To the Surprise of Miss Louise was deafening to Dwayne's heightened sense of hearing and the stench of food and mingling of human scents assaulted his nose. But he suffered through it to stay close to David. The need to protect the blonde leader overpowered everything else. Besides that it was a welcome break to be around mortals and not have them scream or tremble in fear.
Dwayne was relieved when they were kicked off the carousel, the loud screams of joy and excitement were close to splitting his head, but he desperately wanted to wrap his hands around the security guard's throat for even touching David. He walked with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, dreaming of the moment he could sink his fangs into the man.
With Paul and Marco whooping and hollering every step of the way to Max's video store, Dwayne hung back slightly so he could get small reprieve from the constant noise. As they walked the brunette caught sight of a girl he had never seen before. He couldn't say for sure why he stopped and stared at the girl as she said upon an empty bench by the beach but he did. The vampire was staring so intently at her that he didn't realize that the others were swiftly drifting away with the sea of people. All he could focus on was her even though she had tossed her long brown hair to one side so her profile was hidden.
Paul instinctively knew something was missing. Looking around, the blonde slung his arm around Marco's shoulder's and said, "Dwayne's gone M.I.A.."
Marco stopped and looked around to see that Dwayne was indeed missing. David, hearing that Paul and Marco had gone quiet, stopped as well and gave them a questioning glance.
"Dwayne's missing." Marko said as he looked around for the tall brunette.
It only took them a second to spot the missing vampire in the crowd. He was still as a statue in the sea of people, staring at something in the throng. They made their way to his side, people crushing together to get out their way. Paul threw his arm over Dwayne's shoulder but the brunette was still stuck in his trance.
"What are you looking at?" Marco asked, standing on his toes to try and follow Dwayne's line of sight.
When he didn't answer Paul wave a hand in front of his face and jostled him with the arm he had around his shoulders. "Hello? Earth to Dwayne."
"What?" Dwayne shook his as if to clear his mind. He glanced briefly at Paul and Marco but quickly returned his gaze to the girl.
Paul followed the path of Dwayne's sight and saw a girl sitting at the bench, bent over a notebook and the pencil in her hand flying across the page.
"Dwayne." David called his name in that cool and quiet voice. The blonde looked as well and soon they were all looking at the girl.
"You ok, bud?" Paul asked.
"Fine." Dwayne replied as he moved out from beneath his friend's arm and began making his way to the girl. "I'll meet you guys back at the cave."
"Going to feed?" David asked telepathically.
"No, it's not like that at all." Dwayne replied, not really paying attention as he made his way through the crowd.
"Be careful." David warned, lighting a cigarette. "You remember don't you?"
"Yes, I remember." Dwayne sat on the bench beside the object of his attentions, unsure of how he should go about this. It had been years since he last initiated a conversation with a mortal without the intention to feed off them later.
"Hi" The girl said first as she glanced up at him shyly with large almond eyes.
"Hi." He said in turn. "Please, don't stop writing on my account." He said softly as she put her notebook and pencil in a small black backpack.
"I just finished anyway." She raked her hair back away from her face with one hand, the metal bracelets on her wrists jingling.
"Do you mind if I asked what you were writing?" He asked, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees and turned his head so he could look at her.
"Not at all." She smiled brightly. "It's a story I've been working on. Well, it's more like a novel at this point."
"Really? It must be very good then." Dwayne flashed a smile in return.
"Maybe. I don't think so but then again I wrote it so, of course, I'd think it could be better." She shrugged slightly.
"I'm sure it's perfect. My name is Dwayne by the way." He said holding out a hand.
"My name is Tristan but everyone calls me Tris." She took the hand he offered and shook it. "Oh wow, your hands are freezing."
"Sorry 'bout that." He withdrew his hand away from her tender grasp and an empty feeling settled upon him. "So, I haven't seen you before. Did you just move here?"
Tris hugged her knees to her chest, the corner of her mouth turned up in a smile. "Are you here all the time so you can tell who lives here or not?"
"Pretty much." Dwayne replied with a laugh.
"Well, then yes. I just moved here yesterday with my uncle."
Dwayne nodded to show he had heard and turn to look at something else besides looking at her. They sat in silence for awhile, each with their own private thoughts. Even though the vampire was staring out at the water he could still see her with his mind's eye. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch the mocha skin or run his fingers through the long brown hair with its small, loose curls.
"Damn it." Tris muttered under her breath. She rose quickly to her feet, dusted off her faded jeans, and grabbed her backpack from the ground beside her.
"What is it?" Dwayne leapt to his feet beside her.
"Whoa, bud." She jumped back a foot and looked up at Dwayne with raised eyebrows. "You're a lot bigger when you're standing."
Smiling sheepishly, Dwayne sat back down. "Yeah, I know. Sorry."
"Don't worry about it." She laughed softly. "Anyway, it was nice meeting you but I have to hurry up and get home or I'm in trouble."
"You have a curfew or something? How old are you?"
"Boy, you ask a lot of questions. No, it's not a curfew exactly. My uncle just likes me to be home around a certain time or he freaks. And I'm eighteen." She said in a rush as she pressed through the crowd.
"I could give you a ride on my bike if you want." The vampire offered, staying beside her so that when people saw him they moved out of their way.
"I don't know. I mean I just met you." Tris bit her lip nervously and glanced at her watch again.
"I'll take the main roads. Promise." Dwayne glanced at her hopefully. He hoped she would say yes. He needed her close to him, feel her arms wrap around his torso.
"Well… alright." She said hesitantly. "We just moved into the old Parish house over by the lighthouse. You know where that is?"
"I should hope so, I live close by." Dwayne led her to where he parked his bike.
"Oh no, please don't." She said quickly when he offered her his jacket after noting she wore only a black tank top. "You don't even have a shirt."
"And you have a tank top on. Trust me, I'll be fine." He laughed.
Tris took the leather jacket reluctantly and climbed on the bike behind Dwayne, her hands clasped over his abdomen. Sand was sprayed like rain behind them as they raced over the beach toward her house, keeping to the main roads like Dwayne promised. Tristan laughed loudly as the wind whipped her hair out behind her like a flag.
"That was amazing." Tris exclaimed as Dwayne pulled up in front of her house. She went to give back his jacket but he put a hand over hers to stop her.
"How about you give it back tomorrow?" He asked with a sly smile.
"I think I'd like that." She said with a smile as she hugged the jacket, four sizes too big, close to her body.
The vampire grinned. "I work days so how about I pick you up around nine?"
"Sure."
"Great. I'll see you tomorrow night then. Goodnight, Tris."
Dwayne whooped with joy as he rode down the empty street. Every time he closed his eyes he could see her. He remembered the every movement she had made that night from the way she casually tucked her hair behind her ear to the way she cocked her head slightly to the left when she listened intently or smile softly. He loved the way the faint scent of almonds and cherries clung to her mocha skin and the way her slender hand fit in his. He didn't think he could wait until tomorrow night to see her again.
