A/N: Hello lovely people. I come to you once more with a little tale. Things are just coming back to me with such random prompting. I hope to get to writing more fiction soon though. Please give this a read and enjoy.

OOOOOOOOO

David walked along the boardwalk, a place he'd watch change and grow over the decades. He never changed – he felt no need to. Neither did his Boys. When a bloody meal remained easy prey to their natural good looks, what was the point of changing?

As long as she's happy, David thought, glancing to his right.

Calli was walking along, her eyes taking in the bright lights as if she'd never seen them before. He was always amused about how she always reacted like they were new to her. The boardwalk would be a dangerous place for her if she was on her own, but that rarely – if ever – happened.

"Ooh! David look!" Calli exclaimed, pointing. "It's a dog!"

David saw the mutt that she was talking about, tied to a post. He tried keeping her next to his side, but Calli broke away from him and moved towards the dog. David listened to the animal's heartbeat pick up and watched its ears perk up as Calli approached it.

Oh, let her play with the doggie.

Everyone needs to learn a lesson somehow.

Shut it.

David moved closer and put his hand on her spine as she stood near the dog. She put her hand out and David half-expected the dog to take a snap at her. Instead, it sniffed her hand and let out a pitiful whine. Calli looked at David with big eyes.

"Can we keep him?" she asked. "He's clearly been abandoned."

David shook his head. "You know that the lease you signed doesn't let you have pets."

"Oh, right." Her brow furrowed. "What about you and the Boys keeping him?"

David rolled his eyes and reached down, unhooking the dog from the post. "We're not keeping a random stray."

"David!" Calli cried, moving to take the leash that was attached to the dog. "We can't just let him roam the streets."

The Lost Boy looked at her. It still puzzled him how someone who had so little would want to give so much to those that had nothing. If she wasn't buying a meal for the homeless man in the parking lot, she was offering a few dollars to those who begged for it. Some called her crazy for it. How quick she was to fall for the pleading eyes of those less fortunate and sometimes the lying "poor". David could see the kind soul within her, wished it was less so because it would make it easier for when he turned her. A kind soul wouldn't last as a vampire.

But he wanted to make her a vampire. He wanted her eternally by his side. So he humored her and her kindness.

David was so lost in thought that he relaxed his grasp on the leash and Calli was able to catch hold of it. She glared at him.

"I'm going to find him a home," she stated, sticking her chin out defiantly. "Come on, puppy."

She turned and started walking away from him. David rolled his eyes and helped himself to a new cigarette. He started following her, intent on keeping a close watch on the show.

Calli went up to random families and asked if they'd like to have the dog. David had never seen her interact with so many people, never once approach a person like she was doing for this dog. It couldn't have possibly meant that much to her.

What if it does?

What if she's finally crossed the line you were afraid of?

C'mon, it's just a dog.

David looked at Calli and saw her glance back at him with a sad hope in her eyes as yet another family turned her down. She stuck her tongue out and continued onto the next family. The momentary glance was enough for David to slip into her mind, to see what drove her on so passionately this time.

She once had a dog that looked so similar to the one she now guided on the boardwalk. Hers had been female, loving, and her best friend for years. Because of the situation that Calli had been raised in – as well as that puppy – the dog had been mistreated, abused, and ultimately, grew sick and died. Calli never forgave herself for letting it happen. It had been out of her control, but still she blamed herself.

David's cunning blue eyes scanned the crowd on the boardwalk, taking in everything at once. He whistled to Calli and she turned to look at him, confused. The vampire moved over to her and took hold of the dog. Calli reached out for it, almost reflexively, but David shook his head.

He walked over to a man standing next to his wife and two young kids. The man immediately put himself in front of his small family as if he thought that David was going to attack them. Maybe if he hadn't known Calli, but a lot of things had changed when that girl walked into his life.

Take the dog. Treat him well.

The command got through. With the weak-minded, it always did. The man took the leash from David and turned to his family. David sealed the command with one more firm look, then he smirked and moved away from the family.

"What did you do?" Calli asked once he had rejoined her side.

"Found your dog a home," David said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Calli smiled and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you, David."

David wrapped an arm around her and held her to him, his eyes seeing dangers that she wouldn't have noticed. He didn't want her to notice them. He wanted to protect her until she could protect herself.

Turn her…

Make her one of us…

Time is the only enemy here…

David guided Calli into the more well lit portions of the boardwalk and she didn't seem to mind. Her eyes were caught by large stuffed animals and different kinds of vendors. David stole a choker off a display and clasped it around her throat. Calli gave him a warning look and slid some money next to the cashier, without attracting the boy's attention. David smirked, unwilling to change that part of himself.

Calli's stomach was making sounds and David heard them. He moved them over to a vendor selling ice cream creations and ordered Calli one with a brownie on top. It only took him a moment to realize that her attention had been stolen by a kid on the boardwalk, one less fortunate than them. He rolled his eyes and ordered a vanilla cone with sprinkles before she could ask him to.

Calli's face lit up as the vendor handed her the vanilla cone and she skipped over to the kid, handing him the cone. The boy's face was one of awe as Calli waved goodbye and rejoined David.

"Thanks again, David," she said, taking the ice cream that he'd gotten her from him.

She climbed onto the railing of the boardwalk and perched on the top board, settling down to eat. David moved to her side and focused on his cigarette, his version of a treat. Calli happily munched on her ice cream for several moments before sighing.

"What's wrong?" David asked, glancing at her.

"Lactose," Calli said with a frown, holding out the ice cream to him. "My stomach already hurts. I'm sorry hon."

David took the ice cream and chucked it over the railing. It wouldn't have been fair of him to eat the rest of the ice cream when she couldn't even make it through half. David put a hand to her cheek and held her gaze. Calli offered him a wan smile, but he caught her glancing at his lips.

Always looking for a kiss…

David lowered his face to hers and brushed his lips against hers. She tasted sweeter than normal and David had to fight with his inner demons to keep from devouring her right there. Every moment as a human was a threat to her. Especially around him. Especially at his and his Boys' hunting grounds.

Turning her would be so easy…one bite, a couple drops of blood down the hatch, and then half the process is done…she takes a nap for the night and wakes up tomorrow ready to kill, to feed…

But the question was: if she was ready to be turned into a creature of the night?

David broke away from her just a bit and looked into her eyes. She held his gaze. That crazy beautiful girl who would do anything for anyone in need, at the cost of herself, looked back at him and stared a greater evil in the face. David saw his answer in her eyes and smirked.

He ignored the noise in his head as he helped Calli off the railing and led her back towards the motorcycles. The Boys were throwing a ruckus, but they would have to be patient. They wouldn't be allowed to mess with her like they had been able to with others in the past. Ones that never made it. Ones that Calli would never hear about.

"Is it too late to tell Felicia?" she asked, looking up at him.

David's blue eyes smoldered. "Make it a surprise."

OOOOOOOOOO

A/N: There's a bunch of random ideas that I've got going on in my head and they keep coming with the songs that I listen to. This was actually inspired by a country song and I have no problems with that. Please leave a comment or two in the review box and have a lovely night. -Scarlet