Chapter 2.

Steve shoved the rusty old key of his apartment into the rusty old lock on the door. When he heard it click he gave the door a little shove with his arm and it swung open. He looked around his apartment with disgust. Soon he would be leaving.

"The sooner the better," he snarled a loud. All those nosey workers in this block, they didn't think he could hear them. But they didn't know what he was. They didn't know that he heard every laugh they stifled, every tiptoe they took, and every snide comment they made behind their hands. Oh he heard all right, and he would have done something about it too, except he didn't want to blow his cover. He couldn't have little Shanikins running to his hometown to the rescue too soon. Now that would be a disaster. No he must bide his time. Get Annie on his side and then when the time was right... BAM! Steve thumped his hand down on his wooden coffin. He would get him. Darren would be sorry. Steve looked out the tiny window. Night was just beginning to fall. He could go out and feed soon. He was starving. He had been living mainly on animals as not to arouse suspicion. Steve took out his little black notebook. The book marked, "Annie." He slowly opened the cover and carelessly flicked through the yellowing pages. Eventually he reached a page with the heading "Food."

He saw the Annie's favourite place to dine was a little Italian restaurant down a little road near his apartment actually. He flicked the pages back a little then picked up his phone and dialled the number on the page. He was taking a risk here. He was counting on Annie to not have changed the phone number. It began to ring and eventually Steve heard her soft voice on the other and of the line.

"Hello?"

"Hi is this Annie?" Steve waited in bated breath. Would she slam the phone down?

"Yes it is. How may I help you?"

"Annie its Steve...."

"Oh okay. Is anything the matter?"

Steve noticed the worry in her voice. This was good. It showed she already cared about him. Well he was her only link to Darren left. Some people would have run away from that link, wanting to forget, but not Annie. Steve always knew how brae she was and now....

"Hello Steve are you still there?" Annie's anxious voice pulled him away from his thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry, I was just wondering if you'd like to get together."

"Well I... I'm flattered Steve but..."

"No!" Steve forced out a laugh, "Not like that. Just dinner. As friends. To...eh...to reminisce about Darren." That was it; he had said the magic words.

"Well... I suppose I haven't seen you in years and you are the only.... Yeah sure why not? What had you got in mind?"

Steve grinned. "Dinner tomorrow night at that Italian restaurant in the high street?"

"Yes of course that sounds wonderful!"

"I'll pick you up at 7?"

"Alright."

Annie put down the phone. Steve put down the phone. Excellent now all he had to do was give her a good time tomorrow night and get through eating rotten Italian food. But he would think about that later. Now he was off into the night to hunt.