For the first time, Chloe wasn't sure what to wear out. Usually, she was fine wearing whatever she pulled out of her closet or drawers. But, tonight wasn't really just any night out. It was a date. The first date she had ever been on, actually.
"You look nice." A voice spoke up from behind her. Chloe turned around and smiled shyly at her friend.
"You think so?" Chloe asked, turning back to the mirror of the bathroom and nervously messing around with her hair.
"Jeez, Chlo. Calm down!" She replied, walking into the bathroom and turning the dark haired girl around to face her.
"I'm sorry, Mel. I'm just really nervous." Chloe admitted. Melody laughed.
"I can tell." She teased. Chloe rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"Go easy on me. You know it's pretty much my first date ever." She protested.
"That's why I'm here! Moral support." Mel beamed with a wide smile. Chloe took a breath as she stared at the dark auburn haired archangel in front of her. Melody was the first angel she met after she became one, and they shared a bond on many different levels. They were like sisters in a sense. Melody stood quite a bit taller than Chloe. But both girls had long hair and delicate facial features.
The difference between the two angels was that Melody had been an angel much longer than Chloe. So she was referred to as an archangel. Chloe had a long way to go to reach that status. Melody had been doing this for almost twenty-five hundred years and Chloe had only been an angel for almost a century.
"Do you think I should touch up my makeup?" Chloe asked as she turned back to the mirror. Melody turned her back around to face her.
"Oh my gosh! Stop it! You look stunning, OK?" Mel sighed and shook her head. Chloe pursed her lips and looked down. "Sorry, Chlo." She apologized and pushed her friend's hair behind her shoulders. "I just don't want you to overdo it."
"I know. I just can't help it. I'm super nervous." Chloe replied as she brought her gaze back up to Mel.
"Tell me more about him." Mel smiled, trying to get Chloe to calm down. The two girls headed downstairs and into the kitchen where they sat at the table.
"He's really nice. Very gentleman like." She smiled as she traced the outline of the floral patterned tablecloth. "Oh!" Her head snapped up as if she just remembered something. "He has a metal arm. Isn't that cool?" Chloe asked excitedly.
"Really?" Mel leaned forward, eager to hear more. Chloe nodded before continuing.
"He showed it to me at the bookstore today. It was interesting." She said. Mel rested her chin in her hand.
"Is that why you seem so nervous?" She asked. Chloe bit her lip and looked down at the table. After a moment, she shook her head. "Then why?"
"He's..." Chloe sighed and brought her head up, meeting her friend's gaze. "He's a vampire." She finally admitted. Mel looked at her with wide eyes.
"He's a vampire?!" Her voice seemed to raise at least two octaves. Chloe looked off to the side. "Chlo... You have to be careful. I've met a few of his kind in my time." Her voice returned to normal and took on an intensely serious tone. "None of whom had honorable intentions."
"I get it. He told me the same thing." Chloe replied with a nod. Melody opened her mouth, but Chloe held up her hand to stop her. "He also said that not all of 'his kind' are like that." She put air quotes around the words with her fingers.
"Of course he did..." Mel rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He wants you all for himself. He wants to drain you. Or keep you locked up forever. Don't you know what our blood does to them?" She stood up from the table and threw her hands up in frustration. Chloe furrowed her brows and tilted her head. Mel's eyes grew wide again. "You really don't know, do you?"
"I guess it was one of the topics that wasn't covered during new angel orientation..." Chloe replied sarcastically. Mel narrowed her eyes.
"This isn't something to joke about!" Melody exclaimed. She sat down at the table again and placed her hands on the surface. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "Put simply, our blood is addictive. It's like a drug to them because it's... Well, it's essentially blessed." She said. "From what I know, they can taste the heavens when they drink us. It gives them the taste of what they can never have, because they're damned." Mel looked at Chloe with a gravely serious look.
"But Mel..." Chloe pursed her lips. "We can sense the good, and bad, in everyone. Can we not?" She asked. Mel nodded slowly. "I didn't sense anything bad from him. No hidden agenda, no evil plans... Nothing."
"Chloe, I just don't know if I want you to go." Melody looked down and let out a heavy sigh.
"I think you should give him a chance." Chloe replied quietly. Mel looked up at her friend, her mouth slightly agape.
"Are you serious right now?" Her voice was full of disbelief.
"Yes, I am." Chloe replied. "What gives us the right to decide that all vampires are bad because we haven't come across a 'good' one yet?" She was a little irritated that Mel was so quick to judge him.
"Uh...We're angels. Shouldn't that give us all the rights we need to judge someone? Or something?" She replied. Chloe felt her jaw drop. After a moment of silence, she stood up from the table.
"You're the last person I expected this to come from." She said sadly. "You may be my superior, but you're not my mother." Chloe turned and headed towards the door to leave. She stopped in the kitchen entrance and turned back to face Mel. She opened her mouth to speak, but decided against it.
"Chloe!" Melody called out. Chloe turned her back and headed out the front door, feeling a bit of anger well up inside her.
James sat in the booth, patiently waiting for Chloe to walk in. He was rather nervous and found himself counting the sugar packets in the holder on the table. More than once, actually. Then, he could smell her blood pumping. She hadn't even walked in the door yet, but he could already smell her as if she was right next to him.
When she came in, James felt his jaw drop and his muscles tensed. His predatory instinct kicked into overdrive. Her dark hair was in loose spiral curls that fell around her face, framing her delicate features. Her makeup was barely noticeable; not that she needed much. It did bring out her eyes, though. But the dress... Oh, that dress. She sure was looking to impress him tonight.
It was a dark blue dress that hugged her curves nicely with one shoulder exposed. There was a fabric belt around her waist with a bow adorned in the middle. She was wearing black heels to give her more height. James couldn't help but chuckle inside. He liked the fact that she was so small.
"Hello, Chloe." James smiled at her. He gently took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. She smiled at him.
"Hello, James." She replied. "I hope you weren't waiting too long." Chloe said as she slid into the booth.
"Not at all." James shook his head as he slid in opposite her. She slipped her purse off her shoulder and set it next to her. "Thank you for accepting my invitation." His eyes locked onto hers and he felt like he was going to get lost in those beautiful brown pools.
"Of course." Chloe replied happily. The waiter came over and took their drink orders before walking away again. "I wasn't doing much tonight anyway." She joked with a laugh. James chuckled softly as well.
"Nice to know I was able to spice up your evening." He retorted. Chloe bit her lip, debating on whether or not she wanted to ask him about...what he was. She was sure he had questions of his own as well. James noticed her silence and gently placed his hand on hers. "Penny for your thoughts?" He asked. Chloe looked at him and smiled.
"Talk about an old expression." She laughed. James nodded with a knowing smile. "I'm just...curious about you." She admitted. "I've..." Chloe stopped and sighed, wondering if she would sound foolish. "I've never met a vampire before."
"Really?" James asked. He couldn't hide the surprised tone of his voice. Chloe nodded, but didn't speak. "How long have you been an angel?"
"About a century." She replied. The waiter came back with their drinks and asked for their orders. However, neither of them were very hungry right now. He left them with a shrug before saying he would come back to check on them.
"And you never met...someone like me, before now?" James prodded.
"No." Chloe took a drink, slipping her hand from James'. "You and..." She paused, trying to remember his friend's name. "Steve! You and Steve were the first ones I've ever met." She finished. "He seems...different than you."
"That's putting it lightly." James sighed and shook his head. "We've been friends since...before it happened. He was always such a good kid. Weak and scrawny like nobody's business. But he was good..." He trailed off, leaving Chloe curious.
"And now?" She asked.
"Now, he uses everything to his advantage." James stated. "I keep trying to get him to stop being such an asshole, but it hasn't really done much good."
"I'm sorry." Chloe apologized. James looked at her with a slight smile.
"It's not your fault, doll." He said. Doll? Chloe smirked. James seemed so old fashioned. It reminded her of her younger days. Much younger days.
"Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer, if you don't want to." Chloe crossed her legs under the table.
"Go for it." James replied. He seemed enthusiastic about sharing information with her. Chloe took a breath before she spoke.
"Have you ever... Um..." She bit her lip and looked down. James remained quiet, allowing her to regain her composure. "Have you ever drank from an angel?" Once the words were out in the air, Chloe felt relieved. But also a little nervous. She didn't know what she was hoping he would say. Something good, of course...
"Honestly?" James paused. "No." Now it was Chloe's turn to be surprised. "I've only ever smelled them. Which, I know, sounds weird." He laughed, which caused Chloe to smile.
"What do they smell like?"
"Each one is different. Some angels have a few scents in common. But I haven't come across any two that smell the same." James explained. Chloe reached across the table and gently slipped her hand into his.
"What do I smell like?" She asked. James looked at her and cleared his throat before tearing his eyes away from her.
"Well, you, uh..." He shifted in his seat and licked his lips. Chloe wondered if she had made him uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." She apologized. James shook his head.
"No need to apologize. You just caught me off guard." He replied. "Do you think we could go for a walk?" He suggested. "I'd rather talk about this where we're not as likely to be overheard."
"Of course." Chloe replied. She waved down the waiter and gave him a ten to pay for their drinks. His demeanor changed when he realized how much of a tip she had given him. James stood up from the booth and held out his hand for her. She slipped her hand into his and stood up.
"Feel like taking a walk on the beach?"