What the Hell Just Happened? (open)

[random314]

Mia Hart lay motionless in the corner of a dark alley behind a dumpster, not dead, yet not alive. She'd been there for three days, three agonizing, terrible days of pain. To her, it seemed like an eternity. The darkness still surrounded her, and as she finally woke Mia still felt prickles of pain all throughout her body. As she woke, she pushed off a plastic bag that had concealed her from anyone walking by, not that anyone in their right mind would be walking through an alley anyway. Wait, then why was she hear? Mia was sane, at least she liked to think so. What had happened to her?

Raising a hand to her head, Mia shuddered as memories of that night came rushing back to her. Mark, the club, the kiss, the bite, and the pain. The never ending pain. What did he do with her? And where the hell was he? Mia seethed with anger as she remembered it. She'd kill the bastard for...whatever he did to her. She knew though, knew that she was different. Something had changed.

She stood shakily, and turned toward the streets, which turned out to be a big mistake. Just turning in the direction made her blood race, and her heart...wait. Was it even beating? And Jesus what was that smell? That potent, mouthwatering smell? Mia found herself being drawn to it, not caring what she looked like as she walked into the streets, searching for it. God, it was coming from everywhere, from the woman walking beside her, the man talking on his cell, the kid racing after his mom, and Mia she wanted, wanted to...bite them. What was wrong with her?

Mia backed away from all the sweet smelling people, trying to get a hold of herself. She needed help. She needed to find Mark, get him to tell her what he did to her. Mia turned back to the alley, and abruptly bumped into someone.

[tinkerbell2]

It had been an interesting night, that was for damn sure. There had been an accident at the construction site. They all knew the risks of the job. Tiny little orange hats were supposed to keep them safe while huge cables hoisted up thousands of tons of steel high into the New York sky. The cables themselves were heavy enough to kill a man instantly. And it had almost happened today. Ben wasn't the best of friends with the man, but it still hit home. He would live but barely. The idea of death was scary. But for Ben it was also something more. Death also smelled like freedom. And that thought was what had set him over the edge tonight. Death would mean no more hiding, no more running, but it also meant he'd never fall in love or see the sun rise. Was he willing to sacrifice those just to have peace? Maybe.

Ben took another long swig of whiskey from a silver flask that he'd pulled from his pocket. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and then slid the flask back into is jeans. He wasn't drunk... yet. But he would be after he finished the Jack Daniels. He and some buddies of his had gone out, celebrating the news that Doug would probably live, even though he'd never work another day in his life. Disabilities benefits weren't all that bad, though. Ben stumbled over the pavement, cursing softly in a husky voice. He couldn't quite tell where he was going but as long as he was heading East, he'd get home eventually. It was a dark night, perhaps dangerous for any other person walking the street. But Ben was not one to be messed with. He was tall, heavily muscled, and wore a mean look on his face. Tonight, his face was melting slowly as he took in more alcohol. But he could still take care of himself. The Glock handgun he had holstered in the back of his jeans would assure that. Of course, the magazine was empty, but the gun looked menacing and that was what mattered.

He turned down a narrow alley and looked around. Nope, wrong turn. But something stopped him from turning back towards the main street. Someone was down there and was heading towards him. Ben couldn't quite make out what they looked like, but they were getting closer. He didn't move or breathe as they backed down the alley. Did they know he was here? Didn't she see him? He could tell now that it was a woman. The long hair and petite figure gave her away. Finally, she backed right into him. Immediately, he realized something was off. He couldn't quite put a finger on it, though. His arms were folded across his chest, accentuating his muscles. He did this on purpose, knowing it made him look bigger. He stared down at her, trying not to lose his balance. He didn't succeed and stumbled to the left, regaining his balance after a few steps. "You look a little lost." He stated in a gruff, husky voice. He stared at her with intense brown eyes, a slight smirk on his face.

[random314]

Mia stood stock still at first against the hard, large, body behind her. She knew it wasn't Mark, this person was way to big to be him, so she'd have to put off her search for him till later, because right now she couldn't stop wanting to sink her teeth into the person behind her, not to mention anyone who happened to walk by. She wasn't so much worried for herself, no, her worry was more directed at the person behind her. He was way too close, and he smelled way too good, and Mia was afraid that if she turned around she'd sink her teeth into his jugular, which certainly wasn't he humane thing to do. Honestly what the hell was wrong with her?

Trying to get a hold of herself, Mia clenched her fists tightly and turned to face the intruder. Being as short as she was, she had to look way up to see the man's face. Even if she was of average height however, Mia was fairly certain she'd still have to take a step back to take in the giant that stood before her. He towered over her, at least a foot taller, and he was extremely muscular. Despite his intimidating looks, Mia refused to be scared. She was a strong woman and could take care of herself. Besides, for some odd reason she was feeling stronger, like she could actually take someone like this on. She wouldn't have felt this way before, but after Mark sunk his teeth into her neck and left her to die, she was feeling unnaturally strong, like she could take on the world. He'd definitely done something to her, something serious. Her mind screamed vampire, but she knew that wasn't possible, wasn't plausible. No freaking way.

"You look a little lost."

Mia didn't answer right away, just stared up at the man, a slight pout on her face, trying to make herself appear more menacing than she was. "I'm not lost," she answered, voice not wavering; she'd gotten good at that over the years. She sucked in a breath, trying to get herself under control, but breathing turned out to be a huge mistake. The man's scent overwhelmed her, and suddenly she wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into his neck and suck him dry. The bloodlust was even worst than before. Mia started to lung forward, her hands reaching out, intending to grab the man and do just what her body was telling her too, but that her mind knew was wrong. . .She stopped halfway, forced herself really. Her nails dug into her palms and drew blood. Christ, even her own blood smelled good, not as good as his however. "Damn it why do you smell so good?" she said more to herself than him, not really realizing she'd said it out load.

[tinkerbell2]

He was trying very hard to stand still and remain calm. But his efforts were being quickly thwarted. The alcohol made it hard to keep his footing on the solid and even surface. He swayed back and forth slowly, towering over the young woman. Ben also felt a wave of emotion slowly sinking through his skin and into his bones. Something was very wrong. As he staggered away from her, he realized what was off about the woman in front of him. She was dangerous. He didn’t know how he knew it, but he did. He could simply feel it coming off of her. His shaky hand rested on the handle of the Glock and Ben was immediately reassured by the cold metal between his fingers. He was just being silly. Before him was nothing more than a little girl who was obviously in the wrong part of town at a very wrong time. She turned to face him and Ben looked her over swiftly. She was pretty. And he didn’t think it was the alcohol talking to him. Her eyes, her hair… No, she couldn’t be dangerous. Not in a physical way, at least. Besides! He could take on any person in the whole damn city. Letting go of the gun, he again folded his arms across his chest. “I’m not lost,” She told him in a firm voice. And he believed her. “Well, you sure as hell look outta place, love.”

And then she lunged towards him, teeth bared and something he’d never in her eyes. Immediately, Ben was terrified.“Holy shit,” He dove away from her, landing heavily on his side. Was he overreacting? A seventeen year old girl just came at him and he ran like a sissy. Nonetheless, he scrambled against the damn concrete and up against the nearby brick wall. He pulled the gun from his waistband and held his firmly in his hand. His breathing was heavy and ragged. What the hell was going on? He looked up again at the girl. Apparently, she’d been bluffing and Ben had made an ass of himself anyways. Pushing down against the pavement, he raised himself slowly to a standing position but was still using the wall behind him as a brace. She spoke again then, more softly this time. And he wasn’t sure if he had heard her right. "Damn it why do you smell so good?" What?It was the most absurd thing for her to say at a moment like this. A grin crept over his lips and before long her couldn’t help but to chuckle. He lowered his head and took a quick sniff. Sure he’d showered after work today but Ben wasn’t one for fancy colognes or smelly sprays. He laughed, “Uh, sure thing kid.” Ben shook his head, not understand, “I smell good. But isn’t it kinda past your bedtime?” He was taunting her. And what was the worst that could happen? She’d try to beat him with her purse? He ran his free hand over his shaved head and smiled. The fingers of his other hand squeezed his gun reassuringly. She’s just a little girl,he told himself. But for some reason, he wasn’t convinced.

[random314]

What did I just do? Mia asked herself as she looked down at the man pressed against the wall. It looked like she’d scared the shit out of him, but how was that possible? How did someone so small and tiny like Mia make a grown man fall to his knees in terror? She knew she had the tongue of a viper, but she'd never had the strength to match it. Most of her threats were empty, as much as she didn’t want to admit it. Mia made herself seem like a bitch so people would leave her alone, so no one would be able to take advantage of her because of her small body structure. Now, knowing she’s actually lunged at a man, longing for his blood, Mia was a bit terrified herself. She didn’t know how much longer she’d be able to resist the bloodlust, and she knew that soon something was gonna give.

When she spotted the gun in his hand Mia staggered backward, having no idea that as a vampire she was practically immune to bullets anyway. Although Mia really couldn’t blame the man; she had been planning to sink her teeth into his neck without his consent. She hadn’t realized she’d made the comment about his smell out loud until the man starting laughing at her. Mia’s lips turned downward and her fists clenched. How dare he laugh when she was having such a hard time! How could he find amusement in this situation? She half wished he’d just leave, just so she could resist the smell of him, but he didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. The crazed part of her was glad he was here, glad that he was just within her grasp so she could drink from him...

“Uh, sure thing kid. I smell good. But isn’t it kinda past your bedtime?”

“Shut up! I'm not a child!" Mia snapped, glaring up at him. She absolutely hated it when people assumed she was a child just because of her size. She took a step closer to him, and couldn't help but breathe in his delectable scent. Her eyes closed in surrender and she found herself reaching forward, even leaning forward, wanting a taste. Maybe just one taste of his blood wouldn't hurt, just a sip and she'd realize how disgusting it was, that Mark had just drugged her or something and that her diet wouldn't consist of any new red liquids. "What is wrong with me?" she murmured, still leaning closer to the man, slowly bringing her lips closer to his neck...

[tinkerbell2]

Sure, it probably hadn’t been very nice of him to laugh at her but he was drunk. He couldn’t help but laugh at the pretty girl who was in a dark alley and scaring him to bits. It should probably be the other way around. He’d never hurt someone like the woman in front of him but he’d probably scared them before. Ben wasn’t a little guy. But he wasn’t fooling anyone in this alley with his big muscles and shaved head. Before he knew it, she was getting closer and closer to him. Part of him told him to stand very still while another part told him to get the hell outta there while he still could. He was frozen under her angry gaze. She was cute when she was angry too. Ben’s face was calm as she spat angry words at him: “Shut up! I’m not a child!” Then suddenly, she was getting closer and closer to him. A glint of white behind her lips caught his attention and his eyes followed the line of her lips to the shape of her jaw and then to her eyes. And that was where he saw it. She was close enough now and the light from a nearby lamp allowed him to see what made her look so strange. Those eyes. They were an unnatural color. They were almost…. He realized suddenly how close she was. Too close.

Ben reached out to her quickly, his large hand engulfing her throat and holding her firmly at arms length. He raised his other hand, pushing the gun into her chest. Ben’s face was mostly emotionless except for his eyes. The dark brown orbs were large, confused, and excited. It was the alcohol now that gave him the courage to meet her strange eyes. He applied a little bit of pressure to her neck through the tips of his fingers. Slowly, his index finger rose from her neck and moved across her jaw line and finally rested on her cheek. He shook his head slowly as he spoke, “Easy now.” What was he supposed to say to someone who looked like she wanted to eat him, “I don’t want any trouble, love. So,” He released her neck and pushed her back with the barrel of the gun, “Just back up a little bit. If you’re not lost, you certainly seem like you’re far from home. Do you, uh,” He paused. Was he about to offer her help? She was a little girl in a big city and he had been trying to be a gentlemen lately…. “Need someone to walk you home? Or something?”

[random314]

Mia let out a surprised gasp when the man grasped her throat in his hand and pressed a gun into her chest. The gasp was the only noise she emitted though. She would not show fear, would not show that she was scared, and even though most of her was terrified, a part of her wasn’t. The other part of her was excited, happy even that he was resisted her advances. Glad that this was going to be difficult. But what? What was going to be difficult? Surely she wasn’t actually going to bite him? No, she'd just had crazy moment, that's all right? A deep breathe of her's told her body otherwise. His blood smelled too good to resist. In that moment she knew she was going to bite him. When she found a way to get that gun away from her she was going to sink her teeth into his flesh. She really, really was. The old Mia was gone in that moment, replaced by the new, animalistic one who wanted nothing more than to sink her teeth into this man’s throat and drink from him until he was nothing more to her than prey, nothing more than a dead body on the pavement.

She barley felt it when he moved a finger up to her cheek, too focused as she was on the gun, willing him to move it. Mia also barely heard his words, too focused on the blood pumping through his neck. She did register that he called her love again. If she was feeling herself she probably would have laughed. He was trying to be calm, trying to see her as noting more than a nuisance, definitely not a threat, but she knew better. She knew that she was dangerous. When he finally released her and pushed her away, Mia acted, not even bothering to listen to the rest of his words. Something took over her just then, and she lunged at him, teeth bared and eyes bloodthirsty. Her hands were like claws as she attempted to pin the large man to the wall and sink her teeth into his flesh, but was she strong enough? Even with her newfound strength there was no denying this guy was big, and Mia usually would be no match for someone like him...

occ: totally up to you if you want Mia to bite him or not. Even though vampires are supposed to be super stong, Ben is pretty strong and Mia was always weak as a human. occ:

[tinkerbell2]

It looked like she hadn’t heard a word he’d said to her. She was in a trance-like state, just staring at him. And it was starting to make him feel really uncomfortable. Ben had the sense that she was staring at him, exactly, but through him or into him. She was so intense. His instincts told him to back away but the brick wall behind him wouldn’t allow such a thing. He held out a hand, “Now, wait, just one second.” It happened then. He hadn’t even see her move until she was on him. Maybe the alcohol had slowed his reflexes or maybe she was really that fast. Either way, she clung to him, pressing him against the wall, and Ben was helpless to do anything about it. Her teeth, though they felt more like knives really, had sailed just past his jugular vein and into the muscles of his neck. Was she biting him? Suddenly, it didn’t matter if she was biting him, licking him, or stabbing him with a sword, because it hurt like hell and he wanted her off. Now. Ben yelled in pain, wrapped his hands around her waist and threw her to the side. No easy task. She was strong as hell and solidly built. He wished then that he hadn’t been such a coward and had actually put bullets in his gun because he would have shot her. Instead, he staggered further down the alley, his hand wrapped around his bleeding neck. The opposite side of a dumpster became his refuge. He sank down slowly to his knees, trying to be as quiet as possible. The holes in his neck hurt like hell and they were definitely still bleeding. He pressed his hand against the muscles, trying to hold back the blood. All of a sudden though, he wasn’t feeling very well. Too much alcohol and not enough blood in his system. He rocked back, resting against the wall and propping his weight on his feet. He was ready to get the hell home if she came back towards him. But suddenly, he wasn’t sure if he would make it home tonight. Maybe that was for the better. He could take on death. Ben squeezed his neck firmly and it hurt. He inhaled sharply at the pain and then peeked out from behind the dumpster.

A very skinny, frail man staggered down the alleyway, his eyes fixated on the ground beneath him. He mumbled something about ‘crack’ and ‘money’ as he walked on two shaky legs. The man was no doubt hungry but there was something else he was searching for. Anything that would lead him to his drugs. Of course, he had no idea what waited for him down the alley. He didn’t really see anything around him at first. But then, a small girl in the alley caught his attention. “Please,” He whispered to her. “Just a bit to smoke. Please. I can pay you tomorrow.”

Ben looked away. Part of him wanted to tell the man to turn around and run for his life. But that would give away his very strategic hiding spot. She’d find him eventually. And Ben decided it was better that man than him. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, fighting off dizziness. Blood was beginning to cake across his neck, shoulder, and chest and he could feel the vein in his neck pounded. His heart too was racing. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down enough to think straight. Okay. So. There was no way that little girl had just bit him. Ben knew this because these wounds felt more like she’d stuck a barbeque fork in his neck. Two very distinctive pain sites. Maybe she’d been using a mouth piece. He knew from his days as a gang member in Chicago that people would come up with all kinds of contraptions to get ahead in a fight. Or, maybe she had stuck him with a knife. But it had all been so fast! He reminded himself that he was drunk. Normal things moved faster to drunk people. He took another deep breath. Perhaps he was dreaming. He covered his eyes with his clean hand and let his weight rest against the brick wall. Maybe she wouldn’t find him cowering behind the dumpster because he was dreaming. And you always wake up before you die in a dream. Ben shut his eyes tighter and remained as quiet and still as possible as willed himself to wake up from this nightmare.

[random314]

Heaven. That was what tasting this man's blood was. Despite the devilishness of the act Mia found her own little piece of Heaven at having her teeth inside his neck. His blood filled her mouth, coated her tongue, the metallic taste drugging her into a bloodthirsty haze, making her want nothing more than to keep sucking the blood from him, take the life out of him. Mia wasn't sure if there was something particular about this man, or if she'd enjoy taking the blood of any human just as much, but she didn't care, all she knew was that she wasn't going to stop drinking from him, no matter what. She was barely aware of it when his hands wrapped around her waist, in fact, it just added to the pleasure of it all, but she was very aware when the man threw her off him and scrambled away from her. With a feral growl Mia watched as he crawled away from to behind the dumpster, nursing his bleeding neck. She was just about to run after him, intent on finishing her meal, when a homeless man wandered down the alley. Mia's gaze switched from her victim to the innocent homeless man. She backed into the shadows of the alley, hoping he wouldn't see her so the man would go away and she could get back to her meal.

But she wasn't that lucky. The homeless man spotted her, and he didn't even seem to mind that she had blood dripping from her lips and down her neck. No, he simply asked her for money. For drugs? He didn't smell nearly as good as the other man, probably because of the drugs in his system, but she couldn't afford to have him sticking around the alley for long and finding her first victim. Mia lunged at him without a second throat and sunk her teeth into his neck. She was right. His smell hadn't been the best so his blood wasn't as sweet, but it was still blood and Mia couldn't let him live. Not after what he would see, not after what she'd done. She sucked him until his scrawny body stopped biting, until he finally lay limp. Mia felt better now, even stronger than before. She released the poor man from her grasp and let his lifeless body drop to the floor, and that's when it all hit her. The animalistic feeling that she's possessed earlier, making her crave nothing but blood, left her body and now she just felt numb scared.

Mia leaned up against the alley wall, breathing deeply even though she felt the action wasn't necessary. Damn it. What had she done? Floodgates of emotions broke, and now she was feeling all too much at once. Sad, scared, bad, terrible, mean, depressed. It was all too much. She'd killed a man damn it! She'd actually let him die without a second thought, and now she didn't know what she'd do. Mia sat there for several quiet moments, nothing to be heard except the sobs that came from her. She never cried, it showed visible weakness, something she vowed never to show, and yet she couldn't stop the tears from coming. They flowed like rivers down her cheeks, mixing with the blood from the man she'd killed and the man she almost had. Who knows, maybe he was dead by now. Had he gotten away? Mia tried to quiet her sobs, and once she did she could hear a distinct breathing coming from behind the dumpster.

Rising from the wall, Mia made her way over to the dumpster quietly, not wanting to frighten the man any more than she already had. She could not believe what she'd done! Did she have no will power? And why was she craving blood anyway? God, she really needed help. Once she actually got behind the dumpster and came face to face again with the man she'd nearly murdered, Mia stopped and kneeled before him. His blood still smelled just as good as ever, but no longer did she have the uncontrollable bloodlust. She didn't know what to say as she looked down at him, regret making her sick. A string of curses left her mouth without her able to stop them. "Fuck what did I do? I promise I won't--won't bite you anymore. Do you need a hospital? Well, obviously you do. Damn it; please don't tell on me okay? I don't know what's wrong with me..." she trailed off, knowing she sounded like a complete and utter idiot but not able to stop herself.

[tinkerbell2]

The sound he heard next threatened to make him sick. His hand was still pressed firmly against his neck, but the bleeding was starting to subside and cake onto his neck and hand. The combination of cries from the man, the sound of the man’s blood leaving his body unwillingly, and the smell of his blood, not to mention the alcohol he’d consumed, all made his stomach churn in an unpleasant way. Ben willed himself not to lose him stomach now. Suddenly, the noises stopped. He heard a loud thump as the man’s lifeless body hit the cement. Oh, great. Now she was done with that guy and she could focus her attention back on him. Ben snorted angrily. Well, he wasn’t going to go down without a fight, that was for damn sure. He wished again he’d put bullets in the gun instead of decided to just use its intimidation factor. He’d only shot one woman before in his life…. Ben inhaled audibly at the sharp physical pain brought about by the memory of Mary. He could never, ever shoot another woman after what he’d done once, a long time ago. So, he’d simply die? Well, maybe not. Now, the soft sound of the girl crying was reaching his ears. Ben shook his head, he didn’t understand. One moment, it seemed she was a killing machine and then the next she was remorseful. He pounded his forehead gently with his own fist. His mind raced as he tried to decide what to do. He could run, even though just the thought made him feel cowardly, or he could face her and possibly die. Either way, he’d be a loser. Ben looked up suddenly, and realized the choice had been made for him.

He hadn’t heard her stop crying and definitely hadn’t heard her come around the dumpster. But suddenly, their faces were inches away from each other. Ben couldn’t stop himself from staring at her blood drenched lips. She had bitten him. His hand flew up automatically to the wound on his neck. Now, he could feel two distinct marks on his skin, not two inches apart. His eyes moved from her lips to her teeth as she spoke. He didn’t see anything there that could possibly make that kind of mark and yet he knew she’d bite him. And Ben had a sinking feeling that most of the blood splattered across her face and body wasn’t his. “I promise I won't--won't bite you anymore. Do you need a hospital? Well, obviously you do. Damn it; please don't tell on me okay? I don't know what's wrong with me..." He watched her with growing curiosity. She seemed much less intense now, especially towards him. And he could only sense remorse in her voice. He shook his head slowly, “No, I’m okay.” He furrowed his brow. She seemed so upset, so sad. Suddenly, Ben felt very bad for her. He didn’t want to her to be sad. At the same time, he was still terrified by the danger she posed. Such strange, conflicting emotions. “I don’t need the hospital…” He told her, his voice steady and automatic. Sure his neck stung a little, even burned, but he’d live through it, assuming she didn’t try to bite him again. Just then, blue and red lights against the wall behind her caught his eyes. Without thinking, he stood, grabbing the girl under her elbow and pulling her up with him. He started down the alley, away from the sounds of police sirens and pulled the girl with him. “Come on, you need to clean up. My place is just a block from here.” Ben had surprised himself. In the five years he’d lived in New York, he’d never invited anyone into his apartment. And without a second thought, he knew he had to hide this girl there. Not to mention, they were both bloody messes and they’d be in a huge mess if they got caught anywhere near the dead man’s body. “Hurry,” He whispered roughly, as he made their way down the dark alley and towards his apartment.

[random314]

Mia had never done anything like this before. She'd been in plenty of fights, but never had she murdered someone before, never had she bit anyone before. She didn't know when she'd become such a fighter, but often Mia responded to threats with fists first and words later. That wasn't to say she didn't try to talk it out...occasionally. She was smaller than most, so she'd always try to hurt someone with her words first to see if they'd back off, and when they didn't she started fighting physically. Mia hadn't fought anyone in a while though; most of her fighting had been in middle school and high school, as a way to rebel and get attention from her boy crazy and money crazy mother. Tonight though, she'd had no reason to attack, no reason to kill other than her thirst for blood. She'd have to leave town, maybe even the state, get away from here and start over. Screw trying to find Mark and figure out what he'd done to her, Mia just knew she had to get away and make sure she'd never get caught for her murder, and never commit such a violent crime again, no matter how bad her bloodlust became.

She asked the man she'd bit first if he was okay, and he told her that he was. Mia doubted he was okay. Blood caked his neck and was flowing downwards; still the blood seemed to be moving slower, so perhaps the wound would heal without a doctor. Maybe she'd be able to convince him not to go to the hospital. Mia could take care of him instead, so then she'd never get in trouble, of course what kind of lunatic would not tell on her after all she'd done? Her gaze was directed at his neck, trying to see how bad the wound was, but the more she looked the more she craved his blood again. Mia licked her lips in anticipation, but quickly looked away, not wanting herself to give in to that animalistic side of herself ever again.

“I don’t need the hospital…” the man said, his voice cutting into her nervous thoughts. "You don't need...?" she began, completely astonished but eternally grateful. He wasn't going to tell on her then? She wasn't going to get in trouble? A pair of blue and red lights swirling in her direction made her worries all come back to life. She'd killed the homeless man; she was going to get in trouble. Fear shown in her eyes, and she looked to the man helplessly, she couldn't just leave him here, and surely his wounds meant he wouldn't be able to go anywhere either...a firm grip under her elbow changed all that. The man actually pulled her up with him, and soon they were halfway out of the alley. He was moving so fast; Mia could hardly believe he'd even been injured! He told her his apartment was close by, so she could clean up there. It didn't look like she'd be the only one cleaning up though, her companion looked nearly as bloody as she did. She allowed him to guide her to his apartment, and just as they were about to enter she wondered if the danger was completely behind them. "Do you think anyone saw us?" Mia asked.

[tinkerbell2]

His hands shook and the keys jingled loudly as Ben fumbled with the keys to his apartment building. He swore softly in relief as the key finally turned and the door opened. Still clutching the girl’s arm, he pulled her into the building. Though the journey back to his apartment had been swift, it had given Ben’s emotions just enough time to go crazy. Part of him was mad. His neck was burning with pain and his buzz was gone. Another part of him was scared silly. He couldn’t figure it out. He squeezed harder on her arm. Any normal woman should be reeling in pain from his tight grasp. But her skin was cold and harder than steel. It frustrated him. And the frustration added to the anger. "Do you think anyone saw us?" He bit his lip. "No," He spoke quietly. There was no need to alarm her. And, chances were, they'd be alright. "Let's just get cleaned up and then we'll talk about what the hell just happened. I'm Ben, by the way." Not a smart move. Now she knew his name! Stupid, stupid, man. Ben took the stairs of the building two sometimes three at a time, dragging her along behind him. Once they got to the third floor, Ben dropped her arm and pulled his keys out again. This time, the door opened swiftly to his apartment and Ben entered without looking back.

The apartment was small, but still warm and cozy. It was a typical bachelor bad with a big TV, two empty pizza boxes on the counter, and the occasional garment strewn across the brown leather couch and chairs. There was a large shelf of books next to an even larger shelf of DVDs, mostly classics. The carpet was a creamy color and relatively clean and the matching curtains were open to large windows. Noticeably missing from the apartment were pictures. There was no indication of a family or friends that most people framed and displayed proudly in their homes. Ben didn’t have any skeletons in this closet and didn’t want to be reminding of the ones he had elsewhere. He strode quickly across the apartment, wiping his bloody hands on his white shirt. He’d get a new one. He threw the curtains shut and the paused, his hands on his hips and his eyes on the curtains. Holy shit. What in God’s name was going on. He felt very strange. He touched his neck but pulled his hand away quickly as he winced at the burning pain. The wound wasn’t bleeding anymore but sure as hell still hurt. He took a deep breathe and the turned slowly to face his attacker whom, for some reason that he still didn’t understand, he’d brought back to his apartment. He looked her over for several long moments, studying her face and clothes. She was a mess, absolutely covered in blood. He bit his lip, thinking. The rational part of him told him to throw her back out on the street and lock the doors. But, Ben wasn’t being rational. “The bathroom is there,” He said, pointing to the first door on the hallway that was beyond the living room. “There’s towels, soap. I’ll try and find you some clothes.” He knew he had clothes that would fit her. Had hadn’t been a complete introvert since he’d moved to New York. And when a drunk woman forced herself on you… Well Ben wasn’t one to say no.

He gave her one last nod before dropping his gaze and walking to the kitchen. He was confused but Ben was still a gentlemen. She’d have the bathroom and he’d clean up in the kitchen. He turned the hot water on and then, his palms pressed against the counter, leaned and waited for the water to heat up. His eyes were closed and the sound of the water running helped calm him a little. What was he doing? Harboring a murdered, that’s what! What if she attacked him again? He cracked his eyelids open. There on the counter was a standard knife block, complete with several sizes of knives. He eyed the butcher knife but somehow he didn’t think that would come in handy against her. How was that even possible?? She was just a little girl. Maybe not a girl, she was probably in her twenties but still. Ben sighed, frustrated by the situation he’d got himself into. God? I swear, if you get me out of this…. He paused looking down at the now steaming running water, I will never, ever touch alcohol again. His eyes narrowed slightly, Except on holidays. He shook his head. God never listened to him, no matter how hard he pray. He wasn’t sure if he’d heard the bathroom door open so he turned his head over his should to see if she’d followed his instructions.

[random314]

Mia resisted the urge to yell at the man for taking so long with the keys. She didn't though, because she was grateful for his help and didn't want to mess up the situation any more than it already was. Mia thought she could probably bust down the door with her newfound strength, but she didn't think that was the best idea either. Finally, the door opened and her companion, still holding on to her arm, led her to his apartment. Normally, Mia would never let someone hold on to her like this, especially a man. She wanted to be strong, reliant on only herself, but whether she liked it or not the man was a comfort to her. It was strange for her to feel this way, as she'd only just met him and usually Mia held a grudge against all men, but since her companion (and victim) had been so helpful, Mia couldn't help but feel comfortable around him. Still, she knew she could not let her guard down. Any moment things could change. He could decide to call the cops on her or attack her for what she'd done, and really, Mia knew she shouldn't blame him if he did. Mia didn't think he'd do those things though; he seemed to know she was dangerous and strong enough to kill him before he tried anything. She appreciated the fact that he wasn't an idiot, and she appreciated his kindness.

"Let's just get cleaned up and then we'll talk about what the hell just happened. I'm Ben, by the way."

"Mia," she told him as they finally reached his apartment. She didn't offer any more information. If he knew her last name he could use it against her. Telling him her first name probably hadn't been all too smart to begin with, but for some reason Mia felt more at ease with Ben than with most people. When the door opened Mia took a couple moments to examine the place. Ben's apartment looked like the typical male lair, not like she'd been in too many lately, but it looked like what she'd imagined it to be. Mia's apartment wasn't much different from Ben's actually, at least in the messy aspect of it. She tried to keep her apartment clean, but never had the time or patience to keep the whole place clean. Just as Ben did, Mia herself had some clothing lying around, and definitely had some empty food containers. She usually ate cereal, so she was sure she had at least one or two empty bowls lying around. The place probably looked even worse than usual know. She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious, but Mia was pretty sure it was longer than a day.

Ben told her where the bathroom was, so Mia made her way to the bathroom. He told her he'd give her some clothes, but Mia wasn't sure whether he meant women’s clothes or men’s. She didn't really care either way. She wasn't very fashionable to begin with, so wearing male clothes wouldn't bother her. Entering the bathroom Mia turned on the sink and let the water run until it grew warm. She washed her face slowly, letting the water wash away her fears and regrets along with the blood, but she knew her feelings would never truly ever leave. The water simply eased her stress. Once her face was clean Mia took a towel from a rack and dried off. The rest of her body was still coated in blood, so Mia just ran the towel over her arms to get some of the blood off. Finally, she exited the bathroom and went to the kitchen, where she found Ben cleaning up himself. She waited until he was done before making her presence known. "Hey," she said softly, suddenly feeling shy. Why was she feeling this way? Damn it be strong! Still, she couldn't help it, she felt bad for hurting him and extremely guilty. Ben hadn't done anything to harm her, in fact, he'd tried to help her, and how had she reacted? She'd bit him. Mia had thought all her feelings had washed down the sink's drown along with the red water, but apparently they came back upon seeing Ben again, and seeing what she'd done to him.

Mia approached him and found her gaze straying to his neck, where his wound was. Mia wasn't a doctor of any sort, but she wanted to do something. She couldn't just leave his wound exposed like that. "I could help you with your...bite if you want," she said, eyes straying to his. "Listen, I don't know what came over me back there. Well, it's a really long story."

[tinkerbell2]

When he turned around to see if Mia was still behind him, he was surprised to find himself alone in his apartment. Well, that was a good start. At least Mia had some sort of respect for his authority. He hoped she cleaned up as well as possible; he'd had enough blood for one night. Ben turned back to the running water. It was steaming but he stuck his hand under the facet anyways. The pain brought about by the heat of the water reminded him that he was alive and that everything that was happened was real. That knowledge was terrifying. He splashed the water up to his neck and it stung like hell. Ben reached over and began to rummaged through the drawer next to him to retrieve a dish rag. It wasn’t the cleanest bit of cloth, but it would do the job. He soaked it in the hot water and then began to scrub his neck clean of the blood that had dried there. Two small, circular marks stood out on his skin underneath his fingers. Ben shook his head but kept scrubbing. The blood had snaked down his neck, over his collar bone and down towards his chest, staining his shirt as it did so. But, it probably looked a lot worse that it was. Finally, when he was quite sure he was clean as he was going to get without changing clothes, he flipped the faucet to off and sighed. He reached up and touched the now painful spot on his neck. “Hey.” He noticed then how musical her voice sounded. Ben turned slowly to face his attacker, remembering suddenly everything that had happened in the past…. Wow, had it only been thirty minutes. Maybe less.

With a cautious expression, Ben looked her over slowly. With the blood gone from her lips and face, she looked more human. And yet, now that he could see her better in the light of his apartment, it was clear that she was anything but human. She moved with a disturbing grace and her skin looked harder than stone. Not to mention her haunting beauty. Mia began to move towards him and spoke, “I could help you with your bite if you want.” So she had bitten him. Ben shivered at the thought because it also confirmed the way the other man had died. Ben turned slightly, trying to hide his neck from her searching eyes, “Uh, no. I think I’ll be alright.” He tried to smile reassuringly at her but could only manage an awkward grin. “Listen, I don’t know what came over me back there. Well, it’s a really long story.” Ben nodded slowly and folded his arms across his chest. “Well, Mia,” He liked the way her name sounded, “My neck hurts… a lot. And, we’ve got all night.” He stepped past her and into the living room where he took his seat on the brown leather arm chair. After watching her for a moment, he motioned to the couch next to him. “Plus,” He voice was low, serious now, “I think you owe me an explanation. I want to know why the hell there are two painful bite marks in my neck.” The anger in his voice was a result of the fear Mia caused. Ben wasn’t used to be scared by women, but Mia was all of a sudden a very pretty exception. "And if you explain that to me," He tried to soften his voice. Mia had already apologized several times and there was no reason to get upset, "Then, I'll make sure you have a place to sleep tonight, unless..." He paused. This was getting really weird. Maybe he shouldn't invite her to spend the night. But Ben was a gentlemen at heart and couldn't bring himself to retract his offer, "You have somewhere else you're supposed to be."

[random314]

“Uh, no. I think I’ll be alright.”

Mia caught Ben's shiver at her suggestion, and at that moment she realized she probably shouldn't have offered to dress his wound in the first place. Why would he trust her near his neck again after what she'd done? Hell, he shouldn't trust her at all. If Mia had been the one in Ben's position, she sure as hell wouldn't have offered to help him. She'd have gotten away from him the first chance she got. He was being incredibly generous to her after all she'd done to him, and Mia couldn't help but be grateful. It was odd for her to feel this way, grateful and appreciative. Mia relied on herself, only herself, but now she found herself relying on Ben to keep her secret. She was almost trusting him to keep it. She had to. Mia didn't trust others easily, hardly did in fact, and yet here she was relying on and trusting a man she hardly knew. So stupid of her. Hadn't she learned to trust no one, trust nothing, after her experience with Mark? Apparently not. Mia was grateful to Ben; grateful for everything he'd done for her this night. She thought it was nice how he tried to smile at her to make her feel better even after everything she'd done. If anyone should be trying to make the other feel better, it should be Mia helping out Ben, but yet here he was smiling at her. Mia knew she'd never be able to repay his kindness. "Okay," she said, averting her eyes from his wound.

“Well, Mia, my neck hurts… a lot. And, we’ve got all night.”

Mia's guilt shown on her face when Ben spoke. She hadn't meant to hurt him; she'd just been so desperate for blood, so thirsty. "I'm sorry," she said weakly, hating herself for sounding so vulnerable but knowing the words had to be said, but she knew that no matter how many times she said them they would never make up for what she'd done. She watched as Ben swept past her into the living room. His scent breezed into her direction as he moved, and Mia dug her nails into her palms to control her thirst. He still smelled just as good as he had before. Hadn't she had her fill of blood tonight? Bet he'd taste as good too, her mind concluded. The monster in her purred in hunger, but Mia shook her head. There would be no more attacking people tonight, especially Ben who was being so nice to her.

She followed Ben into the living room and took a seat on the couch he had indicated. “I think you owe me an explanation. I want to know why the hell there are two painful bite marks in my neck," he demanded. Mia sighed, and averted her gaze from him. He was getting angry, and she couldn’t' blame him. Normally she'd offer a snippy remark in return, but she knew his words were undeniably true, and she felt horrible for causing him so much pain. He hadn’t' done anything to her, after all. She was surprised when his voice softened as he continued speaking and offered her a place to stay. Did he not think she had a place of her own? Still, it was probably smarter to stay here for the night in case people were looking for her. "I have a place of my own, but thanks. Maybe I will stay," she said. She didn't want to agree right away in case he was just being polite, but then again he did sound very genuine.

"Okay well," she began, wanting to explain what happened to her, but not wanting to at the same time. She'd explain it simply and quickly; get the explanation over with. It would make Ben happy and then maybe she'd finally calm down. "A couple night ago I went clubbing with my boyfriend. He took me out back in the alley you found me in. We starting kissing, and he bit me. Just bit my neck. He drank from me, just as I drunk from you...and then he made me drink his blood. I woke up and everything was just out of control. It felt like all my senses were escalated. I didn't know what was wrong with me...I was thirsty, so thirsty," she paused, glanced at the blood pumping through Ben's neck longingly before averting her gaze again, not wanting to freak him out even more. "I wanted blood. Human blood. I don't know what's wrong with me..."