Chapter 2

She turned her head, wiping the tears away and wiping her runny nose on her sleeve. She turned her head nervously, looking for him. She bent to pick her pants up again, to only notice his gun laying there. She picked it up as she stood straight again.

"I'd drop that," a voice came to her right, which was deeper into the forest.

She jerked her head towards the voice. She could see a dark figure. But she felt at peace immediately. Was it just because he saved her from being raped? Well, that was part of it…But the speed…

She let the gun fall from her hands, like the voice said.

"I'd also run. Now," the voice said demandingly.

She shook her head, in a little shock.

He gave an insincere laugh, "Don't be stupid, girl."

"I'm not," her voice practically echoed. "That's why I'm not running. I'm staying right here."

"Suit yourself," the man said, shrugging. He bent down and pulled a man up from the ground.

She got serious and watched intently. The man slammed her almost-raper into a tree. She stepped sideways slightly for a better view. And sure enough, he bit right into the raper's neck. She stood and watched, unfazed at what was happening. She wasn't afraid of vampires, or their nature. And she certainly wasn't about to take pity from the man he was killing right before her eyes, with fair warning of course. Her almost-raper cried out in pain. She didn't think he deserved mercy anyways. She thought he was getting exactly what was coming to him, the sick bastard.

The vampire then threw the body on the ground. He then stepped towards her, still with blood smeared on his mouth. He was sure now she would run off in terror. It wasn't his first intention. He wanted her to leave before that. But the girl stood in front of him, and he stood under a patch of moonlight; she looked unfazed. All she did was wipe her nose and then her face.

"Aren't you going to run now?" he said in disbelief and he knew it showed in his voice. He was used to people running away.

She just shook her head slowly, staring at him intently.

"You did see what I just did, didn't you?" he asked pointing at the lifeless and bloodless body. Maybe she was in some kind of shock.

"Vampire…" she whispered softly as the wind picked up.

He watched her, not sure now. When was he unsure? Now, he supposes.

She cracked a smile which only confused him. She then began to giggle that was sent into peals of laughter. She bent over, wrapping her arms around her midsection.

Finally…

She finally wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, only to find the vampire to stare back at her. Maybe, he thought, she doesn't believe what she saw and she thinks she's going insane…

She could see that she was confusing him. HER! Confusing a vamp! This only happened in her dreams.

She stepped forward and he watched her warily now as she made her way towards him. She stopped when she had some of the moonlight reflecting off the glint in her eyes. She was six inches from him, a vampire. She didn't know what else to do but smile.

"You saved me," she whispered, looking at him. There was silence, but only for a moment, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he finally said, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Now go home," he told her.

She just stared at him for a moment, "I don't want to."

He stared at her, "What are you, afraid or something?" his voice was slightly harsh. She just saw him kill a man and she doesn't want to go home?

"You could put it that way…" she replied distantly, ignoring the harshness in his tone before.

"He's not going to hurt you," he reassured softly, "He's not even breathing anymore."

"I know," she said in a low voice, "I saw you kill him."

"Doesn't that bother you?" he wondered out loud.

"Why should it? He was going to rape me," she said, sounding somewhat harsh now.

"Oh, I don't know," he began casually, but ended with frustration, "How I killed him I suppose?"

"You're a vampire," she stated.

With her saying it again, he stiffened.

"Promise, you'll stick around a little bit...a few days?" she asked.

"Yeah," he almost croaked after staring at her for a moment.

She nodded and began to turn away, "As long as you promise," she whispered, "I'll go home."

He watched the girl walk away finally, stunned.

© CopyrightNicole Pierce