Beneath the Dragon's Wing (closed)

"If it makes you uncomfortable…”

He set her down gently and waited to let go of her until she was steady on her feet.

"Are sure your ok?"

“Yeah, I think so. I mean I can walk, I’m sure I’ll be bruised and sore tomorrow but I’m alright for now.”

She didn’t mention that she was still pretty shaken up emotionally but that was probably a given after her little crying jag. She looked around and saw they were only a half a block from her apartment. She realized she hadn’t actually given Valentine her exact address.

A small voice in her head screamed at her to tell him goodnight now because he was not someone she wanted knowing where she lived. The words started to form on her lips but then fear wormed its way through her and the words died. The idea of walking just half a block alone, even on a well-lit street, terrified her.

“Uhm, it’s just down the block a bit,” she said as she started walking.

She hated that fear was controlling her, it only made her feel weaker than she already did. The thought that she could self-diagnose and treat herself floated through her mind and she almost laughed out-loud. Stupid shock, she thought, grateful she’d been able to stifle a laugh. Not that Valentine would’ve cared, she was still pretty sure he was somewhere on the crazy scale himself. She glanced over at him for a moment before looking away.

“Weren’t you scared? I mean to like confront them. There were three of them...and they had a knife.”

"Yeah, I think so. I mean I can walk, I’m sure I’ll be bruised and sore tomorrow but I’m alright for now.”

He nodded and feigned a weak smile... She was well enough to walk but he was certain she'd still be reeling emotionally. There wasn't much anyone could do about that.

“Uhm, it’s just down the block a bit."

He nodded again as they began walking and stayed close to her, yet gave her a bit if space.

Valentine watched a range of subtle emotions on her face. Her expressions and eye movements telling him much of her internal dialog but he didn't spend all his efforts on her. Instead allowing her the privacy of thought and looking about to see the world as it was long ago.

He knew she would be deciding if she trusted him enough to let him know her exact address and if she was smart she would decide not to, but he knew the fact that he was her temporary hero of sorts would afford him a sense of false trust that if he so wished... He could take full advantage of. He shook his head... She seemed begging to be the victim, and he licked his lips briefly, fighting the desire to oblige her.

He could hear the heart beat in her sweet chest and he shut his eyes for a moment, the hunger ringing in his ears.

"Weren’t you scared? I mean to like confront them. There were three of them...and they had a knife.”

The question calmed him and he turned to her.

"I was," he lied "but I've been in.... Battles before, and one doesn't forget that kind of thing. I was most concerned that they'd harm you. I'm glad they didn't."

"I was but I've been in.... Battles before, and one doesn't forget that kind of thing. I was most concerned that they'd harm you. I'm glad they didn't."

Layla smiled at him, a part of her feeling guilty that she had some reservations about him. He could have easily just left her there but he hadn’t. He’d risked his life to rescue her even though she was basically a stranger to him. She knew that not many people would do that.

A memory teased along the edge of her thoughts and while she couldn’t quite seem to grab it she felt a flutter of apprehension in her stomach. She chalked it up to what she’d just been through, it was making her even more cautious than she usually was. She was sure she would remember whatever it was and realize it was nothing.

“Me too,” she said with a shudder, “Thank you again. Uh, were you in the military?”

They were almost to her building and she slowed slightly as she waited for his reply. She figured it wasn’t going to be so bad he knew where she lived. It was a big apartment building and she was going to say her goodbyes at the steps. He wouldn’t know what apartment she was in.

She stifled a yawn and remembered she still needed to finish her essay. Tomorrow was going to be unpleasant, she was going to have to alternate between coffee and energy drinks. At least she had the next two days off from work, she didn’t think she would be able to do a full day of classes and then a six-hour shift.

"Me too, Thank you again. Uh, were you in the military?”

He felt the waves of tension begin to melt off her some and this pleased him. He must of been making her more comfortable. He could hear her pulse slow and as he did he realized he was quite fascinated with this girl, for some strange reason she was more entertaining than anyone he had met in ages. The fact that he did not have to concern himself with intruding on her will was welcomed.

"Your very welcome, again," he smiled at her "Yes, I've fought for a great many causes over the years but that was long ago... I don't take up any banner or flag anymore."

They stopped in front of an old fashioned apartment building. It was dark and narrow with several windows littering the outside all the way up. It appeared to be one window per floor' at least on this side. Valentine wondered which apartment and window was hers. One had a small row of dandelions nestled in a planter below, but to assume that meant it was hers simply because she was a woman was an ignorant conclusion.

He looked the street up and down, he had already memorized the location but made note of nearby landmarks he could possibly utilize to run into her again.

They were quiet for a bit and then he spoke.

"It was an absolute pleasure, again, I'm very sorry about what happened. You should call the police and fill out a report... Though I doubt it will do any good."

He walked towards her and took her hand in his, the warmth and pulse of her blood surged into his cold palm and he shuddered a bit from the sensation.

"You take care of yourself Layla."

He let her hand go and then started walking back the way they came. Heading towards the alley. He wanted to go find her cell phone. It would give him an excuse to drop in on her tomorrow.

A part of him, the beast within still wanted to see her blood stain the ground, to taste it and end her sweet sweet life... But he ignored it, knowing that good things came to those who waited. He was having far too much fun with her as it was. Maybe if she bored him he would... Maybe. He considered turning around and finding out exactly which floor and apartment the young lady lived in but the mystery thrilled him. He allowed the ignorance... Knowing it was a simple thing to find her again.

Valentine waited to be out of sight and took off down the dark streets, clinging to shadows like a mass of blackness and death. His speed too much for mortal eyes and always just out of view.

"Your very welcome, again. Yes, I've fought for a great many causes over the years but that was long ago... I don't take up any banner or flag anymore."

She returned his smile as they reached her building. She stopped and tried to think of what to say. She wasn’t sure if he was expecting her to invite him up.

It would be pretty crazy to invite a stranger in but he had just saved her life so maybe he thought it entitled him to an invitation into her place. Valentine saved her the trouble of having to think what to say by speaking first.

"It was an absolute pleasure, again, I'm very sorry about what happened. You should call the police and fill out a report... Though I doubt it will do any good."

“Thanks, it wasn’t your fault. I might do that tomorrow.”

He walked towards her and took her hand into his. His hand felt cold and she hoped he wasn’t going to have to walk a long way to get home.

"You take care of yourself Layla."

“You too, Valentine.”

She watched him walk away for a few moments before turning and hurrying up the stairs into the apartment building. She took the elevator up to the fourth floor and headed to her apartment.

Once she got inside she promptly locked both locks before setting her bag down. She sat down on the couch and tried to calm down. Her mind kept going back to what had happened in the alley and she finally decided to finish her essay to take her mind off things.

First, she needed to change clothes though, her pants and shirt both had dirt and possibly worse things on them from the pavement. She went into the bedroom and got undressed before grabbing some pajamas out of the drawer. She was about to put them on but decided she should shower first, who knew what had gotten on her arms or in her hair...not to mention she felt dirty where the men had held her down.

She took a quick shower and got her pj’s on. She went to grab her phone off her nightstand but her hand met empty air. She all of a sudden realized that she didn’t have her phone.

She went into the living room and double-checked her bag but she knew it wouldn’t be there, she was positive she’d stuck it in her pocket when they’d started walking. She assumed it had somehow fallen out during the scuffle.

A horrible thought hit her that maybe one of the guys from the alley had it, either grabbing it from her pocket without her noticing or finding it on the ground later. She didn’t actually have a landline so she had no way of calling anyone if she needed to. She reassured herself that even if one of those guys had gotten her phone it was password protected so it was doubtful they’d even be able to get into it.

After a few minutes she’d calmed down some and she thought about getting on her laptop to finish her essay. The idea was daunting though and she ended up emailing her professor, telling him she’d been mugged and that she wouldn’t be in class with her essay. She was sure he would give her an extension, she had a solid A in the class and had never turned in a paper late or missed a class. She didn’t bother emailing the other two professors whose classes she would miss since there wasn’t any homework due.

She shut the laptop off and checked the door and windows making sure they were all locked. She finally got into bed but after a minute got up and turned on the hallway light. She left her bedroom door open a few inches so it wasn’t so dark in the bedroom. Luckily she was tired enough that she fell asleep almost instantly.

Valentine was too late to recover the phone. Someone had beaten him to it. He tracked a young man several blocks away playing with the lock screen but unable to access it. He toyed with idea of simply removing it from the young mortal's broken corpse but refrained for now. Perhaps his recent escort had given him a renewed expectation for humanity. Perhaps he was simply prolonging the hunt.

His thoughts turned to Layla. She was interesting to him and in the short time they were together he had been more entertained than he had in decades. He was glad he hadn't torn her to shreds, he would have missed out on an amusing evening and in truth he had long grown tired of violence. The anticipation still held an occasional thrill but the end result was no longer intoxicating, as with sex the simple act of it alone was no longer sufficient to satisfy. An elaborate story or situation was required for the act of murder to entice Valentine. Such is the result of centuries of monotonous action. With enough time every varied action becomes predictable.

The scavenger traversed the streets without a care in the world. His red hair matted down by a black hoodie and his high tops splashing through the puddles of water as he approached a convenient store still in possession of the phone.

Valentine followed high above him along the rooftops.

Inside the twenty-four hour shop, a brown skinned clerk eyed the young man nervously. A bell chiming to signal his entrance. The boy stuffed the phone in his pocket and proceeded to the back of the store where the refrigerated units were. He selected a six pack of beer and walked to the register were he was greeted and told the price.

As he watched the little play unfold with almost no interest, he knew what would happen. He had seen it countless times and even if he hadn't, the body language of the two was undeniable. In the hood pocket the young man was concealing a pistol, and behind the counter the clerk was fingering a 12 gauge. While Valentine cared nothing for their lives he could not risk Layla's phone being damaged. If it was destroyed so would his reason for seeing her again. For the second time tonight he would have to intervene and play the good citizen.

------------------------------------

Valentine stood beside Layla's bed, looking down on her peaceful expression as her lungs filled with air causing her chest to rise briefly before deflating some.

He caressed her cheek with the back of his finger and tasted the subtle flavor of her off of it before glancing about the room.

His patience had grown thin and he had not wanted to wait until morning. It spoke volumes to how eager he was to see her again. A creature such as Valentine was nothing if not patient.

The young woman's room was about what he expected, except for how well kept it was. She was clearly responsible and organized. This pleased him. Valentine hated disorder.

He sat on the bed lightly, turning to watch the contours of her legs beneath the covers. Their length spread out as she slept.

The beating of her heart began to pound in his ears and he knew it was time to go, he could meet up with her at the cafe but now that he had gotten it out of his system he considered returning her phone the following day. Though she might go looking for it herself if he waited too long. That could prove problematic.

Valentine left her apartment, the locks and doors very little hinderance.

He fed on a young woman with Layla's same attributes downtown before heading home. It slaked his thirst and topped off the thief from earlier that night but he was still hungry for some reason. It had been a long time since he felt this much lust.

Perhaps he was feeding the wrong desire.

Layla woke up feeling happy, at least for a few seconds before the memories of the night before came crashing to the forefront of her mind. She instinctively reached for her phone to check the time before remembering she didn’t have it. She got up and headed towards the kitchen, thankful that she had at least slept through the night and hadn’t had any nightmares. She looked at the clock on the stove and was surprised to see how late she’d slept in.

She made some eggs and coffee and tried to figure out what she was going to do with her day. She was a creature of habit and she felt weird not being at class. She turned her laptop on and forced herself to finish up her essay. She had expected it to take her an hour or two to finish but she was done within 45 minutes.

Her mind kept wandering back to the night before despite how much she didn’t want to think about it. She finally started a cleaning spree to keep her mind preoccupied. Her apartment was always neat but some deep cleaning was probably needed anyway. She vacuumed the carpet and washed the floors, dusted and then gave the bathroom a thorough cleaning. By the time she was done cleaning the laundry she’d started was ready to be folded and put away.

By the time she was all done she was a little sweaty but pleased at what she’d gotten done. She glanced at the clock and realized she had just enough time to take a quick shower before work.

Once she was showered and dressed she grabbed her purse and headed out the door. It was just starting to get dark and she hesitated as she walked out of the building. She was tempted to just walk back inside and call a cab but she decided against it. She didn’t want to give in to her fear, it would just make it that much harder to move past what happened. She walked to the bus stop down the block and sat down to wait, putting her earbuds in to listen to some music. She let out a sigh of relief a few minutes later as the bus pulled up.

Shawn waved at her as she walked into the cafe and headed to the back. She put her stuff in her locker and put her apron on. As she was walking out of the backroom she nearly collided with Shawn.

“You’re okay!”

For a moment she was confused, there was no way he could know about the mugging. Her blank stare must’ve made it clear she had no idea what he was talking about and he elaborated.

“I heard about that bus crash this morning. I wasn’t sure if it was the bus you took home or if you were on it. I tried texting and calling you but I couldn’t get a hold of you, I started to worry you had been in the crash.”

Realization finally hit her as she thought about the bus never showing up and the emergency vehicles that had driven by. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t gone to get a new phone earlier, now she would have to wait until tomorrow after her classes. She hoped she’d be able to find a cheap one, she didn’t have a ton of money to waste on a phone at the moment.

“I...uh hadn’t heard about that crash. It must have happened before my stop because it never showed up last night, I ended up walking home. I’m sorry you were worried, I lost my phone last night.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” he said as he put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Thanks,” she said as she smiled back at him.

They headed out to the front and Layla was relieved to see the place was busy. It would help her keep her mind off everything else.

Valentine awoke at the same time he always did.

Sunset.

The rays of light that once fanned out across the city vanishing behind the concrete jungle and the horizon. He watched from behind the cold grey, tinted windows of his bedroom high above and within a steel monolith of a building. It stood along a cliff side which had a much more appealing view to him, but for some reason he watched out the opposite end this night, looking out amongst the insignificant and wondering what was different this time.

It had been a long time since he allowed himself illusions, longer still since he had anything to anticipate.

Val dressed his bone pale, athletic body in the usual dark attire. Today however he wasn't slumbing so he wore a tailored suit and long black trench coat.

He selecting a watch and the pendant he kept hidden beneath his clothing pressed closely to where his heart had once been. Finally he grabbed Layla's phone and shoved it into his pants pocket, returning to the wall length treated window surrounding the bedroom.

His cold grey eyes scanning the dark rooftops and alleyways as he thought.

---------------------------------------------------

A few moments later he entered the cafe, he could smell Layla on his left but sat towards the back on the right, near the wall. Valentine ordered a black coffee which he had no intention of drinking and folded his hands neatly atop the counter as he ignored her.

Soon his coffee had arrived, it had creamer in it but it didn't matter to him. He pulled out Layla's phone and placed it beside his steaming cup.

He met her eyes.

It didn’t take long for Layla to put the previous night’s events out of her mind as she rushed around taking and dropping off orders. A few of the regulars chatted with her as she moved through the cafe and luckily none of them mentioned the bus accident. She still couldn’t believe the bus had crashed and she wondered if all the passengers were okay.

Apparently, it had been her lucky night, despite the mugging. If the bus hadn’t crashed before her stop and she had gotten on it may have crashed when she was on it. And if Valentine hadn’t been at the bus stop she would’ve ended up walking home alone and the mugging would have ended very differently. She shuddered at that thought.

She really did owe Valentine, especially considering she’d thought he might be a creep at first. A small voice in her head was still tossing out warning signs when it came to Valentine. Like there was just something off about him but she couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. She felt silly even thinking that and she chalked it up to extra caution after what she’d been through.

She took her break, grabbing a sandwich and bottle of water to take into the back room. She pulled her day planner from her purse looked over her class schedules for the week as she ate. She had a couple tests coming up this week but she wasn’t too worried about either even though she’d missed both the classes today.

She finished up and headed back out to the front of the cafe. She grabbed the coffee pot to see if any of her current tables needed refills. As she made her way from table to table she noticed Valentine sitting in one of the back tables. Their eyes met and she smiled at him as she gave him the “give me a minute” gesture. She refilled a couple more mugs before putting the coffee pot back and walking over to his table.

“Hi, I didn’t notice you co--hey you have my phone,” she exclaimed mid-sentence as she noticed her phone sitting next to his mug.

Valentine laughed at her distraction, fingering the phone before grabbing it and offering it up to her.

"I felt bad about you loosing it and on my way back home I stopped by the alley. Turns out as luck would have it, it was still there, though I'd check it for damage, phones are not really built for such a fall."

He gave her the phone and returned her smile, then taking a moment to stare at his coffee and then Layla's place of business.

"So how do you like it here?...I must say, I love the look," he teased as he reached a sharp nailed finger and pulled on an apron strap briefly.

The cafe seemed to do good business at night. If it weren't for its... banality... It might be a good place to feed, although now that would be out of the question. He wouldn't knowing Layla worked here. He had entertained himself in and around this place. His favorite cathedral was in the same square... But still, it had never held such... Appeal

"I felt bad about you loosing it and on my way back home I stopped by the alley. Turns out as luck would have it, it was still there, though I'd check it for damage, phones are not really built for such a fall."

Layla quickly grabbed the phone from him without even thinking when he offered it to her. A second later she realized how rude and abrupt that had probably seemed and blushed.

“Sorry, I just didn’t think I’d get it back. Thank you so much for getting it for me!”

She stuck the phone in her back pocket, truly pleased to have it back. She really couldn’t afford a new phone, not to mention the hassle it would’ve been to replace all her contacts and things. Valentine had a cup of coffee in front of him but it didn’t look like he’d drunk much of it. He was looking around the cafe and she wondered if this was the first time he’d been in here.

"So how do you like it here?...I must say, I love the look.”

He reached out and tugged on the strap of her apron as her blush returned.

“Yeah, the uniforms could be better...but I like it here. Everyone is really nice and I’m able to work around my classes. I mean it’s not like what I want to do for the rest of my life but it’s great for right now.”

A thought pushed its way to the front of her brain and she gave Valentine a confused look.

“Hey, how’d you know where I worked?”

"Yeah, the uniforms could be better...but I like it here. Everyone is really nice and I’m able to work around my classes. I mean it’s not like what I want to do for the rest of my life but it’s great for right now.....Hey, how’d you know where I worked?”

"I've been here before though never really as a customer. I thought I recognized you, and it dawned on me last night were I had seen you before. So I figured I'd try my luck... And here you are."

It wasn't a total farce. He HAD seen her here before.

"What is it that you really want to do with your life?" He asked genuinely curious.

Valentine realized she was on the clock, and more than likely didn't have time to be chatting with customers...

"Second thought...I tell you what. If you would like to thank me for bringing you the phone back... You can let me take you to diner after you get off. You can answer my question then if you'd like."

He stunned himself.

He hadn't planned on propositioning her, it just came out. There were a plethora of eateries he could take her but she still barely knew him, he could hear her pulse quickening some just after his invitation and a part of him stirred, unsure if she'd say yes or no. The uncertainty of outcome was... Interesting.

"I've been here before though never really as a customer. I thought I recognized you, and it dawned on me last night were I had seen you before. So I figured I'd try my luck... And here you are."

The answer sounded plausible and after a few seconds thought she nodded, feeling satisfied with his reply.

"What is it that you really want to do with your life?"

She was surprised at the question and even more surprised that he sounded like he really wanted to know. Before she could answer he spoke again.

"Second thought...I tell you what. If you would like to thank me for bringing you the phone back... You can let me take you to diner after you get off. You can answer my question then if you'd like."

She wasn’t quite sure what to say. She did feel like she owed him a lot, for the phone and especially for basically saving her from those guys. The part of her that was still wary of him was really against the idea though. It wasn’t as if she thought she was in any danger from him in a restaurant but it just seemed like a much better idea to go their separate ways now.

Still, if she said no it would basically equate to her saying she didn’t want to thank him for returning her phone. A quick dinner really wasn’t that big of a deal, especially considering all the trouble he’d gone to for her.

“Okay, deal. I don’t get off for a couple more hours though. If you want to meet me here at a little after 9:00 I’ll be ready.”

"Okay, deal. I don’t get off for a couple more hours though. If you want to meet me here at a little after 9:00 I’ll be ready.”

"That would be fine, I'll see you then."

Valentine smiled and promptly rose from his seat. The cafe seamed to be bustling at this point and he knew he had to let her get back to her duties.

Leaving his untouched coffee behind, he placed a twenty dollar bill atop the plate that his cup sat. It was more than enough for the coffee and average tip but it didn't matter very much to him...

He tucked his hands in his coat pockets and left Layla's place of business, taking to the city streets. It had begun to rain again, as it had last night and the sound of cars speeding along the wet asphalt filled his ears.

It was a foreign feeling... Being distracted from the gnawing banality the surrounded him. The sheer boredom and monotony. He had forgotten what it could feel like.

Val was beginning to feel a bit famished and wondered if it was a good idea to spend the evening with Layla in such a state.

He was hungrier than normal lately... It was not a coincidence.

"That would be fine, I'll see you then."

Layla smiled at him and went back to working. It was a Friday night so the cafe was full of people, mostly students, letting off steam after a long week. Her thoughts about her dinner with Valentine was quickly pushed to the back of her mind as she worked.

Layla enjoyed busy nights for the most part. It usually made her shift go by faster and typically made for more and better tips. When 8:55 rolled around it seemed like it had only been a little bit since Valentine had left. She dropped off a couple more orders and headed into the back to clock out.

As she hung her apron up she glanced down at her clothes. She hadn’t been expecting to go anywhere but work and had dressed accordingly. Now she felt a little shabby in jeans, a plain blouse, and tennis shoes. She wasn’t sure why it mattered, it wasn’t like this was a date, it was just dinner with someone who’d helped her out, someone she found a little creepy. Still, a part of her cared how she looked, for whatever reason. She took her purse into the bathroom and touched up her makeup, adding some lipstick and did what she could to make her hair look passable.

Once she was sure she’d done the most she could she headed out, saying bye to Shawn on her way out. She stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked around for Valentine. She didn’t see him but she wasn’t about to go wandering around looking for him, she didn’t even like standing out in front of the cafe even with its lights keeping the shadows away.

It was spring.

The rain had finally ended but not after leaving the Vienne River swollen. It was slowing down the Franks but their ranks were more than enough to match us when we finally met in the northern marches of our territory near Gaul.

Commanded by Clovis, a cocky young bastard who had succeeded his father by the age of fifteen, they marched without fear and total determination. The ocean of military bodies washed ever closer, all dressed in the typical chain mail and clutching they're spears and round shields.

My own blackened armor was far from new but it had weathered tougher storms than this. I had fashioned it myself from the remnants of the dead as most of us had done. No two of us looked alike, and this we used to our advantage... It frightened the enemy, and that suited me just fine.

I grinned beneath my bone helm and clutched the large blade at my side as I said a small prayer.

Alaric stood at the head, his horned mask pointing towards the gods... His pike aimed at Clovis' heart even from this distance. He was shouting and giving a speech of our eminent victory but my attention was elsewhere...

A bit to the north, closer to our commander stood the reason for my optimism.

Alrunae was as stunning a creature as I had ever met. She discovered me in my time within the kingdom of Aquitane and had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. We became thick as thieves. Even when my father had passed due to illness she stayed close to me and ensured me that a fate such as that would never befall me. Three summers later I asked for her hand but she refused, instead deciding we simply continue fucking and expanding our territory. She was always concerned with land and wealth... Things which never mattered much to me. One day they will matter to you she said. You can't take it with you I would counter and she would laugh. It was an investment she finished.

I grinned at her across the field, her helm seeming a bit big for her and her tunic struggling to contain her undeniably feminine figure. As I watched her lick her blade for good luck it was the last memory of peace that I would have...for many years.

They finally met us south of Vouille, or rather a hail of arrows did. The blood curdling screams echoing through the hills. I did not have to see the archers to know a legion of them stood at the end of sea of my enemies. To my right an arrow split through the skull of my charge, a young man who I had been training for months. He had a younger wife with child and I considered him a friend.

I stepped over his body, my shield held upwards as I had showed him to no avail, countless times... Multiple arrows embedding themselves into it as I pushed forward smashing at the encroaching hordes of Franks. To my left a man I often drank with was decapitated and as his head rolled along my feet I dispatched two enemies old enough to be my father. Two more fell to my steel before I realized I was surrounded by the opposition.

The screams and blood were absolute and unavoidable. The ground absolutely soaked in the red vitae.

We fought fiercely but all could tell the outcome of this battle had long been decided by fate. I felt fear for perhaps the last time as more and more of my friends and comrades were annihilated.

I began to desperately search for Alrunae.

-------------------------------------------------------

The body at his feet was old. Easily old enough to be his father....

In another life.

He knelt beside the old man and made the sign of the cross along his forehead as he wiped the thin line of blood from his lips.

Valentine exited the alley, confident the shadows would conceal the body till morning and moved through the night to arrive at the cafe. He was a few moments late but only just as he stepped out from the darkness.

"You look very nice. Shall we go?"

It was only a ten minutes after 9:00 but already Layla’s nerves were starting to get the best of her. She was about to go back inside the cafe to wait when Valentine appeared from the shadows eliciting a startled gasp from Layla.

"You look very nice. Shall we go?"

“Uh thanks, yeah I’m ready,” she said as she blushed from embarrassment at her reaction.

She walked next to him as they headed down the sidewalk. She was still a little nervous about walking around at night but she definitely felt less nervous now that Valentine was with her despite her apprehension of him.

“So where did you want to go eat?”

She realized she was actually pretty hungry even though it hadn’t been that long since the sandwich she’d had at break. She wasn’t crazy picky with food so she wasn’t really worried he would take her to a restaurant that she wouldn’t like anything at. She was actually kind of interested in what kind of food he liked.

He was still a pretty big mystery to her but what little impressions of him she did have were...unusual. He didn’t seem like the kind of person you could meet and after a few minutes know what kind of person they were. Her curiosity was going to have to be sated at dinner tonight though since she planned on severing their ties after that.

"So where did you want to go eat?”

"I've made reservations at a quiet restaurant that I used to enjoy, it's uptown... But if you prefer somewhere else, we can go wherever you wish."

He wore his hair slicked back and the dark suit almost seemed as shadow against the black coat that covered it. In the absence of light, on the corner, he appeared almost there and not there all at once.

Valentine took Layla's hand, his cold fingers closing around the warmth of her own and he started down the city streets.

They had only walked since he met her recently and the eatery was many miles away. At the end of the block his transportation awaited them.

The Ferrari stood out like a headstone among a garden of flowers. The black vehicle's almost feral looking headlights stretched along the hood vertically, and the sleek yet sharp predatory design of it a sexy spectacle of extravagant speed.

As he helped her inside he began to hear the musical beat of her heart's rhythm once more. He shut his eyes. And damned himself for being so full of appetite so quickly.

"I've made reservations at a quiet restaurant that I used to enjoy, it's uptown... But if you prefer somewhere else, we can go wherever you wish."

“No, that sounds fine, I’m not picky.”

The words “reservations” and “uptown” caught her attention. Uptown was the much nicer part of the city and the fact that he’d made a reservation meant it wasn’t just some casual restaurant. She was even more uneasy about how she was dressed now. She looked at Valentine out of the corner of her eye and while he looked casual it was the classy kind of casual whereas her casual look was more of the “I’m a broke student” kind of casual.

He suddenly took her hand in his and for a second she was caught off guard, almost pulling her hand from his. Luckily she stopped herself at the last second. She felt awkward though, she wasn’t the kind of person who held hands with someone unless they were fairly close and Valentine was barely an acquaintance. His hand was cold and she wondered if he was just one of those people who always ran cold. It wasn’t that cold out but maybe she was just thinking it was hotter than it was since she usually felt hot at work with all the moving around.

Valentine made a beeline for a black sports car and Layla realized it must be his car. Even with her very limited knowledge about cars she could tell it was a very expensive car. She supposed she should have assumed he had money considering how he’d been dressed both times she’d seen him but she just hadn’t really thought about it.

She let him guide her into the passenger seat which was of course leather. The interior of the car was just as nice as the exterior and she hoped she didn’t look as enthralled and impressed as she was. He got in a few moments later and started the car. It seemed to almost vibrate as the engine came to life and the power was unmistakeable.

“This is a beautiful car,” she said as he pulled away from the curb.

“Hey, um, do you think we should go by my apartment so I can change? I feel like I’m a little underdressed.”

"This is a beautiful car."

Val smiled, it was mere observation. The car was impressive, that much was true. He found it interesting how it was human nature to state the obvious, especially as a conversation piece but he understood it for the intended compliment it was and knew Layla was only being polite and flattering.

"Thank you, I'm the last of a very old... Family, and I've managed to hold on to some of the inheritance."

The car interior was a bit on the cool side but the heated seats warmed his passengers bottom without being told it had to. Valentine adjusted the radio, searching for a song to his liking... When none was forthcoming he turned to Layla, about to ask her preference when she spoke.

"Hey, um, do you think we should go by my apartment so I can change? I feel like I’m a little underdressed.”

He looked at her and smiled again. While he understood her insecurity, it truly did not matter to him. Her company was all he required but there was a certain... Etiquette and social order to things with... Them... And he didn't want her to be uncomfortable.

"Sure... No problem, but you look fine Layla... Just as you are."

He took a different street to head back towards her apartment and asking her if she'd like to settle on a station while he drove.

"Sure... No problem, but you look fine Layla... Just as you are."

Layla smiled at him, murmerring a quiet thanks as he turned onto another street that would take them back to her apartment. He asked her to choose a station as he drove and she spent a moment figure out where the tuning button was. As she scanned through the stations she wondered what it was like to come from the kind of money that would let you spend so much money on a car. She didn’t know much about clothes, especially men’s clothes but what she’d seen him wearing always looked very nice so she assumed he’d spent a decent amount of money on them as well.

It wasn’t that her family was destitute, they just weren’t rich by any means. She’d had to work to buy the used car she still drove and had it not been for scholarships and student loans she wouldn’t have been able to go to college. It wasn’t something she was bitter about, she knew there were people who had it much harder than she did. She was sure if she was rich she’d still have stress and problems, it would just be a different set of worries. She put her focus back on finding a radio station and finally settled on a classic rock station. A few minutes later they pulled up in front of her building and she glanced over at Valentine.

“Did you want to wait or come up?”

She normally wouldn’t invite someone she barely knew up to her apartment, especially considering the off feeling she got around Valentine but she felt like it would be rude to just make him wait in the car.

The ride to Layla's place was uneventful as predicted.

Valentine took the time to watch the faces of people in the night. It was an old habit, acquired since the age of the automobile that he had never been able to break. They moved by much too fast for normal eyes to study but he did not perceive time the same as others....

They were all so... Mundane... All so... Lost, they'd be gone in a blink and followed by another legion of grave fillers several times over before he would come to any discernible breakthrough in his boredom.

“Did you want to wait or come up?”

He had parked the car as they had arrived and was torn from the window by Layla's sweet innocent voice.

He considered being "polite" and passing on the obvious formality. Val was sure she did not particularly want him in her apartment again but he could not help himself. Despite the change in her pulse and aura, denoting an apprehension... Not excitement... He was a glutton.

"I'll come up... Since you offered," he shut the car off "I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you on the way up" he teased.

The walk upstairs was just as silent as the car ride... More so even.

He enjoyed watching her move enough regardless that he was aptly entertained... Looking beneath her veil of flesh and seeing the coursing blood dancing like a great ballet as her muscles and bones shifted elegantly while she moved her arms to hold the railing and lifted her legs to ascend the stairs.

At the door to her domicile she stopped and looked for the key.

It was dark outside her apartment and she smelled sweet....

She smelled of weakness and purity before the kill.

"I'll come up... Since you offered. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you on the way up."

A sliver of disappointment moved through Layla at his response. She had really been hoping he’d turn down the invitation. It wasn’t as if she was going to be long but she supposed there was no way he would know that. Since she had been the one to offer there wasn’t anything she could do about it now though so she kept a smile on her face as she nodded and got out of the car.

As they walked upstairs she considered making conversation but she figured the conversation would end up being cut short anyway once she got into her place and went to change. She stopped at her door and started feeling around in her purse for her keys.

It took her longer than normal to find them and she blamed it on her nervousness. A part of her told her she was being silly, Valentine had saved her, putting himself in harm’s way for someone he hardly knew. Layla had always been overly cautious though, so much so at times that it was beyond absurd.

She finally found her keys and unlocked the door. She walked inside and turned towards Valentine as he closed the door behind him.

“It’s just going to take me a few minutes to change. Make yourself at home,” she said with a smile.

She headed down the hall and into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She spent a minute going through her closet before picking out a dark purple dress. It seemed appropriate, the hem hitting a few inches above her knees and it showed off her curves without looking too...slutty. She changed into a bra that wouldn’t show before slipping into the dress and putting on a pair of heeled black sandals. She looked in the full length mirror she had for a few moments to make sure she looked okay before walking back out into the living room.

“Okay, I’m ready. Thanks again for letting me get changed.”

(Happy Valentine's Day)

"It’s just going to take me a few minutes to change. Make yourself at home."

Val nodded as he returned her smile, fully understooding the farce of her statement. It was mere formality. The last thing he should do was make himself at home. While his manners were no doubt far above those of the men she was used to... Those with limited lifespans and crude perceptions he wasn't about to treat her possessions as his own.

He had already acquitted the layout of her apartment to memory, but studied the furniture and ambience further while he waited.

He could smell the scent of blood emanating from her bathroom. It was concentrated but muted... Absorbed and mixed with others. She had been bleeding as women of a particular age range do. The tampon was no doubt nestled within the prison of her wastebasket but he could no more ignore it than he could ignore his interest in Layla.

Valentine sat on her sofa. A large creak echoed through the room and he righted his posture while regarding the clutter on her mantle. Nothing of particular interest save for a Christmas figurine wich seemed out of place. It held a prominent position on the surface and did not appear to be left out by accident, perhaps it had special meaning... Perhaps it was given by someone who meant a great deal to her.

He rose from his position on the couch and investigated the area further, finding an old Valentine's Day card in the shape of heart.

Valentine's Day, he mused.

It wasn't HIS namesake but he found it humorous the death of one mortal had left such a romantic mark in time. It was not as it once was... Mostly a tool for corporations to meet profit margins... But it was once much much more than that. He missed that, and wondered just how special the one who gave this particular card was to Layla.

Jealousy?

No, it was simply curiosity. He was enjoying learning all he could about this girl.

He could hear the bathroom door's handle turn and stood to face Layla as she entered.

She looked amazing, a simple and elegant black dress wich hugged her voluptuous frame and a pair of black sandles to match. He smiled at her and resisted licking his lips like a tiger before a meal.

He felt genuine excitement and once again it pleased him.

“Okay, I’m ready. Thanks again for letting me get changed.”

"You look wonderful, no need to thank me... It was well worth the wait. Shall we go?"

"You look wonderful, no need to thank me... It was well worth the wait. Shall we go?"

The smile he had given her as she’d walked into the room seemed to confirm that he really did think she looked good. The thought sent an excited tingle through her despite her reservations about the man. It had been a while since she had been in a relationship, let alone gone out on a date. She had clearly missed it more than she thought judging by how much the smallest amount of positive attention from the opposite sex affected her.

“Thank you. At least now I’m getting a little closer to your level of style,” she said with a grin.

She grabbed her purse and headed towards the door. Once Valentine stepped out she locked both the locks on and her door and followed him down the stairs.

Valentine opened the car door for her and she murmured “Thank you” as she slid into the seat. As Valentine started the car Layla could feel the vibrations of the engine roaring to life. She had never cared much about cars but after just a short ride in Valentine’s car she could understand why someone would spend so much money on a car. Of course she knew it would be quite a while before she had even a chance at making enough money to have to worry if she was spending too much on a car.

“So you said you were an artist...what kind of art do you do?”

The more time she spent with him the more comfortable she began to feel around him though there was still that small feeling of danger that she couldn’t seem to shake. The feeling seemed to materialize less and less, each time being easier to dismiss than the last. The things that he had done that had made her wary seemed...trivial as time went on without anything bad happening. His charm and politeness definitely had a hand in her increasingly favorable view of him. She decided to ignore any worries that popped up and just enjoy her evening. It had been way too long since she had gone out and she was sure she deserved this.