A little late Halloween special. This won't be a full blown story, but I'll write about three to four chapters for this. Hopefully, I'll get them done soon. I'm optimistic that they're all gonna be finished and posted in the next two months. Now, enjoy!

0-0-0

A couple's first meeting is supposed to be funny or romantic. Maybe even a little bit chaotic.

However, the first time Astrid saw him, he was lying at the side of a road, unconscious and lying in a buddle of blood, slowly bleeding to death. His motorcycle, an apparently well cared for costum made model, not faring much better. The heap of scrap metal lying in pieces on the asphalt couldn't even be called anything else than just that - scrap metal.

Astrid should have left him there. She had no business with the living anyways. He even might have proven himself useful and could have been a decent snack. The only reason why the vampire was outside was to get something to sink her teeth in anyway. But... she couldn't.

There was something off about that man. Maybe it was the frail appearance. Mabye it was his angular face with the sharp jaw and the almost invisible freckles dusting his cheeks and nose. Or unruly mop of auburn hair that, at the time, looked more like oxide red. Something drew her to him and in the end, she pulled out her cell and called an ambulance. Astrid even stayed to give her statement to the police. It seemed to be a hit and run accident. During that time, she learned his name. Hiccup Haddock. Son of Stoick Haddock, current chief of the police.

The poor man came rushing into the hospital as soon as he was informed about his son's condition. His left leg was damaged beyond repair. It needed to go. Through the glass, Astrid watched as the man visibly sagged. As if the world's weight was set upon his shoulders as he gave his consent. And still, she stayed.

Astrid was a bit surprised when the burly man had come out of the room, and the first thing he did was thanking her. For had she not called an ambulance, Hiccup would surely have died. She didn't count on being recognized for the one helped the injured man.

"I was simply doing what any other human being would have done," She told him and skillfully ignored the blatant lie in that statement. She silently - passively - watched as Hiccup was wheeled out of the room and into surgery.

She sat and waited in the hallway for about two hours. Stoick hadn't said a single word to her, too worried about his son's wellbeing to engage in any kind of conversation. When Hiccup finally reemerged from surgery, news of the successful operation were recieved with great relief. And only then did the man take notice of her again.

Stoick's invitation to dinner - once his son was up and about again - was respecfully declined and while he looked like he wanted to protest, the man simply let it go and gave her his number. Just in case she remembered something that could help in bringing the one responsible for the accident to justice.

She didn't even have a phone.

With everything said and done, Astrid headed home and continued on with her own business, knowing that she probably wouldn't see either of the men again. She was still hungry and the sun wouldn't rise for another few hours.

It came as quite the surprise, a little over two months later, when she opened her door to find Hiccup standing on her doorstep. "I just wanted to come over and thank you in person. I hope you don't mind?" he told her while handing her a small, but beautiful bouquet of flowers. The crooked smile and those startling, honest, emerald eyes were branded into her memory from that day forward.

Next thing Astrid remembered was him asking her out. For some reason, the vampire couldn't bring herself to decline.

As it turned out, the reason of why Hiccup hadn't come by sooner, was because the accident had landed him in a coma for a month due to the injuries he recieved, and he had only woken up a few days ago. The first thing he did after being discharged from the hospital was bribing his father to give him her address and name. That was how he had found her in the first place. Astrid got the fleeting feeling that the man only did it to get the two together. Even though he didn't even know who Astrid was.

The evening itself was a pleasant experience and despite having no need for human food, she found herself enjoying it far more than she should have been able to. Hiccup himself was a very easy going man. A gentleman, really. He was everything a girl could be looking for. He was funny, and kind. He even got her to laugh at some of his jokes. And let's not mention his mastery in the art of sarcasm. It more often than not got him into any kind of trouble.

Astrid didn't even remember the last time she had laughed honestly.

And he was compassionate about the things he loved. Like engineering and art. He loved tinkering and worked at his godfather's little mechanics shop. He often worked on small projects on his own, letting his artistic skills flow into designs for just about everything he created. The prosthetic he now wore was one of his own designs, he'd told her.

The two of them learned more about each other than you usually would at a first date, it was almost like they had known the other for years already. Tough, Astrid made sure not to reveal too much about her own past and life and thankfully, Hiccup didn't press the issue.

It was only after Hiccup had brought her home and left with one last smile to her, that she realized what had been bothering her the entire time she had spent with the man.

Because for the first time in centuries, her cold, dead heart felt like it was beating again.

At first, Astrid was terrified of that new, yet familiar emotion bubbling up inside of her. She briefly thought about packing her belongings and leaving town. But then she remembered Hiccup's eyes. And she considered.

Maybe she should give his - this new feeling - a chance? She shouldn't, Astrid knew this. Because even if things were to work out, the pain of loving someone and knowing you will lose them would simply be unbearble. She once tried to live alongside humans, when she was still a newborn vampire. She didn't want to have to go through this again. Her yet heart already yearned to see him again. It was frightening, that she was powerless against such a strong emotion, even as a vampire.

Astrid planned to stay away form him, really, she did. But when he sought her out again, she felt her resolve crumble. And with every meeting and evening spent together, with every adoring look he sent her through those alluring eyes. Every laugh he shared with her, the need to be near him rose. The vampire cursed herself for being so weak. And in the end, she hatched a plan to rid herself of that feeling once and for all.

And at a night where the moon stayed hidden behind clouds, and the cold autum wind rustled the browning leaves and blew them from the trees, she set out to his home. With ease, Astrid snuck into the darkened apartment, quickly locating the bedroom where Hiccup would lie, sleeping peacefully, unsuspecting of the approaching danger. The door made no noise when she pushed it open to reveal her prey. Hiccup lay on his back, head tilted to the side, revealing his long neck. His wonderful smell filled her nostrils, his slow and steady heartbeat pumping the blood through his veins.

The matress tilted slightly under her knees as she leaned over his still form. Yet, he did not wake and Astrid used the oppurtunity to gaze at his peaceful face one more time. She brushed a stray strand of hair from his closed eyes, almost lovingly. A faint clock ringing in the distance reminded her of the time. She did not have all night.

Carefully, the vampire lowered her face to his neck, her fangs showing as she opened her mouth slightly to sink them into delicate skin.

And yet, she hesitated.

Her mouth was only an inch from his skin, yet she couldn't find the will to move any further.

Astrid found herself unable to take the life giving substance from this human laying defenseless beneath her. Tremors shook her body as she retreated, not understanding anything anymore. No, that was a lie. She understood everything perfectly. The reason why she couldn't harm Hiccup.

Something shifted behind her.

Startled, Astrid whirled around, fangs bared and claws at the ready, to face her would-be assilant. However, standing in the open doorway was not a human, but a cat. Black as night itself with intelligent green eyes, very similar to Hiccup's own, that watched her warily, almost accusingly. The vampire didn't dare move, frozen, as she was observed by the feline. She must have passed the test for the cat began moving forward. It glided gracefully over the floor, briefly rubbed against her legs as it passed, and jumped onto the bed to join its owner on the comfortable matress.

Hiccup sighed contently in his sleep an shifted closer to the nex source of heat. And the damn cat was still watching her. Something was certainly off with it, for it seemed much more intelligent than it should be. Astrid could practically feel the loyalty it held for Hiccup seeping from its body and got the distinct feeling, that if she made a move to harm the sleeping man currently cuddled under a heavy blanket, she would feel its claws and teeth in her skin sooner that she could react.

Which would be impressive considering that a vampire's capabilities far exeeded those of any normal human.

Astrid exhaled slowly. Then, with one last glance at Hiccup's sleeing form, she left. She knew she couldn't do it, so there was no point in staying around until the man actually woke up. Once the vampire had arrived at her home, she mulled over everything that had happened since she found the man laying on the road. She should hava just left him there. That way, these strange feelings wouldn't bother her as they did. Astrid had all but made peace with not being able to find someone to give her heart to. Havong someone to love. Humans either didn't live long enough or were scared and would most likely attack once they found out the bitter truth. Most vampires didn't dare live near human civilization. Easier said than done considering how many cities and towns littered the globe.

She groaned, rubbing her face with her hands. And finally, she accepted the facts.

Astrid Hofferson was in love. With a human no less.

This could only end in tragedy and heartbreak.

Nontheless, she was unably to deny her feelings for the auburn haired man any longer. And by the time he came to see her again, Astrid greeted him with much more liveliness. Hiccup seemed taken aback at first, not being used to the open show of affection he was recieving from the blonde woman. But he took it in stride.

Things progessed much faster after that. Soon, Hiccup and Astrid were inseperable. They had many happy years ahead of them, both were sure of it.

Though, Astrid never forgot that those years would come to an end eventually, and she would accept the consequences because she knew, a life without Hiccup was dull and not worth it. But she had years to prepare for the enavitable. So, she would enjoy they were given.

Neither of the two ever noticed the furious red eyes that followed the pair as they walked hand in hand into their newly shared life.

0-0-0

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't forget to review on your way out.

And for those who read my story "Decisions", the poll is still open for those who haven't yet voted!