Well I knew it would come eventually. A famous vampire is going to have to get her hands dirty at some point in time. So anyway, this ugly brute stood about 12 feet tall, had very hairy and dirty hands, along with tattered rags for clothes. His head was enormous, probably big enough for me to stand on. The big guy was not a pretty sight. What's worse is that he had rancid breath. I know this because he was roaring in my face. Talk about a major gross out. Seemed like I was on that one show Fear Factor.

Anyway, he lashed out at me, but I deflected it with my arm. Then on an impulse, I jumped up onto his head and punched him as hard as I could in one of his two eyes. The thing squealed in agony. I jumped off his head, and watched the thing crumble to the ground in a heap of dead skin and tattered clothing. I almost barfed, but I held it back to make sure Austin didn't get grossed out or something.

"Wow Aria. I didn't know you had it in you."Austin said, and he was clearly proud of me. I was happy. Then Austin took a lighter out of his pocket and set what was left of icky giant dude on fire.

"Why'd you do that?" I asked.

"It's a way to make sure that a grass giant stays dead skin and rags." he answered.

"Um, if you don't mind my asking, what the heck is a grass giant?"

"I don't mind you asking Aria, and a grass giant is a magical being who is made from the earth elements. They're very mean, creepy, and obviously, smelly." Austin said, trying too hard to sound smart.

"Ok then Mr. Smarty." I said in my innocent tone. His red eyes were locked on mine. Just then, all of the Angel Dogs descended from their stretch flight. If only they couldn't have been here ten minutes ago. Then I wouldn't have had to smell that horrible grass giant. For once, Austin stayed put, right by my side. Yes! We finally reached the part where Austin overcomes his fear of the dogs! His arm was around my shoulder, and I couldn't have moved it even if I tried. The dogs all came up to us, just looking at Austin.

"What are they saying?"

"They're wondering why I haven't run away yet like a coward."

"Oh. Well why haven't you?" I asked him.

"Because I don't want my girl braver than me. I want us equally brave." he answered.

"Good save." I told him, squeezing his hand so he got the point.

"Yes it was. I'm just that good I guess." Austin said. I was watching the dogs wag their tails. They were all so adorable! I liked the husky looking one. It was black already, and had a set of dark silver wings. There weren't any others like it. That was a little odd. All of the other dogs' fur was a lighter shade. But this husky was already jet black. Hmmmm. I decided to say something to Austin, just to make sure.

"Hey Austin. Look at the husky. It looks… well not like the rest." I whispered while pointing out the husky. Good thing he was occupied chasing a butterfly. He looked in the direction I was pointing.

"It's nothing Aria. The husky is one of the leaders. The dogs could sense your discomfort, so they told me he was one of the head dogs. They also said it's natural for the head dogs to have black fur." he whispered in response.

"Oh. Ok then." I said. The place still reeked of the grass giant, so we headed towards the harbor. It smelled like salt water, fish, and gasoline to fill the boats with. I sat down with Austin at the edge of the pier. I took off my shoes and socks, and set them down behind us.

It had been a very long day. It was sunset, one of the most romantic times of the day. But my stupid stomach ruined it all. I was starving. I had probably eaten nothing for two days straight, so it seems normal for a stomach to be hungry. I dangled my feet towards the water, still thinking about food, and then realized that I was also very tired. We have got to find a place to stay.

"Hey Austin. We gotta find a place to stay. I am tired. And hungry."

"Fine. But we can't stay in public. We need somewhere safe, somewhere private…"

"Along with food." I added.

"Yeah. Definitely need that. But we should get somewhere comfy."

"Can't we just get a stinking hotel?" I asked. I was getting cranky. I always get cranky when I'm tired.

"We'll try, ok? But if they run screaming, we get our butts outta there."

"Ok!" I said, and then started towards a hotel. I went to an old, icky one, just in case. I walked in through the door, and the man didn't look up from whatever thing he was reading.

"Hello? We'd like a room please."

"Yeah yeah sure." He mumbled. "It's twenty for one person, one night, double it for two." Austin handed me two twenties. I pushed it over the counter, and then he gave me a key. The middle aged man still hadn't looked up. He must really hate his job.

We walked out, glad for the ignorance of the man at the desk, and then walked towards the room that the key said, room 3b. I unlocked the door, and we went inside. There were two twin beds, side by side. I took the one closest to the door. I went to the bathroom to make sure I wasn't a complete disaster. The only thing terrible was my hair. It was covered in mud and dirt, and was tangled with knots. I tried to work it out with my fingers, but it was difficult.

I had gotten most of the knots out when Austin knocked on the bathroom door.

"Are you done yet? You've been in there for two hours Aria." he said through the door. I hadn't realized it had been that long. I patted the rest of the knots down with water, and then opened the door. Austin was sitting on his bed, flipping through the TV channels.

"I thought you had died in there." He said jokingly.

"Nope. Just fixing my rat's nest of hair."

"That's too bad. We could have found dinner in there!" Austin joked.

"That's what pizza shops are for you dummy."

"What if I'm lactose intolerant?"

"Salad shop."

"What if I..."

"Just face it. There's a store for every problem you could possibly have Austin." I said.

"Whatever." Austin said, clearly defeated. Well whatever in my opinion. Austin's the type of guy that just HAS to be right about everything.

"Well I'm tired. Night." I said. I was really tired. I looked at the clock. It was midnight. No wonder I was tired. Well I got into bed, and pulled the covers up to my neck.

"Night Aria." Austin said softly.

It was about seven when I woke up that morning. The sun was right in my face, and I can't stand that. So I got up. Austin was in the bathroom. I could hear the shower running. So I walked outside to see how Fera was doing. I looked around the side and I saw her napping under an old oak tree. She was so pretty. I decided not to bug her either.

I went around the back of the building. There was just city. Rank, polluted city. I wish everywhere in the world was filled with green. It would be so nice. Gosh, what am I saying? I must still be tired. I usually never act or say stuff like that. Then my stomach rumbled. That's probably why I was being all weird. I'm starved. Well not literally, but hungry.

I walked back inside our room. There was a mini fridge with a little bit of some non perishable food. I got out some bottled water, and a jar of grape jelly. It's not the best breakfast in the world, but it's something. Austin walked out of the bathroom. His hair was dripping wet still, and his shirt was a little damp.

"What are you making for breakfast?" asked Austin.

"Nothing for you." I replied.

"Well aren't you a ball of sunshine this morning." He joked.

"Yes I know. I'm so happy that I'm so full I could burst." I said sarcastically. I gave him the grape jelly anyway. I got all I wanted from it.

"There's water in the fridge, but that jelly is the only thing good in there." I told him.

"Yea yea sure." He said. He went to the mini fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. A little bit of water from his hair dripped on the door handle and the floor. When he closed the fridge, he turned around to face me, but slipped on the water that had dropped from his soaking wet hair. Now it was my turn to laugh.

"That's what you get for not using the towel!" I said while laughing. He got up, just to slip and fall again. I roared with laughter after that one. He got up one more time, being cautious of where he stepped. Instead of braving it out, he just jumped to my bed. I was still giggling a little.

"Glad I brightened up your morning."

"Yeah." I said, "Guess it was all I needed. You falling totally brightened me up." There was a knock at the door. Uh oh. I looked back at Austin, who just slightly nodded. I went to the door, braced for the worst. I turned the knob and pulled, only to see… Ms. Geralds.