That night, Melinda packed everything she could, which didn't amount to very much. She dug out her old backpack, which was tattered and worn, but she didn't have anything else to use.

Melinda packed her clothes, what few toiletries she had and looked around her shabby one room shack.

Well, I won't miss this, she thought.

The only other thing she packed was the only piece of jewelry she owned; a golden ring her father had left to her.

She slid the ring on her hand, her vision misting over. At least she had this as a memento of her father.

She looked out through one of the many holes in the wall. The sun was shining, just as it always had. Strange, that something she had seen every day of her life should look so different now. So much had changed in one night. Melinda knew, now that she would be traveling with Sven, she wouldn't get to enjoy the sunshine as much any more. She made a vow on that sunrise to get out and drink in the day from time to time.

After she was done packing, she curled up in a patch of sunlight shining through and fell asleep.

In what seemed like the next moment, something shook her awake and she opened her eyes.

To stare straight into deep red ones.

Melinda tried to scream, but out of thin air a hand appeared to cover her mouth.

"Hush." said a deep, velvety voice. "It's me."

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. When they did, she gasped. All her memories of the pervious night came flooding back to her at the sight of Sven kneeling beside her.

When he saw the look of recognition in Melinda's eyes, Sven took his hand off her mouth.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes." Melinda said quickly.

"Get your things, then." Sven said as he stood up.

Melinda scrambled up and hurried to grab her backpack. She noted that Sven also had a bag slung over his shoulder. She wondered where he'd gotten it.

"Where are we going?" she asked him.

"I had supposed you already had a location in mind." Sven replied.

Melinda thought about it for a moment. "Not really…well… I've always wanted to go to America."

Sven looked perplexed. "Where?"

"Oh." Melinda blushed. She had forgotten that the United States hadn't existed when Sven was awake. "Um…It is a country on a continent found after you… went to sleep."

Sven closed his eyes and thought back to his semi-aware dream state. She was right. The "New World" had been discovered after he had put himself to rest. He couldn't believe it. A whole continent. And now this "America" was the most powerful country in the world. 700 years really was a long time.

"…I don't have a problem with that… but you and I do not speak the language used there and I do not have any currency from this time," Sven stated. "How do you propose we go about this?"

It is weird to have a vampire asking for my advice. Melinda thought. "Okay. Let me think…wait. Can we use all that gold you had the other night?"

In response, Sven slipped the pack off his shoulder, his cloak fluttering with the movement. He opened it and displayed the contents to Melinda. Inside, were all the valuables she had seen in the cubby last night.

"Alright." Melinda took in a deep breath. "That is a start. First, we need to get that exchanged for usable money. Then…new clothes. We'll figure out the language thing later. After that…" she paused to breathe. "…We need to go to the nearest airport and get tickets to America. Umm…I know this is rude, but are you afraid of heights?"

Sven almost snorted. "Of course not." He answered haughtily.

"Good. Because we will be flying there."

Sven's eyes widened a bit. "Flying?"

"Yeah. That is what the tickets are for. They are plane tickets." Melinda thought for a moment. "A plane is…a big steel…umm…it's kind of like a boat. It holds people and things, and can travel long distances, except it is much faster because it flies through the air. I don't know exactly how it works, but it is supposed to be the safest way to travel. Don't worry; it will be my first time on one too."

Amazing. Technology has advanced so far that humans are now able to achieve things that were once impossible, even to my kind. Sven marveled at that for a while. Then he thought something was odd.

"…How much education have you had?" Sven asked the girl.

Melinda blushed at the sudden question. "I spent a little time at the community center to get down the basics in all of the core subjects…they offered free classes. But mostly I stayed home and helped around the house. Why?"

Sven thought about how to phrase this so as not to offend her.

"I had assumed as much. But your plan for travel seems…very knowledgeable and thought through for someone with no professional teaching and not much contact with others." He said hesitantly.

Melinda blinked. "Oh. Right. We used to go to town sometimes…and two week rentals at the library are free, so I'd check out a lot of books… I guess that's why." Melinda had never been worried about what she looked like to others, but she wondered if it was odd to Sven that she was a book worm.

Sven raised his eye brows at that. Melinda didn't look like that bookish type…but perhaps she was smarter than she appeared.

"Tell me," Sven started "Does this library have books on languages?"