Black Angel

A friendly plump waiter came over and smiled as she saw Shelby. "Hey there Shelb, how ya doing?" Shelby smiled, a small blush coloring her cheek, somthing that happened anytime she spoke to anyone. "Been good Ma. The usual please." Lizz, or as everyone called her Ma, turned to Spencer. "What about you sweety?"

James pulled out a few notebooks and a laptop from his bag. "I write. Poems, novels, short stories, you name it." He smiled and shrugged. "Somtimes I get paid by magazines to write a short funny or sad story. It just depends. I've never had a book or novel published though." He shrugged. "Never enough time."

Arden: I glanced distastefully at the drugs as he took them. Thom typically traded in metalwork - sculptures, pins or other jewellery, sometimes blades. He fixed things, sometimes. But he also traded any number of other things, sometimes for friends, sometimes just to make extra money. But he didnt usually sell anything illegal...... i was going to have to talk to him about this. The last thing i needed was for him to get arrested. He was an idiot, but he was still my brother and he was all i had. I couldnt afford to lose him.

Pipps leaned against the wall, happy to have the blood pills. It made not eating people so much easier. He watched the girl go, happy to no longer be thinking of how much cuter she'd look between his teeth. Now, he could actually enjoy the view.


Trista watched him with interest and gave a small nod. "Well...maybe if you stayed long enough you could get it published." She shrugged slightly, her eyes on the note books. She loved to read and it didn't matter what, if it had words in it, she wanted to read it.


Spencer looked at the woman then back at the menu. He looked up at Shelby and then back to the woman. "the same," he said quietly.

Shelby shook her head and messed with a class ring on her finger, a nervous habit. She smiled up at him, but she was still tense. "Um, hope you like chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. That's my usual here." She took a sip of her water.

Arden: A small sigh escaped from my lips and i headed for home. My plans for the rest of the day? Yell at Thom for shipping what appeared to be illicit substances, and then........ nothing. Joy. Perhaps i'd be able to get some more reading done or something.... but frankly, the rest of the day looked very, very dull.

Spencer gave a small nod and leaned back in his booth, looking around and occasionally glancing at her. "I don't mind it," he said quietly, thinking about how he could get to the check before she did.


Pipps watched her go curiously and popped around in the shadows, following her. It wasn't often he saw a good looking lady, and she might get in trouble. Might as well stick around and see she made wherever she was going to safely.

Shelby frowned and looked into her bag, looking for her wallet. She sighed, glad she did indeed have money, though she knew Ma would pay for her if she came in and worked for a day, like she had before. Her eyes met his and she was determined to pay for her own, to prove that she was able to take care of herself.

James shrugged. "Proably could." He put the bag over his shoulder. "As for now, I've got no more money. I have to leave." He shrugged and looked down each side of the road, unsure which way he was going to go this time.

Arden: I kept getting the nagging feeling i was being watched or followed, but payed it little attention. That is, until three stoner thugs popped out of an alleyway in front of me when i was about a third of the way home. I eyed them disdainfully, but was cautious never the less. They didnt SEEM to be armed, and i doubted they had much coordination. I'd dealt with this type before. But still...... if a weapon came out, things wouldnt be pleasant. "Please. Step aside and allow me to pass. I have no intention to cave to any of your demands, even if it were within my means to do so, which it very well may not be. Impeding my route is a waste of time for all of us." i said levelly, staring them down. "Little b*tch isnt very scared....." muttered one of them to a second one. The second one stepped forward. "Got any more of whatever it was you sold that other guy?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. "No." i said bluntly. "And if i did, i wouldnt be giving any to you. None of you look like you need any more chemicals in your system...." i muttered. But then the third one, who seemed pretty twitchy and had that sort of unstable look in his eyes shouted that i was lying. And the second one pulled a knife out of his jacket pocket and asked me if i was sure about what i'd just said. Well, crap..... it seemed my boring day had just gotten far more interesting, and not really in a way i welcomed. The ONE time i didnt travel to a delivery armed....... if i survived this, Thom really was gonna be dead.

Spencer watched her with interest then looked down at his own hands. "So...um.....where...uh...where were you headed?" He asked, shifting in his seat, not very good at the whole small talk thing.


Pipps frowned and watched with narrowed eyes until the man brought out a knife. He then appeared behind Arden, wrapped his arm around her waist, and they both disappeared. He reappeared with her a few alleys over and let go of her. "You should be more careful," he said as he took a step away from her.


Trista watched him for a moment then bit her lip and sighed. "Well....good luck I guess..." she said quietly as she looked down at the book in her hands, staring at the cover. Of course he was leaving, what was there to stay for?

James stopped and leaned against the railing on the stairs. "Where are you heading too?" He arched an eyebrow, not quite ready to leave just yet, curios about her.

Shelby shruggs. "I don't really have anywhere to go. I'm just going through trying to search for a job. I come here often though." She shrugged, her blush in her cheeks lightening some as she became more comfortable.

Spencer gave a small nod and looked up at her. "Is it any good here? I don't think I've ever heard of this place....which is odd because I'm down this way a lot." He paused, realizing he was rambling and cleared his throat, shifting again.


Trista looked up at him and gave a slight shrug. "No where of consequence really...I was just wandering. Anything to get out of the house and away from my family."

"Mmm...Just be happy to have one, and a permanent roof over your head." He sighed, rubbing his face. His blue eyes stared at her curiosly as he crossed his arms on the rail and rested his head on his arms.

Shelby nodded and watched as Ma brought over two plates of chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. She thanks Ma as she left with a wink and her cheeks turned another shade red and she shook her head, trying to ignore her shyness. "They're really good here, and cheap."

Arden: "You were following me." i said bluntly, cool gaze meeting his. "Normally, i would be pissed, but considering that it just worked in my favour, thank you. Thugs are a normal part of the job, and typically i only ever come to do deliveries armed. Unfortunately, i left my weapon at home today and i didnt think it was of critical importance to go back for it. I am usually more careful." i added. I studied him for a moment more before speaking again. "You're a vampire, aren't you? Somehow im beginning to think those werent the drugs i thought they were....." i muttered.

Pipps stared at her for a moment and gave a slight shrug. "S'not exactly the best side of town, just wanted to make sure you got to wherever, safely. And...I don't...do drugs." He said with a small smirk.


"Right," Trista mumbled. "Honestly, I'd rather living in a train car alone then in my home," she said with a sigh before looking up at him. "Trade you. I'll wander around not publishing books and you can live at my house."


Spencer smiled and looked down at the plate. It smelled wonderful and he soon began to dig in. He slipped his hand over the ticket while she wasn't looking and slowly drew it back and under the table so he could pay for it.

Arden: My eyes narrowed slightly. I wasnt entirely certain i rusted his motive, but decided against qestioning it. "If you don't do drugs, then what were the pills you were just delievered? Prescription meds? You get those from a doctor, which Thom is most definately NOT." i pointed out. But what would a vampire do with precription drugs anyways? The delivery of the pills baffled me.

Shelby saw him do so and her lips twitched and she clamped her mouth shut to keep from laughing. For some reason she found this funny and started eating her mashed potatoes to distract herself.

James sighed and shook his head. "How about you travel with me and be my editor?" What the heck was he doing? What would he say to her later in the years when she noticed he didn't age? He hoped she didn't stick around that long, though part of him didn't mind if she found out or not.

Pipps smirked and shook his head as he watched her. "Blood pills," he said, holding one of the small red pills out to her. "They contain everything that human blood does, and that I need, without me having to go around killing people. You could say it's...kinda like being a vegetarian."


Spencer ate quietly, terrible at keeping conversation. He just stared at his food and occasionally glanced around the cafe to take in his surroundings. He wasn't sure if she thought it was awkward or not, but he didn't mind despite the fact that he knew conversations were required in situations such as these.


Trista blinked and stared at him, almost in disbelief. "Really?" She asked, a small smile spreading across her lips as her eyes lighted up. "You would let me do that? I'd love to do that!"

After a few minutes Shelby finally finished and pushed her plate away. "So....what exactly do you like to do?" She looked down at her hands and messed with a purple class ring on her finger.

James nodded. "Yeah. It gets kind of boring. I'll go with you to get your stuff if you like? That is if you don't mind traveling?" He ran a hand through his hair, wondering if he'd be able to take care of her and himself.

Arden: "Hmmmm..... i see. I might not have to TOTALLY kill Thom when i get home, then...... although..... the things he sends me to do..... that'll only prolong his lifespan by about a week...." i muttered. No doubt he'd send me off on some other rediculous assignment in a few days and i'd want to kill him all over again.

Pipps couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. He watched her for a long moment before he popped the pill into his mouth. "I could come along with you to make sure you don't get in trouble," he suggested, giving a slight shrug of his shoulders.


Spencer blinked and looked at her, swallowing the mouthful of potatoes he had. "I um...well..I can't...say for sure. I don't really do much of anything," Spencer said as he wiped his mouth. "I travel...a lot...and I do a lot of roofing...but I don't really do anything other than that."


Trista gave a quick nod and jumped to her feet with a smile. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She said as she threw her arms around him hugging him. "When do you want to leave?"

James almost recoild from the hug, but controled himself and held back age old instincts to attack anything flying at him. He patted her back and laughed. "Now if you wish."

Shelby nodded. "Pretty much like me. I own a book store not far from here." She shrugged and thanked Ma as she came and took her plate. "Is there anything else I can get you hons?" Red colored Shelby's cheeks, knowing that the staff was watching, knowing Shelby personaly enough to know that she didn't usually just talk to guys.

Arden: I crossed my arms, pondering the offer for a minute, but decided i may as well just let him tag along. If he was really determined to go with nme, he could just continue to follow me anyways. Besides, i kind of felt like i owed him for helping me out..... "All right."

Trista looked at him with wide eyes and gave a quick nod. "Yes please!" She quickly took up her book and grabbed him by the hand. She was so excited she was acting more like a five year old about to buy a toy rather than an eighteen year old girl. She dragged him through the streets to the outside of her house. She lived on the run down side that was closer to the vampire boarder than the rest of the town. Her house looked as if it was falling in, the grass around it dead and looking as if it hadn't been cut in years. Shouting could be heard from inside. Trista glanced at him, then at the house. "You stay here on the side walk....I'll be right back." With that she darted through the grass and shimmied up the side of the house to the attic window where her room was.



Pipps grinned and gave a small nod. "Alright then, where are we going?" He asked as he adjusted the stuffed tiger in his arms and made sure the opening was closed so none of the pills would fall out.



Spencer blinked and looked at the woman that came back and gave a small nod. "Two apple pies please," he said before turning back to Shelby. "Books?"

is it too late to join?

Arden: I shrugged. "Home, i suppose. I don't have anywhere else to be today." i said. And i did still intend to yell at Thom...... Without another word, i turned and walked out of the alley, heading in the direction of my house and trusting that he would follow if he wanted to.