments before her gaze darted to the car approaching down the street. A mere second later she was taking in the clouds over head, the broken window closest to her, the sounds of a child laughing in a nearby building. Every so often she did watch Todd, to make sure that she was still following him and that he wasn't doing anything strange. She didn't dare to get very close to him, but she was close enough that it would be obvious she was with him. It was like a war in her mind - she didn't want to get within hitting distance, but she didn't dare to get so far away that she would lose him.


The building that they turned into seemed to blend in with the others, at least that's what she decided in the split second that she examined it before stepping inside. She looked all around as she followed Todd over to an elevator. Hesitating only a second, she stepped inside and backed into a corner, watching him out of the corner of her eye anxiously as the elevator rose. Small spaces made her nervous, but she was more concerned about being forced so close to him. He made no advance, however, and soon he stepped out the door. She blinked a few times in confused surprise and continued to follow him, this time down a hallway. The lighting was nice, and she could only see one door. Was that normal? She didn't think so, but she voiced no opinions as she paused and watched him unlocking the door. Her gaze followed the door with interest as it slid to the side, locking on the device for longer than she usually watched something. It fascinated her, and she moved slowly past it as he walked inside.


She looked all around the flat as he gave her a tour, her eyes wide as she noticed how nice it was. Everything seemed shiny and new, and the beds actually looked soft. The only bars were on the windows, and there were no cages. Some of the floors even had carpets, soft ones that made her just want to lay on them and take a nap. She was stunned by the amount of food, but perhaps that was just because she was unused to eating now. Everything was too beautiful to describe, and the shocked girl would have been speechless even if she had been feeling chatty.


It wasn't until he handed her a set of keys that she realized this place was meant to be hers. Nobody else lived here? She took the card with the code on it as well, looking down at it curiously before trailing after him to peek in the panic room. The amount of security in this one flat was amazing, but she still couldn't get over the fact that he was just handing it to her. What was the catch? Was she his toy now? She didn't dare to ask, even when he gave her the opportunity to ask anything that she wanted. All he said he wanted was trust, and to protect her. Was he serious? She wanted to believe him, she really did. For a few moments she was still silent, wondering if she really did want to know why her trust was so important to him.


"I don't.. understand.." she finally said, uncertain about everything. "I c-can't pay you," she added, though she figured that was probably obvious since he had given her money earlier. Was this the part where she found out the price of living in such luxury? She looked down at the keys in her hand, her eyes filling with confused tears as she just tried to take it all in.
 
He took her words in just fine, he expected the curiosity, but when he saw the tears all he wanted to do was comfort her. But, he remember that he needed to keep his composure, this girl would probably freak out and attack him at the slightest hint of contact. So, he decided to calmly explain to her his true intent.

" You see, this whole entire place is my business. I keep this place tidy, with all the food, and top notch security so that people who are being chased will have a place to stay, and not have to worry about any of the every day life threat that we all face at some point in time. Whatever that threat is, people come to me for protection from it. And i'm going to be perfectly honest with you, I feel I owe you this at the least, for what you had to go through. You had no idea that I could of taken you out of that place no problem, but I needed him to come after you. They would have sent an army of there men if someone would have just snatched you up and out of there as quick as I would have. I needed you to do that on your own. And for that I couldn't apologize more, but that just proves how strong you still are, you didn't give up on life and turn into a slave, you fought. And that tells me that you can still live a normal life, and my wife would have wanted it for you just as much as I do. This was all for her, and I still have to live my life by the values and morals that she taught me. So please, trust my words when I say you can walk out that door right now if you wish, or whenever you believe your ready to go out on your own, and I know there is no more harm that would come to you... "

His words couldn't of held more emotion and demand of himself. He spilled everything to this girl, and he didn't even know her name. The only other person he had ever talked to like that in his life had been his darling wife. The only thing that was keeping him going right now was this girl, she wsa giving him meaning and purpose, and someone he felt at peace when he knew she was safe. Perhaps this was some way of communication through this small girl, perhaps his wife knew that she was taken to soon, and she was helping him do what he loved, and leading him in this direction. It sounded crazy but it was a structure for him to stand up on, to help him move on with his life, and help this girl get her own back.

He sighed softly and leaned against the wall, emotion was flooding through him like never before, and he actually shuddered a bit as he took in a breathe. He walked over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water from the chiller drawer. He took a nice swig from it and regained his composure once more.

" Just remember, this is all you. You call the shots in the end, your my client, volunteered ofcourse, without any type of payment. You owe me nothing out of this, that's one thing I want you to understand. Not even when all of this is done and over with will I ever approach you with the intent of payment. " He couldn't contain how bad he wanted her to realize this, this was the one thing he needed her to understand. This was going to help him just as much as it was going to help her. Like he thought earlier, this was going to help him amend for what was to come. The horrible slaughter that was to come.

After he finally regained his composure and approached her once more, he asked her if she needed anything at all, and then he showed her a small intercom on the wall.

" If you need anything through-out the night, you just hit nine on the intercom and call up to me ok? I don't sleep much so i'll probably be up there keeping myself buisy so i'm not going insane. " He let out this little bit of information to try and help her relaxe, perhaps if she knew how stressed he was right now, it might make her feel a bit more normal about the whole situation.
 
Fighting back the tears that filled her eyes, she managed to stop them after only three escaped. They traced sparkling lines down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped away the moisture and started paying attention to what he was saying. She looked up at him, focusing on his chest area since she still didn't dare meet his gaze. As he explained his business and went on to explain how she had to break free on her own, she realized something. She understood. True, she wasn't happy about having to suffer and figure things out on her own.. But she understood his reasoning for it. It was the first time that she could really say that she had full understanding of something, for as long as she could even remember. She said nothing as he spoke of his wife, but it was obvious that he missed her very much. The woman must have been very special, to inspire him to live his life this way. His offer for her to leave was unexpected but appreciated, though she didn't know how to voice that.


"I.." she began, pausing uncertainly as he got a drink of water. How did she phrase what she wanted to say? It seemed so hard, just to carry on a conversation. She kept her silence when he spoke once more, her eyes widening slightly as he said he wanted no payment. None? No money, no favors, no ownership? He didn't even ask for her to visit him in bed every night or show herself off to him. There were no demands for anything.. at all? "T-Thank you.." she whispered, her stunned voice barely making a sound as she tried to truly grasp what he was saying. He was helping her for free.


She flinched slightly when he approached her again, but she didn't move away. He kept his distance, which she was inwardly thankful for. It was yet another surprise when he told her how she could contact him, and she found herself getting anxious at the thought of him leaving. She had never had so much space to herself before, what if somebody came in? Wait, nobody could. It was odd, but she was actually starting to feel.. safe? She felt herself relax a tiny fraction and she blinked, nodding a little as he spoke. It was the most response she had given so far while he was speaking, and it felt good.


"I have a question.." she said quietly, fidgeting again as she tried not to feel completely terrified at speaking up without beaing asked. "Is there.. uh.. only h-human food in the fridge?" she asked, uncertain how to really phrase her question properly since she wasn't sure what was considered offensive. She hadn't taken a really solid look when he was showing her around since the sheer amount of food had stunned her, and she was craving blood badly. Even now she had to focus to not let his heartbeat get the best of her.
 
He instantly noticed her relaxation, and it comforted him greatly. Also, she didn't suddenly rush past him and down the elevator. He was so grateful for the relaxation though, it sent a small wave of warmth through his body, and he recognized it as true happiness. He was actually enjoying someones company, instead of spying on some goon, and hanging from his every word searching for some hidden meaning or piece of information. He had totally forgotten what it was like to be in the presence of someone that you actually wanted to live, and he suddenly realized how scary the thought of the whole thing was. What he had actually become accustomed to over a a short six months. He let himself relaxe a bit more and suddenly was a bit suprised by her words. He had totally forgotten what species she hailed from.

He was a bit taken back with confusion at the current situation but then remembered his cousin, he was of the same type. Being adopted ofcourse, he was the only one in the family who wasn't from a Neko origin. Todd ofcourse was known as the strongest and most skilled in the family, but ofcourse with his line of work, it was expected of him, he was the gaurdian of the name after all. He flipped out his phone and rose a finger, showing it would only take a few moments.

" Yeah its me bud, how you been? " Todd answered cheerfully, his cousin was a close friend and family memeber.

" Well I kinda need a favor, I have a client thats in need of a special order. " He chuckled a bit at his words as his cousin's smart ass remarks brought a bit of warmth to his demeanor.

" Well I really don't know what she would prefer, you might be able to ask her.. " After Todd said this, he put his hand over the the phone. " Would you like any certain blood type? It will come warm, and there's no blood shed involved. I can't really take you out to get some of your own, I won't risk something like that. So I apologize, but this is the only option. ", he tried to sound as sympathetic as possible, but he was true to his word. It was way to dangerous to go outside right now, someone is going to notice that those two men didn't return, and he didn't want to be anywhere near crowds whenever they decided to start searching.
 
She watched him take out a phone, listening in curious silence as he spoke to somebody else. At first she didn't know why he was making a call, but then she realized it was because of her question. When he asked her for a blood type, she just blinked. It had been a long time since she even had a choice like that, and she shook her head a little.


"Any," she said simply, trying to ignore the pains of starvation that were starting to come back as she stood there. Other than the girl that she had killed in the club, she hadn't had anything in her system for so long that she had been dying from it. That was probably His intent, to kill her by cutting off her food supply. Then again, that would destroy his precious little toy, so maybe not. It was all part of being tortured, of Him having that ultimate control over her. Now she had somebody who was answering all of her needs without even questioning her, other than to ask her preference. The difference was startling, but in a good way. Maybe in time she could actually get used to this, but it was going to take a while.


She tried not to let her mind wander at that moment, but it started to anyway. Her thoughts traveled back to the last time when somebody cared about her wellbeing like Todd was doing. That had been right before she was captured. All they had been doing was feeding from a couple of thugs that were trying to mug some girl, was that so wrong? She had never expected them to be surrounded, or for her lover to be staked right in front of her. It had been His intent all along, she had long since discovered. He just wanted her, had been stalking her for who knows how long. She pushed those thoughts away forcefully, refusing to cry again when she was supposed to be 'strong'. Todd had said that after all, hadn't he? That she was strong? Even if she didn't believe it, she liked to think it might be true.

[So short D: Sorry!]
 
[Don't even worry about it, it's 3:30 in the morning lol.]

Todd smiled softly and put the phone back up to his ear, he could see her mind wandering while he ordered six pints, he told his cousin of anything, whatever he thought was the best. After hanging up the phone, he told her he would be up in about five minutes, he was only a couple floors down in his own sweet. He was a part of Todd's " team " for years. But, now he was retired and enjoying the luxury that his cousin offered him. Brian had been with Todd through-out his whole life, they were simply friends, and the only real family he had left. Everyone else had scattered whenever Todd lost his wife, no one really stayed. Ofcourse the ones he didn't know, who were only after the money. He kicked them out long ago, and started up his team once more, now Brian helped from home, but never on the field.

Todd wandered back over to the fridge to show her the extra chiller behind the first one. It simply slid out from behind it and moved a bit left, then it was easy to pull it to the front. There were two neat racks that the blood would sit, so that it would be able to chill and stay fresh for probably about a month. He told her that there was a formidable supply, he never asked, but some how his cousin was always stocked with the finest that the world had to offer. He went on to tell her that he would sneak a treat for himself every once in a while, but his metabolism and body could pull a sufficient amount of energy from regular human food.

After he said that, there was a knock on the door, and he walked over and introduced his cousin to the girl, he had no idea, but he could atleast tell her his name. He did a slight bow of his head and continued back to his room, he was quick about everything, never really liking to leave his room because he never really needed to. He then brought a nice sized styrofoam case over to the kitchen counter, and opened it. After opening it he placed the bags in one at a time and then close the case back up. He hitched it up under his arm and began to walk back towards the door. He turned around once more before he left, he had almost completely forgot about the weapons. There were four bookshelves around the main area and two in each room. There was a pistol behind the bright red book on the second shelf in every bookshelf, and he made sure that she knew that.

" So, if you don't need anything else, I'll take my leave. But, if you need anything let me know now, or later when you need it. ", he said this in a cheery voice. He felt a bit more comfortable around her, and he let a bit of his warmer side show, hoping that she would see that he was a bit more comforted by the fact that she was staying here, and that he wasn't excited about anything that she wouldn't have known about.
 
[Hey, we're in the same timezone! Woo! xD]


She trailed after him to the fridge and watched as he pulled out a compartment that she hadn't noticed before, one that sat back out of sight. It was a nice addition for when one didn't want to advertise their diet, though she doubted that she would ever have a visitor here other than Todd. She looked up at the knock, flinching instinctively and falling back a step even though she had expected the person to show up. Still, she forced herself to follow Todd, managing a slight nod of greeting. She simply couldn't make herself say a single word to him. Todd was the only one that she had really talked to other than to scream or beg, and she had no desire to change that.


Watching as Todd set the case down and opened it, her gaze followed the blood bags and she managed to relax a little more. She wasn't going to starve. It was such a huge relief, but she barely showed it. She didn't really move until he went to leave, which was when she looked toward him again and listened as he described where she could find weapons. Hopefully she wouldn't need them, but she was thankful that he told her anyway.


"I don't n-need anything else. Thank you," she said softly, fidgeting slightly with the hem of her dress until he left.


Suddenly she was alone in this huge space, and she realized that she didn't know what to do with herself. She didn't have anybody giving her orders, and nobody was watching her. Even when she looked all around carefully, she didn't see any cameras or hidden dangers. After several minutes, she edged over to the fridge and pulled out one of the blood bags, unfastening the little cover and taking a drink. Oh god, that was delicious. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to relax a little and carried the bag around with her as she wandered the flat. This place was truly hers, she might as well get used to what it was like. She sipped at the blood until the bag was about half gone, her shrunken stomach demanding that she stop or else she would be sick. Recapping it, she put it back in the fridge and closed it.


Finally she went in to the bedroom designed more with females in mind and pulled back the covers. The bed looked so comfortable that for a few minutes, she didn't even dare to get in it. Finally she slid out of her shoes and sat on the edge of the mattress. It was so wonderful that she found herself wiggling in under the blankets and laying down on the pillow. Everything was so soft! So luxurious! She actually gasped with delight and snuggled deep into the bed. Sure, it might be a trap, and Todd could come in at any second. But for now, she was warm. She felt more safe than she had in an incredibly long time. Her exhausted body simply couldn't take it anymore, and she passed out into a deep sleep less than five minutes after she had climbed in bed.
 
[Well atleast it will be a bit easier to know when we're on]

As Todd left, he felt a small wave of relief wash over him. He could finally relaxe. As he walked he slipped his other hand in his pocket and pulled out his phone to check the time. Not like it mattered, it was simply out of habit. It was almost 5 in the morning, and he could definetely use a nap. As he went to pull the elevator door down, he looked at the chain door and wondered if he should have shut it, then he remembered that he no longer owned the padlock and chuckled softly at himself. He continued to close the door, and pressed the button with his floor number engraved into the old style button. As he listened to the gears, he concentrated on the aura's through-out the building. Looking for any signs of tension, but everything was quiet, and his mind was put to rest. He yawned softly and stretched as he walked to his room. Then he suddenly noticed that his door was undone and hanging open. Along with the chain door, it was swept to the side, and the lock looked as if it was tangled into a knot, with ease at that.

His body instently tensed, and everything was on high alert, but only mentally. He didn't dare let himself be known to anyone who might be waiting inside. Suddenly his mind was flooded with situations, and he went through each one diligently as he edged towards his room. Why didn't he sense anyone here whenever he scanned the building? His sense's were at they're peek, which only meant one thing. Someone from his family was here, and he didn't like that at all. There was horribly bad blood through-out his clan now. Ever since he had his little moment of weakness during the reading of the will.

As he made his way through the doorway, he instantly noticed the woman who sat upon his couch. She was softly twirling a bit of wine in a glass, cooing at it as she watched the liquid twirl around the fine imported glass. A small growl emitted from his chest as he approached. His dear aunt Lillith. She had hated him ever since he was a teenager and completed through to his manhood. She resented him for his power, for she knew she would lose to him in a battle of strength and prowess, but he knew she also had her advantages, and she used them deviously.

He instantly tried to search her aura for a sign of intent, but found nothing. It was impossible for one family memeber to read anothers aura, but he still tried. Sometimes he could see glimmers of emotion, but nothing more. So he relaxed a bit, no need to be tense in a blind situation. He sighed softly and shook his head, there was no reason for her to be here, but she would stop in like this and normally just annoy the hell out of him. For she was not a true threat, neither of them could kill eachother so there was no reason for a confrontation. He walked to his fridge, and removed his dress coat, which had stayed spotless through out the nights endeavor, amazingly.

" So whats the occasion. Something special? Or just the normal rantings... ", he knew she would complain the whole entire time. She would rant about how he was horribly irresponsible, how he should have gotten the rest of the families opinion before jumping into the whole " protection " business. She never shut up, and he would have to deal with it until she decided that her time was short and that she had something better to do. He took another glass from the small shelf
and then reached down and grabbed a bottle of red wine, he poured himself a glass and grabbed the tv remote from the counter. He turned on the news, flippe through a few channels and settled on the local news network. Nothing better to do, he needed some kind of distraction from this annoying woman.

But, there were no rants, no words, and no complaints. Which confused him, so he turned to her, finally saying something with a bit of seriousness behind it.

" Whats wrong.. " He said softly, as if he meant it. Which he did, but his curiosity was getting the best of him, and he still had no idea what her true reasoning was for such a late visit.

" They found us.... We have to leave... There's no staying this time, and trying to hide. They know exactly where we are. I don't know how and I don't know why, but they've already gotten your uncle. I buried him two weeks ago, and I've been running ever since. I had no other choice but to come here. I knew that you couldn't turn you away. I know we haven't had the best past. But I have to be honest, I feel safer here with you as my nephew, then with some of the other family members. We may have had alot of bad times with eachother, but atleast I know you. For who you really are, you don't have any secret agenda's like the rest of us. Your the only honest person in the family, that I can actually trust... " She was almost crying as she finished this last statement, and Todd was actually shocked by her words.

They were back to reclaim the debt that his family had owed for generations, and this wasn't the first time. The family was lucky to still be around after the last contact that had with these...things...

He quickly got his aunt into a room in the basement. No one needed to know she was there, except for the security and they're cousin. After she was settled Todd made a phone call to the rest of his team and put them all on high alert. He knew for a fact no one knew this location, he had forged every piece of paper with a different address, according to the phsyical evidence, this place was abandoned, and it looked just that on the outside. Only a few people knew what this place was, and he made precautions just for this. According to the " things " they thought this residence was in the state of Washington, when they were truly in japan.

Todd let the situation was away from his thoughts. He had spent years secretly devising up detours for these thugs to follow before they actually reached him. He had every precaution in place to let him know exactly where they were and and how fast they were moving. He still had a few tricks up his sleeve that he hadn't really had in the main plans, but he looked at them as secrets. Secrets that would one day save his life, and maybe some others if he was lucky enough.

He then let his mind drift back to that girl. She was almost directly beneath him, for he could feel the warmth of her aura underneath him, warming him, calming him. Her aura was amazingly strong, and he could almost see who she truly was underneath all the darkness of her past life. He knew one day he would see that person, and not through her aura, but hopefully with his own eyes.

With that thought, he drifted off to sleep, head hung back, remote still in hand. And a soft smile across his face.
 
[True, but I'm on sporadically at all hours.. Like now! ^^;]




Several hours after she had passed out, Girl woke up in a tangled heap of blankets and sheets. Her nightmares had gotten so bad that at some point, she had tumbled to the floor. Fortunately - or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at things - the fall hadn't disturbed her slumber. She had to literally fight her way free of the blankets when she finally did wake up, though, her slender form wiggling out and falling over when she tripped over the pillow. That was something she had always hated. Despite how lovely and graceful vampires were supposed to be, she had always been on the clumsy side. Straightening up with a faint frown at herself, she realized that she had gone to bed in the clothes she stole from the club girl the night before.


Her gaze wandered around before settling on the closet. She edged over to it and pulled the door open, stunned all over again at the amount of clothing. Taking her time, she picked out a pair of jeans in her size and a shirt that looked a little big, but it was a pretty shade of purple. Next she hunted down a pair of socks, but didn't bother with shoes. She had no intentions of leaving this place. Taking the clothes to the bathroom, she shut the door and locked it behind her, the thrill of even being able to lock a door still flowing through her.


She was in the shower for at least an hour, scrubbing herself thoroughly and spending a long time just standing there and relaxing the tension out of her muscles with water hot enough to burn. Finally she got out, feeling like she might actually be clean. She felt better, almost as if she were relaxing. It wasn't something she was used to. Shrugging it off, she tugged on the undergarments she had found, then pulled on the rest of the clothes. The jeans fit like a glove, and the shirt was baggy as expected. It hung off one shoulder, but she didn't mind that. Her hair refused to cooperate, so she pulled it up in a messy bun of curls and held it there with a hair elastic that she found in the bathroom cupboard.


As she left the bathroom, she still found it hard to believe that this whole place was hers for the time being. She wandered over to the fridge and pulled out the blood bag that she had started on last night, uncapping it and sipping at it nervously. Having a steady supply of food was going to take some getting used to, too. She went over to the window and pulled a chair up in front of it, kneeling on the cushion as she watched the traffic go by. The window she had chosen was in the shade, enabling her to remain somewhat relaxed. It wasn't that the sun burned her like the old myths said, but it did make her really uncomfortable and gave her a rash. Yuck. So, she simply avoided it.