Chapter 11: Shopping

Summary: Alessandra and Damon go out to get her ring.

Please Read and Review. I already have a lot of this story written. It spans several decades. I have it all the way to about the 1920's. The more reviews I get the more I'll post. Thanks to those who have reviewed already, keep it up.

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The jewelry store was devoid of people this late.

Damon supposed it was odd for a person to shop for lapis lazuli at such late hours, but what business was it to anyone else, but he and his female companion?

The shop keeper was the only one inside the shop.

Damon looked through the glass at the selection of rings, necklace, and bracelets.

"Pick one." Damon replied.

"Anyone I want?" Alessandra asked.

"Of course." Damon said smiling.

Alessandra's eyes flowed over the choices, finally stopping to look at a necklace. It was a pear cut lapis dangling from a silver chain.

"That one." She pointed, smiling.

The store keeper unlocked the encasement and held it out for her to see.

She nodded.

The store keeper wrapped it up in thin paper and placed it inside a dainty box.

Damon handed him the money and the man returned the change.

The man handed the box to Alessandra. Her hands reached up to take the box, but when she looked at it her eyes traveled down to his wrists. The huge blue vein bulged out like a fork in the road. She didn't realize it but she was holding the man by the wrist now, eyeing this vein like a hawk eyes it's prey.

/Not here./ Damon's mental voice sounded, /This one's not for eating./

"Thank you, Senor." Damon smiled, and removed Alessandra's hands from his wrists.

He stared at her like she was a freak.

When they walked into the night, Damon turned her to face him.

"I'm new at this too, but I don't think it's wise to feed in such a risky area. Anyone could have walked inside. We must keep this a secret. The only ones who need know are our victims and they won't be around afterwards to tell a soul."

Alessandra looked weak. She swayed slightly on her feet, and her eyelids seemed to weigh down her eyes. Her breaths came in quick gasps.

"Damon, I feel...I feel so weak." She was barely audible.

Damon lifted her off the ground, and carried her like a baby.

She clung to him, like a child does it's father.

There was no time left to waste.

She had to feed now.

Damon pulled into an alley way and scanned the faces walking through the towns square. Pimps and prostitutes stood on the corners of streets. Calling out to any man who was alone.

Damon leaned Alessandra up against a wall and walked into the street. He saw the one he wanted.

A blonde, overweight, woman, popping out of her dress stood alone, calling out to men as they passed.

None of them seemed interested in this one, with her stretch marks and saddle bags.

"You looking for a date?" She asked Damon as he passed.

Damon smiled, "As a matter a fact, yes, I could use a date."

The woman licked her lips, "That'll cost you."

Damon pulled the money from his coat pocket, "I think I can cover it." he smiled shuffling through it.

The woman took his arm and they began to walk down the street. Damon smiled at her to keep her from becoming nervous and she in turn smiled at him.

Damon headed towards the alley. The voices from the people faded.

"Down here." he told the woman.

Her eyes widened as she turned with him down the alley. Darkness was all she could see, Damon knew.

But he could see perfectly.

"Here." he said to the woman in a tone that would make her stop.

She stood in front of him a look of confusion on her face.

Damon looked to the left. Alessandra was walking towards him and the woman. The moonlight kissed her skin and illuminated her from within. Her eyes were a silvery blue now from the need. Her lips were slightly parted hungrily. Her brown hair was slightly disheveled.

The prostitute saw her now, and her look of confusion deepened. She didn't understand.

Alessandra's lips slipped back from her teeth, revealing fully extended canines.

The woman understood now.

She opened her mouth to scream, but faster than she could intake a breath, Damon covered her mouth.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Damon smiled, then to Alessandra, "Bite here, or here." he pointed to an artery and then a vein.

Alessandra smiled and took her strike. She hit the vein on the first try, and she began to feed happily.

"Sleep." Damon whispered to the woman, whose body sunk immediately. Damon loved this new sense of power, of being in control. The feeling was riveting.

Alessandra drank deeply, until the woman's flesh began to turn blue from lack of blood.

Damon stopped her, "That's enough, cara."

Alessandra rose. Her lips stained with blood.

Damon couldn't resist, he leaned over and licked the blood from her lips.

She moaned and looked into his eyes.

"Let's go home." Damon smiled.

They walked hand in hand back to the apartment.