Whoo! Chapter 2. Rae has been given the Gift... Now what?

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Rae felt alone from her normal world; in only a moment she now felt like an outcast. But around Khain, she knew that, since she was now like him, she would never be alone; but how wrong she was. She could only find one thing to say. "Khain," she whispered. Its tone was almost a statement and a question at the same time.

His eyes dropped to the ground, speechless and awed just the same. When hearing his name he looked up instantaneously. He stumbled for words, but found the one word that he felt awkward for. "Yes?" he asked softly, his words barely above a whisper. He was wondering what she was thinking herself. His eyes searched her face for answers, and unless she told him, he would never know.

Rae stood solemn for a moment before speaking up. "I...I want to stay with you." At these words, she couldn't suppress her emotions any longer. Her eyes began to well up. "You-" She paused to sniff. "You probably think I'm just some stupid little teenager..." she said with a melancholy air. She looked up at him, quite pitiful. "Don't leave me here, Khain."

Khain's face must've seemed mocking, as a smile appeared and then vanished. He shook himself from his own ranting thoughts and opened his mouth to speak. "Of course, I'll stay with you," he said, hand reached out to touch her face, a small smile appeared. "I don't think you're stupid or anything like that, you're beautiful and now you're with me. I won't ever leave you..." He spoke honestly; he knew that he would never leave her, not for anything.

Rae smiled as a tear slid down her pale cheek. She felt love for the first time in her life. She felt care and concern, and above all, she trusted a vampire; that is, to say, one who had been a vampire longer than she had been. Her gaze was suddenly turned away, as a very awkward soft rumble emitted from her stomach. She finally remembered; she had to drink blood.

Khain's hand reached out again to brush away the lone tear. He couldn't imagine how exactly she was feeling, but his was close enough. He had never learned to love...exactly. He had learned long ago that love was deception; that it would only be gained to those who truly deserved it. He felt the need to love the lonesome teenager and now he had fallen in love with her as easily as he could hate...hate being alone. He heard her rumbling and smiled. "We should find you a decent meal," he said while glancing at the streets. "I'm guessing you are hungry, I know how you feel." He lightly brushed a light kiss on her cheek and then grinned.

Rae closed her eyes and smiled as he gently kissed her. She opened them again, and for the first time in her personality checks, she gave a malicious grin. The adrenaline of hunting had already overtaken her. "You know the ropes," she said with a wry smile. "Lead the way." She grinned.

Khain's eyes sparkled, as he watched her face melt into a smile, that smile which he had imagined from the beginning. He nodded and then laughed. "Of course, if you'll follow..." the sly grin reappeared. He looked around at the streets, eyeing the crowds of mortals with piercing eyes. He nodded towards a direction. "This way..." he said in a soft voice. He smiled and then started walking slowly.

Rae, in a childish way, now felt like the villain instead of the heroine. She walked normally and closely to Khain, her eyes darting around the crowd. Now the heartbeats were ever apparent...and it only made her blood-lust grow. She thirsted, but continued to follow Khain.

He wasn't so very hungry, as he had already fed; the thought made his smile reappear. He was slightly excited, and pleased with the company very much. He didn't, by himself, know how much he had fallen in love with this new vampiress of which he had created. "You may have your pick of the mortals," he stated, whispering, as if someone might have been listening. "Any mortal you like is yours..."

Rae smiled at this thought. She got down to thinking sinister. This made her smile again, but then she became more serious. It was an art, she supposed, choosing a mortal. Some might be better than others, and some may be weaker and easier than others. She looked around, and Khain seemed to have disappeared. She shrugged this off.

Rae looked around again, surveying the people meandering. Her eyes suddenly set upon a boy, only about 13, sitting on the sidewalk against a wall. She chuckled, for she thought that this is what she might have looked like to Khain as she sat crouched in a ball, looking pitiful. She strode calmly over to the boy and sat down gently next to him. The boy looked up.

He had been leaning casually against the wall, waiting for her arrival. He could hear, through his vampiric powers, the struggle of the boy, and the flush of blood to her lips. He silently praised her, while his head was laid back on the cool wall. He heard her footfalls and pushed off from the wall with ease. Yes, he could smell the blood from her lips and fangs, the smell pleased him. He ran quick fingers back through his hair, letting his copper hair fall back over his face. When he saw her, he smiled jovially and then walked nearer to her, a pleased smile flashing across his face.

Rae suddenly found Khain, there just around the corner. She smiled, her bloody fangs showing, and she licked them ivory white again. She came close to him, grinning. "It's wonderful..." she said softly. "One does happen to love it more than chocolate..." She drifted off, her eyes spacing out. She had said this because she was indeed a chocoholic. Rae's sweet-tooth would always get the better of her. But now, her favorite taste was the rich, sweet smell of innocently shed, crimson blood.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Yes," he said gently. "A quite wonderful thing and I was hoping you'd like it better than chocolate." He laughed again. "And a natural killer you are, m'dear, none could do no better the first time," he spoke this in his teasing manner, but laughed gently all the same. He sighed and then looked heavenward, head slightly tilted. He looked back at her and then grinned.

Rae shuddered at his grin, but in a good way. Although she hadn't seen herself in a mirror since she had been bitten, she was sure that his grin was much more frightening than hers. She smiled. "So," she said casually, putting her hands on her hips. "What do vampires do in their spare time?" She looked him in the eyes, one brow raised, and with a wry smile.

Khain nodded to her and then checked his watch. Glancing up at the sky again, he sighed. This was a natural thing for him to do, a rather strange thing, but natural all the same. He smiled when looking back at her, eyes sparkling in adoration. "Well," he said, "I know a few vampires who stay at nightclubs and party, others wander, as myself, and others sulk in their apartments until time to feed." He laughed when he had finished. "There are other things, but I'll not say them. Basically, vampires can go and do anything and anywhere they please as mortals do. Like vampires can go to the movies, for instance." He found it hard to explain, but grinned anyway.

Rae nodded. "Wandering, eh?" She chuckled, slowly shaking her head. "I'd be emaciated from boredom if I attempted that." She laughed softly. She eyed him in a new light, and cautiously took his hand. "I'm game for the night-life," she said softly, but strongly.

"I could've guessed the same for your emaciation of boredom," he smiled. He raised her hand, which held his, and kissed it tenderly. "And the night-life is waiting for you and I then," he said gently, still grinning.

"But isn't it always night-life for us?" She smiled.

He nodded at her statement about night-life for them, and laughed softly, eyes glittering in happiness. "You've made me very happy, love," he said softly, eyes fixated on her.

Rae was easily moved, but this made her heart wrench with joy. A tear slid down her cheek. She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him in embrace. "How so?" she whispered tearily. She was smiling, which, except when she made jokes, was very rare in her lifestyle.

Seeing her tear, and embraced by her, he quickly wiped it away. He gave her a slight hug before replying, and planted a slow kiss on her forehead. "For just being yourself and loving me. You've made me happy because you're here in my arms," he said while wrapping his own arms around her waist. He looked down at her with a smile.

"Khain..." said Rae softly, pulling away and looking at him."You're the first one I've ever loved...and the first one who has ever loved me." She smiled, her eyes grateful. But she wiped a tear away on her sleeve. "C'mon, then," she said, jerking her head once to the right. "Let's go check out the mortal night-life." She smiled.

He smiled. "I'm glad to hear what you say, I'm pleased I've made you happy," he said in a low tone. He laughed softly, a little more tenderly than before. He nodded, following her gaze. "I'm ready when you are," he said with a devilish smile.

Rae grinned back. She took his hand again, taking him with her down the sidewalk. She was again met by passing mortals, but her thirst was quenched already. She went on, her black hair swaying in the wind.

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What adventures will these two have next? Find out in the next chapter. o.o