Alone in the woods (open)

[jaden]

Jaden's already fair complexion had become as pale as snow when he was transformed into a vampire. His nose sharp, and his lips full. He moved swifter than the human eye could conceive through the trees. If he were to raise his finger to your cheek, you would melt under his icy touch and become paralyzed by his beauty - an unnatural beauty - a deathly beauty. His emerald eyes flicker as they invite the mortal in, without knowing their imminent danger.

He stood in the woods, a cool breeze blew the tendrils of his silken hair away from his delicate face. His nostrils flared as the scent of a squirrel neared, but he would resist, for he had eaten a mere two days ago. The idea of empowering his self-control was one of his few prides in this new life. He had successfully gone a full 90 years without slaughtering another human being. A heaven compared to the bloodbath he had been living in only 9 years before. It was his habit to only eat when he had to, right before the thirst flung him into the monster he had once become.

He lay in the soft grass and shut his emerald eyes tightly. Hoping maybe for some sleep, but sleep never came. Never once in the past 99 years of his vampire life had he achieved a deep sleep - a slumber where dreams never eluded him. Sometimes he merely pretended for memories sake. Reliving old dreams that used to make his heart flutter or his cheeks blaze. The repetitiveness of everyday life was exhausting, the idea of sleeping a day away would have been miraculous. A day without the thirst, without the pang in his stomach as he passed a mortal being in the street. He had learned control, but he was still just a vampire.

He was new to London. A fresh start, perhaps. Maybe life was different in another country...then again maybe not. After all, he was alone still, as he had always been. Every vampire he had seen he avoided. Sometimes shocked at the number of them, having once been that human who would have never believed they existed. Also, afraid their lust for blood would influence him to take another human life. He had been so dedicated to being reclusive he barely knew how to interact with people, even of his own kind. He never was very good with words, even when he was human. Too shy and self-conscious. The silence of the woods was comforting, something he was no doubt used to. He only heard the random flutter of a bird from it's perch or the sound of a leaf falling swiftly to the ground. In fact, the woods here were quieter somehow.

His thoughts fluttered by when abruptly he opened his bright eyes and stood. He walked over to a nearby tree and tore one of the large branches off. He sometimes enjoyed the idea of his superhuman strength, the ability to crush one of these trees surrounding him with one blow. Yet, the idea could only placate his interest temporarily. How many trees had he crushed before, and what good did it ever do? How far did he run at his superhuman speed? How many times had he been reckless? All of those childish moments seemed to pass and he once again plopped himself to the ground, and in the silence he stayed.

[shaun]

Shaun sighed as her camera finally went black-- the batteries were dead. And she'd caught nothing but trees, trees and more trees. With no idea how she'd edit the final product she couldn't be sure, but she had a sneaking suspicion that tonight's footage would be worthless. Call it a hunch.

And it seemed vampires didn't frequent the woods at night. Or at least, not these woods. The thing was, she wasn't sure what places vampires frequented at any time. Her only encounter with the creatures was getting fuzzier and fuzzier... to the point where some days she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever seen one at all. Or if, in a haze of grief and exhaustion, she had invented the memory in an attempt to comfort herself.

No, she refused to entertain the thought. It was pointless-- she'd come all this way, spent so much time on the project. She wasn't going to abandon it.

Now that her camera was safely in her backpack, Shaun felt her obsession ebb away and was left with only the prickling awareness that she was alone in a very dark, very remote area. The woods may not have been vampire-filled woods.... but that didn't mean they weren't rapist-filled woods. Or serial-killer-filled woods. Or bear-trap-filled woods-- boy would that suck! Did they have bears in England?

It was a beautiful night, though. She was afraid, but it was hard to stay that way. And despite the occasional rustle here and there, everything had a lovely stillness... the dark, twisting trees, the illuminated clouds hovering far above the forest canopy, the foliage, that tree limb that had been ripped from its trunk--

Wait, what? Shaun stopped as she came to a small clearing, and examined a piece of tree that seemed to have been stripped off-- like it was nothing. It was hard to imagine a person who'd be strong enough to do that, and yet it didn't look machine-made...

Her eyes trailed down to the roots and she jumped when she saw a young man lying on the forest floor-- not able to stop herself from emitting a little scream, although her hands did fly to her mouth to muffle it.

"Oh my god, you scared me," Shaun gasped, backing up a few steps and clutching her chest. "I'm so sorry... I, um..." Her cheeks were burning with color, and she anxiously pushed her long red hair out of her eyes. "I really don't mean to intrude." She smiled uncertainly, calming down a little as she recovered from the shock. "Honestly I didn't expect there'd be anyone else crazy enough to be out here at this time of night."

[jaden]

As Jaden drifted in his "sleep" he let his imagination run wild. Soon the woods around him became a perfect home - for the silence he had always enjoyed so much. That was until the sun rose, then he'd find himself at home in the darkest corner of a pub somewhere. The crunching of leaves and crackling of branches were merely adjusted to sounds the wildlife must have made...until suddenly his nostrils flared. A scent - a very strong one - turned the crevices in his stomach. His eyes popped open just as the young woman screamed. He was too late - too late to disappear in the darkness before her eyes had spotted him. He was magically on his feet, maybe a little faster than necessary, especially since this was a human - not another vamp. She was beautiful, no doubt, but she was different from most humans, which unnerved him a bit. There was an air about her that was unusual, a bit quirky. He watched as she moved swift tendrils of hair from her face and her fair complexion was now splashed with the faintest pink on her cheeks.

He cleared his throat and spoke in a very gentle, soothing tone, "I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to frighten you."

His emerald eyes stared intently into hers. He'd eaten recently and the cravings were bearable, but still ever so present. He dusted the back of his jeans off with a swift movement to remove any twigs and leaves from himself. He wasn't sure how he'd let himself drift enough to dull his senses that much. How had this human stumbled upon him without him even knowing? His intense sense of smell and keen hearing was supposed to prevent things like this from happening, at least they always had before.

"Uh, yes, I enjoy 'camping'..."
He spoke the first excuse he could think of, but as soon as he said it he cringed inside. What a lame line, he thought.

"If I may ask, what's a young lady like you doing in the forest alone? Don't you know it's not safe out here?"

The last sentence trailed off as his eyes flickered to her bare neck...but the thought was only brief. Once again he was contently staring her in the eyes. He was awed by this humans gull to wonder into the woods...alone no less. Her instincts had to be intense right now. Staring into the eyes of a killer. He knew that after the initial instincts wore off, she would be just like every other human being, and see him as nothing more than a man. However, the circumstances were odd. He was just lying in the middle of the forest. That was the thing about so many people - they were so blind. Their bodies telling them to flee, yet they couldn't because of courtesy. No one wanted to be thought insane by running from a man in fear, because no one believed vampires existed today. His mind swirled with various idea about this odd creature in front of him.

[shaun]

"I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Shaun laughed, rubbing her neck a bit sheepishly. "Oh, that's okay. It's my own fault..." Well, he was polite at least. If she was murdered out here in these woods, she could at least spend her last moments comforting herself with the knowledge that she'd been done in by a gentleman.

"Uh, yes, I enjoy 'camping'. If I may ask, what's a young lady like you doing in the forest alone? Don't you know it's not safe out here?"

Camping? Shaun was no expert, but she was a bit of an outdoorswoman herself, and she couldn't help but find the lack of a tent a little bit peculiar. Not to mention a fire, or a sleeping bag, a backpack, or... well, a camp! She felt the stranger's eyes move over her and experienced a sudden, unexplainable rush of adrenaline. Her heart began to race and she could feel the tips of her fingers tingling.

Every particle of her common sense was screaming at her to get away from this man, who suddenly had a sinister air that she hadn't noticed before. And yet that was ridiculous...

Not to mention that there was something about his eyes. They were a brilliant shade of green; it was almost as if-- to use the old cliche-- he was looking right through her. Shaun couldn't help but feel the most peculiar mix of terror and attraction.

All this ran through her head rather quickly, but she realized that she'd still paused just a little too long before answering. She quickly recovered.

"I'm a filmmaker. I came out here to try and get some footage for a documentary I'm working on-- it's worth the risk," she smiled. "But I don't play things safe very often. I guess I could be in some real trouble now, though. Are you going to kill me?" Shaun laughed, but found the sound to be hollow and unconvincing-- she felt another spike of fear in her chest. What is my problem?

"I'm Shaun, by the way," she added hastily, offering to shake his hand.

[jaden]

He saw her eyes quickly scan all around the forest, no doubt realizing that he had nothing with him. So much for camping! He was hoping to avoid the subject, especially since the line was ridiculous anyway, but he didn't have much practice at this. He hadn't had a real conversation with a human in years.

["I'm a filmmaker. I came out here to try and get some footage for a documentary I'm working on-- it's worth the risk," she smiled. "But I don't play things safe very often. I guess I could be in some real trouble now, though. Are you going to kill me?" ]

He let out a light chuckle. He was right, her instincts were racing. "Kill you? Do I look like a murderer? You are a very intelligent young women...your instincts serve you well. A strange man in the middle of the empty forest, and camping with no gear is indeed odd. However, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not here to kill you." he grinned, but made sure his fangs were safely tucked behind his lips inconspicuously. The last thing he wanted to do was freak this human out. Her quickened pulse was already sending a stronger scent his way, more delicious then when he'd first smelled her. He noted the part about her being a filmmaker, but questioned what kind of filmmaker would come out to the woods in the middle of the pitch black? "What kind of film are you making? A horror? It's an usual setting for a documentary in the middle of the night, in the dark forest all by your lonesome."

A few silent moments passed, then he spoke even gentler "It's nice to meet you Shaun. I'm Jaden." He met her hand and held his gaze on her.

[shaun]

Ooh, goodness... yes, there was something about those eyes of his-- Shaun was certain of it now. A silly smile crept onto her face without her permission. "Jaden... That's perfect-- jade, like your eyes-- because they're, you know--" she fumbled, letting the words trail off as a furious blush came over her cheeks. How on earth was she supposed to think straight when he was looking at her like that... ?

"It's an expose!" she blurted out suddenly as she retracted her hand, immediately wanting to smack herself. Way to play it cool, Shaun; people love that.

"Uh... my documentary, that is," She added with a sheepish grin. Shaun leaned one shoulder against the tree they were near-- it was a physical reinforcement while she mentally forced herself to loosen up. "It's sort of an expose, I guess, would be the best way to describe it. But I don't really like to talk about it; you'd think I'm even crazier than I already seem."

She narrowed her eyes, glancing around his empty "campsite" and then chuckled. "Well, maybe not. Okay, I'll tell you. It's a good story; you'll laugh if nothing else. But first..." Shaun straightened, folding her arms across her chest. "Tell me something about you. What do you like best about the woods? I'm assuming you like them, anyway, since you're out in them at this ungodly hour." She shot him a sideways grin.

[jaden]

["Jaden... That's perfect-- jade, like your eyes-- because they're, you know--"]

He kept his eyes on her for a good while as she fumbled around her words and her fair complexion turned from pale to a bright shade of red. He could smell as the blood rushed to her face. A grin stretched across his face. He took a step closer, but stopped. He wasn't sure what was attracting him more her beauty or her scent. For the first time he wanted to touch a humans warm skin, to think of the warmth a blushing face must hold. He couldn't remember what warmth felt like, not from a human. She was intriguing to him, drawing him in with each sentence. Then politely he turned his eyes toward the nearby trees, he knew this was absolutely ridiculous. The fact that he was still standing here at all. Finally he broke the silence, "Well I'd never thought of it that way. Perhaps my mother didn't have a clue what to name me, and decided when she saw my eyes. Not very creative if you ask me. I wouldn't be surprised though." He thought about the past, but quickly changed the subject.

["It's an expose!" Uh... my documentary, that is, It's sort of an expose, I guess, would be the best way to describe it. But I don't really like to talk about it; you'd think I'm even crazier than I already seem. Well, maybe not. Okay, I'll tell you. It's a good story; you'll laugh if nothing else. But first...Tell me something about you. What do you like best about the woods? I'm assuming you like them, anyway, since you're out in them at this ungodly hour."]

He turned his eyes again to face her, and continue in a low even tone, "Yes, I like the woods a lot, probably because of the silence. It's peaceful out here. I'm what you'd call a loner, I suppose. I'm new to London, I just arrived yesterday. It's unusual how quiet the woods are tonight. Is there much wildlife out here? Is it always like this?" He wondered if he'd chosen the wrong place after all. If there was a shortage in wildlife, he would definitely struggle here, especially with her around. Inviting him in with her warm smile and permeating his nostrils with her delicious scent. The thought of it made his stomach twist with thirst, but quickly he controlled it.

"An expose? Intriguing. You seem very dedicated to it. Please, tell me more..." He allowed himself to slip again. He let his eyes travel from her plump red lips, across her delicate face, and into her lovely eyes, where he once again held his gaze. Wondering what she thought of him. Could a human be in such close contact with a vampire and not realize the icy touch of his skin, the smoldering look in his eye. The whole thing was ridiculous, what was he thinking? Yet, he stood there staring intently at her...waiting to hear more...wanting to be near her. He didn't want her to leave him, but he knew he'd have to, eventually. There was no choice. How long would he stand in these empty woods with his prey...egging himself further...pushing his control even more. Yet, he dug his feet in, he wasn't going anywhere yet.

[shaun]

((OOC: Sorry for the slow reply! Real life got in the way...))

"Yes, I like the woods a lot, probably because of the silence. It's peaceful out here. I'm what you'd call a loner, I suppose. I'm new to London, I just arrived yesterday. It's unusual how quiet the woods are tonight. Is there much wildlife out here? Is it always like this?"

Shaun shrugged, glancing thoughtfully around the silent trees. "I have no idea. I just got in from the States a week ago myself. You must be really observant to notice something like that," she added with a smile. "I'm impressed."

She returned her eyes to Jaden, and felt the vague whir of anxiety in the pit of her stomach again. Angrily she forced herself to ignore it. If he was planning to attack her he would have done it by now, surely. And he didn't seem like a murderer at all-- quite the opposite, in fact. Shaun liked him; she was enjoying herself. Her gaze met his briefly-- making her heart jump a little-- but she quickly broke eye contact. She had embarrassed herself enough for one night, and if she kept looking at him she was going to start tripping all over herself like she was 12. It was so strange; Shaun couldn't put her finger on what was causing her to react so strongly to this stranger...

"An expose? Intriguing. You seem very dedicated to it. Please, tell me more..."

"Well," Shaun said slowly, biting her bottom lip as she tried to think of a non-crazy way to put it. She couldn't. "I'm actually doing a documentary on... vampires. Real vampires, disguising themselves as human beings."

She glanced at Jaden and laughed, bracing herself for a bad reaction. "Believe me, I know how insane it sounds. But I... believe in the project. I really do."

[jaden]

((OOC: No need to apologize! =) That is to be expected.))

["I have no idea. I just got in from the States a week ago myself. You must be really observant to notice something like that," she added with a smile. "I'm impressed."]

Impressed he huffed silently to himself. If she knew the real reason why he had noticed, she wouldn't be very impressed at all. She would be disgusted if she ever found out what he truly was. He had no way to reply to her statement. When she continued on about her expose, he was relieved...or so he thought.

["Well, I'm actually doing a documentary on... vampires. Real vampires, disguising themselves as human beings."]

As soon as the words had slipped out of her mouth his eyes narrowed, his muscles tensed, and his face went rigid. He wasn't sure how long he'd stayed this way, it felt like an eternity as his mind swirled from a new perspective, but he knew he had to change it fast. He thought of the only thing a regular human might do - so he laughed, but the sound was empty and very short. His eyes grew dark, they no longer flickered like treasures in the deep, they were still and lifeless. The thoughts swirled through his head - 'A human that believed in vampires? Not only one that believed, but was seeking them out?'

His mind was numb, but he knew too many precious seconds had ticked by. He was suddenly very distraught, "Vampires?" he asked bleakly. His eyes swept across the forest quickly. What if she already knew what he was? If she threatened his existence, threatened to expose him, he'd have to kill her. He saw no other option, but the thought pained him deeply. He would not be one of her subjects. A freak in her eyes. She was threatening to expose him for the monster he was; the monster he had been trying so desperately to hide all these years. Suddenly, he was composed again, as if nothing had happened.

"Hmmm..." his hand reflexively stroked his chin as he thought, "So, if I may ask, how does one - such as yourself - find a vampire? What does one look like? How does one act?" [/i]He paused shortly, "In my opinion, if you ever found one, I think you'd be dead before you could ever utter a single word." The thought of her lying lifeless made him cringe.

He threw his jacket onto the forest floor and beckoned her to sit. He held out his pale hand to help her,"Tell me, what do you know about vampires? I must admit, you intrigue me unlike anyone I've ever met." Her scent grew intensely appetizing as he drew closer to her. He could at any second, silence her with one quick movement or a single harsh blow. She'd never have time to scream; she'd never have the chance to run. If he'd recently fed on a human, or had she not been so incredibly delicate and beautiful, he might have crushed her skull the moment she uttered the word vampire. However, there was something more that appealed to him than just drinking her blood; her company. It was intoxicating to him. He was content just being with her; a feeling he had not felt in almost a century.[/b][/size]

[shaun]

Shaun flinched slightly at the long, awkward pause that always seemed to follow when she explained the nature of her work. Luckily her skin had grown pretty thick by now-- two years of being open about her ambitions had allowed her to see a myriad of reactions... most of them ugly. But at the end of the day, she couldn't lie about what she was doing; it took too much energy.

"So, if I may ask, how does one - such as yourself - find a vampire? What does one look like? How does one act?"

Shaun sighed. "Well, that's the problem-- I don't know. I can't figure out how they live with humans and never get caught, but I know they're doing it."

"In my opinion, if you ever found one, I think you'd be dead before you could ever utter a single word."

She grinned broadly. "That's where you're wrong," she said, rather pleased with herself. "I actually have found a few, feeding. That's the biggest giveaway, obviously. I've even caught some footage of it, but I've never gotten close enough to get a shot that's really worth anything."

"Tell me, what do you know about vampires? I must admit, you intrigue me unlike anyone I've ever met."

Shaun laughed, blushing slightly. That was not the reaction she was used to getting when she started talking about her documentary. How sweet... She accepted his help and sat down next to him, noticing how smooth and flawless his skin was when their hands met. There was almost a porcelain quality to it. Wow, look at his skin! He probably doesn't even know how many women would kill for a complexion like that. She gave an inward sigh. There's no justice in the world.

"Thank you. That is a good thing, I hope," she said, playfully raising an eyebrow. "I'm just trying to figure out why you don't think I'm completely insane."

Shaun leaned back on her hands, thinking for a moment about how best to describe what she knew about the creatures she was so fascinated by. "I guess... I don't really know very much about vampires at all; that's partly why I'm interested in them. And because... Well, someone I cared for became one of them, to be honest. That's the closest I've ever been to a vampire, and unfortunately I didn't have a chance to grab my camera or take notes." She smiled, but it held more regret than amusement.

After a pause, she straightened and reached for her backpack. "I can show you some of the footage I've caught, if you like."

[jaden]

["Well, that's the problem-- I don't know. I can't figure out how they live with humans and never get caught, but I know they're doing it."]

'Hmmm...that's good', he thought quietly to himself. He was pretty postive she had no clue what he was. "Don't you think that's a little risky? Looking for a potentially deadly creature and having no idea what signs to look for?" he paused shortly, "Please, don't take that as an insult, I do not mean it in a derogatory way." He wanted to be sure and not offend her in any way.

["That's where you're wrong," she said, rather pleased with herself. "I actually have found a few, feeding. That's the biggest giveaway, obviously. I've even caught some footage of it, but I've never gotten close enough to get a shot that's really worth anything."]

He raised an eyebrow, "Really? Intriguing. Feeding on humans, I suspect?" He leaned back to rest on the nearby tree, "I wonder how you didn't get caught? After all, you are their prey, they are most likely attracted to your scent." He wanted to carefully hint, but was sure not to say anything directly. After all he wanted her to be "careful" in this craziness she'd gotten herself into. Although, he wasn't sure why.

["Thank you. That is a good thing, I hope," she said, playfully raising an eyebrow. "I'm just trying to figure out why you don't think I'm completely insane."]

"If I thought you were insane I would have left already." he said with a soft smile. "I've read a little about them before. Intriguing creatures aren't they? Who's to say what's really true and what's just myth though? What are some of your assumptions about them?"



"Oh, someone you knew...really? Sounds a bit difficult since, apparantly, they aren't around to have answered all your questions." Although the idea of a vampire and a human co-existing together wasn't exactly normal, it was possible. "Do you mind if I ask who?" She believed in vampires, she'd seen multiple vampires before, and yet she was looking at him and seemed completely unaware of the fact that he was one.

["I can show you some of the footage I've caught, if you like."]

He watched as she reached for her pack, "Yes, please show me."

[shaun]

"Don't you think that's a little risky? Looking for a potentially deadly creature and having no idea what signs to look for? Please, don't take that as an insult, I do not mean it in a derogatory way."

"Don't worry, I've had the very same thought. It's downright idiotic, but where am I supposed to go to learn more? And I guess part of me feels like anything worth capturing is going to come at a cost... or at least a potential cost." The continuation of that train of thought still disturbed Shaun a little too much to share-- even with a stranger. Deep down, some part of her felt like becoming a vampire, or even being killed by one, would be the greatest contribution of all... so long as she left a record of it on tape. And that level of obsession was even more embarrassing to admit than her belief in vampires.

"Really? Intriguing. Feeding on humans, I suspect? I wonder how you didn't get caught? After all, you are their prey, they are most likely attracted to your scent. Like how an animal smells fresh meat from afar."

Shaun tilted her head, frowning. "You know... I'd never thought of that, but it makes perfect sense." She nodded slowly, thinking back on the few times she'd made a sighting, and then her face lit up as she made the connections. "Both of the instances I've caught on tape were in cities, in back alleyways. Once I was on top of a nearby roof and the other I was shooting from around the corner, but in both cases there were hundreds of other people around. That's the only time I've been able to get close... but if they hunt by scent-- who knows, maybe I was down wind, or my smell was just part of the nearby crowd." Shaun looked at him curiously. "I can't believe I've never thought of it that way. You're making me look bad," she scolded good-naturedly.

"If I thought you were insane I would have left already. I've read a little about them before. Intriguing creatures aren't they? Who's to say what's really true and what's just myth though? What are some of your assumptions about them?"

"Well, I think the farthest I'll go is to assume that they can't come out during the day, or that they at least don't like to. I'd like to think you could fend them off with garlic, but that's probably wishful thinking on my part," she chuckled. "I keep some with me though, just in case I'm lucky." She grinned and jingled the keychain attached to the zipper of her backpack, to which she'd tied a string with pieces of dried garlic.

"Oh, someone you knew...really? Sounds a bit difficult since, apparantly, they aren't around to have answered all your questions. Do you mind if I ask who?"

"No, not at all," Shaun said casually, although the attitude was forced. "It was my fiance." She frowned, plucking a dried leaf from the forest floor and twirling it between her thumb and forefinger. "He came home from work three days late, and..." She smiled and gave a little shrug. "He was what he was. He told me if I ever came near him again he'd kill me... I guess I'll never know if that warning was out of kindness or malice. If you ask me, becoming a vampire is a pretty complicated way to break off an engagement-- I wish he'd have just said he wanted out," she said with a lopsided grin. "It would have been a lot cleaner. But anyway, that's what inspired me to make this documentary."

Shaun took out her laptop and turned it on, waiting for it to boot up so that she could access the footage that she so prized. "Well now that you know everything you could ever want to know about my life, how about sharing something about yours? Any childhood traumas, family losses, or deep-seeded phobias you'd like to talk about?" she teased.

[jaden]

["Don't worry, I've had the very same thought. It's downright idiotic, but where am I supposed to go to learn more? And I guess part of me feels like anything worth capturing is going to come at a cost... or at least a potential cost."]

A dim smile lit his face, "I suppose you're right, but I'd suggest not wondering out in the woods anymore." he joked, but was serious "It would be safer to stay in the city, where human scent is massed, but I wouldn't rely on that for protection. In my opinion, I think they can smell blood...and they know when it's near...alive and flowing."

["You know... I'd never thought of that, but it makes perfect sense. Both of the instances I've caught on tape were in cities, in back alleyways. Once I was on top of a nearby roof and the other I was shooting from around the corner, but in both cases there were hundreds of other people around. That's the only time I've been able to get close... but if they hunt by scent-- who knows, maybe I was down wind, or my smell was just part of the nearby crowd.]

"Perhaps..." he thought deeply, "Maybe they were so into the kill that their senses were dulled, but if there were other people nearby, that would make sense too." His memory was becoming all too clear now. The faces of fear, the racing heartbeats, the way their blood thickened through their veins. The smell of fear was delicious, like a marinade for the blood. Somehow, to a vampire, watching terror rise in the eyes of his prey made his lust for blood even stronger...at least with him it had.



"Sometimes a new perspective is helpful." he grinned innocently, displaying a set of perfectly straight, white teeth. He wondered what she'd think if she knew she was having an interview with a vampire. He chuckled at the idea. The interview was a little backward though, since he was asking the questions. "Just throwing out some ideas. Maybe I can help, even if only to broaden your outlook on vamps."

["Well, I think the farthest I'll go is to assume that they can't come out during the day, or that they at least don't like to. I'd like to think you could fend them off with garlic, but that's probably wishful thinking on my part, I keep some with me though, just in case I'm lucky."]

"You're probably right, I doubt they come out during the day." He was wondering when this whole thing might take a drastic turn. When she'd finally put the pieces together. How would she react? Would he end up killing her anyways. A sudden gloom drifted over his face. He sighed as he looked at the strand of dried garlic hanging from her bag, "Hmm...I doubt that will do any good." He hadn't even noticed it.

["No, not at all, It was my fiance. He came home from work three days late, and...He was what he was. He told me if I ever came near him again he'd kill me... I guess I'll never know if that warning was out of kindness or malice.]

"Oh, I see." he was no longer leaning on the tree behind him, but sitting side-by-side with her. His eyes passed over her soft skin once more. The idea of her being abandoned was painful, although he wasn't sure why. He could tell she was used to hiding the emotion behind the story, but he could see it freshly on her face. He silently cursed the guy who had hurt her, but he had vivid memories of how he was in the beginning. He finally spoke, "I read that it takes three days for the transformation to be completed..." he thought of the pain involved. Although that part was a vague, distant memory, he still remembered some parts of it. The excruciating pain that surged through his body. It felt like he had been burnt from the inside out, but he'd been unusually delirious through his transformation, for reasons unknown to him. He spoke again very gently, "He came back to you after it happened." A surge of fresh thirst passed through him just from the memories of his start in this life. It was a wicked way to live, completely driven by thirst, and not much else. His first nine years had been nothing but a bloodbath. In the moment he was nothing more than a vampire, but afterward the guilt of his actions were unbearable, yet he could do nothing to control his thirst for the first year. It took him nine years before he kicked the habit all together, but he had no one to guide him, and no idea that animal blood would suffice. He'd spend days, sometimes weeks without food, but a vampire cannot starve himself. The urge is too strong and instincts burn away what is left of the human emotions.

[If you ask me, becoming a vampire is a pretty complicated way to break off an engagement-- I wish he'd have just said he wanted out, It would have been a lot cleaner. But anyway, that's what inspired me to make this documentary.]

"Don't think that way," He was suddenly in front of her, lifting her chin with his thumb and forefinger His eyes filled with compassion and his voice was velvety, "It was probably one of the hardest decisions he ever had to make. If I were him, I wouldn't have had the courage to leave you..." his words trailed off and he was away from her - a bit too quickly. He was standing away from her, looking into the woods. "I'm sorry," he muttered with a tone of disapproval in himself "that was completely out of line." If he had been human, his cheeks would have been painted with red.

When he finally turned around to face her, he was sure not to make eye contact. He'd never been so utterly careless with his emotions, but she made him feel human again, a feeling he left behind a century ago. The feelings were unnatural at this point. What he was allowing to happen between them went against his better judgment. He should have left long ago, and yet he didn't want to.

["Well now that you know everything you could ever want to know about my life, how about sharing something about yours? Any childhood traumas, family losses, or deep-seeded phobias you'd like to talk about?"]

"Hmm..." he thought back to his old life "I had a pretty normal life. At least what's normal now-a-days. My mom left when I was nine, and then my dad became a drunkard who slept with anyone and everyone who would have him. He never could look at me after she left, apparently, I reminded him too much of her. It made it easy to leave. I didn't have any deep-seated attachments." He was no longer phased by that part of his life now. In so many ways, becoming a vampire had truly worked out for the best, and yet he hated the thirst that controlled him so. Over the years, he learned to appreciate immortality, but it was a lonely life. Unlike her ex-fiance, he had no one he held dear, no one to leave behind who cared for him. He wondered what decision he would have made in those shoes. He was certain that he would have stayed, but that was now, after he'd learned how to control his thirst. He'd had years to perfect it. Would he have left her too? Would he have had it in him to protect her from himself? For awhile he envied the other man's strength, but his decision had been what led her to this madness...this risky documentary that could, in the end, take her life.

He'd lived a short 99 years. He'd spent the first part killing, and then the second part in complete isolation from all human-kind. It was time he did something with his immortality. Suddenly, the strong urge to keep her safe, was the only thing he could think of, but how? Surely, at the end of this night, she would want nothing more to do with him. He was afraid to look her in the eyes again, afraid he might slip out another careless and revealing phrase. Afraid of what would become of himself if he looked too long into her alluring orbs.

[shaun]

"Don't think that way. It was probably one of the hardest decisions he ever had to make. If I were him, I wouldn't have had the courage to leave you..."

Shaun looked up suddenly into Jaden's eyes, surprised by his conviction. More surprising still was the way her heart leaped as she heard the words. Her expression softened. The sudden closeness was making her head spin a little, but she had only just opened her mouth to speak when Jaden pulled back, leaving her with a feeling that was rather like disappointment.

As his hand left her chin she had an abrupt flash of Eric's gleaming white hand gripping her throat. It filled her with terror, before disappearing as quickly as it had come. What was that? She wasn't usually given to flashbacks...

"I'm sorry, that was completely out of line."

"No, not at all," Shaun rushed to assure him. "It's kind of nice to hear... Really nice, actually," she said softly, smiling. "Thanks."

"Hmm... I had a pretty normal life. At least what's normal now-a-days. My mom left when I was nine, and then my dad became a drunkard who slept with anyone and everyone who would have him. He never could look at me after she left, apparently, I reminded him too much of her. It made it easy to leave. I didn't have any deep-seated attachments."

"None? That must have been really hard on you as a kid," Shaun said. "How old were you when you left?"

She felt a wave of dislike toward the people for neglecting a child at all, but it was tripled by the fact that that child had been Jaden. He seemed so kind, and capable... what parent wouldn't have been proud of him? And yet if he'd gotten his beautiful features from his mother, it was easy for Shaun to imagine why it would have been difficult for his father to look at him. Some faces were like that, leaving impressions that were almost impossible to shake.

Her computer chimed and Shaun waited as her editing program loaded. The laptop was old, battered, and covered in various stickers, but after three and a half years it was still a good machine... so long as you had a little patience.

[jaden]

["No, not at all, It's kind of nice to hear... Really nice, actually, Thanks."]

He heard her soft words and was instantly relieved. He found it hard to form the words and the fact that she hadn't been upset, or even seemed phased by his blatant honestly with her, surprised him greatly. He'd been afraid that in that one moment he had ruined everything. He would once again be alone, but this time he'd be left craving her attention. Jaden came back to her side, allowing himself to be close to her again. "I'm afraid of scaring you. Afraid of what you might think of me. After all, you just met me, but I feel 'at home' with you." A delicate smile played across his face. He continued timidly, "I've never been close to someone, and yet in these past few moments with you...I feel...alive. It's the first time I've ever felt like this..." He trailed off. "I know that must be hard for you to understand. I do not mean to sound like a crazy stalker or anything." The idea amused him, and his lips curved up into a smile, and he laughed softly.

["None? That must have been really hard on you as a kid," Shaun said. "How old were you when you left?"]

"I left my "home", if you could call it that, when I was eighteen. The seven years after my mother left grew to be unbearable with my father. He hated me being there just as much as I did. So...I made my decision. When I moved out I spent two years living with a bunch of highschool friends I had...we moved on to college together. They were just guys I knew, they kept me occupied doing things I shouldn't have been doing. You know, the crazy stupid things people do in college." Suddenly, the face of the man that had nearly beaten him to death was clear in his memory. "I never ended up finishing college. When I turned twenty, my life was changed, I was different. I guess you could call it fate. What happened then, had to happen, or at least I tell myself that." He nodded grimly at the idea that turning into a vampire had been his fate, but what else could he say. How else could he explain to her, without lying, and without revealing his secret. "From then on, I decided to move around a lot. I had nothing to hold on to. So...here I am today."


He found himself gazing into her eyes again, losing himself piece by piece. "But being here with you changes my perspective. Like maybe there is something more to life." A brilliant smile lit his face. He was very surprised that suddenly his feelings were flowing. He had to admit that the idea of having a friend would be nice, compared to living alone all the time. An openness that he never knew he could experience. Yet, fear gripped him at the same time. She'd been the only person he felt was worth his time. He liked her just the way she was - delicate, beautiful, intuitive, daring...and of course very human. He breathed deeply, inhaling her delicious scent. She was intoxicating.

His deep eyes focused on her alone, penetrating into her every movement. The way her fingers were on the laptop, the way her hair was laying, the deep concentration her eyes had on the computer. The item that held her dearest items - her footage of vampires - the thought flooded him with dread. His face dropped slightly, if she ever found out what he was, she'd most likely never step near him again. If she did, she'd be shoving her camera in his face, exposing him to the world. He was making a daring move, not even sure she'd have any sort of feelings for him.