Nice girl

[Lovely]

August 24, 2008
10 p.m.
Telus park
Follows: Daddy's little girl


The sky was finally getting dark enough to map the lines his eyes strained to trace in the blue-black sky overhead. Damien had stretched out again on the first park bench he'd returned to after the sprinklers finished their circuits that had chased him off across the summer scorched park grounds to the second and then third bench then back again. His jeans were darkened and damp but he didn't care. It chased the day's heat further away and made his long tan trench coat worth while. The heavy reading, more specifically the heavy volume of hard-bound reading he carried in his breast pocket weighed down on his chest, raising and lowering slowly with his calm breathing as he grimaced at clouds blocking his view of the otherwise sharply speckled sky. Closing his eyes a moment to the wisps overhead, he adjusted his arm under his head and listened, noticing only now how still the park had become as he'd moved from bench to bench around the sections of hissing sprays. Curiosity made him sit up a little and look around to find that the people he'd seen earlier had drifted off into the night. The grin then spread as he laid back down to watch the stars for a little while longer. So there was a curfew and so many rumors floating around town. There was no one here!

Random had chosen her hunting time and the place for it because of the unofficial curfew of the town of Telus. Everyone knew to get inside and lock up tight by a certain time or rather before dark, those who chose to ignore that were often blamed for their own demise or disappearance. She picked off strays in the park, a couple who had dared to stay and make out under the stars, became her meal. She enjoyed the challenge of two, her smile was pleased as she wandered the edges and shadows, chasing away even the insects. She'd only promised to stay away from big groups, two was not a group, she felt strong and full. She didn't really need a third but wasn't ready to head home so early, curiosity drew her closer to the man on the bench. It was like she appeared out of nothing near where his head lay, she was dressed in faded jeans and a pristine white tanktop, her dark hair left loose around her shoulder, the waves falling perfectly. She didn't say anything, simply stood there waiting to see what kind of reaction he would have to her suddenly being there.

He was listening to virtually nothing but then nothing began to seem quite loud when the hissing of the sprinklers had stopped and not even the crickets seemed to be chirping. Usually they only stopped when something passed too close and startled them. His expression wrinkled and he turned to look around the park again. Speaking of startled, he caught the sudden presence of the white and solid figure where one hadn't been seconds before. He'd seen no one on the paths that could have wandered up that quickly unheard. He was suddenly bolt upright and the book dislodged from his coat as he shifted, thudding to the wet ground as if it had also fainted. "Geezus... what the hell? Do you always just sneak up on people like that?"

She smiled without showing off her teeth, the sparkle dancing eerily in her dark eyes. "Usually." Her voice was soft and sweet, somewhat melodic in it's tone, her gaze rolled over him, there was a bit of a predatory look mixed into the sweetness of her face. Most found it quite disarming as if they weren't sure whether to help her or run from her.

"Nice. That's... that's nice to know. Great. Can ... I help you with something?" He watched her, curious and a little leery of the way she looked back at him as he leaned down to pick up the book and clean it off, setting it beside him on the bench.

A few different answers came to mind and then were discarded, she forced out a soft sigh and nearly pouted. "I'm bored. Can you help me with that?" She asked quietly, deciding not to make a meal of him, at least not for the moment.. she wasn't all that hungry, the couple had satisfied her hunger.

[Lovely]

He pointed to the book and smiled crookedly. "Got a great book if you're interested. But... something tells me you're not really into books." He looked around again, still a little confused. The bench was a good distance away from anything blocking his view, so where the hell... He looked back at her and slowly moved to take the book back to put in the pocket of his coat. "Just out for a walk and it stopped being interesting? I mean, I guess there's not a lot of people around right now, except me, I guess. Um... did you want to sit down?" He wasn't sure it was a good idea if she appeared so suddenly - who else might do the same thing? He moved down anyway to give her room.

"I like to read." She sounded a little offended that he said she didn't look like she was interested in books, but she let it pass and took him up on his offer. She flowed onto the bench beside him, letting her eyes move up and down his tall frame. "Out for walk... mm you could say that.. your words do describe basically what happened. What are you doing here? Not many people come out here at night, people are afraid to be here."

Damien shrugged and leaned on his knees, turning to talk to her somewhat sideways. "What's to be afraid of? I was out here honing my astronomy .. um.. stars," he said, pointing up and seeming apologetic for using words that sounded smarter than he felt. "It's a pretty clear night, or it was," he mentioned, glancing up at the few gathering puffs that could lead to a later rain storm.

"I know astronomy." She chuckled quietly wondering what he thought about her that gave him the idea she wasn't into books and that he needed to explain that word to her. "There are many things to be afraid of.. especially out here. You should really be more careful."

"Careful about what?... You?" He snickered and shook his head, looking from her back to the stars that were getting dimmer already. "Damnit. Well it was a clear night. Guess I'm free to entertain, then." He didn't show fear of her or of the warnings that had been going around town for a few weeks now.

"Usually I am one of the things you should worry about.. but at the moment you are entertaining me." She turned to him with an odd expression. "I startled you before.. but now you seem to have no fear. Why is that?"

"I can see you now when before I couldn't? That's not exactly what I'd call fear. It was just a jolt, that's all. I just hadn't seen anyone around. Maybe I had my eyes closed longer than I realized...," he explained, though he knew it had been only seconds, not long enough for normal people to move that quickly. "Although... you seem to think I should be scared of you. Do you really want me to be?"

"What should be isn't always what is. Want and should are also not always intertwined." She smiled and tilted her head back to look at the sky for a moment. "Your eyes were not closed for long, seconds maybe. Why don't -you- think you should be afraid of me?"

And she would have known that how if she wasn't right there? His head tipped a little as he looked her over. "So... you think I should be scared of a girl in a white shirt...why? Because you're the only one out here breaking the curfew besides me? Psh I think I shouldn't be afraid of you because you might be the only sane soul in this forsaken town."

[Lovely]

"What are you called?" She laughed quietly and her gaze shifted down around them to the deep dark woods and the shadows of the park itself. "I am not the only one out here besides you. I am merely the only one sitting beside you. What if the people in this town aren't crazy, hmm?"

"What am I called? Okay, maybe I take that back," he chuckled quietly, caught a bit off guard by the strange question, or maybe just the strange tone that seemed to belong in some other place or time than this. "What am I called as in my name? It's Damien. What's yours, oh-so-scary-lady?"

"Random." Her name wasn't odd to her, in her family and her world creatures had all sorts of unusual names, but to outsiders it might not be so 'average'. She gave this Damien another soft smile, her gaze seemed to try to look deep inside of him. "You truly aren't afraid of me?"

He gestured as if looking at an audience for a vote of hands in the darkness in front of their bench. He came up empty handed and shook his head again, glancing back to her with a short frown. "Nope, not so much. Nice girl on a nice cool night in an empty park, seems almost perfect if you ask me."

She laughed more heartily, her head tipping back and her shoulders shaking lightly until it faded away as quickly and quietly as it had come. "You think I'm a nice girl? That's so sweet.. would you believe me if I told you I was a blood thirsty killer and you should run away right now?"

"Why wouldn't I believe you? That's not really something people tend to joke about, or admit. So... you either have a f*cking strange sense of humor... the kind I like... or you're serious and you think I should try to run. Then, I ask you, why would I be that f*cking stupid if you're able to outrun me, cuz you sure as hell came up on this bench fast."

"Perhaps you do believe me.. I wondered if you would because you seem to think the people of this town are wrong for being afraid, for not coming out so boldly at night. You don't seem to believe there is something to be afraid of.. and you didn't seem afraid at all." She explained her reasons for asking and wondered if he would be more confused by it. "I wasn't lying and you're right, you can't outrun me. You should be afraid, you should try to run.. but then again what should isn't always what is.. or what is wanted." She glanced at him again and gave another soft smile. "I don't want you to run. I like that you are not afraid. I like that you think I'm a nice girl. It's very different from how most people see me."

He looked around her and back at her face. "No horns or tail, no bat wings and no lightning coming out of your eyes, no pick-axe and I don't see a knife, though... I imagine you might be able to hide one in there... somewhere... maybe. I just see a nice, bored girl looking for some action and she's trying to scare me out of my wits... hey, that's fine. I'm just not scared of her."

"You misunderstand. I am not trying to scare you. I'm simply being honest with you, that you should be scared. If you are not, well.. it makes you more interesting." She leaned back against the bench, petite and unflinching as she gazed at him. "I don't need those props to kill. Though on another night if I find myself bored, I may remember the suggestion." She thought about it for a moment. "You are blinded by my appearance, I don't -look- scary, so therefore there is nothing to be afraid of?"

[Lovely]

Again he shook his head with a bit of a smile. "Not really since I don't rely on looks. Something my dad taught me about people. Getting a sense for who somebody is by what they choose to tell you, or specifically don't tell you, and how they go about telling you. Kinda hard to explain I guess, but... if you're going to kill me, you're waiting for the right time or something about me is keeping you entertained enough. I mean, why scream and fight about it when I can have a decent conversation first?"

"If you're wondering, I don't intend to kill you. I'm not hungry right now." She shrugged, giving him a straight forward answer since he seemed to share honestly in return. "I don't usually take the time to engage a meal in conversation. It's sort of tacky in my opinion.. or egotistical in some cases.. like gloating. I know some see it as a game, but I don't find it all that fun."

"Your meal?" He chuckled again with the crooked twist, wondering if she really might be crazy at least. He looked back at the darkening sky and noticed the crickets were still quiet around them and not even the trees seemed to rustle. The eerie quiet made her words echo in his head a little louder. "So... you've eaten, then?" He didn't want to know what. "So now it's time for the movie or whatever it is that will keep you from being bored, which... I guess is back to me being entertaining." He partly mumbled and rubbed the corners of his mouth with his thumbs before sitting up and back against the bench. "Should I... tapdance? Sing a song, maybe?"

"Yes I ate the... " She chuckled and watched his face for a moment. ".. do you want to know what I ate or is it better that I don't say?" She smiled politely at him, her eyes seemed to try to devour him into their depths. "You don't have to dance or sing.. unless you really want to. I'm enjoying the company."

"Don't say, please. My vivid imagination is doing wonders enough on that part. Just say 'salad' and we'll move on, okay? I'm glad you're okay with me not singing. I ... I really don't sing. Not unless you're trying to make the dog cry and howl along. I think I'd rather know why you're called Random. Is that ... you know, like a nickname or were your folks into hippie freak mysticism?"

"You want to know about my name?" She smiled and her expression was soft, as if she were somewhat shy and flattered by his interest. "My name is actually Random, it's not a nickname. You'd have to ask my father for the full reason, he named me and knows the story.. but basically it's because that's what I was.. a random chance at something that wasn't supposed to be."

Damien gestured as if he was reaching for more of the rope to get a life-line on the explanation. "Weren't you the one just saying something about should and shouldn't, want to or not, that sort of thing? What, so he named you Random because his girlfriend got knocked up or something? Sorry... it's not like it's your fault, just seemed a little weird is all."

"It's more complicated than that.. neither of my parents should have been able to have children... and certainly not with each other. It was impossible.. or so they thought. Such creatures are not supposed to be able to plant the seed of life nor are they supposed to be able to sustain it and bring it into the world. I am something that was never supposed to be."

"Ooo-kay. I think I'm going to need coffee for this. Do you drink coffee? Or... are creatures like you not supposed to be invited into late night diners with grumpy waitresses and bad food? Since we're not supposed to be out here with the things that go bump or whatever they hell they do in the dark, hm?"

"I've never had coffee. Well to be honest, I've never been invited for coffee before.. I think it would please me to join you. " She smiled at him again, a hint of white flashing in the small space between her lips, though she did not fully show her teeth. "How grumpy is the waitress?" She asked softly, wondering if this waitress would make her angry enough to kill her.

[Lovely]

"Grumpy enough I thought about feeding her to wolves once, but she doesn't bother me anymore. Not as long as my cup stays hot." Damien considered a moment that this might be the last he'd be heard from but on some level that didn't bother him. The night was too perfect even though it was strangely quiet and the company was just as strange. His dad had taught him about reading people and no matter what she'd said, none of it sounded as earthshatteringly weird as she seemed to think. He wondered more what that said about himself and the stories his dad told him growing up. He shrugged it off and stood slowly to stretch. "So... think it would please you if I drove or do you not go in strange cars with strange boys?"

"So you have imagined her demise and it would not bother you?" She asked about the waitress, she seemed quite happy about this news, her mood had much improved. She was on her feet instantly, and turned to watch him as he moved slower and stretched himself. "I've had no reason to go in a car with a boy before, strange or otherwise. Yes, it would please me if driving is what you would like to do."

"Anyone ever mention that you don't talk like most girls around here? Where are you from originally?" He finished the stretch and looked her over. "Wait a sec... you mean you haven't ... you know... like been on a date before?"

She slowly shook her head. "No, I have not been on a date before.. will this be a date?" She asked, pausing to consider that for a moment, she smiled again, the idea pleased her and she thought that it would also make her father happy. "I'm from Telus, I was born here.." She gestured toward the forest and the mountains beyond that, the inn was located out there and that was the only home she'd ever known.

He shook his head again, looking at the ground another moment with that same crooked smile. "Weird case of luck," he muttered then looked up at her eager expression. "I guess it might be since I asked you to go somewhere with me. Huh. But you're from around here and you haven't ever... huh. Well, then I guess I'll have to do this right." He nodded gently and bent out his arm for her to take a hold of even though he was so much taller and she'd have to reach up a little bit.

"Well then, I suppose I can't kill you tonight. It would be rude to go on a date with you if I planned to kill you after. Hmmm I believe this means I won't kill you later either... unless of course you give me a very good reason for it." She didn't have any qualm with speaking of murder as if they were discussing the weather, yet she seemed cioncerned with being rude to or offending him. A smile showed another flash of teeth as he offered her his arm, she reached to take it, not minding at all that he was taller.

He laughed at that, not just the small snicker it had been. "Well, that's really... that's good to know, thank you. I'll try not to give you any reason, how's that?" He wasn't sure what he saw in the smile but it gave him a strange chill, not that it was bad with the coat on.

"I would be very happy with that." Her eyes sparkled as if they had their own inner light that danced through them. "I enjoy the sound of your voice and your laugh. It would be a pity if such things could not be heard again due to my actions." Her hand was above his coat so she didn't think he could feel how her temperature was cooler than his own. Not the deathly cold of other vampires but below the normal temperature of a living human.

"Yeah... I think I kinda agree with that, thanks. More than just a pity, I think personally it would really suck, but who am I? I guess I'm glad although my voice is just, I dunno... pretty normal, I thought. Nothing special." He shrugged a little again and pointed toward the end of the path where he'd parked in the small gravel lot beyond the empty bike racks. "Just down there. The sprinklers already ran, so we're not getting wet."

[Lovely]

"You also think that I'm a nice girl who isn't scary. Your opinions are obviously not.. what word am I looking for.. typical?" She nodded as he directed her toward where he had parked, she was making an effort to move at his slow human pace. Normal girls her size would probably be struggling to keep up with his long strides, but she had more trouble keeping herself from moving ahead of him. "I think you're special. Why else would you catch my attention?.. you are not normal."

"Not the first time that's been laid on me," he sighed a little. "I don't mind it, since I guess it's really true. I'm .. not walking too fast am I? I forget sometimes, sorry."

"Too fast?" The giggles shook her petite form and she shook her head in a clear 'no'. "Actually you're... kind of slow.." She added in the 'kind of' to try to soften the insult, though she looked down at his long legs and wondered how fast he'd get to the car if he was like her.

"Too slow. Alright, I thought I was going easy on you. Then again, you did come up like the wind out of nowhere, so..." He sped his pace a little but not to the point of jogging, just a normal pace for himself for the times he was alone or stalking off in some level of ill temper that made him want to be someplace other than where he was. This was not one of those times and he didn't want to wear her out trying to keep up. Apparently.. he wouldn't be. The end of the path wasn't far beyond the rows of trees on this side. It was strange not to even have the hum of cars slipping by on the gravel-dusted street. The town itself seemed empty beyond the park. "Kinda like the Twilight Zone, huh?"

"I am not familiar with this Twilight Zone." She shook her head a little, with no knowledge to base a comparasion on. He sped up and she had no issue with matching his pace, though it was still slower than her normal one. She had learned that to blend in, she had to move slowly like humans, but it wasn't often that she felt the need to blend in. "Would you like me to carry you?" She glanced at his legs again, deciding that he already knew she was very different so pretending wasn't as important right now.

"What? No. I'm fine," he said, trying not to sound offended. He really didn't think he was walking slow. "It's just over there. I think I can make it," he chuckled again thinking it was a good thing he suggested driving back to the diner and not walking all the way there although it was only a mile or so away on the edge of town.

She frowned a little, studying and analyzing what she saw in his face and body language. "Have I offended you?" She asked him softly, glanced toward the lot that seemed to take a long time to reach, but that was in comparasion to her normal speed. "I apologize if I have." Her gaze swept back to him and her expression was sincere.

"Nope. Not at all." His jaw worked silently as the thought passed and he sighed again, realizing just how much she was observing him like a pet project. "No need, don't apologize. I'm just not usually around people much, so .. you know I'm not normal, so I react... maybe... when I shouldn't. Look, don't worry about it, just.. let me get the door for you." The car's automatic locks clicked and the lights blinked twice, brightening up the entire lot.

"We have something in common." She murmured in her quiet voice, tilting her head to watch his face some more. She saw the way his jaw moved in subtle ways and she could hardly resist reaching up to touch his face. She held herself from doing so and gave his car a quick sweep with her eyes. She thought of her father's warning but Damien didn't smell like a hunter, so she did not worry over that.

[Lovely]

Damien came around her side to open and hold her door for her. "Since... this appears to be a date, I'll do my best to make it seem like one," he said, offering to help her in. The car wasn't overly cluttered and it had the faint scent of vanilla over pine over whatever the air freshener had been before that. There were few clues here to tell anyone anything more about him except that he tended to leave few clues. The CD player was empty and the ashtray was fully closed. The back seat however had a small box full to the top of books similar to the one he'd dropped from his coat that he now pulled out and tossed on top of the rest.

She hesitated for the space of a breath before her cool hand gently set into his to allow him to be the gentleman he was trying to be and 'help' her into the car. She didn't need the help of course but it was a nice gesture and she smiled softly at his efforts. "Do you not wish it to be a date? It does not have to be." She would wait for him to answer and get into the car before she made any further comments. Her eyes had already taken everything in and she noticed that his car was not as personalized as many humans kept theirs. He reminded her of the ways of the others that she'd met who were similar to her, they were always careful about showing personal things.

"What was it you said... what is needed or wanted? We went over that I think. It is what it is and it's a date," he stated, matter-of-factly. Her hand seemed a little cool but he chalked it up to nerves although she didn't seem to be the shy, wall flower type to be nervous. He made sure he wouldn't hit her with the door before closing it and coming around to his side. He took the coat off now, too, deciding it was too warm afterall and put it in the back behind his seat before he slipped in beside her, almost behind her with the distance his own seat was pushed back for his legs.

"Do I misunderstand what a date is? I thought a date was something you chose to do.. I am afraid I don't do as well with interactions such as this. I have not had the proper practice." She was looking at his legs again but slowly let her eyes wander over him until she reached the top of his head, her gaze then shifted slightly lower to focus on his face.