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Becka moved
through the night quietly. She needed to feed tonight, her last meal being two
days ago. She gave a quiet sigh as she moved like a ghost through San Francisco’s streets.
She was headed to the Wharf District, a place she knew she could find all the
feeding she would need. The Wharf District was well known for sailors from all
over looking to enjoy their shore leave, prostitutes to accommodate those
sailors, homeless people down on their luck, and runaways, still not entirely
certain of where they were headed.
As she walked along, she thought of all the things happening lately among the Vampire Kind. She gave her head a rueful shake. For those wanting to emerge and tell the world at large they are here and always have been, they sure were going about it the wrong way. She, personally, didn’t care either way. She could survive. Granted, the Hunters would finally have proof and could make life difficult, but it wasn’t like they didn’t already without the proof.
Shortly she arrived at Wharf District and started prowling for likely food candidates. It didn’t take her long to find several possibilities. Finally, she narrowed onto one, and started her stalking. She posed as one of the runaway waifs to an obvious pimp. It wasn’t long before he was leading her back to his place, thinking he’d just scored himself another prostitute.
Once there, he started fondling and kissing on her, as he did with all his workers to test run them before putting them out on the street. After putting up with that long enough for him to drop any guard he might have, she struck. Her canines sunk into his neck with an ease, and the warm blood gushed into her mouth. She drank him dry, his type she had no qualms about killing. When she finished, she licked the holes causing them to disappear. She then left.
*~*~*
Ryder had just gotten off work and was just wandering San Francisco, which was daunting in itself. She really had no destination in mind. Her thoughts were busy with how to prove that Vampires existed. She subscribed to just about every paranormal newspaper, magazine, and rag she could find a subscription too. The articles of late were fueling her to try to find one of her own as proof.
She just puttered through streets as she was deep in thought, instead of her normal high speeds on her bike. Finally she came back to her senses as she nearly hit someone crossing the street. Managing to just avoid them, she brought the bike to a stop and pulled off her helmet. “I am so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
Len had been walking aimlessly until he saw Ryder. She was beautiful in his eyes and it stirred a desire within him for her blood. He had fed the day before, but something about this one made him need to feed again. He watched her carefully waiting for the right moment. He decided that the easiest way was to just reveal himself and take her since there was no one else traveling these alley ways. He stepped into her path making it look like he hadn't noticed her. He expected her to stop but she nearly ran into him before she noticed him there. His face showed that he was unphased by this.
"Do you tend to run over pedestrians often in an untraveled alley? Or is it too dark already for you to see me. I am wearing all black." He joked with a slight smile.
Ryder blinked at the guy’s unphased attitude. Course now she realized it was a guy she’d nearly ran over. Least it hadn’t been a child; she probably would have been a real wreck at her carelessness. She gave a chuckle at his joke, and suddenly strangled it, it sounded painful. “I’m sorry. Really there’s nothing funny about this. I almost run you over all because my mind is elsewhere trying to figure out a problem.” She gave a shake of her head in disgust at herself. “I know better too.” She sighs and looks away.
Finally she looks back at him and really looks him over. He was cute in a gothic sort of way. Not that she had anything against Goths, except maybe they could get a bit depressing. In all seriousness she finally answered his questions. “No, I don’t normally run over poor foot traffic as a hobby. Fortunately I wasn’t going anywhere near the speeds I normally do, or I might have actually hit you.”
She looked up at the sky. While dark, San Francisco was aglow as usual. She looks back at him again. “Dark clothes or not, it’s hard to miss one with a city constantly lit up… generally… if I’m paying attention, at any rate.” She sighed again and dropped her gaze to the ground, then looked back up at him quickly. “Look, to make up in some small way, can I give you a ride somewhere?”
Len, paused at her offer. People normally would have just apologized and moved on. This intrigued him. Maybe he would just play around with this one for awhile. He didn't have anything better to do for the night. He stepped closer to her and kept his eyes on her.
"You don't even know my name? And I don't know yours, yet you offer me a ride nonetheless. My name is Len, and I'm afraid I live a little ways outside the city, maybe farther than you are willing to go. I'm not one for much....unwanted company surrounding me all the time, if you know what I mean. And that is all I would have if I...lived in the city."
Ryder ducked her head at his chiding of her manners. “I’m sorry that was rude of me wasn’t it. Not only do I nearly run you over, but I seem to have forgotten my manners as well. Good thing my mother isn’t around, or she’d knock me upside my head for the lapse.” She raises her head and looks up, she’s a bit startled to find him so close. “My name’s Ryder. No, no last name, with mom gone…” Her voice trails off and she looks away for a brief moment.
She’d caught his hesitation while he talked and gave him a wry smile. “Yeah, the city can get a bit crowded, can’t it.” She gives a shrug. “Distance doesn’t matter, especially with a bike.” She grins fully and truly for the first time. “Besides I can go fast on roads out of Frisco and not worry about too many other vehicles, people, or more deadly, corners.”
She turns away from him and moves over to her bike. Somewhat satisfied at any rate that he’s not damaged from her blunder. She pauses by the bike and looks over at him while she holds her helmet. “So you want a lift or not? You won’t hurt my feelings if you say no.” She grins at him again. "I'll completely understand if you don't care to trust one who'd just nearly ran you down after all."
He snorted softly at her comment about him not trusting her when it should have been the other way around. He contemplated her offer again for a moment and decided that if he did go through with taking her blood, it would be easier for him to do it outside the city.
He smiled and said, "Alright, I'll take you up on it. It's a long walk, and I wasn't really looking forward to it." He stepped over to the bike and mounted up with the greatest of ease and silent movements. He could smell her scent engulf his senses and sense her heart beating softly and rhythmically. He tried to ignore his senses and not let them show. "How would you prefer me to ride?" He said calmly.
Handing the helmet to him first. “Strap that on for starters. It’s the law and I’m not interested in some stray cop pulling us over.” She lifts up her seat to reveal a compartment and rummages around. She pulls out the spare helmet and straps it on herself. Flipping her leg over the handlebars, she mounts the bike with Len sitting on the back. “The best way for you to ride is to hang on. I don’t need to add you falling off to my growing list of crimes.” With that she starts the bike up. As she waits for him to get a good grip, she thinks to ask. “Which way out of the city?”
Len put the helmet on and realized that he had never ridden a bike before. Being a vampire he had no need of vehicle transportation and he had only ridden in a car a few times for show. He was a little unsure about the ride he was about to take, but he knew he could bare through it. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her waist to secure himself as she started the engine. He could now feel the blood running through her. He was glad that the helmet was between him and her neck.
"Just get on the interstate up here, and head north. Take the second exit outside the city and about a mile down that road is my house on the left. It's three stories with a iron fence all the way around the grounds. You can't miss it."
His hold on her was strong which surprised her a bit with his scrawny frame. But at least it wouldn’t mean he’d fall off easily unless she did as well. She gunned the bike into motion and it wasn’t long before they were zooming through the streets at a break neck speed. At least the whole near catastrophe had taken her mind off trying to figure out how to find a Vampire.
She followed his directions, and before long they were leaving the city behind. At her speeds it didn’t take them much longer after that to come upon the second exit. As she zipped off the interstate she slowed slightly so as not to zoom past his house. After all a mile wasn’t all that far, relatively speaking.
Finally she came to a stop in front of his gates. She took her helmet off and craned her neck to look back at him with a smirk. “You can let go now. We’re here, and you are amazingly still in one piece.” She waited quietly for him to let go, really in no rush for him to do so. It was kinda nice having his arms around her, but she didn’t really expect them to stay there too much longer. Unless, of course, she’d petrified him with her driving, it had been known to happen.
Len quickly released his hold on her. He hadn't expected to be so close to his prey for so long. But he maintained mastery of his inner demon. He dismounted the bike, and punched in the code to open the gates. The iron creaked as the motors turned and swung them outward. He looked at his house for a brief moment and noticed for the first time that it was as dark and sad as he dressed. He turned back to Ryder.
"I don't have visitors often, but I would be happy if you came in for awhile. I am the only one who lives here and a house like this can feel very empty with only one person in it. If you have other things to do, I understand. And on that note, I would like to know what you do exactly." He gave her a subtle look of beckoning and calling in his eyes.
She gave a slight sigh as he finally let her go. Watching as he opened the gates, she winced a bit at the loud creaking. He really should think about oiling it once in a while. She studied the House and grounds more closely while she waited for some strange reason. She couldn’t even explain to herself why she didn’t just drop him off and leave. After all she still had to figure out how to find Vampires, and he was… distracting to say the least. She actually liked how the place looked; he must have money or something. Idly she wondered what it’d look like in daylight.
She was a bit startled when he turned back and invited her to stay awhile. But a part of her kinda hoped he would. She’d love to get inside and see what the place looked like, how he decorated it, and such. She tilted her head a bit. She felt a strange compulsion almost to move to him. It was strong enough that she even started to get off her bike and do so. But her innate instinct to protect her bike above all things stopped her short.
With a bit of a confused look on her face and turning her getting off the bike into pushing it towards the now open gates, she answered his question, and asked her own. “What I do? Nothing spectacular, I’m just a mechanic, working on bikes and custom them and such. How about you?” She gave him an impish and slightly shy smile. “I’d love to get a glimpse inside, just to see how it’s decorated and such. I like old places. Probably why I live in Frisco. So many old buildings and things around if one just takes the time to look.” Suddenly her mouth snapped shut and she flushed a bit. She was babbling like a fool.
He smiled revealing all of his teeth as he watched her walk through the gate. He noted her embarrassment at herself and it amused him. He might just let this go on all night if he could keep it going that long. He had lived in this house alone for a long time. Maybe it was time to take a breath from his sea of solitary existence for a whole night. Once she was through, he walked through as well, allowing the gates to close behind them, sealing his web in a way. He walked beside her down the long drive way to the house.
"Well, then you'll probably like this old house. It hasn't been redecorated in about 70 years." He said with a slight laugh. Being a vampire he had no need for decor, but she wouldn't figure that out.
"As for what I do...well, I'm independently wealthy. It's wealth that has been build up over many years...by...uh, my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, and myself." He caught himself. "I don't have a set job, I do whatever I might be interested in doing. Hobbies and sight seeing, that sort of thing. We're coming up to the end of the drive here. We'll put your bike in the garage on the right over here." He adjusted their direction towards the side of the house.
She listened fascinated as he talked. There was a timber to his voice that was almost hypnotic and quite soothing. She adjusted her path to go where he indicted. She parked the bike in the garage easily. She noted some vintage cars inside and gave a low whistle. “Nice wheels, I see why you walk. Though a shame. Wheels like that should be seen not hid.” She smiled at him and looked at the cars again before existing the garage.
She waited just outside for him. She wished she could really look over those cars. While she was a mechanic on bikes and custom builds also. She loved working on cars as well, especially the older models. She looked longingly at the cars hidden within until he closed the doors. She then turned her attention to the house, and waited for him to lead the way.
He noted the direction of her gaze as they walked out of the garage. He slowly closed the door and turned to her. "I'll give you a tour of the house and if you like, we can end here."
He led her towards the front door of the house as he waited for his answer. He looked her over. Her frame was delicate and fragile to him. The way she walked interested him. Her boldness yet shyness touched him in a way he had thought wasn't possible anymore. He was afraid that he might be getting too attached to this one. But something inside him refused to let him end it just yet. But that something only grew stronger every moment he spent with her. He reached the realization that he might not be able to follow through with killing her, yet his demon within was strongly influencing him to take her life. The struggle inside him slowly continued to increase in intensity.
Ryder grinned at him in obvious delight as he offered to give her a full tour. She practically bounced beside him as they headed for the house. The only time she ever got like this was with old things. In fact, the most she really spoke to anyone was at work, and that was only to ask on specs, for a tool or something like. She had spoke to Len more tonight then she probably had to anyone she’d known for any length of time.
“I’d love a tour.” Her smile was almost bursting. Her delight radiated off her easily. Suddenly she stops and looks at him a bit nervously. “Wait. You got like one of those huge old fashioned Libraries in there? Like what you see in old movies?”
"Heh, yes, it does. About half of the second floor is a library. But using it hasn't been one of my hobbies for....many years. All the books are probably covered in dust, like most of the things in my house. I really do live the solitary life, Ryder. You're probably the first person to pass those gated besides me in four or five years. Yes, most would consider me a very odd person. But this has been the most comfortable for me."
He looked away from her as he suddenly had a surge of conflict within him. He didn't want her to see it in his eyes. He led her up to the front door and stepped aside for her to walk through after he had opened the door. He took a quick look around his house. It certainly had the look of old deserted mansion about it. Maybe in a little better shape that a deserted one, but definitely an old and decaying feel that old mansions give.
Conflict warred suddenly on Ryder’s face at his answer. “Damn.” She gave a sigh. “Can it be saved for last or just before the garage? No might be better to do it after.” Three things she loved in life, Old places, books and vehicles. If he showed her the Library too soon, she wouldn’t budge until she’d read as many of the titles as he allowed before he got impatient and booted her out.
She shrugged at his words. “What’s odd? Some people don’t like to be around tons of people, and others can’t live with out many people in their lives. I tend more to the former myself then the latter.”
She walked into the house and stopped dead still. The place was perfect. While it was obviously old, and in need of a maid, it was beautiful inside. Her eyes were wide and glittered as she looked around the immediate area. Looking at her, is was as if she’d stopped breathing, she was so still.
Len, closed the door behind him and locked it quietly. He quickly reached over and flicked an unused light switch to light up the dark living space. He watched Ryder, and smiled at her awe. He walked up beside her and in front of her, but his movements seem to go unnoticed as she looked around the room. He put his hand on her shoulder.
<break>
"So I take it that you like it? There's not much to see here on the ground level." He removed he hand and turned away. He walked slowly into the other room having her follow him.
"This is the main gathering area apart from the living room we just left. Over there is the bar that is open directly to the kitchen. Heh, but don't expect to find food in there. I seem to always...eat out. That pretty much does it for the ground floor. Like I said not much to see, just two large open rooms with a kitchen. Let's go up to the second floor. If you would like we can skip the library for now and just look at the guest bedrooms."
She started as he placed his hand on her shoulder and looked sheepishly at him. “Sorry.” She followed behind him like a lost tourist, gaping at everything. She didn’t mind that there wasn’t a whole lot on the ground floor, it was still cool to see. She crowed in delight at the old fashioned stove in the kitchen. It looked as if it could have come from the late 1800s. She did give him an odd look as he said there was no food within, but shrugged it off and continued to follow him. She usually kept very little in her fridge and cupboards as well at home. Beer, chips, maybe a package of cookies for that rare sugar wants.
She gave him a shrug. “Is that all there is up there?” She couldn’t believe such a large place only had bedrooms and a library upstairs. The bedrooms must be huge. “If you show me the library, I may never come out again.” She grinned at him a bit shyly. “I do like to read, even if I’ve read it before, and it’s good.” She gives a depreciating chuckle, and inwardly wondered why on earth she’d told him that. Shaking her head she followed him up the stairs. “It’s your tour, show me what you wish.”
"There are 25 guest bedrooms on the second floor and then there is the master bedroom on the third along with a few bigger special guest bedrooms. I guess we better leave off the library for now then." He led her to the main wide staircase to the second floor. They ascended and he led her through all 25 guest bedrooms. Each one was completely furnished and each one was a little different from all the rest. All unused. All dusty. All old. Len began to wonder why he never did hire anyone to clean the house. He did prefer his solitude, but he just hadn't planned on having any guests ever. Why had he given her special interest. He searched inside himself for the answer as he led her up to the third story. He took her through the extravagant guest bedrooms on the third floor and then headed for the master. He paused at the door to look at her.
"How has it been so far? Old and dusty enough for your liking?" He said with a smirk.
She shook her head at his words. Twenty five guest bedrooms? Who would want that many people under their roof at once. But then she thought about it, back in it’s heyday, Frisco was well known for it’s Upper Crust parties. She walked through amazed at the beauty hidden under the dust. She didn’t say much, but her eyes caught everything. The guest bedrooms were even more amazing and opulent then the second floor. She figured it was reserved for the more special guests, distant family that might visit.
As they headed for the Master bedroom she chuckled at his words. “It could use a good cleaning, but yes, I’ve enjoyed it. Thank you.” She looked away from him to study something in the design of the wall edgings and wondered why on earth she was so comfortable with this guy she’d nearly run over earlier in the night. She didn’t know him beyond what he’d told and shown her thus far. He did have a lovely if dirty house, but there was neatness under that dirt. It was dirty but not messy and that said much as well. Idly she wondered if his Master would be as dusty as the rest of the house or cleaner.
"Heh, heh, I'm glad you are enjoying yourself. This is the master bedroom. It is a little more clean because this is where I spend most of my time when I am home." He opened the door and let her through to the large bedroom. It contained a large wardrobe with a smaller one next to it, a writing desk with a laptop computer on it and various odds and ends. There also were a few chairs against the wall, a door to the master bath and his bed with a nightstand on either side. Then center of his bed was sunk straight down in a coffin shape. Len saw this and forgot that she might find this very odd and strange. He quickly pointed over to his desk and talked as he searched for an explanation for when she saw his bed.
"This is where I do most of my work or research that I have given myself to do. I keep notes, diaries, and journals stacked here." He motioned towards stacks of about 50 large notebooks. "But I have switched to using my computer now for such writing. I use the internet to study particular things in history, usual myths and legends catch my eye. But I only do that if I'm not walking around the city or in a local club or something to that extent."
Ryder shook her head and laughed at him. “So, unless you’re leaving, you spend most of your time in your room?” She grinned. “I never minded being grounded to my room as a kid, I had books to read, but I’ve known people who would go buggy to spend more time in their rooms then sleeping and dressing.” She looked at everything he pointed out. And really was interested in what he told her.
Finally she looked sidelong at him and smirked. “So, you really do take the whole Goth thing all the way huh?” When he looked at her and seemed not have a clue of what she was talking about in his eyes, she pointed to the coffin shape and gave him a full grin. She then turned her attention to look over other things in his room. She loved the wardrobes, and went over to study the workmanship closely.
It didn’t bother her if he chose to sleep in a coffin. She’d known stranger people who’d lived in stranger ways. Idly she wondered if he was of the Gothic type who liked to say they were Vampires. Even going so far as drinking blood and whatnot. Unfortunately, she found those kinds a bit delusional, and she gave a sad sigh, to think that after having so much fun with Len, that he could be such. But it would figure. In almost every other way he was perfect, so he had to have some flaw. But that one was a bit of a stretch.
Len, stood awkwardly while she looked at the bed and pointed it out to him. He forced a smile and laughed uncomfortably. "Well...uh...you know...vampires have kind of held my interest for...a long time now. And I tend to live like one in some ways."
Len, cursed in his head. How lame did that sound. He basically just told her the truth, and what was true wasn't for her to know. He believed in vampires concealing their true identity. While he didn't actively go out and force other vampires to keep themselves hidden, it was his preference to not have vampires out in the open for all to see, especially himself. He looked intently at Ryder to see how she would respond.
She turned from her exploration of the wardrobes and looked at him strangely as he spoke of Vampires. “Really?” A strange note in her voice, a cross between hope, and not wanting to hope. Finally she shrugged. “Yeah, they kinda interest me as well.” She turned back to the wardrobe and sighed.
If he gave her half a chance, she’d pour over every inch of his house, exploring the architecture as well as anything else that caught her eye. She’d been known to miss a few days of work when something caught her attention. Fortunately, her boss used to know her mother and understood when she disappeared. She always had a job to go back too, even if her boss was a bit irate with her.
Thoughts of her mother again made her look sad, and briefly she rested her head against the wardrobe with her eyes closed. Trying to chase the memories away, her eyes suddenly snapped open. “Oh shit.” She turned and looked at Len with a mix of chagrin, apology, and wistful hope. “I forgot. Mr. Miracle is going to be pissed at me, again. I was supposed to head to the fish market tonight for him. Is there anyway I can get a rain check on the rest of the tour?”
He watched her carefully, noting every wonderful expression she made, whatever they may be. He admitted to himself that he was going to have to studying her so intently or..... her comment on vampires shifted his thoughts.
"Really?" He said with surprised interest. He was afraid at how much she might know about vampires and how long it would take her to figure out that he himself was one. He was about to continue when her expression changed suddenly to sadness. He wanted to ask about it but refrained. He could go there. Then she suddenly told him that she had to go. This put him in a difficult situation. He had never intended for her to leave the mansion. He wasn't sure if she would tell everyone about him and that might start people asking questions and so on.
<break>
"Well, if you must go then you must go. But first..." He slowly and calmly walked over to her and leaned his head to the side of hers. He extended his fangs out of her line of sight. He closed his eyes and was about to plunge...but he stopped. He breathed a couple times on her neck before he whispered,
"Just please, come back." He retracted his fangs and stepped away from her. He led her downstairs to the garage where her bike was and waited for her to mount up and ride away. Why he didn't kill her, he couldn't explain to himself.
She was taken aback at him coming so close. That was one thing she’d never expected. They’d been amenable, but nothing like this. She stayed completely still, unsure of what he would do. She shivered a bit as he breathed on her neck, and gave a crow of delight as he asked her to come back. Impulsively she gave him a quick hug and laughed. “You’re in trouble now. You’ll never get rid of me until I’ve gone over every inch of this place.” She stepped back and grinned at him impishly.
She followed him back downstairs and to her bike. Once again she looked wistfully at the cars before getting on her bike. She looked at him briefly, she really didn’t want to leave, but if she didn’t Miracle would probably claw her to death when next he saw her. Once a week she got him fish and he got temperamental if she missed the day. Unless of course, she brought home extra. Then he just acted like he disdained her and ignored her for a while.
Impulsively she asked, “Would you like to come along and then… I dunno, maybe go do something? I just have to get the fish and return it to the house. And the night’s still pretty young, relatively speaking.” She waited for his answer, actually kind of nervous.
He looked down as he thought for a moment. He didn't really have anything to do in town or any real reason for him to go. But he felt that he would enjoy the ride with her. But what was he thinking? He knew that this story would most likely end up with her in his arms being drained to a pale white. As pale as he himself was. He decided that he needed to be around his own kind to snap him out of these mortal feelings that he was experiencing.
"Yeah, I'll go with you. Uh, there's a club that I know of that you could drop me off at and I'll just hang around there till you're finished with whatever you need to do. Just, uh, don't go inside the club when you come to pick me up. It's very exclusive and it would be very dangerous for you to go in there. Here, let me give you my cell phone number." He wrote his number down on a scrap of paper and handed it to her.
"I appreciate that you are willing to give me rides like this." He smiled but behind it was a hint of sadness.
She frowned slightly at his words, but took the paper. Least he answered the question of how to get a hold of him when she returned that had popped into her head. She handed him a helmet wordlessly, and waited for him to get on. “Where to?” She really should invest in one of those helmet sets with the microphones… maybe.
Finally once they were settled she took off. She followed the directions he gave. When they pulled up to where he wished to go, she stopped and waited for him to get off. She sat quietly looking over the section of town. She really didn’t say much while he got himself sorted.
She had noted his reaction to her invite and mentally had been kicking herself for doing so. What had seemed like a possibly good friendship appeared to be souring. And her boss wondered why she didn’t get out more and met people and make some friends.
Len, removed the helmet and dismounted the bike. He handed her the helmet and nodded towards the secret vampire club.
"I'm just going to go in here and get a few drinks. Maybe even catch up on rumors and things like that. But remember, don't go in. Just call me. Ok? You probably wouldn't last long in there so when you come back, we'll go somewhere else." He knew that the vampires in there would never just sit back and let a living human walk through untouched. But he wanted to be with his own kind to set himself straight and to even find out a little about the ensuing conflict between vampires that he was hearing more and more about. It was good to know so that he could be prepared for anything that might come.
Ryder gave him a nod and an odd look. “Yeah, sure, no problem.” Her voice was neutral and then she peeled away on her bike and headed to the fish market in Chinatown. That place never seemed to sleep, both fish market and Chinatown.
It wasn’t long before she pulled up to her favorite seller. “Hey, Ryder, you’re late. Miracle will tear you apart for it.”
Pulled out of her sudden funk by ChiLee’s joking she grinned at him. “Don’t I know it? Better add some Tilapia to that Halibut order of mine.”
ChiLee snickered at her. “You gonna try to make amends first huh?” As he talked he grabbed a fish and wrapped it, then grabbed a second wrapped package and handed both over to her.
“You know it. Damn cat thinks he owns me ever since he showed up on my door step skin and bone and I took pity on him and nursed him to health.” She quickly handed money over to him for the fish and dropped it in the compartment of the bike. “And if I don’t want to be in any more hot water with the tomcat I’d better get home.” ChiLee waved to her as she sped off.
Soon she arrived at her house. Something she’d inherited when her mother was killed. She’d renovated/rebuilt the two story Victorian when she became the owner. Driving up the ramp to the side, she got off her bike and opened the garage door. She walked the bike inside and closed the door. She then tromped up the stairs she’d left when she turned the first floor into a garage/work area to the second floor that was now the living quarters.
Walking to the kitchen she grabbed a plate and unwrapped both fish and dumped them on it. She then headed out a door to a balcony and placed the plate on the floor there. “Miracle…. Kitty kitty kitty. Damn cat.” Shaking her head she headed back inside.
She stared unseeingly at nothing as she thought over the night. She gave serious thought to just calling him and coming up with an excuse not to come back. It had seemed that he’d liked being around her, asking her to come back. Then suddenly it was like she’d caught the plague or something. She gave a sigh of disgust and vowed that from now on she was going to stick to her few acquaintances and forget having a friend.
Len, watched her disappear into the distance. He shook his head as he watched her go. Why was she still alive? By rights she should be six feet under by now. He sighed and walked into the club. There was a strong scent of mixed smoke, alcohol, and stale blood. There was trance music playing and everyone was either dancing in the mass of dancers, at the bar talking and drinking, or in the dark corners fucking. Len didn't particularly like the place, but it was a place where he could relax and not be afraid of being found out by humans.
He walked over to the bar, stepping over two people lying together on the ground. He sat down at the bar next to a female vampire and ordered a drink. While he waited he tried to listen in on conversations to see if anything of interest was being said. He caught the occasional story of a vampire here or there being hunted down for trying to expose his true nature to many humans. But there seemed to be only individual occurrences of revealing and nothing truly organized. When the bartender came back with his drink, he asked.
"So what's going on with the whole war thing? Any strong resistance to the natural law?"
"Not much, but just enough to keep moral vampires on edge." The bartender replied. "There's been talk of a secret organization of vampires that are trying to band together all over the world. They want to take the world and rule over the humans and use them as cattle for food and labor. So, far they haven't been able to keep themselves a secret in many places and the most of the members get hunted down by a group of assassins like that one over there." He pointed to a group of vampires in a corner that were keeping to themselves. They openly carried their guns, swords, and knives. Len could tell that they were trained killers of their own kind. He turned back to the barkeeper.
"Well, I hope those guys and guys like them are enough to keep this new insurrection down." Len said.
"I hear ya." The barkeeper moved on to serve other people and Len sat and watched the dancing while he drank.
Bekka noted a male of her Kind taking the chair next to her. She faced away from the bar and watched the room intently, listening to various conversations about the place. She didn’t have a drink, nor was she pretending to really want anything here other then information. She listened quietly as the fellow and the Barkeep spoke to each other and shook her head at their words. She already placed them with those who chose to Hide and left it at that. She continued with her watching and listening. She’d just about had those in the room sorted into three groups.
*~*~*
Ryder finally shook herself out of her thoughts. She glanced out the door and saw Miracle had found his fish and smiled. She wasn’t about to go out and disturb the cat though, he might still be testy over his late meal. He could get in if he wanted to anyway; she had a window open next to the door that allowed him to come and go as he pleased.
Finally she sighed and dug the paper out of her pocket. She looked at the number, and then dug her cell out of another pocket. She punched the numbers in and listened to the phone ring, hoping for all she was worth to get his voicemail.
*~*~*
Len, continued to watch the never ending dancing, drinking and orgies till he couldn't take it any more and turned around to face the bar. He was wondering what was keeping Ryder so long. Little did he know that his phone didn’t get reception in the club. The club specifically had the walls lined with lead to prevent cell phones from interrupting whatever the guest might be doing in the club. He decided that whatever she was doing must be a long way away and she was just taking her time. He ordered another drink and tried to drown out the music and moaning.
Bekka turned her head slightly as the guy next to her turned back to the bar. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, studying him closely. She could tell he was impatient and didn’t want to really be here. Finally she grew irked with his fidgeting. “Why are you here then?” She blinked as she realized that she actually spoke that last thought out loud.
Len, jerked his head towards the harsh talking female beside him. Her sudden demand to know why he was there irritated him even more. He almost didn't answer, but he wasn't an asshole like some people he knew and he wasn't about to be like them.
"I'm waiting for someone," He growled. "But she seems to be lost or taking her time or something." He glanced towards the door and swept his eyes around the room. He was hoping that she didn't just come in looking for him and was taken by one of the other vampires. But what would make her do that? He told her not to come in. Unless....
Bekka quirked a brow at him and turned to face him fully. “Interesting. Especially since it is plain you do not care to be here.” She turned as she caught a bit of conversation. She gave a sharp nod; she’d finally placed the last ones in a grouping. Interestingly enough, the majority here at this particular club was for Hiding, with what was left split equally between Revealing or Not Caring Either Way. That is if she counted herself in the later category.
She turned back to the guy next to her. “Not that I really blame you. I find such clubs as these a tad tedious myself. I much prefer the mixed clubs. At least there, there is the opportunity of hearing something more interesting then who ate who for dinner for the night.” She gave him a quick whimsical smile as she rose from her perch. “I hope your friend arrives soon, for your peace of mind if nothing else.”
She turned and walked out. San Francisco was one of the larger cities in California, so it was plenty big enough for a few of the same similar clubs and several of the ones she’d mentioned to the fellow who’d sat next to her. She’d finally finished surveying the last of the Vampire only clubs, having decided to get the worst out of the way first. Now she was off to enjoy surveying the mixed ones.
*~*~*
Relief hit her as she got his voicemail. “Hey, Len? It’s Ryder, something’s come up, and so I won’t be back. Hope you can get a ride home. Take care of yourself.” She hung up the phone and dropped it on the counter. She cast one last look to see Miracle had finished his dinner and was busy washing himself and grinned at the cat.
She then headed to her room, stripping as she went. As she passed through her room to the bathroom, she dropped the clothes into the hamper near the door. She then started a shower and waited for the water to get warm enough before stepping in. She quickly washed up and rinsed, then just sat under the spray, letting it ease tight muscles.
She mourned the loss at the chance to explore a really old house, several vintage cars, and a library she hadn’t even laid eyes on. But consoled herself with the fact that it was for the best. After all Len and her were too different.
She finally stepped out of the shower and dried off. She went and flopped on the bed, twitching a sheet over her from the waist down as she did so. Her mind slowly wound down and she drifted off to sleep.
Len, watch her as she left and was glad she did. He didn't need to be bothered with questions like that. He angrily whipped out his phone to check the time. A cold shiver went down his spine when he saw that he didn’t have a signal inside the club. His first thought was that she had come looking for him in the club when he didn't pick up. He started to run through the club looking for any feeding that was going on. He closely looked at the faces of everyone lying on the ground or sitting in seats and he tried to look through the dancing crowd. When he didn't find her anywhere he was relieved a little but he feared that he could have missed her in the crowds that were there. He quickly ran outside and stood right outside the door, waiting for signal. Once he got it, he saw that he had a voice mail from her. He called the voice mail and listened to the message. He was glad at first that she wasn't in the club after all but...something came up? He couldn't think of what that could mean because it didn't seem like it meant that something simply came up. What something had come up? Had she put the few and far between pieces of evidence together and decided he was a vampire? He had to know. He called the number back and waited while he listened to the dialing.
Ryder tossed and turned in her sleep. Distantly a phone could be heard to ring, but it was incorporated into her nightmare and didn’t register enough to wake her up. After all she’d left it on the counter out in the kitchen. Finally her voicemail picked up the call. “Ryder. You need a bike worked on, or a custom one built, leave a name and number. I’ll get back to you. If not, just hang up, I’m not interested. If you happen to be someone I know, leave a message, I might call you back when I find the time.”
Len, hung up the phone. He wasn't about to leave a message. He realized that he had no way of knowing where Ryder was or where she lived. She hadn't told him where she lived or where she was even going. All he had was her cell phone number. He thought hard for a way to track her down. Then it came to him. He had never tried it before, but he had heard of using the internet and someone's cell phone number to find out where they lived. He walked back into the club and searched around. He found a laptop and it's owner was apparently busy at sexual activities next to it. Len managed to take the laptop without being noticed. He sat down at another table and connected to the club's internet. He entered Ryder's phone number in and waited for the results. When they came up, he said to himself. "I know where that is. It won't take long for me to get there."
He exited the club and quickly traveled as fast as his vampire power would let him. He stopped in front of the dark house. He checked the time, 2:30 am. He could only be out for 3 or 4 more hours, he had to make whatever he was going to do quick. He silently walked around the house. He saw a window up on the second floor and jumped up to it. He looked in and saw an empty room. Must be a guest room. He circled the second floor till he found Ryder's room. He looked in and saw her sleeping. He sat there and just watched her for a moment, but then noticed that the window had been left unlocked. He quietly lifted the window and stepped in the room. He walked noiselessly to her bed, not sure what he was going to do.
<break>
Ryder suddenly sat upright with a strangled sound. She sat there sweating and blinking staring unseeingly at the opposite wall as her brain worked on hiding the last of the dream she’d been having. Shaking a bit as she finally woke up enough she wiped some of the sweat off her face. Scooting down to the foot of the bed, she got up and padded into the kitchen. She never once sensed or noticed Len standing immobile near her pillows.
Once she reached the kitchen she opened the fridge and grabbed two Steele Reserve cans out. She found a screwdriver in a drawer and turned one can upside down to punch a hole in the bottom. Setting the screw driver down, she raised the can to her lips and then popped the tab and chugged the first one down, it didn’t take but a few seconds. Finished she tossed that can into the garbage and popped the top on the second can and took a hefty swallow.
One thing she liked about Steele Reserve was its high alcohol content for a malt beer. She padded back into her bedroom and noticed she’d left the blind up. Moving over to the window, she pulled down a strange apparatus. It completely covered the window and attached around the edges of the frame. The material was very dark, and looked as if it kept sunlight out of the room. What light there had been was suddenly gone, except from the door way, which Ryder moved to and closed.
She worked mostly nights, and liked sleeping in the morning and early afternoon hours, something the sun didn’t like to allow for. She finally finished off the last of the beer and headed for the bathroom. She tossed that in the trash can there and brushed her teeth, she hated that morning taste after drinking. She then climbed back into bed, by now buzzing nicely enough to fall asleep immediately and have no dreams.
Len moved to the shadows at the head of the bed when he saw Ryder stir from her sleep. He only moved his eyes to follow her as she walked in and out of the room. When she closed the window and the blinds, she closed off his silent retreat. He still stood motionless as she got into her bed. He waited for a few minutes until he was sure she was asleep and then moved to the side of the bed. He watched her sleep peacefully and thought that she was beautiful when she slept. He almost hated what he was going to do next. He sat down softly on the bed and gently moved the hair to expose her face and neck.
Though deep in sleep, she stirred slightly and murmured in her sleep as Len sat on the edge of her bed. It is a misconception of people to say that by drinking until buzzed or drunk, that they won’t dream, when in fact they do, they just don’t remember it. In Ryder’s case, her sleeping mind recognized the presence of Len, and slid into a strange dream of the man. She curled up towards and around him and sighed his name before sinking deeper within the dream.
Len, pause as she moved closer to him. He smiled as he watched her. So calm yet so close to death. He bent down closer to her and put his hand on the bed next her. He leaned in towards her neck. He paused briefly to listen to her breathing and her heart beat. Then he kissed her neck and extended his fangs. He set his fangs to her neck and pause again, but then gently sank them into her neck. He closed his eyes as he tasted the wonderful warm blood flow from her slightly accented with alcohol. He got caught up in the moment and pressed her to himself in the embrace. He suddenly realized that he was killing the one person that he loved in the world. Wait...loved? He asked himself. He had just met her today how could he possible care for her at all? He released her from his embrace in his confusion and just held her there, studying her over and over. Blood dripped from his mouth down to the bed that already had a pool of blood on it.
Ryder gave a sigh as he kissed her, then a sharp breath could be heard drawn when his fangs pierced her neck. She still didn’t wake though and even molded into the embrace as he held her. Unknown to both them though, Miracle had slipped into the room when she was out, and just after Len had pulled away, stopping his feeding, the cat let out the most god awful squall and leapt to the bed to land next to Len and Ryder, fur fully fluffed and looking twice his already impressive girth, claws extended.
Ryder jerked at the noise and looked around wildly and disoriented. “Miracle? What on earth is the matter?” She blinked a few times and finally realized, she wasn’t laying in her bed, but seemed to be being held by someone. It was too dark to see who though. She struggled in her captor’s arms. Feeling a warmth on her neck, she immediately clasped a hand to her neck. It came away wet and sticky. “What the Hell is going on?” She now sounded not only more awake, but very angry as well.
Len was jerked from his thoughts by the noise from the cat. He looked over at the cat and hissed in an unearthly way back at it. His attention was brought back to Ryder as she yelled and struggled in his arms. He wasn't sure what to do, but he reasoned that it would be worse to make a mistake that he couldn't undo for the rest of his miserable eternity. He tried to heal the wounds on Ryder's neck, but her struggles prevented him from getting too close. He tightened his grip on her and said,
"Hold still! You're going to bleed to death."
She stilled suddenly as a rather frightening noise can be heard. Then she hears Len’s voice and blinks in confusion. The words didn’t completely register though. “Len? What the--? How’d you--?” Her voice trails off as she suddenly passes out from loss of blood.
Miracle in the mean time growled back at Len undaunted by his noise. His ears pricked forward as Ryder started speaking and addressed the intruder. He makes a plaintive meow when she passes out and turns to glare at Len, as if to say: You’d better fix whatever you did to her, and now.
Len, struggle with Ryder for a little longer until her struggles grew weaker and weaker and she passed out. He was afraid he might be too late. He put his tongue to her neck and healed the holes there and cleaned the blood away from her. He listen for her heart beat. It was faint but it was there. He felt her breathing. It was shallow but there. He sighed in relief and set her down gently on the other side of the bed with the cat. Unsure of what to do next, he just sat watching. He ended up just lying down beside her and looking up at the ceiling, contemplating the recent events. He didn't even notice the blood drying around his mouth.
Ryder lay very still for a very long time. Miracle curled up on her other side and watched Len over the top of her. Every now and again he would try licking her to see if she would wake. Eventually as dawn came and went, she grew stronger as her body replaced the blood lost. Occasionally she’d twitch at one of Miracle’s lickings. Finally she groaned and rolled over. An arm flung out and landed heavily on Lens chest and she curled up into his side. Her face burrowed under his shoulder and she drifted back to sleep, still nowhere near fully recovered from what had happened.
Len tried to avoid getting hugged but he couldn't escape. She snuggled right up to him. He sighed and with not much else to do he gave in and put his free hand on her head. He could feel the warmth her body gave off, warming up his as well. As least he hadn't killed her, but the answer to the why question was still eluding him or he was in denial of the answer. Still he lay there thinking of what the hell he was going to do or say when she woke up. He knew he couldn't engage in any kind of relationship with her now. She knew what he was. He was only delaying the inevitable with some kind of hope that it wasn't true. He shouldn't have gotten attached to begin with. She was mortal and he immortal. She would have had to died at some point and he mourn her passing as he strode further into the eternity before him. His indecision still pained him greatly.
In the early hours, just after the sun had risen, Ryder woke with a start. She felt someone next to her; in fact she was cuddled right up with them. She lay very still; uncertain of what was going on. She had vague dream memories of Len, Miracle, and nightmares. She frowned while she struggled to make sense of all the impressions going on in her mind. She also realized that she felt pretty tired and weak still, not like she’d slept at all.
Len, didn't move when Ryder started from her sleep. He just laid as still as he could and planned to let her make the first move. He didn't want to scare her any further than he may have already. He still didn't have anything planned to say, he was just going to go with whatever came to mind at that moment. He noticed a very small glow of light coming from the door of the room. He tensed up at the thought of being stuck in her house for the entire day. He really had stepped out and taken a risk staying here.
Ryder kept coming back to the one strongest impression. That of Len’s voice in the night. Was she feeling so guilty over ditching him that her very dreams were conjuring him? But then who the hell was she cuddled up to? She doubted Miracle suddenly morphed into a human, especially since she could feel him lying up against her back. That in itself gave some indication that whoever was in her bed, wasn’t a bad sort. Miracle had a knack for chasing that type off. Finally she went out on a limb and followed her gut. “Len?”
Long since used to her odd ways, her eyes adjusted enough with the faint light and she sat up to peer at him. She suddenly became dizzy and fell over on top of him with a groan. “Well, guess that wasn’t one of my better ideas.” She lay there for a moment waiting for the room to stop swimming and swirling, feeling slightly sick. “What in Blazes happened? And why do I feel weak and dizzy?”
She moved with exaggerated caution and finally lifted her head enough to look at him. Her eyes though were squeezed tight shut at the moment, as once again she waited for the room to settle down and be normal. “Now I know I didn’t drink that Blasted much to feel hung over.” Her eyes finally opened to look Len in his. “What did you do to me?”
Len's mind raced for a response to her question. What could he say. He had to say something. She was waiting for an answer. He could let there be an awkward silence. He sat up on the bed. "What did I do to you? Nothing." He cursed in his head but went with what he had suddenly come up with in his head.
"I found out where you lived, sorry if that bothers you, but I had to talk to you. You just left me all of the sudden, I was wondering if there was something I had done. But it's a good thing I did come. I saw one of the doors to your house was open. I thought that was oddly suspicious so I let myself in and locked it behind me. I heard someone walking around and saw that your bedroom door was open. When I walked in, I saw a man, I assume he must have broken into your house to steal stuff or something. It looked as if he was trying to choke you or something, so I beat him off you and threw him out of the house. I was surprised that you didn't wake up at all. Anyway, he ran off and I was going to call the police but my phone is dead and I couldn't find yours. So, I just decided to stay the rest of the night with you, in case he tried to come back. Do you take sleeping pills or something?" He sat back. What was done was done. He was just going to have to watch the response.
When he sat up, it caused her to loose what little balance she had and she fell off back onto the bed with a groaned grunt. She blinked through the madly swirling room at him and listened to his explanation. Finally she couldn’t take it any more or she was going to be seriously sick flat on her back, and she squeezed her eyes closed again. “I don’t bother with pills, why I have a case of Steele Reserve in the fridge at all times.”
She gave a sigh, a slight frown marring her features. “Thanks for the timing. I must have been deep in one of my nightmares if I didn’t wake to someone trying to choke the crap out of me.” She finally opened her eyes and saw the room was back to normal. “I don’t mind that you’re here… considering.” She gave him a wane smile. “Unfortunately, I don’t feel up to driving you home, so you’re stuck. I have a spare bedroom if you’d like…” Her voice trailed off.
<break>
She moved an arm and blindly found the drawer on a dresser and opened it. Reaching in she pulled out an alarm clock and peered at the glowing dial. “Ugh!” She dropped the clock back into the drawer and closed it. “It’s out the door and to the left. Next door down. I need more sleep. It’s to damned early to be up.” She closed her eyes, only to open them again. “Um, before you do go though… Think you could give me a hand to the bathroom? Everything spins whenever I want to move. Just kinda make sure I don’t topple over?” She was slowly inching her way to the edge of the bed to climb out. She didn’t look the least bit like she was thrilled with the idea though.
Len, slid off the bed and came around to Ryder. He held out his arms to help. "Yeah, let me help you. It doesn't look like you'd make it by yourself." He helped her walk into the bathroom. "Where exactly did you want to go?"
“Toilet. Bladder’s full.” She spoke through gritted teeth and a slight growl in her voice. The room was starting to settle down finally, but not completely. Ryder so hated being weak, and in the rare times she was sick, even Miracle ran for cover.
She got settled on the toilet none too soon, and got her business over with, with a tremendous sigh of relief. Suddenly she paused perplexed. Her hand felt funny, and in exploring it with her other hand she frowned, unable to figure out what could be on it. “Len? Could you flip the light, please? It’s right by the door, about belly level on the left as you come in, right if you are looking at the door from this way.”
Len, helped her to the toilet in the low light of the bathroom. He waited, a little awkwardly as she went. She needed to be alone to sort herself. After all, he had come in, uninvited and unexpected, so he thought that he should make himself scarce for awhile. He heard her request for the light and was surprised that she hadn't asked for it earlier.
"Yeah, sure. It's just right over here right? Oh, and uh, I'm just going to...go to the other room for a bit. Let you have some privacy. Heh, I'm sure it's very unsettling to have someone show up in your bed." He turn to the doorway and flipped the light on as he went out. He exited the bedroom and quickly bounced from shadow to shadow, burning himself a little with every movement. He got to the guest bedroom and managed to draw the blinds closed with a few burns to his face and arms. He walked into the guest bathroom to watch himself heal in the mirror.
Ryder kept her eyes closed so they wouldn’t be dazzled when the light came on. A soft chuckle escaped her at Len’s words. When she opened them she blinked once and they were adjusted. She looked down at her hand and let out a curse. It looked as if there was dried blood on her hand. She frowned, then out of the corner of her eye she spotted more down her shoulder and breast. Her eyes narrowed and she sprang off the toilet to look in the mirror. She could see a lot of dried blood on her shoulder down the front of her; it was even dried in her hair.
As much as she seemed to have some sort of connection with Len, he had some serious questions to answer. She stormed out of the bathroom and through her bedroom to the guest room and banged on the door just before opening. “Len!” She didn’t see him immediately and frowned.
She did note thought that he’d pulled the blinds; she shook her head and moved over to them. Her whole house was set up to keep it in total darkness if she wished. She knew all too well that light kept one form getting good sleep. She pulled the blinds open and pulled down the strange apparatus like what she had over her own bedroom window, and effectively plunged the room into complete darkness.
In her remodeling she’d also sound proofed the whole house. The noises from the world wouldn’t disturb a sleeper either, nor, when she chose to work at home, would her own noises disturb the neighborhood. All in all it worked out well for both sides.
While she was plunging the room into total darkness, her mind suddenly started coming up with possible explanations for the blood. Coupled with Len’s story of the intruder, she was soon forming an idea of what might have happened and all the blood she’d just found. Her anger disappeared and she was soon excited at the possibilities.
“Len?” She turned and surveyed the room, wondering where he’d gotten off to.
Len, stared coldly at himself, stunned at what he saw before him. As he looked into the mirror, all he saw staring back at him was a monster. He saw himself for what he really was. His face was hideously marred by the sun and looked like a burnt zombie's face. And the blood....the blood still there on his face. He had forgotten completely about it. A shiver went down his spine as he realized he wasn't out of the woods yet as far as keeping his identity a secret. He didn't want Ryder to know what he really was. He didn't want her to see him for the monster he saw himself as. He bent his head and let out a tear of anguish. He then proceeded to wash off the dried blood as his 'mask' healed back over his face. He heard Ryder come in the room and waited to show himself because he hadn't healed completely yet. She sealed the room from sunlight and he decided to act. He turned the bathroom light on making only his silhouette visible from the bedroom.
"Yes, were you looking for me? What's the matter?" He said in a kind soothing voice.
She turned towards the bathroom a grin lit her face only to fall suddenly. “Damn, now you can’t see since I darkened the room.” Her voice sounded a bit disgusted with herself, but then brightened with excitement. “But that robber you found? I don’t think it was a Robber after all.” She moved towards the door, but didn’t enter the bathroom. While she wasn’t overly shy or concerned with how she looked, she knew others could be. Which generally surprised her most times, specially when they didn’t have the scars she carried, but to each their own.
“No, I think it was a real live Vampire. You should see the amount of dried blood all over me. Holy shit. To think I was so close…” Her voice held such an excitement, and it wasn’t just there, she was practically bouncing off the walls. “By all that’s Holy and Unholy! You know what this means, Len? They really are real, not some stupid fairy tale!” She gave a delighted crow and spun in a circle.
She’d nearly toppled over from that spin, after all she was still weak from the blood loss, and no amount of excitement was going to change that until her blood reproduced what was missing. Pausing and looking thoughtful. “That explains why I didn’t wake up, and why I feel so weak and dizzy. Damn but I must have lost a lot of blood.” She frowns in thought more. “What I don’t understand is how you were able to throw him out and not get attacked yourself. Maybe he was just too surprised?”
Len, laughed to himself at the irony of this situation. He sighed in relief that her first thoughts weren't to accuse him. But he readjusted his thinking to play along. He might have evaded discovery after all. He formulated ideas in his head and responded.
"Hmm, yeah, that is strange if he was a vampire. I didn't have any real trouble with him. Once I showed up and roughed him up a bit he seemed to take off on his own. I didn't think he was a vampire, but it was dark. Do you really think he was one. Like they exist and all. How much do you know about vampires?"
Ryder shrugged. “Hmm, weird.” Then she sighed in disgust. “My luck then, it was probably a poser.” She lost her perkiness and bounce and went and slumped on the bed. She was a picture of dejection. Not to mention, with the excitement gone, the color quickly drained to show her still a bit pale.
She gave another disgusted sigh. “Just the usual. Exceptionally strong, only out at night, drink blood. Though there have been some interesting stories in some of the Paranormal Mags I get.” Finally she rose from the bed slowly, and headed for the door. “Id better go take a shower. Get this mess off me. Think I’ll call into work sick anyway. Lost too much sleep, as well as blood, and will just be a grumpy ass tonight. Sleep well Len.”
She walked out of the room and did hop in the shower. Her mind kept going over everything as she watched the water turn bloody while she scrubbed it off. Finally clean she just stood there dejected and depressed. It couldn’t have been a Vampire if Len was able to rough him up and throw him out. Tears actually fell, but mixing with the water, she really didn’t notice.
Then it dawned on her. All that blood, and not a mark on her to show where it could have come from. She blinked, if so, then the Robber had to be a Vampire… didn’t he? She finally got out of the shower and dried off. Her mind still going over it all.
Suddenly she remembered to call in to work. And padded out to the kitchen in search of her cell. Finding it finally she noticed the return call from Len. Quickly punching in the work number, she listened to it ring and the answering machine pick up. “Hey, man, it’s Ryder. I’m feeling sick. Maybe something I ate… or something. I won’t be in tonight.” She hung up and headed back to bed. Her mind returning to the events that had happened.
He smiled as she walked out but once she was gone he dropped his smile and crashed on the bed. He put his hands over his face and rubbed his eyes in confused anger. Why was he doing this? Why was he here? He didn't enjoy lying to her, but it was the only way. Or was it? He was so confused. She was the thing that was confusing him. Every time she was around he seemed to get confused or lose clear sight of what to do. For the first time in a long time, he thought about ending his immortality. All it would take would be to open the window and stand there for a little while. Then there would be no more lies but only truth for Ryder to see. She would see him for what he was, a burned, decayed corpse. But something kept him in this world and he thought it might be Ryder. How ironic it was to have the same person driving you to your death but holding you from the brink. He had to make up his mind and stop playing this game that he probably couldn't keep going for long.
Finally, Ryder managed to get back to sleep. Not having anything to drink before doing so caused her to have many dreams, fortunately they managed not to be the normal nightmares that she usually had. Instead they seemed to contain Len and Vampires. Sometimes, Len would save her from such, as what happened. Sometimes he was the Vampire, which of course made no sense, but it was dreams after all.
When she finally woke, it was because Miracle was meowing at the door rather demandingly. She blinked as consciousness came back. “Blasted cat!” Finally climbing out of bed she opened the door and let the poor animal out. He shot across the house and out the kitchen window. She gave a snort. “Guess he really had to go.” She shook her head and then noticed it was full night. Giving a yawn she turned back into her room and opened the block she had on the window. She also opened it, letting the night come on in.
She then turned to find something to wear. After a frustrating search she eventually found something that didn’t make her look like a poor ragamuffin. She then padded into the kitchen and surveyed her cupboards. Nothing but chips and cookies, neither of which she wanted. She was debating on whether she wanted to just grab a bite somewhere or actually go to a store and find something that looked somewhat appealing to cook.
Suddenly she remembered she had a house guest. She gave a start as the memory returned along with the whole damn night/day. She blinked a few times and then went to where she kept the magazines she collected and started pouring over them, forgetting her hunger.
Len lay awake for the rest of the day pondering his next move. He decided that he would try to get to know Ryder a little better and show her a little more of himself as well. But how to go about doing that he wasn't too sure. There was a lot of unknowns that he would just have to find out by getting out there and taking some risks. He heard Ryder walking around in the house. He got up and walked out into the kitchen.
"Ryder, I...I feel like we need to talk. I mean, I don't know much about you and you don't really know anything about me, yet here I am in your house. We should get to know each other better, so we...so we can figure out what's keeping us together. I don't know, but it seems that from the time we met we can't seem to stay away from each other for too long." Len sighed and looked down to the floor. "I don't know, maybe I should just go."
Ryder looked up at Len startled. She’d completely forgot he was there, so engrossed in her research. As she looked at him owlishly and her brain tried to catch up with what he’d said. She sat back and studied him. “Funny, normally I don’t let anyone know where I live. Don’t bother with having anyone over, and all that. Strangely enough, I don’t mind you here. Even though I never did invite you.” A twinkle could be seen in her eye with that last statement, and the corners of her mouth were twitching as if she was fighting a smile. She looked away and studied some point in the house.
It really was set up rather odd. Except the two bedrooms and their baths, the rest of the floor was open like one giant room. There was a sort of island counter that seemed to mark where the kitchen began, but other then that the only furniture was a couple of barstools at the counter, book shelves along one wall with a desk sitting between a couple. The door in the kitchen let out onto a patio like porch that had stairs going down to the ground. There were a couple other doors in the kitchen. One was an old style pantry, and the other led downstairs to the first floor that had been converted into a garage/work room. Tucked into a corner, near the farthest book shelf was another door. It led to the attic.
She struggled with what Len wanted. She didn’t make it a habit to share her life story. It wasn’t really all that pleasant anyway. Finally she looked back at him. “What do you want to know? Shall I start from the beginning? Or do you just want to know specific things?” Her voice was slightly strained, but she got the words out all the same.
Len, slowly walked over to Ryder and sat down at the table with her. He looked intently at her, wondering why she seemed so uneasy about telling him about her past. He wondered if he had hit a nerve that shouldn't have been touched till later. But he had done it, so he might as well run with it.
"I would like to know as much as you are willing to tell. You seem like an interesting person, so don't worry about boring me or anything like that. Start where you will." He looked at her expectantly, noticing every emotion that her face registered.
<break>
Ryder looked at him as he came and sat with her. She gave him a bit of a wan smile, and then looked down at the desk. She took several heartbeats to gather her thoughts. She rarely told anything about herself to anyone, and her whole story never. She was probably going to have some whopper nightmares when she went to sleep in the morning, but it couldn’t be helped. She took a breath as she looked up at Len with a slight smile, and launched into her tale.
“I was born here in Frisco, several blocks down in Pacific Medical Center. I grew up in this house, though it looked different then.” She gave Len a wry smile, then her face goes back to neutrality. “My mother always wanted a whole ton of kids. Unfortunately, she got stuck with only me. Course, my father always beating on her caused her to loose a few pregnancies. How she ever managed to carry me to term I’ll never know.”
She got up from the chair and went over to the fridge. Grabbing a beer, she turned and came back. She cracked it open and took a drink. “Sorry, telling my life story is a bit dry. Anyway. I went to school a couple blocks over at Claire Lilienthal Elementary, and the other way at Marina Middle School, and graduated from Galiteo High. Never went on to college, had all the training I needed for my job from growing up underfoot in Jared’s shop.”
When I was about 13, my father suddenly noticed me as more then something that was a nuisance to have around. I had developed rather quickly by then. He came into my room one night and tried to get me to do things with him that no father should have his daughter do. And when he tried to get me to suck his dick, I bit it rather hard. Of course this made him yell out, and I ran and got a baseball bat from the corner of my room.”
“He was cursing at me when my mother barged into the room.” She gives a bit of a chuckle. “I’m sure it was a sight, me at thirteen holding a baseball bat, and my father not far from me with his pants down around his ankles. The next thing I knew, my mother grabbed the bat, and was hitting him something fierce. She literally beat him out of the house with his pants still down. She broke my bat as well, and I never got the chance to use it.” She gave a sad sigh, took another drink, and then continued on.
“I finished growing up, just mom and me. She never got with another guy after my father, though Jared, my boss, tried a few times. They’d known each other for years, and he’d always had a thing for my mom. Even I liked him and tried to encourage her to get with him. Think finally in exasperation and tired of being tag teamed, she told me in no uncertain terms that as long as I was a minor she wouldn’t see another guy.” She shook her head sadly for a brief moment.
“Anyway, I turned 18, and Jared gave me a job at the shop, and I’ve been working there ever since. Growing up, I had a fascination with taking things apart to try to figure what made them work. Drove my mom mad." She chuckles again. “I think out of desperation she turned me loose on Jared. He was pretty cool about it though, and let me help him work on bikes in his shop, and on the vintage cars he owned or rebuild as a hobby. Probably why I liked him so much when Father was gone and tried to help him and my mom get together.”
“My mother told me fairy tales and other things my whole growing up, so that gave me a fascination for the magical and mythical. The house is haunted. I like to think its past ancestors still living here. Though I don’t think they’re all that happy with my redesign.” Again she chuckles. “But that gave me a fascination with the paranormal, which led into the supernatural. Vampires have always been my special fascination, though Were Creatures are pretty cool too.” She takes another sip of her half forgotten beer.
“My mother also always took me on outings to see old historical places. Then she’d challenge me to find out about the places.” She waved over at the shelves. Most were stacked with paranormal magazines and papers, but there was also a collection of National Geographic’s, a couple different Archaeology Magazines, and books on various old buildings and places around the town. “That in turn gave me to joy of reading.”
“This house and property has been handed down to females in the family since Frisco was founded. There’s even a special account set up to pay the property taxes. Which is a good thing, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to, since I blew through what I inherited from my mother in rebuilding the place.”
Her face becomes haunted as she continues. “It wasn’t long after I’d turned 18 when the house caught on fire. We had been asleep and something woke me up. Probably the bad smell. It took me several minutes to figure out the smell I smelled was smoke and the sounds I heard was the house burning. I flew out of bed and rushed to my mom’s room, but fire blocked the way.”
She pauses for a very long time. She swallows several times, and when she finally continues, her voice is low and strained. “I tried everything I could think of to get to her, until finally a burning beam fell on me, and knocked me out. I don’t have any idea how I got out of the house, nor does anyone else. When the fire department and paramedics arrived I was out on the front lawn face down. The burns from the beam obvious.”
“I was several months in the ICU at the hospital; they did some skin grafting on the worst of my burns. Why I wear long sleeves and gloves.” She holds out her arms and hands. “When I finally came too, the police were there to let me know my mother didn’t make it, and to ask me about what happened. My next visitors were a lawyer and Jared. Though I understood later that Jared had been there from nearly the time I had been admitted. But the lawyer was there to go over legal matters and have me sign papers. The house and property became mine, as did my mother’s money.”
“Jared told me that the house burnt down after the lawyer left, and that there wasn’t much left. He did try to go in and salvage what he could, but it wasn’t much. What he did get is in boxes up in the attic. I asked him to find the old plans and an architect, which he did. We poured over the plans together, and he redrew what I wanted, which is this present incarnation. Jared was surprised I’d even want to come back, but like I told him, it was mine, and I grew up here after all.”
“I was finally released from the hospital, too soon as far as they were concerned. But I’d grown tired of being there and wanted out. Never have cared much for the places. I came home to a half built house, and much to the construction worker’s and Jared’s dismay, I moved right in to the built part, which was downstairs.” Her voice had grown stronger, and her humor reasserted itself, evident in her latest chuckle. “I tried to stay out of their way, I either slept or spent my time down at the shop, so I wasn’t underfoot too much.”
“So, now here I am, on the hunt to prove Vampires are real, if just to myself, working at a bike shop, and living with just a cat that’d turned up on my doorstep starved nearly to death in this big ole house.” She finished off the last of the beer and sighed. She looked over at Len. “You hungry? I know a great seafood place a few miles south of Frisco, but you’ll have to drive. Or we’re gonna have to walk down to the coffee shop and drink some coffee until I have enough in me to counteract the beer.”
Len, listened with silent attention as she told him her story. He face grew slightly angry and his eyes narrowed when she mentioned how her father abused her. If only he knew at that time, he would have slaughtered her father, denying him the peaceful death that he usually gave his victims. He also got tense when she mentioned werewolves. He had met a few, and they acted like rabid dogs, even in their humans forms. She finished her story and Len was surprised that it had actually touched him. He had been brought to different emotions of sadness, anger, and pity through out its telling. He hadn't felt like that for at least 50 or 60 years. So why was it different now? He was afraid to answer his own questions so he answered hers instead.
"We should probably get you some coffee first." He said with a caring smile. "I'll let you drive though. I don't think I'd be much good on a bike."
She smiled. “Somehow I didn’t think so, why I suggested the coffee house.” She rose from the seat and headed for the kitchen. “Come on.” She headed over to the door to the porch/patio. Once they hit the ground she led him down the street a couple blocks to a local coffee house.
When she entered she was greeted by the girl behind the counter. “Hey Ryder, the usual?”
Ryder shook her head, “Nah, not tonight, strongest you got.”
The girl raised her brows but went to work making her drink. “So? Who’s your friend? He’s cute.”
Ryder rolled her eyes and shook her head, a slight smirk on her face. “Len, meet Jenna. Jenna, this is Len, I nearly ran him over last night.”
Jenna had turned to hand Ryder her coffee and nearly dropped it at her words. “You are shitting me right?” She looked back and forth between Ryder and Len.
Bekka was sitting in a corner of the coffee shop when they had entered, her eyes narrowed when she saw the guy from the all Vamp club last night. She rose from the table, and walked over to them. “Now Jenna, you know our Ryder has no sense of humor. Well, not that macabre anyway.”
Ryder turned to the female and suddenly grinned. “Bekka! When’d you get back?” Her eyes narrowed, “and why didn’t you stop by?”
Bekka gave the taller woman a hug and then stepped back. “Actually I just got back. Thought I’d have a coffee, give you time to wake before dropping in.”
Ryder chuckled. Then she gave a bit of a start. “Oh, sorry Len. This is Bekka, she’s a distant cousin or something. We’ve never really bothered to figure it out.” She grabbed her coffee and started drinking on it.
Bekka turned to look at Len, her eyes were hard, and void of the amusement they contained from the night before. “Len huh? Did my cousin truly nearly run you over?”
Len, returned Bekka's look with an equally cold look. He recognized her from somewhere but couldn’t place her. She was a vampire, he knew that much. And apparently she didn't like something about him. He tried to figure out if he had done something to her in the past but nothing came to mind. His eyes continued to lock with hers as he spoke.
"Yes, I'm afraid she did. I was walking home that night and it was dark and she didn't see me till it was almost too late. But she wasn't going very fast so she managed to put on the brakes in time. Lucky for me, huh?" He spoke as much like a human as his practiced skill could offer him. He continued to search Bekka's eyes for any clue to how he recognized her and why she didn't like him.
Bekka saw he didn’t remember her, and that was fine. But she was going to have words with him soon enough. She turned away and gave Ryder such a look. “Not paying attention?”
Ryder actually looked guilty and a bit sheepish. “No, I wasn’t actually. My mind was… else where.”
Bekka shook her head and laughed. “Mhm, I can imagine where else where. How many times do I have to tell you? There’s no such thing. And since there’s no such thing, you’ll never capture one.” Her eyes had resumed their humorous twinkle.
Ryder gave a snort. “So you say, but you’ve yet to prove to me that that is true.”
Bekka retorted, “and you haven’t proven they are.”
Ryder suddenly looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. “Actually I did have, but I washed it away.”
Bekka’s whole body suddenly went still and her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
Ryder ordered another cup to go, never noticing that Len hadn’t ordered something. Soon as she had her cup, she drug Bekka out of the shop and back to her house. “Come on Len, I need you to help me here.”
Len got nervous with the way things unfolded. This vampire had obviously been hiding the fact that vampires existed from Ryder and now he may have undone all that. He wasn't sure how powerful or old this vampire was. She might be strong enough to kill him if she wished, he wasn't sure. He just hoped that she would fall for his cover story as well. It was still believable even from a vampire's point of view and in the end it was he who had saved Ryder. But he would have to come up with some way to express to Bekka that he didn't want to kill Ryder at all, because he had...yeah, he was going to have to think this one through. When they arrived back at Ryder's house, he hung back and let Ryder do all the talking. He watched Bekka's reactions closely, ready to act at any sign of hostility.
Bekka cast Len a very friged look. She didn’t know what he’d done, but she wasn’t ready for her niece to know that Vampires really did exist, and if he’d screwed that up somehow, she was going to go rounds with him over it. She let herself be led back to Ryder’s house.
The house she’d long ago bought for one of her other nieces and set up so they’d never have to worry about it. It had been a shame when it burnt down. That no good man Ryder’s mother had married had finally come back and thought to kill them both. He’d succeeded with the mother, but Bekka had gotten there in time to get Ryder out. And then she’d ruthlessly hunted him down. His last moments in life hadn’t been all that pleasant.
Finally back at the house, she paused like she always did when she entered it now. Ryder had changed the inside so much; it was still strange to Bekka. Finally she turned to Ryder. “Now just what are you talking about?”
Ryder grinned and told her what happened last night. And how her thought processes went. Bekka looked skeptical, but as the story unfolded, her eyes narrowed, and she’d cast occasional looks Len’s way. One such time was when Ryder told her that Len had shown up in time to chase the Vampire off. She gave him such a long hard look for the rest of Ryder’s narrative that it was her questions that finally brought her back to focus on Ryder.
“Hmm, so a Vampire, from all stories, exceptionally strong, was beat up and chased off by a mortal. Is that what you’re saying?”
Ryder gave Bekka such a disgusted look. “Well, when you put it that way, it sounds stupid, but it’s what happened.” She turned away angrily and stalked off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
Bekka turned slowly to Len. “So, was that the friend you were waiting for last night?” She lapsed into silence and stared at him for a long time. She knew she’d have the time now to speak her peace, Ryder was pissed and would be sulking for a long bit. “Listen up Len, if I find you were the Vampire who did that to my Niece, I will tear you apart and then bury your pieces separately. I have watched over this family since my sister’s descendants came to this country, and I’ll not be having the last of the line wiped out or Turned until she produces an heir, you understand me?”
<break>
Len's faced hardened as he listened to Bekka rant at him. He hadn't fully grasped why a vampire would protect a human like this until now. If it was possible for Bekka to live a long time with a human with out killing the human, then maybe he had a chance at not ever killing Ryder. He had been tossing ideas back and forth in his head and arguing with himself all day long. But at this moment he made up his mind.
"You don't need to worry about me, Bekka. I can stay my thirst, for I believe that I have fallen in love with Ryder. I didn't think it possible, but it is becoming more and more clear to me. Her death would be a heavy blow to me as well. So, we are on the same side. I just need to earn your trust." He looked at Bekka, unsure of how she would take his declaration. Even he needed to get use to it fully.
Bekka’s eyes narrowed slightly, then widened enormously. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then snapped it closed and stared at him a moment. Finally. “Love her? But I thought you just met her last night? Or did I miss something?”
Len, looked down at the floor. He knew it would be hard to believe. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but I've been pondering it for that past 28 hours. The fact is, she makes me feel, you know, and I haven't 'felt' in...well for longer than I can remember. Being a vampire may have it's benefits, but you lose your sense of feeling and become a blank and emotionless existence. It's probably why most vampires turn to constant partying. But I find that to be a shallow way to live out one's existence. Truthfully, I've tried to find ways to live a meaningful existence only to sink deeper into an unfeeling and cold one. She may be my only hope for living. If she does die, so does the life in me."
Staring at him a moment after he stopped speaking, she finally shook her head. “It’s not me you have to get to trust you, it’s her. She has become very anti social and reclusive since her mother’s death. I think if it weren’t for Jared and her job, she wouldn’t even leave the house at all. Well, and her obsession with proving Vampire’s real.”
She paused and cocked her head, listening to Ryder move around in her room. She was starting to settle down, so she didn’t have much time left. She returned her attention back to Len. “Of all in that Line, she is the only one to have an inkling of the truth in the stories handed down. You want my trust? Help me keep fangs off her and her living long enough to have kids, preferably daughters.” She paused again listening to Ryder’s movements. “Go, talk with her, tell her whatever to get her happier. For now I have other things I must attend to.”
He nodded to Bekka and went in to see Ryder. "Ryder, you must not be angry with Bekka. There are a lot of skeptical people out there who need to see the actual thing before they believe. You must understand. But if it makes you feel better, I believe." He smiled kindly looking her over again, contemplating his resolve in his mind.
*~*~*
Bekka watched Len walk off. His words turning over in her mind. She vaguely understood what he was talking about, in the sense she’d seen such in others. She’d never had that problem watching over first her sister, then her sister’s kids and on down to Ryder, the last of her blood. Her face was thoughtful as she left the house and went on about her business. It would be interesting to see if Len could win Ryder over. She gave a slight chuckle. Her niece wished so much to find a Vampire, and never knew her cousin was one, and now her new friend. She found it ironic. She laughed even more imagining the day Ryder found out, if she ever did, that this whole time she’d been in the presence of such. By all that was Holy and Unholy, she was going to be pissed.
*~*~*
Ryder turned as Len came in, then turned away. She stood at the window looking out, and noted Bekka leaving. She finally gave a sigh and turned back to Len. “I know, and Bekka’s more narrow minded then most, but still..” She huffed. “Had I know she was back, I would have left the evidence on for her to see.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Ah well. You ready to go eat? I do think my stomach’s about to crawl up my throat and escape to look for its own food here shortly.”
Len, laughed at her Ryder in her frustration. He was amused with her every expression. He was also laughing at the fact that she was talking about a vampire that didn't exist while she had two with her that she didn't know about. Life could throw strange twists at people.
"Alright, if you really are that hungry, let's go. But I'll let you drive of course. Uh, and I think Bekka has run off to do something. She wasn't specific. Probably just giving you room until you give up your vampire search for the night." He laughed again at he gestured for he to lead the way.
Ryder gave a snort. “No, she’s run off cuz she knows I’m irritated with her.” She shrugs. “Happens every time the subject comes up. A’ight let’s go.”
She grinned at him and then headed out of the room and led him downstairs to the first floor. Tools were scattered here and there close to where they came down. Several workbenches were also on this side of the first floor. She moved over to the other side and opened the garage door. Then she went and pushed the bike out to the driveway. Once Len was out she closed the door and climbed onto the bike, after digging the helmets out from under the seats. She handed one to Len, and then put her own on and waited for him to climb aboard.
Once on she took off. They moved quickly through San Francisco and eventually out onto the highway south of the town. She opened up the throttle, but is still took them over an hour to get to Half Moon Bay. She skirted the outer part of the town until they came to a shack like looking building not far from the beach and parked. Pulling her helmet off she grinned back at Len. “We’re here.” She climbed off the bike and set her helmet down on the seat and waited for Len. She waved at the person behind the counter while she waited, and they waved back.
He took off the helmet and shook his hair free. He put the helmet on the bike and headed into the restaurant. He wasn't sure what he was going to order but it didn't much matter him. He had learned how to eat normal food without throwing it back up. Back went he was a young vampire he hadn't really thought about the consequences of his eating normal food again. And sure enough when he tried it, his body rejected it and he threw it up in a public place. But since then he slowly built up a tolerance to normal food so that he could eat in the presence of humans. They sat down at a booth next to a window. He turned to Ryder.
"Do you come here often?"
“Often enough that they know me, only I’ve never been inside the restaurant proper before.” She looked curiously around the place. “Normally I just get the food and go out to the beach.” The place was small inside, only three booths and two small tables out in the middle of the floor.
She looked at him. “You have an idea what you want? I’ll go order. All they serve here is seafood of some sort or another. If you’re not picky, I suggest the Sampler Plate, that way you get a bit of everything, including the catch of the day.”
"Heh, I'm not one to be particular about food. I'll have whatever you think I'll like." Ryder gave a nod, got up and walked over to the counter.
Len stared out into the night through the window. He was happy here with Ryder now. He just hoped he didn't have any more head butts with Bekka. He really didn't want to upset the happiness he had found so suddenly. It had been a long time since he had something that occupied his attention for so long.
As he looked out the window he saw another vampire with a human victim. He sighed as he watched the vampire drive away with his soon to be prey. It reminded him that he himself had almost killed Ryder. But he was extremely relieved that he managed to spare her life. Bekka was right, she must be protected. There were vampires everywhere and there was no telling when a vampire like himself would see her one night and take her life.
He also wondered what he was going to do when the sun started to rise and how he was going to explain to Ryder that he wouldn't be able to do anything with her during the day. He would just have to get her to stay up all night so that she would sleep most of the day. It wasn't a fool proof plan but he was going to work with it.
“Hey Ryder, you never come inside, what’s up? And who’s your friend?”
“Hey Vinnie, two Samplers and a pitcher of Pepsi. I know, Len walked in and to be honest, I’m too hungry to argue with it.” She grinned at Vinnie.
Vinnie had written her order and passed it back as she talked. He eyed her, “Been skipping meals again?”
She gave a chuckle. “Only since last night.”
Vinnie gave a snort, “Go sit with your friend, I’ll bring it out when it’s ready. Right now I’ll go apply the whip to the slaves and get your order done pronto.”
Ryder laughed and thanked Vinnie before walking back to the booth Len picked. She sat down opposite him. “Vinnie will bring the food out soon as it’s ready.” She looked out the window, staring at the moon lit beach absently.
Ryder’s thoughts had been going in circles. She’d started with the incident from last night and her Intruder. He just had to be a Vampire, but then she’d think about Len chasing him off. That in turn would bring her to think about Len and her strange involvement with him. She was so anti social, and knew it; she didn’t understand why she was hanging with him so much.
Maybe it had to do with his strange sense of humor when she’d nearly ran him over. Or could have been his offer to show her his house. Even might have been the fact that he’d hunted her down when she’d left him a message that she couldn’t come back to his club. That last strangely didn’t bother her as much as if it’d been someone else she hardly knew.
That last would in turn bring her to thinking about running into Bekka and telling her about the Intruder, and Bekka’s reaction. Which brought her to Len again and him trying to cheer her up. This took her back to the incident during the night, and so forth and so on. Her thoughts chased themselves over, under, around, and back and forth.
The food came to the table in a rather short amount of time. Len ate his slowly, careful not to over do it. He watched Ryder eat intently. Hell, he was obsessed. He looked away out the window again but returned his gaze to her before long.
She was finally brought out of the never ending cycle by Vinnie bringing them their food. He gave her a wink as he placed both baskets and a pitcher down on the table and then walked off. Her stomach then dominated her thoughts and the need to fill it before it really did try to hunt its own food. She was so single-minded in her eating that she started a bit when Len spoke and looked up at him wide eyed.
"You know Ryder...I think you..." He quickly looked out the window again. "...picked a good place to eat. I didn't know about this place, but it's really good here." He bit his lip and ranted at himself in his head. It was going to be a long night.
She gave him a smile. “Yes, it is good. I found it once on one of my down times. Wait until you see the beach.” She gives him a mischievous smile, and went back to finishing her food. By now her stomach wasn’t demanding, and her thoughts once again went to Len and why she was wanting to hang out with him. The part of the beach she had hinted at was her private Get Away From Crap place, and she couldn’t believe she had mentioned it even if vaguely. She’d never told anyone about the place, or even took them there. Not even Bekka.
Len picked at his food as he thought. He was thinking about the hidden war that was going on amongst the vampires and how it might affect Ryder. As he looked at her silently he just smiled. She was something special, but what specifically he couldn't put his finger on. He would completely die inside if something were to happen to her, which was ironic that he was almost her demise. He was thankful that this side of him won out. Also not to mention what Bekka would do if he or any other vampire were to kill Ryder. He had seen the fire and the hate in her eyes. Bekka had made preserving this line her hobby and obsession and now it was in danger of ending. This was Bekka's connection to this world, were it to end, well, who was to say what would happen. He knew what he would do. He finally broke the silence.
"So, Ryder, what do you want to do with your life? Do you have any dreams? Or are you happy with where you are?"
She chewed thoughtfully on the last of her food. Finally she gave a shrug. “I enjoy my job and my hobbies. Beyond that what else is there?” Finishing off the last of her drink, she looked at him with a quirky smile. “My only dream really at the moment is to find a real live Vampire.” She gave a chuckle. “Though they probably wouldn’t actually sit and talk with me probably. More like just eat me for dinner and that’d probably be the only way I’ll ever get to meet one.” She gave a sigh and looked out the window for a few heartbeats.
She then pulled money out and dropped it on the table. “If you’re done let’s get out of here, hmm?” She rose from the booth and spotted Vinnie looking their way. She gave him a wave as she headed for the door. Suddenly she felt the urge to get out and walk the beach and get away from mass amounts of people. Not that Vinnie and his cook were all that many, but she itched for some solitude and open space, not cooped up within a building.
Len, nodded at her rhetorical question. He had been asking himself that question for a long time now. He couldn't resist a humorous smile at her dreams of finding a vampire. She really believed they existed, but luckily she wasn't one to go around suspicious of everyone she met, suspecting them to be a vampire. It had made it easier for him.
As they walked out he said to her, "So you really believe in vampires don't you? Well, I guess your right about one just eating you if you did meet one. Or at least you'd be bitten and become one of them." He turned his face away to hide the twinge of pain from his past. "Heh, what do you think of that Ryder? Actually being a vampire. Are you so happy with your life as it is now to live it into eternity?"
<break>
Ryder headed out to the beach as Len followed her out of Vinnie’s shack. She turned around and walked backwards when he asked her about believing, a silly grin on her face. “Yes, Len, I really do believe that Vampires exist, and a good many other creatures of myth and legend.” She grin lessened as he turned away at his comment of her becoming a Vampire, not sure if the thought bothered him or not.
Nearly stumbling over a piece of driftwood, she turned around and faced the way she was going. She started a bit at his next questions. She walked quietly, thoughtfully thinking over the question until they reached the surf and made an unconscious turn to the left. After they’d walked a bit further, she finally nodded. “Yes, it wouldn’t bother me overly much to become one of the Children of the Night. I’m only out in the daylight if I absolutely have no choice anyway. I’m not all that interested in being in a crowd, though I can socialize if I must. Though money might be an issue to be able to keep doing the things I do….”
Her voice trails off as she thinks the matter over some more. They walked on until they came up to a huge cropping sitting between beach and surf. The outcrop looked like part of the cliff back a ways had broke off and marched down to the water’s edge. She automatically started climbing up without a word as she continued thinking. Her climb was angled and then she seemed to suddenly disappear off the cliff face. Only a heartbeat later her head popped back out to look back at him. “But, to live for eternity, they have to know some trick to making money, don’t you think?” She disappeared back inside the hole in the side of the cropping and waited for him to catch up.
Len began to climb after her, careful to not make his movements seem as effortless as they really were for him. He climb up onto the ledge and into the hole with her.
"Well, I would think that over enough time, a vampire would just be able to accumulate enough money to amount to a fortune. If time is not a factor, and it isn't for vampires, then the only important thing would be how fast a vampire can get a fortune. But it's possible for a vampire to live without money. From a technical view, all a vampire needs to do is feed every so often and not much else is needed for a vampire to exist." Len found it strange to be talking to a human about his own kind, but with Ryder is was almost....liberating for his own mind.
She gave a snort at his words as she turned and lead him deeper into the cave. The path slopped up for quite a ways. “Now if all you did was eating and, well, breath, wouldn’t you get bored real quick? No stimulus or activity but hunting down your food. No other thoughts or ideas but your own? I know I would, and then what would be the point of living forever?”
The path made a sharp and winding drop once they reached the top of it. There was no light this far in, but Ryder seemed to walk the path easily, as if she’d traveled it many, many times. She shook her head. “No, I’d need to find some way to make some sort of money to do the things I do, or it wouldn’t be worth being that long lived.”
There seemed to be the faintest of glows up ahead, and it wasn’t too much longer before Ryder spoke softly. “Grab my belt and watch your step.” She moved carefully as they came upon a softly glowing chamber. And she maneuvered to walk a narrow ledge around the outside of it, since the path ended at a drop off. She navigated them to a small ledge wide enough for them to sit on and look out over the chamber. “Isn’t it pretty? Some sort of weird moss and/or lichen I think makes it glow in here. I’ve never really bothered to try to examine it, since I can’t figure out how to get back up.” She waved her hand down to the pool about 25 feet below. “What’s nice is when the tide comes up, this place doesn’t fill up. The water comes only to about ten feet below the path then. So at least your dry if you loose track of time and get stuck with the tide.”
Len stared down into the pit and then studied the surrounding walls of the cave. Since he was a vampire, by rights this is where he should be living. In a dark, wet cave where the light of the sun and the light of human contact would not reach him. That is the way he felt it should be; what he felt he deserved. Yet here he was, were he should be but with the glimmering radiance from a woman that had probably changed his outlook on his grim life. But he even hid himself from this light.
"How long have you been coming to this place. It's solitude is perfect."
Ryder grinned over at Len. “It is isn’t it. I’ve been coming here since I was 16. Found it by accident one day.” She went quiet, not elaborating more on the subject. She sat there a while with a slight smile on her face and her eyes closed, as if communing with the place.
Finally she opened her eyes and pointed across the way. “If we’d taken the trail in that direction, there’s another entrance to a small cave. I’ve slept there a few times.” She gave a chuckle. “Got caught when the tide came in for the night. After that, my next visit I brought things to make such a happening more comfortable.” She laughs again. “I haven’t bothered exploring the path beyond that though. Just happy to have found this much, and respect what I’m allowed.” She gives a shrug.
He looked at her when she finished speaking. Even though he knew the cave was dimly lit, he could see her as clear as day in the darkness. He reached out and took her hand into his. He brought his face close enough to hers so that she could see his face in the low light.
"Do you trust me? I can help you explore the unknown region that you haven't been to yet. I know...echolocation techniques." He lied of course but it was the only way to do this with out revealing himself to her. "So, do you trust me?"
She blinked as Len took her hand and leaned in close. She almost went cross eyed. She pulled back a bit to let her eyes refocus on him. She could see pretty well in the dark, she chose to live so much in it, that she’d developed excellent night vision. The draw back was she had the worst day vision.
She gave a slight laugh. “I trust you, considering.” She hesitated over his offer to help her explore beyond the area she considered hers. Well, not hers exactly, but where she was welcomed. “I don’t know about exploring further.”
Len was a little confused at her pause in speech. He studied her face to derive some answer. He considered what he had said, trying to find some place where he had crossed the line. When he couldn't come up with anything he gave her an unsure smile and said, "Considering what? Something bothering you?" He tried to think of what it could be, but his imagination just grew wilder instead of more helpful. "It's ok, you can tell me."
She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully, studying his face closely. She was debating how much more of herself to reveal to him. Granted, he took her…obsession…with Vampires pretty much in stride. But when it came to beliefs and religion, people grew funny.
Finally she smiled shyly. “Considering we’ve just met and all.” She looked out over the cavern for a few heartbeats then turned back to Len. “I’ve never been made to feel as if I couldn’t explore further. But I feel welcome here, and I’m not sure I would further in. Though it would be great to see what probably no one else has ever seen before first.” Her voice trails off.
Finally she blurts out in a bit of a rush. “I pretty much don’t believe as most people do. After all I believe Vampires and other creatures exist. But I’m not really talking about that. I also believe the earth is very much alive with its own spirit, and if one takes the time to listen and be open, it can and will communicate with you.”
Len was surprised by this outburst of emotion from her. He was unsure how exactly to respond, but he continued to by calm and happy on the outside.
"Well, with that reasoning, the closer we are to the earth, the better we can communicate with it. If we travel deeper into this cave, we will get closer and closer to the earth and have more of it wrapping around us. Or do you fear that the earth will swallow us whole?" He chuckled a little and watched for her response.
She shook her head. “No, nothing like that, unless of course we tread where we’re not welcome.” She pondered his words thoughtfully. Finally she nods slowly. “What you say makes sense. And more so, I get no impression that we’d be unwelcome.” She gives his hand a slight squeeze and grins at him impishly. “When ever you’re ready. I’ve never brought a light in here, pity. I have a feeling we’ll probably need it further in. But maybe we’ll get lucky with more glow stuff.”
"Not with me you won't. Come on, let's go."
Ryder gave a laugh as she rose to follow Len. She kept close to him at first, but as they progressed, she’d pause now and again and feel the tunnel with her hands. Like a blind person, she was [i]seeing[/i] the place while in total darkness.
He held her hand tightly as they made their way to the smaller cave. It was smaller that was for sure. They couldn't stand all the way up in it. and it seemed to narrow into a tunnel that led off into the darkness. Len led her to the opening of this tunnel and click with his mouth into the darkness for effect. With his eyes he could see that it was just an open tunnel with a slight downward bend to it. There also was a sharp turn to it not too far off that blocked his view from seeing farther down.
"It's clear for a little ways. But I think I hear a turn, but I'll be more sure when we get closer." He continued to click every now and then just to keep up the lie, while he observed the details of the walls. They came to the turn and he navigated her with him through it, reassuring her that he could 'see' everything fine with the clicking.
He looked down the tunnel again now that they had turned the corner. The tunnel was slowly getting smaller and smaller and again there was another turn that blocked his vision. He continued with her to the bend and strangely he could see some light coming from around the bend. But by the time they reached the turn, they were forced to travel at a low crawl to fit through the shrinking tunnel. She bent down as he told her the further they went. Got down and crawled when they had too.
Around this turn, he could see that the tunnel opened up into a little chamber that was wider on the sides but not so much on the top. Covering the bottom of this chamber was the glowing moss he had seen earlier. She blinked slightly as they entered the glowing chamber. She stopped just inside and stared about the glowing chamber.
He laughed, enjoying this exploring they were doing. Once in the chamber they were crawling on soft, glowing moss. It was interesting to touch and it gave off enough light to see in the chamber. The tunnel did continue on, but it was too small for them to continue any further. "Well, I guess we can't go any further." Len said gesturing to the tunnel. He laid down on the moss and propped himself up to rest his arms.
Len’s words pulled her out of her study of the new chamber, and she looked over to see him lounging comfortably on the glowing moss. She grinned at him. “Well, don’t you just look right at home.” She crawled further in and settled on the [i]floor[/i] close to him. Lying on her back she looked up at the [i]ceiling[/i]. She studied it for a long time, her eyes settling in one spot for a long time until she’d examined it to her satisfaction, before moving on to a new section. She frowned at one shadow section, but stayed silent for the time being.
Finally, looking over at Len she grinned at him. “I’m going to have to bring the gear back here. This moss is far more comfy then the rock.”
"Yep, this moss is nice. I have yet to come up with something to explain why it glows like that. Ha-ha, but it is useful and I'm glad to have it here."
He picked some up in his hand and looked it over. He soon lost interest in looking at it and dropped it. He continued to lay face down with his head resting in one hand. It was even more secluded in here, and the close quarters almost made him feel like nothing existed outside the confines of the cave. He turned his head to Ryder lying beside him.
"Thanks for bringing me here. I really enjoy this place, and if you don't mind, I'd like to come here often with you."
Ryder burst out laughing and rolled onto her side to give him a playful shove. “Silly, I can’t give you that permission. I don’t own here. Obviously Mother Earth doesn’t mind you here or we wouldn’t be here.” She then gave him a gentle pat, “and you’re welcome. I’ve never showed this place to anyone before. Kinda kept it to myself as a place to escape the city and people.”
She settled more comfortably. “But I’d welcome your company anytime I come out here.” She curled an arm under her head to rest on and her other hand still laid lightly on Len’s shoulder. She gave a contented sigh as they lay there quietly enjoying the cave they’d found together.
"Hmm," he said as he reflected over her words. "So this is your escape from the world, yet now...you won't be able to escape from me." He looked over at her, and gave her a mischievous smile. He then squinted his eyes at her and with a very dramatic and playful tone he asked, "How does that make you feel? To be within reach of someone else?"
She blinked at him. “Huh, I guess you could say that.” She gave a laugh. “You make it sound like we’re going to be joined at the hip or something like from now on.” She shook her head and smirked. “I’m sure there'll be times you’re off busy with something, and myself at times too. And I work as well, and you…” She gave a slight shrug. “We’ll probably be apart more often then you think.”
She then grew serious about his question and studied him thoughtfully. Finally she turned her gaze to the ceiling of the cave. “I’m always in reach of someone. There’s Becka when she’s in town. Jared almost always. The phone’s probably ringing off the hook by now, or he’s already at the house checking on me.” She winced at that. “I’m not much of a people person, but…” she lifted a shoulder. She really didn’t have the words to explain why she was so easily comfortable with him. It was like the time she’d first met Becka, they’d hit it off right from the first moments, and the same seemed to be happening with Len.
He laughed at her response, thinking she did like to take things to the extreme sometimes. He listened to her list off the people that she was 'in reach of' and when she said Bekka his mind switched to that old vampire. Here he was with the one prize possession of that vampire. One move that made Bekka angry enough, could leave him with an eternal enemy. He really had no idea where Bekka had come from or what her true purpose in life was, but he wasn't about to find out the hard way. He heard Ryder stop,
"But what?" He said, not taking his eyes off her.
“I dunno how to explain it.” She rolled over on her side and tucked her hands under her head like a pillow and stared back at him. “What about you? You don’t really strike me as a people person either.” Her face was blank as she studied his face thoroughly.
He laughed a little, "You guess correctly. I have spent more time with you these past few days than with anyone in years. I guess...I guess I wanted change, or I was just waiting for someone I really could connect with. I don't know exactly, but I do know for whatever reason, I don't want this night to end. But end it will, and at dawn I will have to return to my home. I really do live like a vampire. I just kinda want to know what it is like, you could say. So, unless you plan on staying here and sleeping or talking till nightfall, I will have to leave you for awhile." He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.
Ryder gave a sigh. “Yea, we should head back.” She wriggled around until she headed out of the cave and down the tunnel. Once they reached the original area she paused and waited for Len to emerge so they could continue on out. She stared down at the water as she waited for him, lost in thought.
Len’s comments about change and connecting had hit home. Oh, she’d connected with Becka when they first met, then to find they were related seemed to explain that connection. He seemed to be right though, they’d connected from the start as well. Never mind she’d nearly ran him down. She liked that he laughed and joked about that, though she’d felt so bad about it, and still did.
But their connection was different then the one with Becka. She hoped enough different that they wouldn’t find out later they too were related. If that happened, she was going to give up on people for good. She liked Len, but didn’t want to find out he was related to her. She had enough mettlesome relatives in Becka and Jared.
Len crawled out of the cave into the fresh night air. He was fighting the desire to continue the night in some way, but he knew that the sun would be up in a few hours and he needed to feed sometime in the near future. He could feel his body starting to age in a rapid manner. As much has he hated it, he had to part with Ryder for awhile.
"Well, you wouldn't mind giving me a ride home again, would you? It's a long way to walk." He smiled as he tried to hide his lie. He could be back at his house within 10 minutes walking vampire speed.
<break>
Ryder gave Len a look that said ‘just what type of person do you take me for?’ and then she spoke. “Yes, I do mind. After all, it’s over an hour just to Frisco from here. Then let’s add the time it takes to get through the city and past it, and the added time of then getting to your house. Mhm, yep, I’m just going to leave you high and dry after dragging you out here. But hey, be glad, I’m not some deranged serial killer. I’m not going to take your life after getting you to a secluded spot.”
She shook her head at him and grabbed his hand tugging him down the beach back to Vinnie’s shack and her bike. Hopefully Vinnie hadn’t put it inside tonight like he sometimes did. If he had, they were camping out back in the rock. She quickened her steps, hoping.
Len let himself be let from the cave back to the restaurant. But while they were walking up to the building he notice slight movements in the bushes at the back of the building. He didn't stop or saying anything, but just continued walking, keeping an eye on the spot. After a few more movements in the bush he saw a flash of fur and then the thing was gone. Len snorted and told himself it was just a big dog or animal of some kind. He turned back to Ryder and continued to follow her silently.
Soon they reached the shack and Ryder gave a sigh of relief. Vinnie had left her bike out. She handed Len a helmet and then put her own on and swung onto the bike. She waited for him to get on before she started it up and headed back to Frisco. Fortunately, it was late/early depending on one’s views and there was no traffic. She let the throttle out nearly all the way and they raced down the highway.
Once they reached Frisco itself, she slowed slightly as she drove through it and before long they’d passed it and were headed to Len’s place. Once there, she brought the bike to a halt at the gate.
Len dismounted the bike and removed the helmet. He noticed the sky getting slightly lighter by the second, and he knew he didn't have much time. He handed the helmet to Ryder and tried not to look like he was in a hurry.
"Thanks for the ride again, I think I owe you one now." He gave her a wink. "Make sure to give Bekka my regards, and I'll see you soon?"
Ryder nodded. “I will, and sure. Though I’ll probably work tonight. I’m off about midnight, unless you can ferret out where I work as well.” She gave him a grin and turned the bike around and headed for home.
Once home, her earlier comment about Jarred was a bull’s eye. His bike sat in her driveway. As she pulled up and got off, she laid a hand on the motor and felt it was cold. He’d been here a while and was still waiting. She gave a sigh as she put her bike away and even brought his inside the first floor. He was probably asleep by now since dawn was just starting.
She quietly snuck up the stairs and into the room. Tiptoeing through the open room she neared the door to the only other bedroom and peeked in. Sure enough he was there sound asleep. With a slight smile she turned away and headed to her own room. Quickly undressing, she climbed in. She was going to get the silent third degree when she woke later, but she wasn’t overly worried about it. It was a rare game, but game none the less. He’d ask a question or two, but he didn’t get mad or yell, but quietly wait for her to give in and blurt everything. Sometimes he won, sometimes she won. It was rare she ever called out, and before tonight, she’d never lied about why she’d called out. Turning her thoughts to the night and all that had gone on, she soon drifted off to sleep.
Len waved to her as she turned around and he watched her disappear down the road. He sighed and quickly put in the code for the gate. As he walked down the long driveway to his mansion, he heard with his keen vampire ears the slightest of noises behind him out of place with the ambiance of the night. He stopped and turned around to see nothing but the closing gate behind him. He studied his surroundings for a moment and then continued toward the house, wary of any other noises. He didn't hear anymore the rest of the way to the front door. He unlocked the door, gave one last look around outside and shut the door behind him. He checked and made sure all the blinds and curtains were drawn over the windows and then headed for his room. He closed the curtains on his bedroom windows and then laid down in his coffin bed. He stared up at the ceiling in his restful sleepless state, thinking of only one thing, rather one person.
His eyes flew open. The sound of a wolf's howl jerked Len out of inanimation. He had been lost in thought and when he came to, the howl had ceased. He thought it might have all been in his head, but he could sense the presence of another being just outside his property. It was faint and impossible to tell the exact location, but when he strained his senses he could feel something there, a strange presence. He put two and two together and suspected it was a werewolf, but it would be a strange thing for a werewolf to be hanging around a vampire's haven. Surely the werewolf could smell his vampiric scent long before he could feel it's presence.
Len rose from within his bed in a very unnatural way and strode over to the curtains. He pulled them away slightly and peered out over the lawn that was slowly being bathed in the dawn's light. Len could feel a slight tingling sensation on his face and hand from the light, but it was not strong enough yet to burn him. He saw nothing, and the presence he felt was going fainter by the second. Len was uneasy with this visit and feared something bigger than he could realized at the moment was at work. The thing that was foremost in his mind was not getting Ryder entangled in anything. He was sure that if she died because of him, it would just be another load on his heart among many that he would carry indefinitely into time. He wasn't sure how many of those regrets he could take.
She woke to the smell of cooking food, seemed there was bacon, eggs, and maybe potatoes. She lay there frowning fuzzily, since the smells didn’t mesh with the dream she’d just been having. She also knew she had no food in the house; she hadn’t been shopping in a while. Finally, the smell of coffee brewing woke her enough to get up, shower, and dress. She knew she wasn’t going to solve the mystery lying in bed.
She finally padded out of her room to see Jared setting a plate of food and a coffee cup on the island counter. She approached the food, warily watching Jared, who’d sat down with his own plate and cup. He motioned for her to sit and eat, and started shoveling food into his own mouth. She gave an inaudible sigh, and sat and started eating and sipping at the coffee.
“Sick huh?”
She nearly choked on her food when he spoke. Swallowing hastily she looked side long at him. “Uh… well… no.” She looked guilty as all hell.
“Yeah, I kinda figured when I didn’t find you home in bed. So?”
Ryder shrugged. “So? I met this guy. Nearly ran him over in fact.”
Jared lifted his brows at that. But he didn’t say anything and went back to eating. So did Ryder. Soon they were finished, and she did the dishes. “Coming to work?” Ryder nodded and they both left off to the shop.
Jared and Ryder arrived at the shop. The couple of other workers looked up as they entered. Tomas looked her over, before speaking. “Feeling better, Girl?” She just gave him a nod, and went to work on a bike she was in the middle of. Tomas didn’t believe a female should be doing a man’s work, but he also couldn’t deny her skills and abilities. He often joked that she should have been male. Him calling her ‘Girl’ was another of his jokes.
Here in Jared’s shop was the one of two places where she dropped her walls enough for people to see into her. And this one was the only semi public place, since the only other place she was truly herself was at home. Normally, she hummed as she worked, unknown to her, and had a slight smile on her face, also unknown to her. Today though, she was quiet and a slight frown marred her features.
Her mind was back to running those circles. When it wasn’t running the whole Vampire circle, it would switch to Len, and run a whole new set of circles. She didn’t understand her thought processes and reactions when it came to him. The closeness and liberties he took around her, she overlooked or never noticed until long afterwards, and by then it was far to late. Jared and Becka were the only ones that close to her.
Jenna at the coffee shop knew what she preferred to drink. Vinnie over in Half Moon Bay knew enough to know she didn’t usually eat in, and might stay out all night and would put her bike away for the night, and that she tended to skip meals regularly. Even Tomas and Charlie only knew she was a damn fine mechanic, and tended to be in some sort of zone when working.
Only Jared and Becka knew her whole life story and now Len as well. She still couldn’t get over that she’d just out and out told him. No excuses or half baked stories to keep her past hers. She didn’t understand her attraction to him, oh, he was cute enough, and they seemed to share a belief in Vampires and a quarky humor, but the attraction felt deeper then that. And it puzzled the crap out of her. Hell, she’d even shown him her secret special place, and to make matters even stranger, it was as if the place welcomed him as much as it did her. Even she felt as if he belonged there.
As midnight drew closer, she found herself getting antsy for it to hurry up, not her normal reaction. Normally she dreaded clock out time. She wanted work to be over so that maybe she could see Len again. Part of her had hoped all through her shift that he’d find her work as he had her home. But as the night wore on, that hope slowly died.
When midnight finally arrived, she practically bolted out of the shop with a wave and a quick goodbye. Tomas and Charlie watched in amazement, and then turned their gazes to Jared. Jared had a thoughtful look on his face, until the weight of the guys’ stare registered. He looked over at them and just shrugged and went back to what he had been doing.
*~*~*
Unknown to Ryder, when the house was being rebuilt, Becka had had a secret basement put in that wasn’t on the plans. When she was in town, this was one of many bolt holes she had for when daylight approached. After the run in with Ryder and Len, she’d started staying close to home, as the saying goes. She’d heard Jared’s bike pull up at about midday. She listen to him move about upstairs in the house and finally settle in for the night.
Once he was asleep, she came upstairs and wandered all but the room he slept in. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. But she was not overly thrilled with Len and Ryder having struck up a friendship. On the other hand, it would be amusing to watch a Vampire try to get close to her closed and anti-social niece, who also believed Vampires were very real.
She finally left off searching for who knew what and went to Hunt. That done and over with, she returned back to her lair an hour before dawn. She heard Ryder come in as dawn approached and put away hers and Jared’s bikes. She settled in for the day and rested.
An hour before sunset, she could hear Jared moving around. After fifteen minutes, she could faintly smell food cooking. She heard Ryder rise, and not too long after that, both bikes revved up and were gone. As soon as darkness hit full on she rose, and headed to Jared’s shop. She was going to keep a close eye on Ryder as long as Len was in the picture.
As she waited for Ryder to get off work, she mulled over Len’s words to her. He’d fallen in love with her. She gave a soft snort at that. Vampires lost all emotion when turned. Yes, it took a bit of time, but they still did. Though true, in her own distant way she loved her Niece. But it was a distant emotion, like a half forgotten memory. Ryder was the last of her bloodline, and she needed to have children. Once Turned, Vampires couldn’t reproduce. Would he still love her to let her be with another man and have children? Somehow she didn’t think so. There was also the fact that Ryder would grow old and eventually die, while he would stay forever young.
Finally Ryder came out of the shop and hopped on her bike. She paused momentarily as if uncertain where she was going to go, but then she turned the bike on and zipped out on the streets. Becka shook her head and then set off following her. She was surprised when they arrived back at the house. She was even more surprised when Ryder didn’t put the bike inside, but hopped off and ran up the outside stairs into the house.
As she walked along, she thought of all the things happening lately among the Vampire Kind. She gave her head a rueful shake. For those wanting to emerge and tell the world at large they are here and always have been, they sure were going about it the wrong way. She, personally, didn’t care either way. She could survive. Granted, the Hunters would finally have proof and could make life difficult, but it wasn’t like they didn’t already without the proof.
Shortly she arrived at Wharf District and started prowling for likely food candidates. It didn’t take her long to find several possibilities. Finally, she narrowed onto one, and started her stalking. She posed as one of the runaway waifs to an obvious pimp. It wasn’t long before he was leading her back to his place, thinking he’d just scored himself another prostitute.
Once there, he started fondling and kissing on her, as he did with all his workers to test run them before putting them out on the street. After putting up with that long enough for him to drop any guard he might have, she struck. Her canines sunk into his neck with an ease, and the warm blood gushed into her mouth. She drank him dry, his type she had no qualms about killing. When she finished, she licked the holes causing them to disappear. She then left.
*~*~*
Ryder had just gotten off work and was just wandering San Francisco, which was daunting in itself. She really had no destination in mind. Her thoughts were busy with how to prove that Vampires existed. She subscribed to just about every paranormal newspaper, magazine, and rag she could find a subscription too. The articles of late were fueling her to try to find one of her own as proof.
She just puttered through streets as she was deep in thought, instead of her normal high speeds on her bike. Finally she came back to her senses as she nearly hit someone crossing the street. Managing to just avoid them, she brought the bike to a stop and pulled off her helmet. “I am so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
Len had been walking aimlessly until he saw Ryder. She was beautiful in his eyes and it stirred a desire within him for her blood. He had fed the day before, but something about this one made him need to feed again. He watched her carefully waiting for the right moment. He decided that the easiest way was to just reveal himself and take her since there was no one else traveling these alley ways. He stepped into her path making it look like he hadn't noticed her. He expected her to stop but she nearly ran into him before she noticed him there. His face showed that he was unphased by this.
"Do you tend to run over pedestrians often in an untraveled alley? Or is it too dark already for you to see me. I am wearing all black." He joked with a slight smile.
Ryder blinked at the guy’s unphased attitude. Course now she realized it was a guy she’d nearly ran over. Least it hadn’t been a child; she probably would have been a real wreck at her carelessness. She gave a chuckle at his joke, and suddenly strangled it, it sounded painful. “I’m sorry. Really there’s nothing funny about this. I almost run you over all because my mind is elsewhere trying to figure out a problem.” She gave a shake of her head in disgust at herself. “I know better too.” She sighs and looks away.
Finally she looks back at him and really looks him over. He was cute in a gothic sort of way. Not that she had anything against Goths, except maybe they could get a bit depressing. In all seriousness she finally answered his questions. “No, I don’t normally run over poor foot traffic as a hobby. Fortunately I wasn’t going anywhere near the speeds I normally do, or I might have actually hit you.”
She looked up at the sky. While dark, San Francisco was aglow as usual. She looks back at him again. “Dark clothes or not, it’s hard to miss one with a city constantly lit up… generally… if I’m paying attention, at any rate.” She sighed again and dropped her gaze to the ground, then looked back up at him quickly. “Look, to make up in some small way, can I give you a ride somewhere?”
Len, paused at her offer. People normally would have just apologized and moved on. This intrigued him. Maybe he would just play around with this one for awhile. He didn't have anything better to do for the night. He stepped closer to her and kept his eyes on her.
"You don't even know my name? And I don't know yours, yet you offer me a ride nonetheless. My name is Len, and I'm afraid I live a little ways outside the city, maybe farther than you are willing to go. I'm not one for much....unwanted company surrounding me all the time, if you know what I mean. And that is all I would have if I...lived in the city."
Ryder ducked her head at his chiding of her manners. “I’m sorry that was rude of me wasn’t it. Not only do I nearly run you over, but I seem to have forgotten my manners as well. Good thing my mother isn’t around, or she’d knock me upside my head for the lapse.” She raises her head and looks up, she’s a bit startled to find him so close. “My name’s Ryder. No, no last name, with mom gone…” Her voice trails off and she looks away for a brief moment.
She’d caught his hesitation while he talked and gave him a wry smile. “Yeah, the city can get a bit crowded, can’t it.” She gives a shrug. “Distance doesn’t matter, especially with a bike.” She grins fully and truly for the first time. “Besides I can go fast on roads out of Frisco and not worry about too many other vehicles, people, or more deadly, corners.”
She turns away from him and moves over to her bike. Somewhat satisfied at any rate that he’s not damaged from her blunder. She pauses by the bike and looks over at him while she holds her helmet. “So you want a lift or not? You won’t hurt my feelings if you say no.” She grins at him again. "I'll completely understand if you don't care to trust one who'd just nearly ran you down after all."
He snorted softly at her comment about him not trusting her when it should have been the other way around. He contemplated her offer again for a moment and decided that if he did go through with taking her blood, it would be easier for him to do it outside the city.
He smiled and said, "Alright, I'll take you up on it. It's a long walk, and I wasn't really looking forward to it." He stepped over to the bike and mounted up with the greatest of ease and silent movements. He could smell her scent engulf his senses and sense her heart beating softly and rhythmically. He tried to ignore his senses and not let them show. "How would you prefer me to ride?" He said calmly.
Handing the helmet to him first. “Strap that on for starters. It’s the law and I’m not interested in some stray cop pulling us over.” She lifts up her seat to reveal a compartment and rummages around. She pulls out the spare helmet and straps it on herself. Flipping her leg over the handlebars, she mounts the bike with Len sitting on the back. “The best way for you to ride is to hang on. I don’t need to add you falling off to my growing list of crimes.” With that she starts the bike up. As she waits for him to get a good grip, she thinks to ask. “Which way out of the city?”
Len put the helmet on and realized that he had never ridden a bike before. Being a vampire he had no need of vehicle transportation and he had only ridden in a car a few times for show. He was a little unsure about the ride he was about to take, but he knew he could bare through it. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her waist to secure himself as she started the engine. He could now feel the blood running through her. He was glad that the helmet was between him and her neck.
"Just get on the interstate up here, and head north. Take the second exit outside the city and about a mile down that road is my house on the left. It's three stories with a iron fence all the way around the grounds. You can't miss it."
His hold on her was strong which surprised her a bit with his scrawny frame. But at least it wouldn’t mean he’d fall off easily unless she did as well. She gunned the bike into motion and it wasn’t long before they were zooming through the streets at a break neck speed. At least the whole near catastrophe had taken her mind off trying to figure out how to find a Vampire.
She followed his directions, and before long they were leaving the city behind. At her speeds it didn’t take them much longer after that to come upon the second exit. As she zipped off the interstate she slowed slightly so as not to zoom past his house. After all a mile wasn’t all that far, relatively speaking.
Finally she came to a stop in front of his gates. She took her helmet off and craned her neck to look back at him with a smirk. “You can let go now. We’re here, and you are amazingly still in one piece.” She waited quietly for him to let go, really in no rush for him to do so. It was kinda nice having his arms around her, but she didn’t really expect them to stay there too much longer. Unless, of course, she’d petrified him with her driving, it had been known to happen.
Len quickly released his hold on her. He hadn't expected to be so close to his prey for so long. But he maintained mastery of his inner demon. He dismounted the bike, and punched in the code to open the gates. The iron creaked as the motors turned and swung them outward. He looked at his house for a brief moment and noticed for the first time that it was as dark and sad as he dressed. He turned back to Ryder.
"I don't have visitors often, but I would be happy if you came in for awhile. I am the only one who lives here and a house like this can feel very empty with only one person in it. If you have other things to do, I understand. And on that note, I would like to know what you do exactly." He gave her a subtle look of beckoning and calling in his eyes.
She gave a slight sigh as he finally let her go. Watching as he opened the gates, she winced a bit at the loud creaking. He really should think about oiling it once in a while. She studied the House and grounds more closely while she waited for some strange reason. She couldn’t even explain to herself why she didn’t just drop him off and leave. After all she still had to figure out how to find Vampires, and he was… distracting to say the least. She actually liked how the place looked; he must have money or something. Idly she wondered what it’d look like in daylight.
She was a bit startled when he turned back and invited her to stay awhile. But a part of her kinda hoped he would. She’d love to get inside and see what the place looked like, how he decorated it, and such. She tilted her head a bit. She felt a strange compulsion almost to move to him. It was strong enough that she even started to get off her bike and do so. But her innate instinct to protect her bike above all things stopped her short.
With a bit of a confused look on her face and turning her getting off the bike into pushing it towards the now open gates, she answered his question, and asked her own. “What I do? Nothing spectacular, I’m just a mechanic, working on bikes and custom them and such. How about you?” She gave him an impish and slightly shy smile. “I’d love to get a glimpse inside, just to see how it’s decorated and such. I like old places. Probably why I live in Frisco. So many old buildings and things around if one just takes the time to look.” Suddenly her mouth snapped shut and she flushed a bit. She was babbling like a fool.
He smiled revealing all of his teeth as he watched her walk through the gate. He noted her embarrassment at herself and it amused him. He might just let this go on all night if he could keep it going that long. He had lived in this house alone for a long time. Maybe it was time to take a breath from his sea of solitary existence for a whole night. Once she was through, he walked through as well, allowing the gates to close behind them, sealing his web in a way. He walked beside her down the long drive way to the house.
"Well, then you'll probably like this old house. It hasn't been redecorated in about 70 years." He said with a slight laugh. Being a vampire he had no need for decor, but she wouldn't figure that out.
"As for what I do...well, I'm independently wealthy. It's wealth that has been build up over many years...by...uh, my great grandparents, grandparents, parents, and myself." He caught himself. "I don't have a set job, I do whatever I might be interested in doing. Hobbies and sight seeing, that sort of thing. We're coming up to the end of the drive here. We'll put your bike in the garage on the right over here." He adjusted their direction towards the side of the house.
She listened fascinated as he talked. There was a timber to his voice that was almost hypnotic and quite soothing. She adjusted her path to go where he indicted. She parked the bike in the garage easily. She noted some vintage cars inside and gave a low whistle. “Nice wheels, I see why you walk. Though a shame. Wheels like that should be seen not hid.” She smiled at him and looked at the cars again before existing the garage.
She waited just outside for him. She wished she could really look over those cars. While she was a mechanic on bikes and custom builds also. She loved working on cars as well, especially the older models. She looked longingly at the cars hidden within until he closed the doors. She then turned her attention to the house, and waited for him to lead the way.
He noted the direction of her gaze as they walked out of the garage. He slowly closed the door and turned to her. "I'll give you a tour of the house and if you like, we can end here."
He led her towards the front door of the house as he waited for his answer. He looked her over. Her frame was delicate and fragile to him. The way she walked interested him. Her boldness yet shyness touched him in a way he had thought wasn't possible anymore. He was afraid that he might be getting too attached to this one. But something inside him refused to let him end it just yet. But that something only grew stronger every moment he spent with her. He reached the realization that he might not be able to follow through with killing her, yet his demon within was strongly influencing him to take her life. The struggle inside him slowly continued to increase in intensity.
Ryder grinned at him in obvious delight as he offered to give her a full tour. She practically bounced beside him as they headed for the house. The only time she ever got like this was with old things. In fact, the most she really spoke to anyone was at work, and that was only to ask on specs, for a tool or something like. She had spoke to Len more tonight then she probably had to anyone she’d known for any length of time.
“I’d love a tour.” Her smile was almost bursting. Her delight radiated off her easily. Suddenly she stops and looks at him a bit nervously. “Wait. You got like one of those huge old fashioned Libraries in there? Like what you see in old movies?”
"Heh, yes, it does. About half of the second floor is a library. But using it hasn't been one of my hobbies for....many years. All the books are probably covered in dust, like most of the things in my house. I really do live the solitary life, Ryder. You're probably the first person to pass those gated besides me in four or five years. Yes, most would consider me a very odd person. But this has been the most comfortable for me."
He looked away from her as he suddenly had a surge of conflict within him. He didn't want her to see it in his eyes. He led her up to the front door and stepped aside for her to walk through after he had opened the door. He took a quick look around his house. It certainly had the look of old deserted mansion about it. Maybe in a little better shape that a deserted one, but definitely an old and decaying feel that old mansions give.
Conflict warred suddenly on Ryder’s face at his answer. “Damn.” She gave a sigh. “Can it be saved for last or just before the garage? No might be better to do it after.” Three things she loved in life, Old places, books and vehicles. If he showed her the Library too soon, she wouldn’t budge until she’d read as many of the titles as he allowed before he got impatient and booted her out.
She shrugged at his words. “What’s odd? Some people don’t like to be around tons of people, and others can’t live with out many people in their lives. I tend more to the former myself then the latter.”
She walked into the house and stopped dead still. The place was perfect. While it was obviously old, and in need of a maid, it was beautiful inside. Her eyes were wide and glittered as she looked around the immediate area. Looking at her, is was as if she’d stopped breathing, she was so still.
Len, closed the door behind him and locked it quietly. He quickly reached over and flicked an unused light switch to light up the dark living space. He watched Ryder, and smiled at her awe. He walked up beside her and in front of her, but his movements seem to go unnoticed as she looked around the room. He put his hand on her shoulder.
<break>
"So I take it that you like it? There's not much to see here on the ground level." He removed he hand and turned away. He walked slowly into the other room having her follow him.
"This is the main gathering area apart from the living room we just left. Over there is the bar that is open directly to the kitchen. Heh, but don't expect to find food in there. I seem to always...eat out. That pretty much does it for the ground floor. Like I said not much to see, just two large open rooms with a kitchen. Let's go up to the second floor. If you would like we can skip the library for now and just look at the guest bedrooms."
She started as he placed his hand on her shoulder and looked sheepishly at him. “Sorry.” She followed behind him like a lost tourist, gaping at everything. She didn’t mind that there wasn’t a whole lot on the ground floor, it was still cool to see. She crowed in delight at the old fashioned stove in the kitchen. It looked as if it could have come from the late 1800s. She did give him an odd look as he said there was no food within, but shrugged it off and continued to follow him. She usually kept very little in her fridge and cupboards as well at home. Beer, chips, maybe a package of cookies for that rare sugar wants.
She gave him a shrug. “Is that all there is up there?” She couldn’t believe such a large place only had bedrooms and a library upstairs. The bedrooms must be huge. “If you show me the library, I may never come out again.” She grinned at him a bit shyly. “I do like to read, even if I’ve read it before, and it’s good.” She gives a depreciating chuckle, and inwardly wondered why on earth she’d told him that. Shaking her head she followed him up the stairs. “It’s your tour, show me what you wish.”
"There are 25 guest bedrooms on the second floor and then there is the master bedroom on the third along with a few bigger special guest bedrooms. I guess we better leave off the library for now then." He led her to the main wide staircase to the second floor. They ascended and he led her through all 25 guest bedrooms. Each one was completely furnished and each one was a little different from all the rest. All unused. All dusty. All old. Len began to wonder why he never did hire anyone to clean the house. He did prefer his solitude, but he just hadn't planned on having any guests ever. Why had he given her special interest. He searched inside himself for the answer as he led her up to the third story. He took her through the extravagant guest bedrooms on the third floor and then headed for the master. He paused at the door to look at her.
"How has it been so far? Old and dusty enough for your liking?" He said with a smirk.
She shook her head at his words. Twenty five guest bedrooms? Who would want that many people under their roof at once. But then she thought about it, back in it’s heyday, Frisco was well known for it’s Upper Crust parties. She walked through amazed at the beauty hidden under the dust. She didn’t say much, but her eyes caught everything. The guest bedrooms were even more amazing and opulent then the second floor. She figured it was reserved for the more special guests, distant family that might visit.
As they headed for the Master bedroom she chuckled at his words. “It could use a good cleaning, but yes, I’ve enjoyed it. Thank you.” She looked away from him to study something in the design of the wall edgings and wondered why on earth she was so comfortable with this guy she’d nearly run over earlier in the night. She didn’t know him beyond what he’d told and shown her thus far. He did have a lovely if dirty house, but there was neatness under that dirt. It was dirty but not messy and that said much as well. Idly she wondered if his Master would be as dusty as the rest of the house or cleaner.
"Heh, heh, I'm glad you are enjoying yourself. This is the master bedroom. It is a little more clean because this is where I spend most of my time when I am home." He opened the door and let her through to the large bedroom. It contained a large wardrobe with a smaller one next to it, a writing desk with a laptop computer on it and various odds and ends. There also were a few chairs against the wall, a door to the master bath and his bed with a nightstand on either side. Then center of his bed was sunk straight down in a coffin shape. Len saw this and forgot that she might find this very odd and strange. He quickly pointed over to his desk and talked as he searched for an explanation for when she saw his bed.
"This is where I do most of my work or research that I have given myself to do. I keep notes, diaries, and journals stacked here." He motioned towards stacks of about 50 large notebooks. "But I have switched to using my computer now for such writing. I use the internet to study particular things in history, usual myths and legends catch my eye. But I only do that if I'm not walking around the city or in a local club or something to that extent."
Ryder shook her head and laughed at him. “So, unless you’re leaving, you spend most of your time in your room?” She grinned. “I never minded being grounded to my room as a kid, I had books to read, but I’ve known people who would go buggy to spend more time in their rooms then sleeping and dressing.” She looked at everything he pointed out. And really was interested in what he told her.
Finally she looked sidelong at him and smirked. “So, you really do take the whole Goth thing all the way huh?” When he looked at her and seemed not have a clue of what she was talking about in his eyes, she pointed to the coffin shape and gave him a full grin. She then turned her attention to look over other things in his room. She loved the wardrobes, and went over to study the workmanship closely.
It didn’t bother her if he chose to sleep in a coffin. She’d known stranger people who’d lived in stranger ways. Idly she wondered if he was of the Gothic type who liked to say they were Vampires. Even going so far as drinking blood and whatnot. Unfortunately, she found those kinds a bit delusional, and she gave a sad sigh, to think that after having so much fun with Len, that he could be such. But it would figure. In almost every other way he was perfect, so he had to have some flaw. But that one was a bit of a stretch.
Len, stood awkwardly while she looked at the bed and pointed it out to him. He forced a smile and laughed uncomfortably. "Well...uh...you know...vampires have kind of held my interest for...a long time now. And I tend to live like one in some ways."
Len, cursed in his head. How lame did that sound. He basically just told her the truth, and what was true wasn't for her to know. He believed in vampires concealing their true identity. While he didn't actively go out and force other vampires to keep themselves hidden, it was his preference to not have vampires out in the open for all to see, especially himself. He looked intently at Ryder to see how she would respond.
She turned from her exploration of the wardrobes and looked at him strangely as he spoke of Vampires. “Really?” A strange note in her voice, a cross between hope, and not wanting to hope. Finally she shrugged. “Yeah, they kinda interest me as well.” She turned back to the wardrobe and sighed.
If he gave her half a chance, she’d pour over every inch of his house, exploring the architecture as well as anything else that caught her eye. She’d been known to miss a few days of work when something caught her attention. Fortunately, her boss used to know her mother and understood when she disappeared. She always had a job to go back too, even if her boss was a bit irate with her.
Thoughts of her mother again made her look sad, and briefly she rested her head against the wardrobe with her eyes closed. Trying to chase the memories away, her eyes suddenly snapped open. “Oh shit.” She turned and looked at Len with a mix of chagrin, apology, and wistful hope. “I forgot. Mr. Miracle is going to be pissed at me, again. I was supposed to head to the fish market tonight for him. Is there anyway I can get a rain check on the rest of the tour?”
He watched her carefully, noting every wonderful expression she made, whatever they may be. He admitted to himself that he was going to have to studying her so intently or..... her comment on vampires shifted his thoughts.
"Really?" He said with surprised interest. He was afraid at how much she might know about vampires and how long it would take her to figure out that he himself was one. He was about to continue when her expression changed suddenly to sadness. He wanted to ask about it but refrained. He could go there. Then she suddenly told him that she had to go. This put him in a difficult situation. He had never intended for her to leave the mansion. He wasn't sure if she would tell everyone about him and that might start people asking questions and so on.
<break>
"Well, if you must go then you must go. But first..." He slowly and calmly walked over to her and leaned his head to the side of hers. He extended his fangs out of her line of sight. He closed his eyes and was about to plunge...but he stopped. He breathed a couple times on her neck before he whispered,
"Just please, come back." He retracted his fangs and stepped away from her. He led her downstairs to the garage where her bike was and waited for her to mount up and ride away. Why he didn't kill her, he couldn't explain to himself.
She was taken aback at him coming so close. That was one thing she’d never expected. They’d been amenable, but nothing like this. She stayed completely still, unsure of what he would do. She shivered a bit as he breathed on her neck, and gave a crow of delight as he asked her to come back. Impulsively she gave him a quick hug and laughed. “You’re in trouble now. You’ll never get rid of me until I’ve gone over every inch of this place.” She stepped back and grinned at him impishly.
She followed him back downstairs and to her bike. Once again she looked wistfully at the cars before getting on her bike. She looked at him briefly, she really didn’t want to leave, but if she didn’t Miracle would probably claw her to death when next he saw her. Once a week she got him fish and he got temperamental if she missed the day. Unless of course, she brought home extra. Then he just acted like he disdained her and ignored her for a while.
Impulsively she asked, “Would you like to come along and then… I dunno, maybe go do something? I just have to get the fish and return it to the house. And the night’s still pretty young, relatively speaking.” She waited for his answer, actually kind of nervous.
He looked down as he thought for a moment. He didn't really have anything to do in town or any real reason for him to go. But he felt that he would enjoy the ride with her. But what was he thinking? He knew that this story would most likely end up with her in his arms being drained to a pale white. As pale as he himself was. He decided that he needed to be around his own kind to snap him out of these mortal feelings that he was experiencing.
"Yeah, I'll go with you. Uh, there's a club that I know of that you could drop me off at and I'll just hang around there till you're finished with whatever you need to do. Just, uh, don't go inside the club when you come to pick me up. It's very exclusive and it would be very dangerous for you to go in there. Here, let me give you my cell phone number." He wrote his number down on a scrap of paper and handed it to her.
"I appreciate that you are willing to give me rides like this." He smiled but behind it was a hint of sadness.
She frowned slightly at his words, but took the paper. Least he answered the question of how to get a hold of him when she returned that had popped into her head. She handed him a helmet wordlessly, and waited for him to get on. “Where to?” She really should invest in one of those helmet sets with the microphones… maybe.
Finally once they were settled she took off. She followed the directions he gave. When they pulled up to where he wished to go, she stopped and waited for him to get off. She sat quietly looking over the section of town. She really didn’t say much while he got himself sorted.
She had noted his reaction to her invite and mentally had been kicking herself for doing so. What had seemed like a possibly good friendship appeared to be souring. And her boss wondered why she didn’t get out more and met people and make some friends.
Len, removed the helmet and dismounted the bike. He handed her the helmet and nodded towards the secret vampire club.
"I'm just going to go in here and get a few drinks. Maybe even catch up on rumors and things like that. But remember, don't go in. Just call me. Ok? You probably wouldn't last long in there so when you come back, we'll go somewhere else." He knew that the vampires in there would never just sit back and let a living human walk through untouched. But he wanted to be with his own kind to set himself straight and to even find out a little about the ensuing conflict between vampires that he was hearing more and more about. It was good to know so that he could be prepared for anything that might come.
Ryder gave him a nod and an odd look. “Yeah, sure, no problem.” Her voice was neutral and then she peeled away on her bike and headed to the fish market in Chinatown. That place never seemed to sleep, both fish market and Chinatown.
It wasn’t long before she pulled up to her favorite seller. “Hey, Ryder, you’re late. Miracle will tear you apart for it.”
Pulled out of her sudden funk by ChiLee’s joking she grinned at him. “Don’t I know it? Better add some Tilapia to that Halibut order of mine.”
ChiLee snickered at her. “You gonna try to make amends first huh?” As he talked he grabbed a fish and wrapped it, then grabbed a second wrapped package and handed both over to her.
“You know it. Damn cat thinks he owns me ever since he showed up on my door step skin and bone and I took pity on him and nursed him to health.” She quickly handed money over to him for the fish and dropped it in the compartment of the bike. “And if I don’t want to be in any more hot water with the tomcat I’d better get home.” ChiLee waved to her as she sped off.
Soon she arrived at her house. Something she’d inherited when her mother was killed. She’d renovated/rebuilt the two story Victorian when she became the owner. Driving up the ramp to the side, she got off her bike and opened the garage door. She walked the bike inside and closed the door. She then tromped up the stairs she’d left when she turned the first floor into a garage/work area to the second floor that was now the living quarters.
Walking to the kitchen she grabbed a plate and unwrapped both fish and dumped them on it. She then headed out a door to a balcony and placed the plate on the floor there. “Miracle…. Kitty kitty kitty. Damn cat.” Shaking her head she headed back inside.
She stared unseeingly at nothing as she thought over the night. She gave serious thought to just calling him and coming up with an excuse not to come back. It had seemed that he’d liked being around her, asking her to come back. Then suddenly it was like she’d caught the plague or something. She gave a sigh of disgust and vowed that from now on she was going to stick to her few acquaintances and forget having a friend.
Len, watched her disappear into the distance. He shook his head as he watched her go. Why was she still alive? By rights she should be six feet under by now. He sighed and walked into the club. There was a strong scent of mixed smoke, alcohol, and stale blood. There was trance music playing and everyone was either dancing in the mass of dancers, at the bar talking and drinking, or in the dark corners fucking. Len didn't particularly like the place, but it was a place where he could relax and not be afraid of being found out by humans.
He walked over to the bar, stepping over two people lying together on the ground. He sat down at the bar next to a female vampire and ordered a drink. While he waited he tried to listen in on conversations to see if anything of interest was being said. He caught the occasional story of a vampire here or there being hunted down for trying to expose his true nature to many humans. But there seemed to be only individual occurrences of revealing and nothing truly organized. When the bartender came back with his drink, he asked.
"So what's going on with the whole war thing? Any strong resistance to the natural law?"
"Not much, but just enough to keep moral vampires on edge." The bartender replied. "There's been talk of a secret organization of vampires that are trying to band together all over the world. They want to take the world and rule over the humans and use them as cattle for food and labor. So, far they haven't been able to keep themselves a secret in many places and the most of the members get hunted down by a group of assassins like that one over there." He pointed to a group of vampires in a corner that were keeping to themselves. They openly carried their guns, swords, and knives. Len could tell that they were trained killers of their own kind. He turned back to the barkeeper.
"Well, I hope those guys and guys like them are enough to keep this new insurrection down." Len said.
"I hear ya." The barkeeper moved on to serve other people and Len sat and watched the dancing while he drank.
Bekka noted a male of her Kind taking the chair next to her. She faced away from the bar and watched the room intently, listening to various conversations about the place. She didn’t have a drink, nor was she pretending to really want anything here other then information. She listened quietly as the fellow and the Barkeep spoke to each other and shook her head at their words. She already placed them with those who chose to Hide and left it at that. She continued with her watching and listening. She’d just about had those in the room sorted into three groups.
*~*~*
Ryder finally shook herself out of her thoughts. She glanced out the door and saw Miracle had found his fish and smiled. She wasn’t about to go out and disturb the cat though, he might still be testy over his late meal. He could get in if he wanted to anyway; she had a window open next to the door that allowed him to come and go as he pleased.
Finally she sighed and dug the paper out of her pocket. She looked at the number, and then dug her cell out of another pocket. She punched the numbers in and listened to the phone ring, hoping for all she was worth to get his voicemail.
*~*~*
Len, continued to watch the never ending dancing, drinking and orgies till he couldn't take it any more and turned around to face the bar. He was wondering what was keeping Ryder so long. Little did he know that his phone didn’t get reception in the club. The club specifically had the walls lined with lead to prevent cell phones from interrupting whatever the guest might be doing in the club. He decided that whatever she was doing must be a long way away and she was just taking her time. He ordered another drink and tried to drown out the music and moaning.
Bekka turned her head slightly as the guy next to her turned back to the bar. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, studying him closely. She could tell he was impatient and didn’t want to really be here. Finally she grew irked with his fidgeting. “Why are you here then?” She blinked as she realized that she actually spoke that last thought out loud.
Len, jerked his head towards the harsh talking female beside him. Her sudden demand to know why he was there irritated him even more. He almost didn't answer, but he wasn't an asshole like some people he knew and he wasn't about to be like them.
"I'm waiting for someone," He growled. "But she seems to be lost or taking her time or something." He glanced towards the door and swept his eyes around the room. He was hoping that she didn't just come in looking for him and was taken by one of the other vampires. But what would make her do that? He told her not to come in. Unless....
Bekka quirked a brow at him and turned to face him fully. “Interesting. Especially since it is plain you do not care to be here.” She turned as she caught a bit of conversation. She gave a sharp nod; she’d finally placed the last ones in a grouping. Interestingly enough, the majority here at this particular club was for Hiding, with what was left split equally between Revealing or Not Caring Either Way. That is if she counted herself in the later category.
She turned back to the guy next to her. “Not that I really blame you. I find such clubs as these a tad tedious myself. I much prefer the mixed clubs. At least there, there is the opportunity of hearing something more interesting then who ate who for dinner for the night.” She gave him a quick whimsical smile as she rose from her perch. “I hope your friend arrives soon, for your peace of mind if nothing else.”
She turned and walked out. San Francisco was one of the larger cities in California, so it was plenty big enough for a few of the same similar clubs and several of the ones she’d mentioned to the fellow who’d sat next to her. She’d finally finished surveying the last of the Vampire only clubs, having decided to get the worst out of the way first. Now she was off to enjoy surveying the mixed ones.
*~*~*
Relief hit her as she got his voicemail. “Hey, Len? It’s Ryder, something’s come up, and so I won’t be back. Hope you can get a ride home. Take care of yourself.” She hung up the phone and dropped it on the counter. She cast one last look to see Miracle had finished his dinner and was busy washing himself and grinned at the cat.
She then headed to her room, stripping as she went. As she passed through her room to the bathroom, she dropped the clothes into the hamper near the door. She then started a shower and waited for the water to get warm enough before stepping in. She quickly washed up and rinsed, then just sat under the spray, letting it ease tight muscles.
She mourned the loss at the chance to explore a really old house, several vintage cars, and a library she hadn’t even laid eyes on. But consoled herself with the fact that it was for the best. After all Len and her were too different.
She finally stepped out of the shower and dried off. She went and flopped on the bed, twitching a sheet over her from the waist down as she did so. Her mind slowly wound down and she drifted off to sleep.
Len, watch her as she left and was glad she did. He didn't need to be bothered with questions like that. He angrily whipped out his phone to check the time. A cold shiver went down his spine when he saw that he didn’t have a signal inside the club. His first thought was that she had come looking for him in the club when he didn't pick up. He started to run through the club looking for any feeding that was going on. He closely looked at the faces of everyone lying on the ground or sitting in seats and he tried to look through the dancing crowd. When he didn't find her anywhere he was relieved a little but he feared that he could have missed her in the crowds that were there. He quickly ran outside and stood right outside the door, waiting for signal. Once he got it, he saw that he had a voice mail from her. He called the voice mail and listened to the message. He was glad at first that she wasn't in the club after all but...something came up? He couldn't think of what that could mean because it didn't seem like it meant that something simply came up. What something had come up? Had she put the few and far between pieces of evidence together and decided he was a vampire? He had to know. He called the number back and waited while he listened to the dialing.
Ryder tossed and turned in her sleep. Distantly a phone could be heard to ring, but it was incorporated into her nightmare and didn’t register enough to wake her up. After all she’d left it on the counter out in the kitchen. Finally her voicemail picked up the call. “Ryder. You need a bike worked on, or a custom one built, leave a name and number. I’ll get back to you. If not, just hang up, I’m not interested. If you happen to be someone I know, leave a message, I might call you back when I find the time.”
Len, hung up the phone. He wasn't about to leave a message. He realized that he had no way of knowing where Ryder was or where she lived. She hadn't told him where she lived or where she was even going. All he had was her cell phone number. He thought hard for a way to track her down. Then it came to him. He had never tried it before, but he had heard of using the internet and someone's cell phone number to find out where they lived. He walked back into the club and searched around. He found a laptop and it's owner was apparently busy at sexual activities next to it. Len managed to take the laptop without being noticed. He sat down at another table and connected to the club's internet. He entered Ryder's phone number in and waited for the results. When they came up, he said to himself. "I know where that is. It won't take long for me to get there."
He exited the club and quickly traveled as fast as his vampire power would let him. He stopped in front of the dark house. He checked the time, 2:30 am. He could only be out for 3 or 4 more hours, he had to make whatever he was going to do quick. He silently walked around the house. He saw a window up on the second floor and jumped up to it. He looked in and saw an empty room. Must be a guest room. He circled the second floor till he found Ryder's room. He looked in and saw her sleeping. He sat there and just watched her for a moment, but then noticed that the window had been left unlocked. He quietly lifted the window and stepped in the room. He walked noiselessly to her bed, not sure what he was going to do.
<break>
Ryder suddenly sat upright with a strangled sound. She sat there sweating and blinking staring unseeingly at the opposite wall as her brain worked on hiding the last of the dream she’d been having. Shaking a bit as she finally woke up enough she wiped some of the sweat off her face. Scooting down to the foot of the bed, she got up and padded into the kitchen. She never once sensed or noticed Len standing immobile near her pillows.
Once she reached the kitchen she opened the fridge and grabbed two Steele Reserve cans out. She found a screwdriver in a drawer and turned one can upside down to punch a hole in the bottom. Setting the screw driver down, she raised the can to her lips and then popped the tab and chugged the first one down, it didn’t take but a few seconds. Finished she tossed that can into the garbage and popped the top on the second can and took a hefty swallow.
One thing she liked about Steele Reserve was its high alcohol content for a malt beer. She padded back into her bedroom and noticed she’d left the blind up. Moving over to the window, she pulled down a strange apparatus. It completely covered the window and attached around the edges of the frame. The material was very dark, and looked as if it kept sunlight out of the room. What light there had been was suddenly gone, except from the door way, which Ryder moved to and closed.
She worked mostly nights, and liked sleeping in the morning and early afternoon hours, something the sun didn’t like to allow for. She finally finished off the last of the beer and headed for the bathroom. She tossed that in the trash can there and brushed her teeth, she hated that morning taste after drinking. She then climbed back into bed, by now buzzing nicely enough to fall asleep immediately and have no dreams.
Len moved to the shadows at the head of the bed when he saw Ryder stir from her sleep. He only moved his eyes to follow her as she walked in and out of the room. When she closed the window and the blinds, she closed off his silent retreat. He still stood motionless as she got into her bed. He waited for a few minutes until he was sure she was asleep and then moved to the side of the bed. He watched her sleep peacefully and thought that she was beautiful when she slept. He almost hated what he was going to do next. He sat down softly on the bed and gently moved the hair to expose her face and neck.
Though deep in sleep, she stirred slightly and murmured in her sleep as Len sat on the edge of her bed. It is a misconception of people to say that by drinking until buzzed or drunk, that they won’t dream, when in fact they do, they just don’t remember it. In Ryder’s case, her sleeping mind recognized the presence of Len, and slid into a strange dream of the man. She curled up towards and around him and sighed his name before sinking deeper within the dream.
Len, pause as she moved closer to him. He smiled as he watched her. So calm yet so close to death. He bent down closer to her and put his hand on the bed next her. He leaned in towards her neck. He paused briefly to listen to her breathing and her heart beat. Then he kissed her neck and extended his fangs. He set his fangs to her neck and pause again, but then gently sank them into her neck. He closed his eyes as he tasted the wonderful warm blood flow from her slightly accented with alcohol. He got caught up in the moment and pressed her to himself in the embrace. He suddenly realized that he was killing the one person that he loved in the world. Wait...loved? He asked himself. He had just met her today how could he possible care for her at all? He released her from his embrace in his confusion and just held her there, studying her over and over. Blood dripped from his mouth down to the bed that already had a pool of blood on it.
Ryder gave a sigh as he kissed her, then a sharp breath could be heard drawn when his fangs pierced her neck. She still didn’t wake though and even molded into the embrace as he held her. Unknown to both them though, Miracle had slipped into the room when she was out, and just after Len had pulled away, stopping his feeding, the cat let out the most god awful squall and leapt to the bed to land next to Len and Ryder, fur fully fluffed and looking twice his already impressive girth, claws extended.
Ryder jerked at the noise and looked around wildly and disoriented. “Miracle? What on earth is the matter?” She blinked a few times and finally realized, she wasn’t laying in her bed, but seemed to be being held by someone. It was too dark to see who though. She struggled in her captor’s arms. Feeling a warmth on her neck, she immediately clasped a hand to her neck. It came away wet and sticky. “What the Hell is going on?” She now sounded not only more awake, but very angry as well.
Len was jerked from his thoughts by the noise from the cat. He looked over at the cat and hissed in an unearthly way back at it. His attention was brought back to Ryder as she yelled and struggled in his arms. He wasn't sure what to do, but he reasoned that it would be worse to make a mistake that he couldn't undo for the rest of his miserable eternity. He tried to heal the wounds on Ryder's neck, but her struggles prevented him from getting too close. He tightened his grip on her and said,
"Hold still! You're going to bleed to death."
She stilled suddenly as a rather frightening noise can be heard. Then she hears Len’s voice and blinks in confusion. The words didn’t completely register though. “Len? What the--? How’d you--?” Her voice trails off as she suddenly passes out from loss of blood.
Miracle in the mean time growled back at Len undaunted by his noise. His ears pricked forward as Ryder started speaking and addressed the intruder. He makes a plaintive meow when she passes out and turns to glare at Len, as if to say: You’d better fix whatever you did to her, and now.
Len, struggle with Ryder for a little longer until her struggles grew weaker and weaker and she passed out. He was afraid he might be too late. He put his tongue to her neck and healed the holes there and cleaned the blood away from her. He listen for her heart beat. It was faint but it was there. He felt her breathing. It was shallow but there. He sighed in relief and set her down gently on the other side of the bed with the cat. Unsure of what to do next, he just sat watching. He ended up just lying down beside her and looking up at the ceiling, contemplating the recent events. He didn't even notice the blood drying around his mouth.
Ryder lay very still for a very long time. Miracle curled up on her other side and watched Len over the top of her. Every now and again he would try licking her to see if she would wake. Eventually as dawn came and went, she grew stronger as her body replaced the blood lost. Occasionally she’d twitch at one of Miracle’s lickings. Finally she groaned and rolled over. An arm flung out and landed heavily on Lens chest and she curled up into his side. Her face burrowed under his shoulder and she drifted back to sleep, still nowhere near fully recovered from what had happened.
Len tried to avoid getting hugged but he couldn't escape. She snuggled right up to him. He sighed and with not much else to do he gave in and put his free hand on her head. He could feel the warmth her body gave off, warming up his as well. As least he hadn't killed her, but the answer to the why question was still eluding him or he was in denial of the answer. Still he lay there thinking of what the hell he was going to do or say when she woke up. He knew he couldn't engage in any kind of relationship with her now. She knew what he was. He was only delaying the inevitable with some kind of hope that it wasn't true. He shouldn't have gotten attached to begin with. She was mortal and he immortal. She would have had to died at some point and he mourn her passing as he strode further into the eternity before him. His indecision still pained him greatly.
In the early hours, just after the sun had risen, Ryder woke with a start. She felt someone next to her; in fact she was cuddled right up with them. She lay very still; uncertain of what was going on. She had vague dream memories of Len, Miracle, and nightmares. She frowned while she struggled to make sense of all the impressions going on in her mind. She also realized that she felt pretty tired and weak still, not like she’d slept at all.
Len, didn't move when Ryder started from her sleep. He just laid as still as he could and planned to let her make the first move. He didn't want to scare her any further than he may have already. He still didn't have anything planned to say, he was just going to go with whatever came to mind at that moment. He noticed a very small glow of light coming from the door of the room. He tensed up at the thought of being stuck in her house for the entire day. He really had stepped out and taken a risk staying here.
Ryder kept coming back to the one strongest impression. That of Len’s voice in the night. Was she feeling so guilty over ditching him that her very dreams were conjuring him? But then who the hell was she cuddled up to? She doubted Miracle suddenly morphed into a human, especially since she could feel him lying up against her back. That in itself gave some indication that whoever was in her bed, wasn’t a bad sort. Miracle had a knack for chasing that type off. Finally she went out on a limb and followed her gut. “Len?”
Long since used to her odd ways, her eyes adjusted enough with the faint light and she sat up to peer at him. She suddenly became dizzy and fell over on top of him with a groan. “Well, guess that wasn’t one of my better ideas.” She lay there for a moment waiting for the room to stop swimming and swirling, feeling slightly sick. “What in Blazes happened? And why do I feel weak and dizzy?”
She moved with exaggerated caution and finally lifted her head enough to look at him. Her eyes though were squeezed tight shut at the moment, as once again she waited for the room to settle down and be normal. “Now I know I didn’t drink that Blasted much to feel hung over.” Her eyes finally opened to look Len in his. “What did you do to me?”
Len's mind raced for a response to her question. What could he say. He had to say something. She was waiting for an answer. He could let there be an awkward silence. He sat up on the bed. "What did I do to you? Nothing." He cursed in his head but went with what he had suddenly come up with in his head.
"I found out where you lived, sorry if that bothers you, but I had to talk to you. You just left me all of the sudden, I was wondering if there was something I had done. But it's a good thing I did come. I saw one of the doors to your house was open. I thought that was oddly suspicious so I let myself in and locked it behind me. I heard someone walking around and saw that your bedroom door was open. When I walked in, I saw a man, I assume he must have broken into your house to steal stuff or something. It looked as if he was trying to choke you or something, so I beat him off you and threw him out of the house. I was surprised that you didn't wake up at all. Anyway, he ran off and I was going to call the police but my phone is dead and I couldn't find yours. So, I just decided to stay the rest of the night with you, in case he tried to come back. Do you take sleeping pills or something?" He sat back. What was done was done. He was just going to have to watch the response.
When he sat up, it caused her to loose what little balance she had and she fell off back onto the bed with a groaned grunt. She blinked through the madly swirling room at him and listened to his explanation. Finally she couldn’t take it any more or she was going to be seriously sick flat on her back, and she squeezed her eyes closed again. “I don’t bother with pills, why I have a case of Steele Reserve in the fridge at all times.”
She gave a sigh, a slight frown marring her features. “Thanks for the timing. I must have been deep in one of my nightmares if I didn’t wake to someone trying to choke the crap out of me.” She finally opened her eyes and saw the room was back to normal. “I don’t mind that you’re here… considering.” She gave him a wane smile. “Unfortunately, I don’t feel up to driving you home, so you’re stuck. I have a spare bedroom if you’d like…” Her voice trailed off.
<break>
She moved an arm and blindly found the drawer on a dresser and opened it. Reaching in she pulled out an alarm clock and peered at the glowing dial. “Ugh!” She dropped the clock back into the drawer and closed it. “It’s out the door and to the left. Next door down. I need more sleep. It’s to damned early to be up.” She closed her eyes, only to open them again. “Um, before you do go though… Think you could give me a hand to the bathroom? Everything spins whenever I want to move. Just kinda make sure I don’t topple over?” She was slowly inching her way to the edge of the bed to climb out. She didn’t look the least bit like she was thrilled with the idea though.
Len, slid off the bed and came around to Ryder. He held out his arms to help. "Yeah, let me help you. It doesn't look like you'd make it by yourself." He helped her walk into the bathroom. "Where exactly did you want to go?"
“Toilet. Bladder’s full.” She spoke through gritted teeth and a slight growl in her voice. The room was starting to settle down finally, but not completely. Ryder so hated being weak, and in the rare times she was sick, even Miracle ran for cover.
She got settled on the toilet none too soon, and got her business over with, with a tremendous sigh of relief. Suddenly she paused perplexed. Her hand felt funny, and in exploring it with her other hand she frowned, unable to figure out what could be on it. “Len? Could you flip the light, please? It’s right by the door, about belly level on the left as you come in, right if you are looking at the door from this way.”
Len, helped her to the toilet in the low light of the bathroom. He waited, a little awkwardly as she went. She needed to be alone to sort herself. After all, he had come in, uninvited and unexpected, so he thought that he should make himself scarce for awhile. He heard her request for the light and was surprised that she hadn't asked for it earlier.
"Yeah, sure. It's just right over here right? Oh, and uh, I'm just going to...go to the other room for a bit. Let you have some privacy. Heh, I'm sure it's very unsettling to have someone show up in your bed." He turn to the doorway and flipped the light on as he went out. He exited the bedroom and quickly bounced from shadow to shadow, burning himself a little with every movement. He got to the guest bedroom and managed to draw the blinds closed with a few burns to his face and arms. He walked into the guest bathroom to watch himself heal in the mirror.
Ryder kept her eyes closed so they wouldn’t be dazzled when the light came on. A soft chuckle escaped her at Len’s words. When she opened them she blinked once and they were adjusted. She looked down at her hand and let out a curse. It looked as if there was dried blood on her hand. She frowned, then out of the corner of her eye she spotted more down her shoulder and breast. Her eyes narrowed and she sprang off the toilet to look in the mirror. She could see a lot of dried blood on her shoulder down the front of her; it was even dried in her hair.
As much as she seemed to have some sort of connection with Len, he had some serious questions to answer. She stormed out of the bathroom and through her bedroom to the guest room and banged on the door just before opening. “Len!” She didn’t see him immediately and frowned.
She did note thought that he’d pulled the blinds; she shook her head and moved over to them. Her whole house was set up to keep it in total darkness if she wished. She knew all too well that light kept one form getting good sleep. She pulled the blinds open and pulled down the strange apparatus like what she had over her own bedroom window, and effectively plunged the room into complete darkness.
In her remodeling she’d also sound proofed the whole house. The noises from the world wouldn’t disturb a sleeper either, nor, when she chose to work at home, would her own noises disturb the neighborhood. All in all it worked out well for both sides.
While she was plunging the room into total darkness, her mind suddenly started coming up with possible explanations for the blood. Coupled with Len’s story of the intruder, she was soon forming an idea of what might have happened and all the blood she’d just found. Her anger disappeared and she was soon excited at the possibilities.
“Len?” She turned and surveyed the room, wondering where he’d gotten off to.
Len, stared coldly at himself, stunned at what he saw before him. As he looked into the mirror, all he saw staring back at him was a monster. He saw himself for what he really was. His face was hideously marred by the sun and looked like a burnt zombie's face. And the blood....the blood still there on his face. He had forgotten completely about it. A shiver went down his spine as he realized he wasn't out of the woods yet as far as keeping his identity a secret. He didn't want Ryder to know what he really was. He didn't want her to see him for the monster he saw himself as. He bent his head and let out a tear of anguish. He then proceeded to wash off the dried blood as his 'mask' healed back over his face. He heard Ryder come in the room and waited to show himself because he hadn't healed completely yet. She sealed the room from sunlight and he decided to act. He turned the bathroom light on making only his silhouette visible from the bedroom.
"Yes, were you looking for me? What's the matter?" He said in a kind soothing voice.
She turned towards the bathroom a grin lit her face only to fall suddenly. “Damn, now you can’t see since I darkened the room.” Her voice sounded a bit disgusted with herself, but then brightened with excitement. “But that robber you found? I don’t think it was a Robber after all.” She moved towards the door, but didn’t enter the bathroom. While she wasn’t overly shy or concerned with how she looked, she knew others could be. Which generally surprised her most times, specially when they didn’t have the scars she carried, but to each their own.
“No, I think it was a real live Vampire. You should see the amount of dried blood all over me. Holy shit. To think I was so close…” Her voice held such an excitement, and it wasn’t just there, she was practically bouncing off the walls. “By all that’s Holy and Unholy! You know what this means, Len? They really are real, not some stupid fairy tale!” She gave a delighted crow and spun in a circle.
She’d nearly toppled over from that spin, after all she was still weak from the blood loss, and no amount of excitement was going to change that until her blood reproduced what was missing. Pausing and looking thoughtful. “That explains why I didn’t wake up, and why I feel so weak and dizzy. Damn but I must have lost a lot of blood.” She frowns in thought more. “What I don’t understand is how you were able to throw him out and not get attacked yourself. Maybe he was just too surprised?”
Len, laughed to himself at the irony of this situation. He sighed in relief that her first thoughts weren't to accuse him. But he readjusted his thinking to play along. He might have evaded discovery after all. He formulated ideas in his head and responded.
"Hmm, yeah, that is strange if he was a vampire. I didn't have any real trouble with him. Once I showed up and roughed him up a bit he seemed to take off on his own. I didn't think he was a vampire, but it was dark. Do you really think he was one. Like they exist and all. How much do you know about vampires?"
Ryder shrugged. “Hmm, weird.” Then she sighed in disgust. “My luck then, it was probably a poser.” She lost her perkiness and bounce and went and slumped on the bed. She was a picture of dejection. Not to mention, with the excitement gone, the color quickly drained to show her still a bit pale.
She gave another disgusted sigh. “Just the usual. Exceptionally strong, only out at night, drink blood. Though there have been some interesting stories in some of the Paranormal Mags I get.” Finally she rose from the bed slowly, and headed for the door. “Id better go take a shower. Get this mess off me. Think I’ll call into work sick anyway. Lost too much sleep, as well as blood, and will just be a grumpy ass tonight. Sleep well Len.”
She walked out of the room and did hop in the shower. Her mind kept going over everything as she watched the water turn bloody while she scrubbed it off. Finally clean she just stood there dejected and depressed. It couldn’t have been a Vampire if Len was able to rough him up and throw him out. Tears actually fell, but mixing with the water, she really didn’t notice.
Then it dawned on her. All that blood, and not a mark on her to show where it could have come from. She blinked, if so, then the Robber had to be a Vampire… didn’t he? She finally got out of the shower and dried off. Her mind still going over it all.
Suddenly she remembered to call in to work. And padded out to the kitchen in search of her cell. Finding it finally she noticed the return call from Len. Quickly punching in the work number, she listened to it ring and the answering machine pick up. “Hey, man, it’s Ryder. I’m feeling sick. Maybe something I ate… or something. I won’t be in tonight.” She hung up and headed back to bed. Her mind returning to the events that had happened.
He smiled as she walked out but once she was gone he dropped his smile and crashed on the bed. He put his hands over his face and rubbed his eyes in confused anger. Why was he doing this? Why was he here? He didn't enjoy lying to her, but it was the only way. Or was it? He was so confused. She was the thing that was confusing him. Every time she was around he seemed to get confused or lose clear sight of what to do. For the first time in a long time, he thought about ending his immortality. All it would take would be to open the window and stand there for a little while. Then there would be no more lies but only truth for Ryder to see. She would see him for what he was, a burned, decayed corpse. But something kept him in this world and he thought it might be Ryder. How ironic it was to have the same person driving you to your death but holding you from the brink. He had to make up his mind and stop playing this game that he probably couldn't keep going for long.
Finally, Ryder managed to get back to sleep. Not having anything to drink before doing so caused her to have many dreams, fortunately they managed not to be the normal nightmares that she usually had. Instead they seemed to contain Len and Vampires. Sometimes, Len would save her from such, as what happened. Sometimes he was the Vampire, which of course made no sense, but it was dreams after all.
When she finally woke, it was because Miracle was meowing at the door rather demandingly. She blinked as consciousness came back. “Blasted cat!” Finally climbing out of bed she opened the door and let the poor animal out. He shot across the house and out the kitchen window. She gave a snort. “Guess he really had to go.” She shook her head and then noticed it was full night. Giving a yawn she turned back into her room and opened the block she had on the window. She also opened it, letting the night come on in.
She then turned to find something to wear. After a frustrating search she eventually found something that didn’t make her look like a poor ragamuffin. She then padded into the kitchen and surveyed her cupboards. Nothing but chips and cookies, neither of which she wanted. She was debating on whether she wanted to just grab a bite somewhere or actually go to a store and find something that looked somewhat appealing to cook.
Suddenly she remembered she had a house guest. She gave a start as the memory returned along with the whole damn night/day. She blinked a few times and then went to where she kept the magazines she collected and started pouring over them, forgetting her hunger.
Len lay awake for the rest of the day pondering his next move. He decided that he would try to get to know Ryder a little better and show her a little more of himself as well. But how to go about doing that he wasn't too sure. There was a lot of unknowns that he would just have to find out by getting out there and taking some risks. He heard Ryder walking around in the house. He got up and walked out into the kitchen.
"Ryder, I...I feel like we need to talk. I mean, I don't know much about you and you don't really know anything about me, yet here I am in your house. We should get to know each other better, so we...so we can figure out what's keeping us together. I don't know, but it seems that from the time we met we can't seem to stay away from each other for too long." Len sighed and looked down to the floor. "I don't know, maybe I should just go."
Ryder looked up at Len startled. She’d completely forgot he was there, so engrossed in her research. As she looked at him owlishly and her brain tried to catch up with what he’d said. She sat back and studied him. “Funny, normally I don’t let anyone know where I live. Don’t bother with having anyone over, and all that. Strangely enough, I don’t mind you here. Even though I never did invite you.” A twinkle could be seen in her eye with that last statement, and the corners of her mouth were twitching as if she was fighting a smile. She looked away and studied some point in the house.
It really was set up rather odd. Except the two bedrooms and their baths, the rest of the floor was open like one giant room. There was a sort of island counter that seemed to mark where the kitchen began, but other then that the only furniture was a couple of barstools at the counter, book shelves along one wall with a desk sitting between a couple. The door in the kitchen let out onto a patio like porch that had stairs going down to the ground. There were a couple other doors in the kitchen. One was an old style pantry, and the other led downstairs to the first floor that had been converted into a garage/work room. Tucked into a corner, near the farthest book shelf was another door. It led to the attic.
She struggled with what Len wanted. She didn’t make it a habit to share her life story. It wasn’t really all that pleasant anyway. Finally she looked back at him. “What do you want to know? Shall I start from the beginning? Or do you just want to know specific things?” Her voice was slightly strained, but she got the words out all the same.
Len, slowly walked over to Ryder and sat down at the table with her. He looked intently at her, wondering why she seemed so uneasy about telling him about her past. He wondered if he had hit a nerve that shouldn't have been touched till later. But he had done it, so he might as well run with it.
"I would like to know as much as you are willing to tell. You seem like an interesting person, so don't worry about boring me or anything like that. Start where you will." He looked at her expectantly, noticing every emotion that her face registered.
<break>
Ryder looked at him as he came and sat with her. She gave him a bit of a wan smile, and then looked down at the desk. She took several heartbeats to gather her thoughts. She rarely told anything about herself to anyone, and her whole story never. She was probably going to have some whopper nightmares when she went to sleep in the morning, but it couldn’t be helped. She took a breath as she looked up at Len with a slight smile, and launched into her tale.
“I was born here in Frisco, several blocks down in Pacific Medical Center. I grew up in this house, though it looked different then.” She gave Len a wry smile, then her face goes back to neutrality. “My mother always wanted a whole ton of kids. Unfortunately, she got stuck with only me. Course, my father always beating on her caused her to loose a few pregnancies. How she ever managed to carry me to term I’ll never know.”
She got up from the chair and went over to the fridge. Grabbing a beer, she turned and came back. She cracked it open and took a drink. “Sorry, telling my life story is a bit dry. Anyway. I went to school a couple blocks over at Claire Lilienthal Elementary, and the other way at Marina Middle School, and graduated from Galiteo High. Never went on to college, had all the training I needed for my job from growing up underfoot in Jared’s shop.”
When I was about 13, my father suddenly noticed me as more then something that was a nuisance to have around. I had developed rather quickly by then. He came into my room one night and tried to get me to do things with him that no father should have his daughter do. And when he tried to get me to suck his dick, I bit it rather hard. Of course this made him yell out, and I ran and got a baseball bat from the corner of my room.”
“He was cursing at me when my mother barged into the room.” She gives a bit of a chuckle. “I’m sure it was a sight, me at thirteen holding a baseball bat, and my father not far from me with his pants down around his ankles. The next thing I knew, my mother grabbed the bat, and was hitting him something fierce. She literally beat him out of the house with his pants still down. She broke my bat as well, and I never got the chance to use it.” She gave a sad sigh, took another drink, and then continued on.
“I finished growing up, just mom and me. She never got with another guy after my father, though Jared, my boss, tried a few times. They’d known each other for years, and he’d always had a thing for my mom. Even I liked him and tried to encourage her to get with him. Think finally in exasperation and tired of being tag teamed, she told me in no uncertain terms that as long as I was a minor she wouldn’t see another guy.” She shook her head sadly for a brief moment.
“Anyway, I turned 18, and Jared gave me a job at the shop, and I’ve been working there ever since. Growing up, I had a fascination with taking things apart to try to figure what made them work. Drove my mom mad." She chuckles again. “I think out of desperation she turned me loose on Jared. He was pretty cool about it though, and let me help him work on bikes in his shop, and on the vintage cars he owned or rebuild as a hobby. Probably why I liked him so much when Father was gone and tried to help him and my mom get together.”
“My mother told me fairy tales and other things my whole growing up, so that gave me a fascination for the magical and mythical. The house is haunted. I like to think its past ancestors still living here. Though I don’t think they’re all that happy with my redesign.” Again she chuckles. “But that gave me a fascination with the paranormal, which led into the supernatural. Vampires have always been my special fascination, though Were Creatures are pretty cool too.” She takes another sip of her half forgotten beer.
“My mother also always took me on outings to see old historical places. Then she’d challenge me to find out about the places.” She waved over at the shelves. Most were stacked with paranormal magazines and papers, but there was also a collection of National Geographic’s, a couple different Archaeology Magazines, and books on various old buildings and places around the town. “That in turn gave me to joy of reading.”
“This house and property has been handed down to females in the family since Frisco was founded. There’s even a special account set up to pay the property taxes. Which is a good thing, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to, since I blew through what I inherited from my mother in rebuilding the place.”
Her face becomes haunted as she continues. “It wasn’t long after I’d turned 18 when the house caught on fire. We had been asleep and something woke me up. Probably the bad smell. It took me several minutes to figure out the smell I smelled was smoke and the sounds I heard was the house burning. I flew out of bed and rushed to my mom’s room, but fire blocked the way.”
She pauses for a very long time. She swallows several times, and when she finally continues, her voice is low and strained. “I tried everything I could think of to get to her, until finally a burning beam fell on me, and knocked me out. I don’t have any idea how I got out of the house, nor does anyone else. When the fire department and paramedics arrived I was out on the front lawn face down. The burns from the beam obvious.”
“I was several months in the ICU at the hospital; they did some skin grafting on the worst of my burns. Why I wear long sleeves and gloves.” She holds out her arms and hands. “When I finally came too, the police were there to let me know my mother didn’t make it, and to ask me about what happened. My next visitors were a lawyer and Jared. Though I understood later that Jared had been there from nearly the time I had been admitted. But the lawyer was there to go over legal matters and have me sign papers. The house and property became mine, as did my mother’s money.”
“Jared told me that the house burnt down after the lawyer left, and that there wasn’t much left. He did try to go in and salvage what he could, but it wasn’t much. What he did get is in boxes up in the attic. I asked him to find the old plans and an architect, which he did. We poured over the plans together, and he redrew what I wanted, which is this present incarnation. Jared was surprised I’d even want to come back, but like I told him, it was mine, and I grew up here after all.”
“I was finally released from the hospital, too soon as far as they were concerned. But I’d grown tired of being there and wanted out. Never have cared much for the places. I came home to a half built house, and much to the construction worker’s and Jared’s dismay, I moved right in to the built part, which was downstairs.” Her voice had grown stronger, and her humor reasserted itself, evident in her latest chuckle. “I tried to stay out of their way, I either slept or spent my time down at the shop, so I wasn’t underfoot too much.”
“So, now here I am, on the hunt to prove Vampires are real, if just to myself, working at a bike shop, and living with just a cat that’d turned up on my doorstep starved nearly to death in this big ole house.” She finished off the last of the beer and sighed. She looked over at Len. “You hungry? I know a great seafood place a few miles south of Frisco, but you’ll have to drive. Or we’re gonna have to walk down to the coffee shop and drink some coffee until I have enough in me to counteract the beer.”
Len, listened with silent attention as she told him her story. He face grew slightly angry and his eyes narrowed when she mentioned how her father abused her. If only he knew at that time, he would have slaughtered her father, denying him the peaceful death that he usually gave his victims. He also got tense when she mentioned werewolves. He had met a few, and they acted like rabid dogs, even in their humans forms. She finished her story and Len was surprised that it had actually touched him. He had been brought to different emotions of sadness, anger, and pity through out its telling. He hadn't felt like that for at least 50 or 60 years. So why was it different now? He was afraid to answer his own questions so he answered hers instead.
"We should probably get you some coffee first." He said with a caring smile. "I'll let you drive though. I don't think I'd be much good on a bike."
She smiled. “Somehow I didn’t think so, why I suggested the coffee house.” She rose from the seat and headed for the kitchen. “Come on.” She headed over to the door to the porch/patio. Once they hit the ground she led him down the street a couple blocks to a local coffee house.
When she entered she was greeted by the girl behind the counter. “Hey Ryder, the usual?”
Ryder shook her head, “Nah, not tonight, strongest you got.”
The girl raised her brows but went to work making her drink. “So? Who’s your friend? He’s cute.”
Ryder rolled her eyes and shook her head, a slight smirk on her face. “Len, meet Jenna. Jenna, this is Len, I nearly ran him over last night.”
Jenna had turned to hand Ryder her coffee and nearly dropped it at her words. “You are shitting me right?” She looked back and forth between Ryder and Len.
Bekka was sitting in a corner of the coffee shop when they had entered, her eyes narrowed when she saw the guy from the all Vamp club last night. She rose from the table, and walked over to them. “Now Jenna, you know our Ryder has no sense of humor. Well, not that macabre anyway.”
Ryder turned to the female and suddenly grinned. “Bekka! When’d you get back?” Her eyes narrowed, “and why didn’t you stop by?”
Bekka gave the taller woman a hug and then stepped back. “Actually I just got back. Thought I’d have a coffee, give you time to wake before dropping in.”
Ryder chuckled. Then she gave a bit of a start. “Oh, sorry Len. This is Bekka, she’s a distant cousin or something. We’ve never really bothered to figure it out.” She grabbed her coffee and started drinking on it.
Bekka turned to look at Len, her eyes were hard, and void of the amusement they contained from the night before. “Len huh? Did my cousin truly nearly run you over?”
Len, returned Bekka's look with an equally cold look. He recognized her from somewhere but couldn’t place her. She was a vampire, he knew that much. And apparently she didn't like something about him. He tried to figure out if he had done something to her in the past but nothing came to mind. His eyes continued to lock with hers as he spoke.
"Yes, I'm afraid she did. I was walking home that night and it was dark and she didn't see me till it was almost too late. But she wasn't going very fast so she managed to put on the brakes in time. Lucky for me, huh?" He spoke as much like a human as his practiced skill could offer him. He continued to search Bekka's eyes for any clue to how he recognized her and why she didn't like him.
Bekka saw he didn’t remember her, and that was fine. But she was going to have words with him soon enough. She turned away and gave Ryder such a look. “Not paying attention?”
Ryder actually looked guilty and a bit sheepish. “No, I wasn’t actually. My mind was… else where.”
Bekka shook her head and laughed. “Mhm, I can imagine where else where. How many times do I have to tell you? There’s no such thing. And since there’s no such thing, you’ll never capture one.” Her eyes had resumed their humorous twinkle.
Ryder gave a snort. “So you say, but you’ve yet to prove to me that that is true.”
Bekka retorted, “and you haven’t proven they are.”
Ryder suddenly looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary. “Actually I did have, but I washed it away.”
Bekka’s whole body suddenly went still and her eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
Ryder ordered another cup to go, never noticing that Len hadn’t ordered something. Soon as she had her cup, she drug Bekka out of the shop and back to her house. “Come on Len, I need you to help me here.”
Len got nervous with the way things unfolded. This vampire had obviously been hiding the fact that vampires existed from Ryder and now he may have undone all that. He wasn't sure how powerful or old this vampire was. She might be strong enough to kill him if she wished, he wasn't sure. He just hoped that she would fall for his cover story as well. It was still believable even from a vampire's point of view and in the end it was he who had saved Ryder. But he would have to come up with some way to express to Bekka that he didn't want to kill Ryder at all, because he had...yeah, he was going to have to think this one through. When they arrived back at Ryder's house, he hung back and let Ryder do all the talking. He watched Bekka's reactions closely, ready to act at any sign of hostility.
Bekka cast Len a very friged look. She didn’t know what he’d done, but she wasn’t ready for her niece to know that Vampires really did exist, and if he’d screwed that up somehow, she was going to go rounds with him over it. She let herself be led back to Ryder’s house.
The house she’d long ago bought for one of her other nieces and set up so they’d never have to worry about it. It had been a shame when it burnt down. That no good man Ryder’s mother had married had finally come back and thought to kill them both. He’d succeeded with the mother, but Bekka had gotten there in time to get Ryder out. And then she’d ruthlessly hunted him down. His last moments in life hadn’t been all that pleasant.
Finally back at the house, she paused like she always did when she entered it now. Ryder had changed the inside so much; it was still strange to Bekka. Finally she turned to Ryder. “Now just what are you talking about?”
Ryder grinned and told her what happened last night. And how her thought processes went. Bekka looked skeptical, but as the story unfolded, her eyes narrowed, and she’d cast occasional looks Len’s way. One such time was when Ryder told her that Len had shown up in time to chase the Vampire off. She gave him such a long hard look for the rest of Ryder’s narrative that it was her questions that finally brought her back to focus on Ryder.
“Hmm, so a Vampire, from all stories, exceptionally strong, was beat up and chased off by a mortal. Is that what you’re saying?”
Ryder gave Bekka such a disgusted look. “Well, when you put it that way, it sounds stupid, but it’s what happened.” She turned away angrily and stalked off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
Bekka turned slowly to Len. “So, was that the friend you were waiting for last night?” She lapsed into silence and stared at him for a long time. She knew she’d have the time now to speak her peace, Ryder was pissed and would be sulking for a long bit. “Listen up Len, if I find you were the Vampire who did that to my Niece, I will tear you apart and then bury your pieces separately. I have watched over this family since my sister’s descendants came to this country, and I’ll not be having the last of the line wiped out or Turned until she produces an heir, you understand me?”
<break>
Len's faced hardened as he listened to Bekka rant at him. He hadn't fully grasped why a vampire would protect a human like this until now. If it was possible for Bekka to live a long time with a human with out killing the human, then maybe he had a chance at not ever killing Ryder. He had been tossing ideas back and forth in his head and arguing with himself all day long. But at this moment he made up his mind.
"You don't need to worry about me, Bekka. I can stay my thirst, for I believe that I have fallen in love with Ryder. I didn't think it possible, but it is becoming more and more clear to me. Her death would be a heavy blow to me as well. So, we are on the same side. I just need to earn your trust." He looked at Bekka, unsure of how she would take his declaration. Even he needed to get use to it fully.
Bekka’s eyes narrowed slightly, then widened enormously. She opened her mouth as if to speak, then snapped it closed and stared at him a moment. Finally. “Love her? But I thought you just met her last night? Or did I miss something?”
Len, looked down at the floor. He knew it would be hard to believe. "Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but I've been pondering it for that past 28 hours. The fact is, she makes me feel, you know, and I haven't 'felt' in...well for longer than I can remember. Being a vampire may have it's benefits, but you lose your sense of feeling and become a blank and emotionless existence. It's probably why most vampires turn to constant partying. But I find that to be a shallow way to live out one's existence. Truthfully, I've tried to find ways to live a meaningful existence only to sink deeper into an unfeeling and cold one. She may be my only hope for living. If she does die, so does the life in me."
Staring at him a moment after he stopped speaking, she finally shook her head. “It’s not me you have to get to trust you, it’s her. She has become very anti social and reclusive since her mother’s death. I think if it weren’t for Jared and her job, she wouldn’t even leave the house at all. Well, and her obsession with proving Vampire’s real.”
She paused and cocked her head, listening to Ryder move around in her room. She was starting to settle down, so she didn’t have much time left. She returned her attention back to Len. “Of all in that Line, she is the only one to have an inkling of the truth in the stories handed down. You want my trust? Help me keep fangs off her and her living long enough to have kids, preferably daughters.” She paused again listening to Ryder’s movements. “Go, talk with her, tell her whatever to get her happier. For now I have other things I must attend to.”
He nodded to Bekka and went in to see Ryder. "Ryder, you must not be angry with Bekka. There are a lot of skeptical people out there who need to see the actual thing before they believe. You must understand. But if it makes you feel better, I believe." He smiled kindly looking her over again, contemplating his resolve in his mind.
*~*~*
Bekka watched Len walk off. His words turning over in her mind. She vaguely understood what he was talking about, in the sense she’d seen such in others. She’d never had that problem watching over first her sister, then her sister’s kids and on down to Ryder, the last of her blood. Her face was thoughtful as she left the house and went on about her business. It would be interesting to see if Len could win Ryder over. She gave a slight chuckle. Her niece wished so much to find a Vampire, and never knew her cousin was one, and now her new friend. She found it ironic. She laughed even more imagining the day Ryder found out, if she ever did, that this whole time she’d been in the presence of such. By all that was Holy and Unholy, she was going to be pissed.
*~*~*
Ryder turned as Len came in, then turned away. She stood at the window looking out, and noted Bekka leaving. She finally gave a sigh and turned back to Len. “I know, and Bekka’s more narrow minded then most, but still..” She huffed. “Had I know she was back, I would have left the evidence on for her to see.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Ah well. You ready to go eat? I do think my stomach’s about to crawl up my throat and escape to look for its own food here shortly.”
Len, laughed at her Ryder in her frustration. He was amused with her every expression. He was also laughing at the fact that she was talking about a vampire that didn't exist while she had two with her that she didn't know about. Life could throw strange twists at people.
"Alright, if you really are that hungry, let's go. But I'll let you drive of course. Uh, and I think Bekka has run off to do something. She wasn't specific. Probably just giving you room until you give up your vampire search for the night." He laughed again at he gestured for he to lead the way.
Ryder gave a snort. “No, she’s run off cuz she knows I’m irritated with her.” She shrugs. “Happens every time the subject comes up. A’ight let’s go.”
She grinned at him and then headed out of the room and led him downstairs to the first floor. Tools were scattered here and there close to where they came down. Several workbenches were also on this side of the first floor. She moved over to the other side and opened the garage door. Then she went and pushed the bike out to the driveway. Once Len was out she closed the door and climbed onto the bike, after digging the helmets out from under the seats. She handed one to Len, and then put her own on and waited for him to climb aboard.
Once on she took off. They moved quickly through San Francisco and eventually out onto the highway south of the town. She opened up the throttle, but is still took them over an hour to get to Half Moon Bay. She skirted the outer part of the town until they came to a shack like looking building not far from the beach and parked. Pulling her helmet off she grinned back at Len. “We’re here.” She climbed off the bike and set her helmet down on the seat and waited for Len. She waved at the person behind the counter while she waited, and they waved back.
He took off the helmet and shook his hair free. He put the helmet on the bike and headed into the restaurant. He wasn't sure what he was going to order but it didn't much matter him. He had learned how to eat normal food without throwing it back up. Back went he was a young vampire he hadn't really thought about the consequences of his eating normal food again. And sure enough when he tried it, his body rejected it and he threw it up in a public place. But since then he slowly built up a tolerance to normal food so that he could eat in the presence of humans. They sat down at a booth next to a window. He turned to Ryder.
"Do you come here often?"
“Often enough that they know me, only I’ve never been inside the restaurant proper before.” She looked curiously around the place. “Normally I just get the food and go out to the beach.” The place was small inside, only three booths and two small tables out in the middle of the floor.
She looked at him. “You have an idea what you want? I’ll go order. All they serve here is seafood of some sort or another. If you’re not picky, I suggest the Sampler Plate, that way you get a bit of everything, including the catch of the day.”
"Heh, I'm not one to be particular about food. I'll have whatever you think I'll like." Ryder gave a nod, got up and walked over to the counter.
Len stared out into the night through the window. He was happy here with Ryder now. He just hoped he didn't have any more head butts with Bekka. He really didn't want to upset the happiness he had found so suddenly. It had been a long time since he had something that occupied his attention for so long.
As he looked out the window he saw another vampire with a human victim. He sighed as he watched the vampire drive away with his soon to be prey. It reminded him that he himself had almost killed Ryder. But he was extremely relieved that he managed to spare her life. Bekka was right, she must be protected. There were vampires everywhere and there was no telling when a vampire like himself would see her one night and take her life.
He also wondered what he was going to do when the sun started to rise and how he was going to explain to Ryder that he wouldn't be able to do anything with her during the day. He would just have to get her to stay up all night so that she would sleep most of the day. It wasn't a fool proof plan but he was going to work with it.
“Hey Ryder, you never come inside, what’s up? And who’s your friend?”
“Hey Vinnie, two Samplers and a pitcher of Pepsi. I know, Len walked in and to be honest, I’m too hungry to argue with it.” She grinned at Vinnie.
Vinnie had written her order and passed it back as she talked. He eyed her, “Been skipping meals again?”
She gave a chuckle. “Only since last night.”
Vinnie gave a snort, “Go sit with your friend, I’ll bring it out when it’s ready. Right now I’ll go apply the whip to the slaves and get your order done pronto.”
Ryder laughed and thanked Vinnie before walking back to the booth Len picked. She sat down opposite him. “Vinnie will bring the food out soon as it’s ready.” She looked out the window, staring at the moon lit beach absently.
Ryder’s thoughts had been going in circles. She’d started with the incident from last night and her Intruder. He just had to be a Vampire, but then she’d think about Len chasing him off. That in turn would bring her to think about Len and her strange involvement with him. She was so anti social, and knew it; she didn’t understand why she was hanging with him so much.
Maybe it had to do with his strange sense of humor when she’d nearly ran him over. Or could have been his offer to show her his house. Even might have been the fact that he’d hunted her down when she’d left him a message that she couldn’t come back to his club. That last strangely didn’t bother her as much as if it’d been someone else she hardly knew.
That last would in turn bring her to thinking about running into Bekka and telling her about the Intruder, and Bekka’s reaction. Which brought her to Len again and him trying to cheer her up. This took her back to the incident during the night, and so forth and so on. Her thoughts chased themselves over, under, around, and back and forth.
The food came to the table in a rather short amount of time. Len ate his slowly, careful not to over do it. He watched Ryder eat intently. Hell, he was obsessed. He looked away out the window again but returned his gaze to her before long.
She was finally brought out of the never ending cycle by Vinnie bringing them their food. He gave her a wink as he placed both baskets and a pitcher down on the table and then walked off. Her stomach then dominated her thoughts and the need to fill it before it really did try to hunt its own food. She was so single-minded in her eating that she started a bit when Len spoke and looked up at him wide eyed.
"You know Ryder...I think you..." He quickly looked out the window again. "...picked a good place to eat. I didn't know about this place, but it's really good here." He bit his lip and ranted at himself in his head. It was going to be a long night.
She gave him a smile. “Yes, it is good. I found it once on one of my down times. Wait until you see the beach.” She gives him a mischievous smile, and went back to finishing her food. By now her stomach wasn’t demanding, and her thoughts once again went to Len and why she was wanting to hang out with him. The part of the beach she had hinted at was her private Get Away From Crap place, and she couldn’t believe she had mentioned it even if vaguely. She’d never told anyone about the place, or even took them there. Not even Bekka.
Len picked at his food as he thought. He was thinking about the hidden war that was going on amongst the vampires and how it might affect Ryder. As he looked at her silently he just smiled. She was something special, but what specifically he couldn't put his finger on. He would completely die inside if something were to happen to her, which was ironic that he was almost her demise. He was thankful that this side of him won out. Also not to mention what Bekka would do if he or any other vampire were to kill Ryder. He had seen the fire and the hate in her eyes. Bekka had made preserving this line her hobby and obsession and now it was in danger of ending. This was Bekka's connection to this world, were it to end, well, who was to say what would happen. He knew what he would do. He finally broke the silence.
"So, Ryder, what do you want to do with your life? Do you have any dreams? Or are you happy with where you are?"
She chewed thoughtfully on the last of her food. Finally she gave a shrug. “I enjoy my job and my hobbies. Beyond that what else is there?” Finishing off the last of her drink, she looked at him with a quirky smile. “My only dream really at the moment is to find a real live Vampire.” She gave a chuckle. “Though they probably wouldn’t actually sit and talk with me probably. More like just eat me for dinner and that’d probably be the only way I’ll ever get to meet one.” She gave a sigh and looked out the window for a few heartbeats.
She then pulled money out and dropped it on the table. “If you’re done let’s get out of here, hmm?” She rose from the booth and spotted Vinnie looking their way. She gave him a wave as she headed for the door. Suddenly she felt the urge to get out and walk the beach and get away from mass amounts of people. Not that Vinnie and his cook were all that many, but she itched for some solitude and open space, not cooped up within a building.
Len, nodded at her rhetorical question. He had been asking himself that question for a long time now. He couldn't resist a humorous smile at her dreams of finding a vampire. She really believed they existed, but luckily she wasn't one to go around suspicious of everyone she met, suspecting them to be a vampire. It had made it easier for him.
As they walked out he said to her, "So you really believe in vampires don't you? Well, I guess your right about one just eating you if you did meet one. Or at least you'd be bitten and become one of them." He turned his face away to hide the twinge of pain from his past. "Heh, what do you think of that Ryder? Actually being a vampire. Are you so happy with your life as it is now to live it into eternity?"
<break>
Ryder headed out to the beach as Len followed her out of Vinnie’s shack. She turned around and walked backwards when he asked her about believing, a silly grin on her face. “Yes, Len, I really do believe that Vampires exist, and a good many other creatures of myth and legend.” She grin lessened as he turned away at his comment of her becoming a Vampire, not sure if the thought bothered him or not.
Nearly stumbling over a piece of driftwood, she turned around and faced the way she was going. She started a bit at his next questions. She walked quietly, thoughtfully thinking over the question until they reached the surf and made an unconscious turn to the left. After they’d walked a bit further, she finally nodded. “Yes, it wouldn’t bother me overly much to become one of the Children of the Night. I’m only out in the daylight if I absolutely have no choice anyway. I’m not all that interested in being in a crowd, though I can socialize if I must. Though money might be an issue to be able to keep doing the things I do….”
Her voice trails off as she thinks the matter over some more. They walked on until they came up to a huge cropping sitting between beach and surf. The outcrop looked like part of the cliff back a ways had broke off and marched down to the water’s edge. She automatically started climbing up without a word as she continued thinking. Her climb was angled and then she seemed to suddenly disappear off the cliff face. Only a heartbeat later her head popped back out to look back at him. “But, to live for eternity, they have to know some trick to making money, don’t you think?” She disappeared back inside the hole in the side of the cropping and waited for him to catch up.
Len began to climb after her, careful to not make his movements seem as effortless as they really were for him. He climb up onto the ledge and into the hole with her.
"Well, I would think that over enough time, a vampire would just be able to accumulate enough money to amount to a fortune. If time is not a factor, and it isn't for vampires, then the only important thing would be how fast a vampire can get a fortune. But it's possible for a vampire to live without money. From a technical view, all a vampire needs to do is feed every so often and not much else is needed for a vampire to exist." Len found it strange to be talking to a human about his own kind, but with Ryder is was almost....liberating for his own mind.
She gave a snort at his words as she turned and lead him deeper into the cave. The path slopped up for quite a ways. “Now if all you did was eating and, well, breath, wouldn’t you get bored real quick? No stimulus or activity but hunting down your food. No other thoughts or ideas but your own? I know I would, and then what would be the point of living forever?”
The path made a sharp and winding drop once they reached the top of it. There was no light this far in, but Ryder seemed to walk the path easily, as if she’d traveled it many, many times. She shook her head. “No, I’d need to find some way to make some sort of money to do the things I do, or it wouldn’t be worth being that long lived.”
There seemed to be the faintest of glows up ahead, and it wasn’t too much longer before Ryder spoke softly. “Grab my belt and watch your step.” She moved carefully as they came upon a softly glowing chamber. And she maneuvered to walk a narrow ledge around the outside of it, since the path ended at a drop off. She navigated them to a small ledge wide enough for them to sit on and look out over the chamber. “Isn’t it pretty? Some sort of weird moss and/or lichen I think makes it glow in here. I’ve never really bothered to try to examine it, since I can’t figure out how to get back up.” She waved her hand down to the pool about 25 feet below. “What’s nice is when the tide comes up, this place doesn’t fill up. The water comes only to about ten feet below the path then. So at least your dry if you loose track of time and get stuck with the tide.”
Len stared down into the pit and then studied the surrounding walls of the cave. Since he was a vampire, by rights this is where he should be living. In a dark, wet cave where the light of the sun and the light of human contact would not reach him. That is the way he felt it should be; what he felt he deserved. Yet here he was, were he should be but with the glimmering radiance from a woman that had probably changed his outlook on his grim life. But he even hid himself from this light.
"How long have you been coming to this place. It's solitude is perfect."
Ryder grinned over at Len. “It is isn’t it. I’ve been coming here since I was 16. Found it by accident one day.” She went quiet, not elaborating more on the subject. She sat there a while with a slight smile on her face and her eyes closed, as if communing with the place.
Finally she opened her eyes and pointed across the way. “If we’d taken the trail in that direction, there’s another entrance to a small cave. I’ve slept there a few times.” She gave a chuckle. “Got caught when the tide came in for the night. After that, my next visit I brought things to make such a happening more comfortable.” She laughs again. “I haven’t bothered exploring the path beyond that though. Just happy to have found this much, and respect what I’m allowed.” She gives a shrug.
He looked at her when she finished speaking. Even though he knew the cave was dimly lit, he could see her as clear as day in the darkness. He reached out and took her hand into his. He brought his face close enough to hers so that she could see his face in the low light.
"Do you trust me? I can help you explore the unknown region that you haven't been to yet. I know...echolocation techniques." He lied of course but it was the only way to do this with out revealing himself to her. "So, do you trust me?"
She blinked as Len took her hand and leaned in close. She almost went cross eyed. She pulled back a bit to let her eyes refocus on him. She could see pretty well in the dark, she chose to live so much in it, that she’d developed excellent night vision. The draw back was she had the worst day vision.
She gave a slight laugh. “I trust you, considering.” She hesitated over his offer to help her explore beyond the area she considered hers. Well, not hers exactly, but where she was welcomed. “I don’t know about exploring further.”
Len was a little confused at her pause in speech. He studied her face to derive some answer. He considered what he had said, trying to find some place where he had crossed the line. When he couldn't come up with anything he gave her an unsure smile and said, "Considering what? Something bothering you?" He tried to think of what it could be, but his imagination just grew wilder instead of more helpful. "It's ok, you can tell me."
She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully, studying his face closely. She was debating how much more of herself to reveal to him. Granted, he took her…obsession…with Vampires pretty much in stride. But when it came to beliefs and religion, people grew funny.
Finally she smiled shyly. “Considering we’ve just met and all.” She looked out over the cavern for a few heartbeats then turned back to Len. “I’ve never been made to feel as if I couldn’t explore further. But I feel welcome here, and I’m not sure I would further in. Though it would be great to see what probably no one else has ever seen before first.” Her voice trails off.
Finally she blurts out in a bit of a rush. “I pretty much don’t believe as most people do. After all I believe Vampires and other creatures exist. But I’m not really talking about that. I also believe the earth is very much alive with its own spirit, and if one takes the time to listen and be open, it can and will communicate with you.”
Len was surprised by this outburst of emotion from her. He was unsure how exactly to respond, but he continued to by calm and happy on the outside.
"Well, with that reasoning, the closer we are to the earth, the better we can communicate with it. If we travel deeper into this cave, we will get closer and closer to the earth and have more of it wrapping around us. Or do you fear that the earth will swallow us whole?" He chuckled a little and watched for her response.
She shook her head. “No, nothing like that, unless of course we tread where we’re not welcome.” She pondered his words thoughtfully. Finally she nods slowly. “What you say makes sense. And more so, I get no impression that we’d be unwelcome.” She gives his hand a slight squeeze and grins at him impishly. “When ever you’re ready. I’ve never brought a light in here, pity. I have a feeling we’ll probably need it further in. But maybe we’ll get lucky with more glow stuff.”
"Not with me you won't. Come on, let's go."
Ryder gave a laugh as she rose to follow Len. She kept close to him at first, but as they progressed, she’d pause now and again and feel the tunnel with her hands. Like a blind person, she was [i]seeing[/i] the place while in total darkness.
He held her hand tightly as they made their way to the smaller cave. It was smaller that was for sure. They couldn't stand all the way up in it. and it seemed to narrow into a tunnel that led off into the darkness. Len led her to the opening of this tunnel and click with his mouth into the darkness for effect. With his eyes he could see that it was just an open tunnel with a slight downward bend to it. There also was a sharp turn to it not too far off that blocked his view from seeing farther down.
"It's clear for a little ways. But I think I hear a turn, but I'll be more sure when we get closer." He continued to click every now and then just to keep up the lie, while he observed the details of the walls. They came to the turn and he navigated her with him through it, reassuring her that he could 'see' everything fine with the clicking.
He looked down the tunnel again now that they had turned the corner. The tunnel was slowly getting smaller and smaller and again there was another turn that blocked his vision. He continued with her to the bend and strangely he could see some light coming from around the bend. But by the time they reached the turn, they were forced to travel at a low crawl to fit through the shrinking tunnel. She bent down as he told her the further they went. Got down and crawled when they had too.
Around this turn, he could see that the tunnel opened up into a little chamber that was wider on the sides but not so much on the top. Covering the bottom of this chamber was the glowing moss he had seen earlier. She blinked slightly as they entered the glowing chamber. She stopped just inside and stared about the glowing chamber.
He laughed, enjoying this exploring they were doing. Once in the chamber they were crawling on soft, glowing moss. It was interesting to touch and it gave off enough light to see in the chamber. The tunnel did continue on, but it was too small for them to continue any further. "Well, I guess we can't go any further." Len said gesturing to the tunnel. He laid down on the moss and propped himself up to rest his arms.
Len’s words pulled her out of her study of the new chamber, and she looked over to see him lounging comfortably on the glowing moss. She grinned at him. “Well, don’t you just look right at home.” She crawled further in and settled on the [i]floor[/i] close to him. Lying on her back she looked up at the [i]ceiling[/i]. She studied it for a long time, her eyes settling in one spot for a long time until she’d examined it to her satisfaction, before moving on to a new section. She frowned at one shadow section, but stayed silent for the time being.
Finally, looking over at Len she grinned at him. “I’m going to have to bring the gear back here. This moss is far more comfy then the rock.”
"Yep, this moss is nice. I have yet to come up with something to explain why it glows like that. Ha-ha, but it is useful and I'm glad to have it here."
He picked some up in his hand and looked it over. He soon lost interest in looking at it and dropped it. He continued to lay face down with his head resting in one hand. It was even more secluded in here, and the close quarters almost made him feel like nothing existed outside the confines of the cave. He turned his head to Ryder lying beside him.
"Thanks for bringing me here. I really enjoy this place, and if you don't mind, I'd like to come here often with you."
Ryder burst out laughing and rolled onto her side to give him a playful shove. “Silly, I can’t give you that permission. I don’t own here. Obviously Mother Earth doesn’t mind you here or we wouldn’t be here.” She then gave him a gentle pat, “and you’re welcome. I’ve never showed this place to anyone before. Kinda kept it to myself as a place to escape the city and people.”
She settled more comfortably. “But I’d welcome your company anytime I come out here.” She curled an arm under her head to rest on and her other hand still laid lightly on Len’s shoulder. She gave a contented sigh as they lay there quietly enjoying the cave they’d found together.
"Hmm," he said as he reflected over her words. "So this is your escape from the world, yet now...you won't be able to escape from me." He looked over at her, and gave her a mischievous smile. He then squinted his eyes at her and with a very dramatic and playful tone he asked, "How does that make you feel? To be within reach of someone else?"
She blinked at him. “Huh, I guess you could say that.” She gave a laugh. “You make it sound like we’re going to be joined at the hip or something like from now on.” She shook her head and smirked. “I’m sure there'll be times you’re off busy with something, and myself at times too. And I work as well, and you…” She gave a slight shrug. “We’ll probably be apart more often then you think.”
She then grew serious about his question and studied him thoughtfully. Finally she turned her gaze to the ceiling of the cave. “I’m always in reach of someone. There’s Becka when she’s in town. Jared almost always. The phone’s probably ringing off the hook by now, or he’s already at the house checking on me.” She winced at that. “I’m not much of a people person, but…” she lifted a shoulder. She really didn’t have the words to explain why she was so easily comfortable with him. It was like the time she’d first met Becka, they’d hit it off right from the first moments, and the same seemed to be happening with Len.
He laughed at her response, thinking she did like to take things to the extreme sometimes. He listened to her list off the people that she was 'in reach of' and when she said Bekka his mind switched to that old vampire. Here he was with the one prize possession of that vampire. One move that made Bekka angry enough, could leave him with an eternal enemy. He really had no idea where Bekka had come from or what her true purpose in life was, but he wasn't about to find out the hard way. He heard Ryder stop,
"But what?" He said, not taking his eyes off her.
“I dunno how to explain it.” She rolled over on her side and tucked her hands under her head like a pillow and stared back at him. “What about you? You don’t really strike me as a people person either.” Her face was blank as she studied his face thoroughly.
He laughed a little, "You guess correctly. I have spent more time with you these past few days than with anyone in years. I guess...I guess I wanted change, or I was just waiting for someone I really could connect with. I don't know exactly, but I do know for whatever reason, I don't want this night to end. But end it will, and at dawn I will have to return to my home. I really do live like a vampire. I just kinda want to know what it is like, you could say. So, unless you plan on staying here and sleeping or talking till nightfall, I will have to leave you for awhile." He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.
Ryder gave a sigh. “Yea, we should head back.” She wriggled around until she headed out of the cave and down the tunnel. Once they reached the original area she paused and waited for Len to emerge so they could continue on out. She stared down at the water as she waited for him, lost in thought.
Len’s comments about change and connecting had hit home. Oh, she’d connected with Becka when they first met, then to find they were related seemed to explain that connection. He seemed to be right though, they’d connected from the start as well. Never mind she’d nearly ran him down. She liked that he laughed and joked about that, though she’d felt so bad about it, and still did.
But their connection was different then the one with Becka. She hoped enough different that they wouldn’t find out later they too were related. If that happened, she was going to give up on people for good. She liked Len, but didn’t want to find out he was related to her. She had enough mettlesome relatives in Becka and Jared.
Len crawled out of the cave into the fresh night air. He was fighting the desire to continue the night in some way, but he knew that the sun would be up in a few hours and he needed to feed sometime in the near future. He could feel his body starting to age in a rapid manner. As much has he hated it, he had to part with Ryder for awhile.
"Well, you wouldn't mind giving me a ride home again, would you? It's a long way to walk." He smiled as he tried to hide his lie. He could be back at his house within 10 minutes walking vampire speed.
<break>
Ryder gave Len a look that said ‘just what type of person do you take me for?’ and then she spoke. “Yes, I do mind. After all, it’s over an hour just to Frisco from here. Then let’s add the time it takes to get through the city and past it, and the added time of then getting to your house. Mhm, yep, I’m just going to leave you high and dry after dragging you out here. But hey, be glad, I’m not some deranged serial killer. I’m not going to take your life after getting you to a secluded spot.”
She shook her head at him and grabbed his hand tugging him down the beach back to Vinnie’s shack and her bike. Hopefully Vinnie hadn’t put it inside tonight like he sometimes did. If he had, they were camping out back in the rock. She quickened her steps, hoping.
Len let himself be let from the cave back to the restaurant. But while they were walking up to the building he notice slight movements in the bushes at the back of the building. He didn't stop or saying anything, but just continued walking, keeping an eye on the spot. After a few more movements in the bush he saw a flash of fur and then the thing was gone. Len snorted and told himself it was just a big dog or animal of some kind. He turned back to Ryder and continued to follow her silently.
Soon they reached the shack and Ryder gave a sigh of relief. Vinnie had left her bike out. She handed Len a helmet and then put her own on and swung onto the bike. She waited for him to get on before she started it up and headed back to Frisco. Fortunately, it was late/early depending on one’s views and there was no traffic. She let the throttle out nearly all the way and they raced down the highway.
Once they reached Frisco itself, she slowed slightly as she drove through it and before long they’d passed it and were headed to Len’s place. Once there, she brought the bike to a halt at the gate.
Len dismounted the bike and removed the helmet. He noticed the sky getting slightly lighter by the second, and he knew he didn't have much time. He handed the helmet to Ryder and tried not to look like he was in a hurry.
"Thanks for the ride again, I think I owe you one now." He gave her a wink. "Make sure to give Bekka my regards, and I'll see you soon?"
Ryder nodded. “I will, and sure. Though I’ll probably work tonight. I’m off about midnight, unless you can ferret out where I work as well.” She gave him a grin and turned the bike around and headed for home.
Once home, her earlier comment about Jarred was a bull’s eye. His bike sat in her driveway. As she pulled up and got off, she laid a hand on the motor and felt it was cold. He’d been here a while and was still waiting. She gave a sigh as she put her bike away and even brought his inside the first floor. He was probably asleep by now since dawn was just starting.
She quietly snuck up the stairs and into the room. Tiptoeing through the open room she neared the door to the only other bedroom and peeked in. Sure enough he was there sound asleep. With a slight smile she turned away and headed to her own room. Quickly undressing, she climbed in. She was going to get the silent third degree when she woke later, but she wasn’t overly worried about it. It was a rare game, but game none the less. He’d ask a question or two, but he didn’t get mad or yell, but quietly wait for her to give in and blurt everything. Sometimes he won, sometimes she won. It was rare she ever called out, and before tonight, she’d never lied about why she’d called out. Turning her thoughts to the night and all that had gone on, she soon drifted off to sleep.
Len waved to her as she turned around and he watched her disappear down the road. He sighed and quickly put in the code for the gate. As he walked down the long driveway to his mansion, he heard with his keen vampire ears the slightest of noises behind him out of place with the ambiance of the night. He stopped and turned around to see nothing but the closing gate behind him. He studied his surroundings for a moment and then continued toward the house, wary of any other noises. He didn't hear anymore the rest of the way to the front door. He unlocked the door, gave one last look around outside and shut the door behind him. He checked and made sure all the blinds and curtains were drawn over the windows and then headed for his room. He closed the curtains on his bedroom windows and then laid down in his coffin bed. He stared up at the ceiling in his restful sleepless state, thinking of only one thing, rather one person.
His eyes flew open. The sound of a wolf's howl jerked Len out of inanimation. He had been lost in thought and when he came to, the howl had ceased. He thought it might have all been in his head, but he could sense the presence of another being just outside his property. It was faint and impossible to tell the exact location, but when he strained his senses he could feel something there, a strange presence. He put two and two together and suspected it was a werewolf, but it would be a strange thing for a werewolf to be hanging around a vampire's haven. Surely the werewolf could smell his vampiric scent long before he could feel it's presence.
Len rose from within his bed in a very unnatural way and strode over to the curtains. He pulled them away slightly and peered out over the lawn that was slowly being bathed in the dawn's light. Len could feel a slight tingling sensation on his face and hand from the light, but it was not strong enough yet to burn him. He saw nothing, and the presence he felt was going fainter by the second. Len was uneasy with this visit and feared something bigger than he could realized at the moment was at work. The thing that was foremost in his mind was not getting Ryder entangled in anything. He was sure that if she died because of him, it would just be another load on his heart among many that he would carry indefinitely into time. He wasn't sure how many of those regrets he could take.
She woke to the smell of cooking food, seemed there was bacon, eggs, and maybe potatoes. She lay there frowning fuzzily, since the smells didn’t mesh with the dream she’d just been having. She also knew she had no food in the house; she hadn’t been shopping in a while. Finally, the smell of coffee brewing woke her enough to get up, shower, and dress. She knew she wasn’t going to solve the mystery lying in bed.
She finally padded out of her room to see Jared setting a plate of food and a coffee cup on the island counter. She approached the food, warily watching Jared, who’d sat down with his own plate and cup. He motioned for her to sit and eat, and started shoveling food into his own mouth. She gave an inaudible sigh, and sat and started eating and sipping at the coffee.
“Sick huh?”
She nearly choked on her food when he spoke. Swallowing hastily she looked side long at him. “Uh… well… no.” She looked guilty as all hell.
“Yeah, I kinda figured when I didn’t find you home in bed. So?”
Ryder shrugged. “So? I met this guy. Nearly ran him over in fact.”
Jared lifted his brows at that. But he didn’t say anything and went back to eating. So did Ryder. Soon they were finished, and she did the dishes. “Coming to work?” Ryder nodded and they both left off to the shop.
Jared and Ryder arrived at the shop. The couple of other workers looked up as they entered. Tomas looked her over, before speaking. “Feeling better, Girl?” She just gave him a nod, and went to work on a bike she was in the middle of. Tomas didn’t believe a female should be doing a man’s work, but he also couldn’t deny her skills and abilities. He often joked that she should have been male. Him calling her ‘Girl’ was another of his jokes.
Here in Jared’s shop was the one of two places where she dropped her walls enough for people to see into her. And this one was the only semi public place, since the only other place she was truly herself was at home. Normally, she hummed as she worked, unknown to her, and had a slight smile on her face, also unknown to her. Today though, she was quiet and a slight frown marred her features.
Her mind was back to running those circles. When it wasn’t running the whole Vampire circle, it would switch to Len, and run a whole new set of circles. She didn’t understand her thought processes and reactions when it came to him. The closeness and liberties he took around her, she overlooked or never noticed until long afterwards, and by then it was far to late. Jared and Becka were the only ones that close to her.
Jenna at the coffee shop knew what she preferred to drink. Vinnie over in Half Moon Bay knew enough to know she didn’t usually eat in, and might stay out all night and would put her bike away for the night, and that she tended to skip meals regularly. Even Tomas and Charlie only knew she was a damn fine mechanic, and tended to be in some sort of zone when working.
Only Jared and Becka knew her whole life story and now Len as well. She still couldn’t get over that she’d just out and out told him. No excuses or half baked stories to keep her past hers. She didn’t understand her attraction to him, oh, he was cute enough, and they seemed to share a belief in Vampires and a quarky humor, but the attraction felt deeper then that. And it puzzled the crap out of her. Hell, she’d even shown him her secret special place, and to make matters even stranger, it was as if the place welcomed him as much as it did her. Even she felt as if he belonged there.
As midnight drew closer, she found herself getting antsy for it to hurry up, not her normal reaction. Normally she dreaded clock out time. She wanted work to be over so that maybe she could see Len again. Part of her had hoped all through her shift that he’d find her work as he had her home. But as the night wore on, that hope slowly died.
When midnight finally arrived, she practically bolted out of the shop with a wave and a quick goodbye. Tomas and Charlie watched in amazement, and then turned their gazes to Jared. Jared had a thoughtful look on his face, until the weight of the guys’ stare registered. He looked over at them and just shrugged and went back to what he had been doing.
*~*~*
Unknown to Ryder, when the house was being rebuilt, Becka had had a secret basement put in that wasn’t on the plans. When she was in town, this was one of many bolt holes she had for when daylight approached. After the run in with Ryder and Len, she’d started staying close to home, as the saying goes. She’d heard Jared’s bike pull up at about midday. She listen to him move about upstairs in the house and finally settle in for the night.
Once he was asleep, she came upstairs and wandered all but the room he slept in. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. But she was not overly thrilled with Len and Ryder having struck up a friendship. On the other hand, it would be amusing to watch a Vampire try to get close to her closed and anti-social niece, who also believed Vampires were very real.
She finally left off searching for who knew what and went to Hunt. That done and over with, she returned back to her lair an hour before dawn. She heard Ryder come in as dawn approached and put away hers and Jared’s bikes. She settled in for the day and rested.
An hour before sunset, she could hear Jared moving around. After fifteen minutes, she could faintly smell food cooking. She heard Ryder rise, and not too long after that, both bikes revved up and were gone. As soon as darkness hit full on she rose, and headed to Jared’s shop. She was going to keep a close eye on Ryder as long as Len was in the picture.
As she waited for Ryder to get off work, she mulled over Len’s words to her. He’d fallen in love with her. She gave a soft snort at that. Vampires lost all emotion when turned. Yes, it took a bit of time, but they still did. Though true, in her own distant way she loved her Niece. But it was a distant emotion, like a half forgotten memory. Ryder was the last of her bloodline, and she needed to have children. Once Turned, Vampires couldn’t reproduce. Would he still love her to let her be with another man and have children? Somehow she didn’t think so. There was also the fact that Ryder would grow old and eventually die, while he would stay forever young.
Finally Ryder came out of the shop and hopped on her bike. She paused momentarily as if uncertain where she was going to go, but then she turned the bike on and zipped out on the streets. Becka shook her head and then set off following her. She was surprised when they arrived back at the house. She was even more surprised when Ryder didn’t put the bike inside, but hopped off and ran up the outside stairs into the house.