Notes:I love writing about vampires. It's a weakness really.
This one was written and re-written and changed around several times but in the end I really enjoy how it came out.
Thanks to pleaseactsurprisedxx and Captain for the beta and emotional support work.
I'll be posting about once a week until it's done. All 12 chapters are written and ready to go.
/ / /
Arizona Robbins stepped out of the cab and turned back to pay the driver. She was dressed in a wine red cocktail dress that fit like a glove. It was a far cry from the scrubs she wore most of her days.
She made her way down the sideway to Ciccio. It was a new Italian place in Seattle that had gotten rave reviews. And despite Arizona's affliction, she really did love Italian food. She turned her head toward the slight breeze and to allow herself to breathe in. She caught the scent of a few nearby eateries, plenty of people, and more than a few vampires.
Seattle was home to one of the largest populations of out vampires in the country. The laws in Washington state allowed them to work, to be able to build a life that was denied in some other areas of the country. Growing up as a lesbian in the 1980's and 1990's prepared Arizona for hiding a part of herself from the world. But in Seattle she had more freedom.
Thanking the doorman after he opened the door for her, Arizona headed inside of Ciccio and gave her name to the maître d, so she could be walked to a table.
"Thank you," Arizona smiled before taking her seat.
Ciccio catered to both humans and vampires. They had a selection of blood wines, dishes using animal blood, and even a small selection of fresh blood cakes. While vampires could eat human food, it was like an unflavored rice cake in terms of desirability most of the time.
Arizona checked her pager to make sure it was on vibrate only. She was the current head of the pediatric surgery department for Seattle Grace. She came from Seattle Pres two weeks ago and so far had settled nicely into her new position. She tucked her pager in her clutch before setting it on the side of the table.
When she looked up, she saw a waiter bringing someone to the table. A breathtakingly stunning someone. Dark hair and eyes and a black dress that made Arizona's fangs drop just for a second before she composed herself.
"Hi, you must be Callie," Arizona said as she stood and held her hand out.
"You must be Arizona," Callie smiled as her eyes ran over Arizona and her red dress.
After exchanging pleasantries and each ordering a glass of wine, the two looked over the menu. Both worked that day and needed something other than hospital food and bagged blood to fill them.
"When Teddy suggested this," Callie paused to shake her head. "I wasn't sure about it. But I'm really glad I said yes," she said after their dinner orders were put in.
"I'm glad Teddy talked me into it," Arizona agreed as she swirled her wine in her glass. "Moving from Seattle Press to Seattle Grace was her idea too. And it's been the best move I've made since coming out here from Hopkins."
Callie smiled as she brought her wineglass up to take a drink. The red wine, always her preference, was like honey over her tongue. "I've heard about you, a little bit," she admitted. "The nurses keep talking about how great peds is now that you're there."
Arizona smiled at the praise. "From what I've heard ortho has gotten much better since you took over." She took another drink of her wine and let the slight metallic taste sooth her. "I'm surprised we haven't had a case together. Tiny humans break a lot of bones."
"You've only been there for a few weeks. I'm sure we will," Callie said. "I do look forward to seeing you up close in the OR. I've watched you from the gallery, but sometimes your hands move so quickly it's hard to see."
"I try only to use my advanced speed when it's really time sensitive," Arizona chuckled. "It can freak out the doctors I'm working with."
"I've always wondered how it is to be a vampire and a doctor at the same time," Callie prodded lightly.
Arizona tilted her head to look at Callie a little more intently. "Well," she thought about her answer as she again swirled her wine. "I can sense heartbeats, breathing rates, and the like. I can taste some things in blood that sometimes labs miss or there isn't time for. Though the hospital frowns on that, unless we have a very good reason." She grimaced a little at the talking to she got from Chief Webber last week. "A lot of my job is not at all different than when I was human. But the things that are, well they are really different."
Callie listened to Arizona explain her abilities and couldn't help but be captivated at the blonde. The dimples, the blue eyes, the way her fangs would peak down a little when she was really passionate about something. It was an intoxicating mix.
"You were born human?" Callie asked.
"I was. I was turned about three years ago," Arizona explained. When Callie turned her hand over so her palm was up, Arizona slid her hand against it. The warmth made her relax a bit. "It's not really a first date story, but I was in a car accident. The person I was with either could let me bleed out, or they could turn me and save me."
"I'm glad you were saved," Callie said. Her eyes flicked down to their hands. Arizona's skin was cool to the touch but not cold. Callie had cut into a dead body before. She had felt death under her hands as she learned to be a doctor. This was not that.
"You're so warm," Arizona whispered. "I sometimes forget what real warmth is."
"Was it difficult? Learning to be a vampire?" Callie asked.
"Yeah," Arizona nodded. She kept her hand in Callie's to soak as much heat up as she could. "At first, I was kind of a mess, but I think I've more or less gotten the hang of it."
Callie smiled as she watched Arizona's thumb stroking over her wrist. "Can you feel my heartbeat?"
Arizona nodded as her tongue poked out for her to lick her lips. "71 beats a minute right now." She answered as she tapped against Callie's wrist with her index finger on each beat. "Strong, steady, a hearty heart."
Callie wasn't scared by Arizona. There was something about her that commanded respect, but she really didn't project herself as someone to fear. "So, if the power goes out, are you the hospital diagnostic backup?"
Arizona laughed as their meals were brought out and set before them. Callie with salmon and asparagus and Arizona with a roasted bone marrow and blood sauce.
"That looks shockingly good," Callie commented as she looked at Arizona's plate.
"It is," Arizona smiled. "It's rare to find a place who can make me want semi human food. I eat it sometimes at the hospital to make people forget. If they see me eating lunch they don't think about me drinking blood. It makes me normal in their eyes."
"You, Arizona Robbins, are not normal," Callie chuckled. "In the best way."
"You're pretty extraordinary yourself," Arizona smiled.
After finishing their dinners, and each getting dessert of their own since Arizona was dying to try their blood pudding, the pair made their way outside. The warm evening made strolling along the street comfortable. They linked hands after a block or two, enjoying the bright moon overhead.
"I haven't been on a first date that I've enjoyed this much in a very long time," Callie said as they walked through a park.
"Me either," Arizona agreed. "Being with you settles me."
"Does it?" Callie asked. She stopped as they reached a spot where they could see the water. She wrapped her arms around Arizona as Arizona wrapped hers around Callie.
Arizona leaned up with what she planned to be a simple kiss. It was deepened almost immediately by Callie. But soon she turned over control to Arizona as her arms tightened around the vampire.
As the kiss lingered on, a kiss not unlike this flooded through both of their minds. Both froze for a moment before the kiss was broken off.
"We've … a club a couple of years ago … we … in the alley around back…" Callie managed to get out.
"Yeah, yeah we did," Arizona whispered.
Arizona hadn't forgotten the moment, or the woman who she danced with for hours, but the club was almost pitch black Arizona had been new to town. Until the kiss, she didn't put this face with the woman she fucked in an alley just miles from here.
Callie bent her head to kiss Arizona again. She took more control of this kiss than she had the first. Her tongue more firmly slid over Arizona's before backing up and running over her teeth the way it had that night. The growl Arizona let out wasn't a warning but one of pleasure. It drew a smile to Callie's lips.
"Don't do that with my fangs down," Arizona warned. "Not in public. Not unless you want to be pressed against the nearest flat surface."
Callie's dark eyes locked with Arizona's blues. "Is that all it takes?"
Arizona chuckled low in her throat. She rested her forehead against Callie's collarbone as she felt the body heat from Callie sinking in to warm her up. It was the type of pleasure she got so rarely.
"I don't have another day off until Sunday," Callie whispered as she decided to try and plan a second date. "Maybe we can see each other in the evening or later afternoon so you don't have to be in the sun?"
"I can handle a little sun," Arizona said as she pulled her head back to look into Callie's dark brown eyes. "Can I walk you to your car or home or get you a cab?" She asked as the pull to protect Callie safe filled her.
"I live on the other side of the park," Callie gestured. "Walk with me?"
They set off toward Callie's apartment slowly. Arizona was lost in thought of how easy this all felt, and Callie thinking of how nice it felt for a first date to go well for the first time in a long time.
They came to a stop in front of Callie's building with the hospital just across the street. Both their hands in the others as neither really wanted to pull back from the other as they stood off to the side of the sidewalk so people could pass them.
"I'll text you about Sunday, and we can settle on a time and decide what we want to do?" Arizona said with a smile up to Callie.
"I could come over to your place and make dinner and we could watch a movie if you don't want to go out? Just spend time together?" Callie offered without mentioning Arizona coming to her place instead.
"I have a kitchen that I don't use much," Arizona said. "I have pots and pans though so if you want to bring something over and cook for us, I'd love to try your food."
"Even if it'll be human food?" Callie said uncertain she could learn how to make food with blood in time for Sunday. "It won't be too bland for you?"
"Nothing about you or what you could make me is bland, Callie," Arizona smiled warmly.
"Sunday then," Callie smiled down at Arizona.
"Sunday then," Arizona agreed.
Neither spoke a moment as they just stood together. The date had gone well and now neither wanted to be the first to make a move to end it. But Callie had to get home.
"I have rounds at 8 AM," Callie said after a few moments of standing together.
"Me too," Arizona said with a nod. "I'll see you at work," she whispered before leaning up and giving Callie a soft kiss. Before Callie could say anything in return, Arizona walked away.
Callie stood there, her left shoulder against the building, and grinned like she had just completed a career defining surgery as she watched Arizona walk away.