In the dark and alone, Li steps out of her parents' restaurant to head home. She had been working late due to so many customers, and all she wants is a good night's rest. As she rounds the corner, a group of black-leather clad young men that had been going in the other direction decides to follow her. She hears the footsteps and takes off running. Li is caught in seconds, and the men proceed to threaten her. "I have no money," she manages to stammer.
The apparent leader of the group bares what appears to be a set of pearly white fangs, and snarls in her face, "We aren't after your MONEY, sweetheart." Then he nods his head and the group starts grabbing for her clothes. In seconds, she is stripped down to rags and cannot do anything about it. Panicked, she starts screaming, but before she can even get the pitch to bloodcurdling, the men are off of her.
Startled, she looks around. Li sees what looks like a young woman standing in the shadows. "Oh, did they leave because of you?" The woman says nothing, but steps forward a bit, the dim light from the streetlamp a few yards away making her look much more pale than she is. Li notices a very sharp-looking sword in the woman's left hand, feeling positive that was the reason for the men to take off like that, but confused as to whether or not she should follow suit.
The frightened nineteen-year-old huddles against the wall, shivering and whimpering a little. The woman steps forward a little more, scowling. "You should not be walking alone, girl. You could get yourself killed, or worse." She parts her lips just enough for Li to see more of the teeth that the men had, but hers were a little longer. Li gasps, and backs up, slipping on some garbage. She closes her eyes and begins to pray, but soon feels an icy hand on her shoulder. She looks up, hoping that the woman is gone, but it IS the woman. She shrinks away again, as if thinking she will be better protected. "I don't intend to hurt you, Honey. I'm trying to help you up." The woman steps back and allows the girl a bit of time to regain her composure, what little may remain anyway.
"Who..." The girl struggles to be calm, and does not want to let this being know that she is fearful. She clears her throat; "Who are you?" She tries hard to not make eye contact, but it seems that her own eyes are drawn to the woman's. The woman steps forward a bit, offering her hand again. Li cautiously takes it, hoping she isn't making a fatal mistake. She is pulled up so easily, as if she were a mere child. Little does she realize that she is compared to her new acquaintance.
"My name is Chanterelle. I hope you aren't hurt too badly, Miss..."
"Oh, my name is Li. Thank you for helping me. I think I'll be fine. That's some sword you've got there, though." She immediately places her hand over her mouth, in the hopes that the woman has not been offended. She tries to concentrate on finding her purse. The woman hands it to her, and she thanks her once again. "You are so nice to someone you don't know. Thank you..."
"You, my dear, talk too much. You don't even know that I'm not going to hurt you. I know the thought has crossed your mind. Don't be so trusting of strangers, no matter how they've helped you. I could have just been saving my breakfast from mutilation." Chanterelle smiles now, fully showing her gleaming fangs. Her smile only widens as she watches the young girl return to her former state of cowering against the wall. "Oh come, now. I really wouldn't have gone to the trouble if it was only a matter of saving a meal. Do you realize how many of your kind roams the streets at night?" She brushes a stray strand of hair from her pale brow. "Come on, I'll follow you home."
"I don't trust you. Why should I, after all you've said?"
"I just saved your ass, Little One. Those punks are up there somewhere, waiting for a second chance to have a go at you. You can either fend for yourself, or trust me not to hurt you. I promise that I won't, you just have to suspend your disbelief for a bit." She crosses her thin, pale arms over her chest and waits for the girl to consider this. Growing a little impatient, Chanterelle starts to walk away.
"Wait!" Li calls to her, almost frantically. "Now that I know who you are, how about WHAT you are?" The girl is now the one with the crossed arms. She stares at the woman almost defiantly, gaining some of her courage back. The woman turns back to her and smiles again.
"You mean you don't know?" Chanterelle, now being the one to suspend her disbelief, doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. "Why I'm a vampire, darling. Have been for a little over 500 years. THAT was why those punks scattered. They felt my presence long before you did, and turned tail."
"Were they...vampires, too?" Li feels as if she's been thrown into the Twilight Zone with this conversation, and although she wants to run, she feels strange, as if she is being held there. The vampire moves closer, confirming this.
"Of course they were. Pity they ran though. I could have used a little pick me up." The girl looks fearful again. "Oh, don't worry. It wasn't going to be you I dined on. Blood from other vampires only makes the strong ones stronger. Survival of the fittest...surely you've heard of that old line." The vampire gracefully props herself against the wall beside Li, and the girl tries hard to keep from cringing away. "You have no reason to fear me yet, girl."
"I told you my name, please use it...Chanterelle!" The girl regains some of her courage and defiance once again. The vampire chuckles and shakes her head.
"Not too bright, but definitely spunky. Good job, Li. You've just earned yourself a few days of not being consumed. Better take me up on the offer of seeing you safely home before I change my mind." She looks at the insolent young woman and sighs to herself. 'This kid isn't quite paddling with both oars.'
"OK, but please don't eat me." Li looks at her strangely, as if she isn't sure exactly how it would feel to be bitten by a vampire.
"Did you eat any wasabi tonight?"
"Yes, I always eat it with sushi."
"Then, don't worry. Trust me..." The vampire makes a face. The girl looks at her like she has gone mad. "I can't stand the aftertaste, Honey." Li giggles and starts walking toward home, thinking how strange a pair they must make. A young Japanese girl in a tattered, blue kimono and a pale white woman with fangs wearing a long, black coat and a long sword sheathed on her back.
The apparent leader of the group bares what appears to be a set of pearly white fangs, and snarls in her face, "We aren't after your MONEY, sweetheart." Then he nods his head and the group starts grabbing for her clothes. In seconds, she is stripped down to rags and cannot do anything about it. Panicked, she starts screaming, but before she can even get the pitch to bloodcurdling, the men are off of her.
Startled, she looks around. Li sees what looks like a young woman standing in the shadows. "Oh, did they leave because of you?" The woman says nothing, but steps forward a bit, the dim light from the streetlamp a few yards away making her look much more pale than she is. Li notices a very sharp-looking sword in the woman's left hand, feeling positive that was the reason for the men to take off like that, but confused as to whether or not she should follow suit.
The frightened nineteen-year-old huddles against the wall, shivering and whimpering a little. The woman steps forward a little more, scowling. "You should not be walking alone, girl. You could get yourself killed, or worse." She parts her lips just enough for Li to see more of the teeth that the men had, but hers were a little longer. Li gasps, and backs up, slipping on some garbage. She closes her eyes and begins to pray, but soon feels an icy hand on her shoulder. She looks up, hoping that the woman is gone, but it IS the woman. She shrinks away again, as if thinking she will be better protected. "I don't intend to hurt you, Honey. I'm trying to help you up." The woman steps back and allows the girl a bit of time to regain her composure, what little may remain anyway.
"Who..." The girl struggles to be calm, and does not want to let this being know that she is fearful. She clears her throat; "Who are you?" She tries hard to not make eye contact, but it seems that her own eyes are drawn to the woman's. The woman steps forward a bit, offering her hand again. Li cautiously takes it, hoping she isn't making a fatal mistake. She is pulled up so easily, as if she were a mere child. Little does she realize that she is compared to her new acquaintance.
"My name is Chanterelle. I hope you aren't hurt too badly, Miss..."
"Oh, my name is Li. Thank you for helping me. I think I'll be fine. That's some sword you've got there, though." She immediately places her hand over her mouth, in the hopes that the woman has not been offended. She tries to concentrate on finding her purse. The woman hands it to her, and she thanks her once again. "You are so nice to someone you don't know. Thank you..."
"You, my dear, talk too much. You don't even know that I'm not going to hurt you. I know the thought has crossed your mind. Don't be so trusting of strangers, no matter how they've helped you. I could have just been saving my breakfast from mutilation." Chanterelle smiles now, fully showing her gleaming fangs. Her smile only widens as she watches the young girl return to her former state of cowering against the wall. "Oh come, now. I really wouldn't have gone to the trouble if it was only a matter of saving a meal. Do you realize how many of your kind roams the streets at night?" She brushes a stray strand of hair from her pale brow. "Come on, I'll follow you home."
"I don't trust you. Why should I, after all you've said?"
"I just saved your ass, Little One. Those punks are up there somewhere, waiting for a second chance to have a go at you. You can either fend for yourself, or trust me not to hurt you. I promise that I won't, you just have to suspend your disbelief for a bit." She crosses her thin, pale arms over her chest and waits for the girl to consider this. Growing a little impatient, Chanterelle starts to walk away.
"Wait!" Li calls to her, almost frantically. "Now that I know who you are, how about WHAT you are?" The girl is now the one with the crossed arms. She stares at the woman almost defiantly, gaining some of her courage back. The woman turns back to her and smiles again.
"You mean you don't know?" Chanterelle, now being the one to suspend her disbelief, doesn't know whether to laugh or to cry. "Why I'm a vampire, darling. Have been for a little over 500 years. THAT was why those punks scattered. They felt my presence long before you did, and turned tail."
"Were they...vampires, too?" Li feels as if she's been thrown into the Twilight Zone with this conversation, and although she wants to run, she feels strange, as if she is being held there. The vampire moves closer, confirming this.
"Of course they were. Pity they ran though. I could have used a little pick me up." The girl looks fearful again. "Oh, don't worry. It wasn't going to be you I dined on. Blood from other vampires only makes the strong ones stronger. Survival of the fittest...surely you've heard of that old line." The vampire gracefully props herself against the wall beside Li, and the girl tries hard to keep from cringing away. "You have no reason to fear me yet, girl."
"I told you my name, please use it...Chanterelle!" The girl regains some of her courage and defiance once again. The vampire chuckles and shakes her head.
"Not too bright, but definitely spunky. Good job, Li. You've just earned yourself a few days of not being consumed. Better take me up on the offer of seeing you safely home before I change my mind." She looks at the insolent young woman and sighs to herself. 'This kid isn't quite paddling with both oars.'
"OK, but please don't eat me." Li looks at her strangely, as if she isn't sure exactly how it would feel to be bitten by a vampire.
"Did you eat any wasabi tonight?"
"Yes, I always eat it with sushi."
"Then, don't worry. Trust me..." The vampire makes a face. The girl looks at her like she has gone mad. "I can't stand the aftertaste, Honey." Li giggles and starts walking toward home, thinking how strange a pair they must make. A young Japanese girl in a tattered, blue kimono and a pale white woman with fangs wearing a long, black coat and a long sword sheathed on her back.