Darien smiled as he stepped into Serena's home. This girl had just unknowingly invited a vampire into her home. Poor poor Serena, what a fun game I'll play with her. She already looks at me with stars in her eyes, oh yes I'll follow her around, see what she likes, and then I'll make her love me. "This is a really nice place you have here. You must like to decorate; my apartment doesn't have nearly as much personality in it as yours does. It doesn't really have a homey feeling to it." Darien sighed sadly as he said this. It was true, any place he lived never really felt like a home. How could it? No one and nothing loved him, and wasn't it the love that made a place a home? "It's alright I suppose," Serena sadly looked around her home, "its not as nice as my old house use to be." "What do you mean?" Darien looked at his new prey, why was it that she got so sad when she looked around her apartment, did she have bad memories here? Maybe he could get her to trust him, that would really make this game fun. "I.um. I use to live in a nice house with my parents, but I.um. it's not possible anymore." One silent tear trickled down Serena's face as she said this. Then quickly she changed the subject, "So Darien, do you like coffee?" "Sure." No actually I never drink anything but blood. Then again you cried just now, letting me know that your parents are obviously your weakness, so I guess you deserve a treat. Serena walked towards the kitchen where a pot of coffee was already done being made, having been forgotten after Peter's little visit. She silently hoped it wasn't cold as she reached for two white mugs out of her cabinet and began pouring coffee for herself and Darien. "Do you like anything in your coffee?" Blood would be nice, preferably yours, "No I um. I drink mine black." At least I do today, and any other time I'm forced to drink coffee with you during this game. Serena handed him his cup. "How odd, I would figure you for a person with a little bit of a sweet tooth." What did she mean by that remark? "Sometimes perhaps, but today I'm not feeling like my normal self." Serena and Darien quietly chatted for some time after that, discussing movies, music, the weather, and all sorts of other things. They're conversation never seemed to get the awkward pause in it as it continued on into the night. Finally Serena glanced at her clock. "Oh my goodness its almost 2:00 AM!" "Really?" Darien hadn't realized how much time had gone by. He had been enjoying his conversation with this girl, but now it seemed he was going to be leaving. He very well couldn't be here till sunrise. "I guess I really should be going. I'll see you around Serena." Serena started to walk Darien to the door of her apartment. "Yea, I'll see you around," she slowly opened the door and watched him step outside, "Goodnight Darien." "Good night Serena." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* "Phew!" Serena sighed as she closed the door to her apartment behind Darien. Had they really been talking for hours? He seemed so nice; she had to see him again soon. He said he lived in her building so she'd probable see him more often now, she's notice him unlike before. This was perfect, now she's have a reason to where all her beautiful new clothes. Slowly she walked back towards the table to clean up the mugs and cookies that they had just finished. Serena then noticed the rose that was still sitting on her table, she completely forgotten it during their conversation. Quickly she grabbed up the rose and put it in water. She then brought it back out and sat it in the middle of her table. How odd, the little rose looked as if it had always been there. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Darien went down to the front desk to see a sleeping man sitting there. As gently as possible he called to the man, so as to wake him up, but not startle him into screaming. He hated screaming, it reminded him of his past victims, the ones who knew they were going to die. Those same ones knew they were not ready. "Sir," Darien called a finally time, waking the man at last, " I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I was just stopping by after I'd finished my work and I was wondering about getting an apartment in this complex." "Oh its not a problem at all." He leaned down to a drawer on his side of the desk and pulled out a stack of papers. "Just fill out these forms and call the number on that card for an appointment to speak with the man who handles these things." "Thank you for all your help." He didn't know why he was being so nice to this man. It was as if he had a reason to be, dare he say happy? That couldn't be it though, not he, he was one of the damned, one who walks the night, and drinks blood of the living, surly he was damned too to never be happy. Wasn't he though? Wasn't that part of the curse that had befallen him more then 200 years ago? Whatever the reason for this mood, he was going to enjoy it. After all it was time for him to go out and get his dinner, the taste of that wretched coffee was still in his mouth. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Serena awoke the next morning to the sound of knocking at her door. Groggily she got out of her bed and grumbled some choice words about who ever it was waking her up this early in the morning on a Saturday. As she pulled on her robe and opened the door she was immediately surprised by what she saw. A man was standing before her with a vase of a dozen white roses. He smiled sweetly and handed the arrangement to her. Then with a lift of his had he was gone. 'Who on earth would be sending me roses?' Serena walked to her dining room table and slowly put the roses down. The then took her one rose from the night before and took it into the kitchen to be placed on the breakfast nook table. Then upon returning she lifted the card out of her roses to see whom it was from. "419 @ 8 o'clock. Please come. Sincerely, Darien" Serena smiled widely as she bent down to smell the roses. Darien wanted her to have dinner with him tonight at his apartment. She'd be damned before missing it.