• -:>Alexandra<:-


    "Alexandra." I heard whispered lightly into my ear, someone's sweet breath playing across my cheek. "Alexandra, wake up." I immediately recognized Mari's voice and my eyes sprun open in surprise.

    "Lunch is ready... I see you fell asleep." Mari said with obvious amusement. I sat up, embarrassed, and combed my fingers through my dyed hair.

    "The bed was very comfortable." I stuttered quietly, looking out the window. The sun had faded behind a cloud much too close to the horizon. "How long was I out?" I asked nervously, turning back to Mari. She had a somewhat pained look on her face, but did her best to hide it from me.

    "You were asleep for a couple hours. I came to get you a while after I let you in here, but since you seemed so comfortable..." She straighted quickly and rushed to the door. "I guess it would be dinner now." She shrugged and laughed like an elementary school child, then bounded out the door. I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and hurried after her, but stopped at the door when I saw her below me in the living room. She was leaning on the back of the couch, her back to me. She was shuddering and gasping, and at first I thought she was having a seizure. I stepped forward, but hid back in the doorway when Leo stepped over to her.

    She looked up to him, and I could barely make out the sweat glistening on her pale skin.

    "Leo, I don't know how much longer I can stand this." She muttered, then threw a glance up to my door. I dodged into the room in time, and she was looking away when I leaned out slightly again.

    "What can't you stand? You've been able to stand it before." Leo argued, but held her close to his chest.

    "It's her blood." Mari wimpered into his shirt. I frowned slightly and ducked back into the room.

    My blood? She's kidding right? I thought and held my forehead with one hand. [Can she seriously smell it? I sniffed my forearm silently, only catching a whiff of my light perfume. Mari was sniffling down below, but Leo quickly hushed her with the excuse of me overhearing.

    "You're right." Mari sniffled and wiped her eyes, then sneezed so loudly that I jumped. "I'll just have to try harder."

    I carefully emerged from the room, and Mari quickly threw her head back to look at me.

    "Hey, Alexandra." She chuckled with the same lack of humor, then watched me walk across the walkway and down the stairs.

    "Just ignore it." Leo said after I had disappeared, then pulled away from Mari as I reappeared. I sniffed at the air.

    "Turkey?" I guessed. Leo nodded.

    "Special for your arrival." I glanced at the table, where a large platter of sliced turkey, cranberry sauce, steaming hot rolls, and devilled eggs awaited me.


    -:>Maribelle<:-


    She sat cautiously at the table, and I watched each move carefully. The pugent smell was overwhelming, and I was surprised I hadn't smelt it the first time she walked in the door. It was sweet and young, the perfect specimen. If it weren't for my vampire monthly, I would've already attacked her, taking all her blood in a few seconds.

    Would Leo have minded? Yes. Another reason I let her be.

    Oh, but the smell.

    She bit into an egg and chewed slowly. Her eyes suddenly lit up.

    "It's amazing!" She said with enthusiasm, finishing off the rest of the egg. "Aren't you two going to eat anything?" She asked quietly, sitting in the dark wood chair.

    "Uh..." I started, but Leo interrupted me.

    "We ate while you were sleeping, so we're already full. Right, Mari?" Leo stared at me pleadingly, and I slowly nodded.

    "Yeah..." I glanced at the plate, which was only half full. "We, uh... We had some of the turkey. That's why there's not so much." I nodded expectantly at Leo, who agreed.

    "Right..." Alexandra said slowly and tested the dark meat. She seemed to like it and took up another piece.

    Realizing I was watching her jugular hungrily, I quickly sat down on the couch and covered with the afghan, closing my eyes tiredly. Leo soon started a fire; I could feel the warmth dancing across my face. Only then did I notice Alexandra's scent had grown closer, and realized she had seated herself on the floor with her back leaning against the couch. She seemed distracted. A fear gutted me then, the pain rippling through my front side. What if she had heard me talking about her blood?

    I avoided staring at her, but couldn't look away for more than a few minutes. Leo tried to stay between her and I, but we both knew it was a futile effort; her warm scent was swarming the room and intruding every crack and corner.

    She was the first human I'd been in contact with for years on end, and it was hard to resist myself from mauling her. Leo knew this just as well as I did. It was a danger having her aboard.