Chapter Five- Role-Play

Nephlite arrived a little early for the role-playing and took his time heading downstairs. He held the profile and persona of his character, adapting him for whatever setting would be used tonight. He reached the basement and entered the room where the meeting had been. He saw a conference table and three people seated around it, one of them being Lita. The other two were men who looked older than Nephlite, one with graying black hair and the other with silver-streaked red hair.

The black-haired man rose and strode toward Nephlite with a warm smile. "Hi, Nephlite. I saw you at the meeting Saturday. I'm Hal and I'm considered the 'alpha' of our group." He extended a hand.

Nephlite took the hand with his own smile. "Lita told me about your group and it sounded interesting so I thought I would come and participate." He sat across from Lita and next to the redhead who was introduced as Dale who wrote the scripts. He was delighted when Nephlite passed him his character papers and he copied them into a notebook exclusively for players' characters.

Two other people showed up before Hal rose and introduced Nephlite to them, saying he was a guest player who would consider whether or not to keep coming back. "Hopefully, you will at least come every now and again," he concluded before sitting.

"I suggest we do the urban script," Dale said. "Nephlite's character would fit in nicely, adding contrast to our characters."

"Very well. Allow Nephlite to read it so that he will be familiar with it."

Dale did so and Nephlite read through it. It was written just like a play script and, therefore, easy to follow. It told of a vast city and four werewolves living together out of protection. All four were well-thought out and their personalities were thoroughly defined. He got to the end and pushed it back to Dale, having an idea of how his character could fit in.

Hal cleared his throat and Dale poised his pen over the paper. He launched into a narrative using the first-person point of view and speaking slowly enough for Dale to write down his words. He was in wolf form on a full moon night and smelled an unknown werewolf. He described Nephlite's wolf form and that he approached to greet him.

Nephlite took up the story at that point. He inhabited the personality of his character. He had to act as a shy, gentle werewolf who only fought when he had to as opposed to the lonely werewolf he really was who had no issue with fighting vampires or turning them. Of course, in the role-playing script, vampires merely wanted to kill werewolves and vice versa. It was only the full moon that changed a werewolf and allowed them to bite a human. Nephlite knew that all of that was not true, but he allowed these beliefs to stand as it allowed him and his kind to live among humans easily.

It was eight-thirty when the role-playing was halted and the next meeting was set for next Monday at seven p.m. Lita and Nephlite left together and the former said, "So, what do you think?"

"The urban script was intriguing when there was a suggestion of a vampire hiding in the shadows. Red eyes glowing in the dark. Very spooky and menacing."

"Well, we figured our version of vampire are those who will attack a lone werewolf or gather others in order to attack a pack of werewolves."

They got the one-on-one right, but it's rare for a clan or pair to attack a pack. It's more non-existent actually. Vampires tend to seclude themselves on the full moon so they don't run the risk of being bitten.

"I did enjoy the back and forth dialogue," Nephlite said out loud. "It helps one get into character."

"Yeah. Hal says in order to bring your character to life, you have to become your character."

"A bit hard as I'm not very much like my character."

"You played him well and I loved the idea of him having a real name and a codename." She sighed and smiled. "Alan and Moonshadow. That second one sounds mysterious and romantic."

"Thank you. I wanted a mysterious one, but I can see how the name could be romantic too."

Lita smiled up at Nephlite as she gave him directions to her place. She had only known him for three days and although he was older than her, she felt she had known him all her life and he was definitely the one for her.

"Lita, is your apartment at Sunset Gardens?" Nephlite asked.

"It is. Apartment thirty-four."

Nephlite gave a short laugh. "I live at Sunset Gardens too. Apartment fifty-six."

"A rooftop access floor?" Sunset Gardens numbered its apartments by floor and number on that floor. Lita's was on the third floor and the fourth unit of nine on that floor, thus number thirty-four.

Nephlite nodded. "Each unit on that floor has a window that opens to the roof. Mine faces the eastern sky."

"You must see some beautiful sunrises."

"And when the full moon rises. I especially enjoy that." The pair entered the building and rode the elevator up. When it opened on the third floor, Lita bid him good night, got off, and Nephlite rode it to the top floor.

Lita is a terrific girl, he thought as he entered his apartment. I could definitely see myself spending eternity with her. I will be admitting the truth before too long. She'll understand why I hid it from her.

I still can't believe we live in the same apartment building. We can see each other every day. Nephlite smiled at this; with Lita living two floors down, he wouldn't be lonely anymore. Well, he would for the next three nights, starting tomorrow. It was the time of the full moon and he would roam the streets and kill or bite any vampires he found.

Malachite removed his fangs and dripped some of his blood into the bite marks. His victim groaned in pain as the blood raced through him and changed him into a vampire. Malachite released him and the newbie turned and knelt. "Thank you for turning me," he said.

"You're welcome and I expect you to do as I ask. Your first task will be to collect three humans to sustain Zoycite and me for three nights. You will do this tomorrow night."

"Yes, Master."

"Master is not necessary. Sir or Malachite will do. Master is a very outdated notion."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, I suggest you head out and feed on your first victim. Just remember: Remove all traces of your attack and watch out for werewolves."

"Yes, sir." The newbie, Sapphire, left to do as Malachite had suggested. Once he was gone, Zoycite turned to Malachite. "Why didn't we drain him?"

"He will do what we would have done: Run the risk of being killed by a werewolf while getting our victims. Truthfully, I should have done this a long time ago. Oh, well."

"And if he survives?"

"I will tutor him as I did with you. He might make a good student. He is respectful and reveres both of us."

Sapphire skulked about the alleys, peeking out of them to see if there was a human he could feed on. Yes! There was one! He waited until the woman was closer before he seized her, dragged her into the alley, and sank his fangs into her while covering her mouth.

Blood entered his mouth and went down his throat as he sucked. It wasn't until he had removed all traces of his attack did he allow his disgust to show. That was terrible. But I wanted to be immortal and I didn't care if it was a werewolf or a vampire. I happened to run into a vampire and asked to be turned. I am a vampire now and I should learn to like it, though the taste of blood will make that hard.