Sweet and slow like honey Matthias glided down the streets of the good end of town, the rose in his hand as pale as his skin and as beautiful as the near dead woman he'd fed from. He'd wiped the blood away the trickled out from the corners of his lips and made not a sound as his feet touched the ground time and time again.

His brown eyes were unfocused but definitely alert, seeming as if slowly even moving chocolates. His honey-brown locks obscured his view slightly but efforts at pushing it out of his eyes were of course futile.

The vampire moved slowly and his pace resembled the slinking of a cat, his shadow flickering against the lighted parts of the walls. He wore a black suit that was made for a woman but had been tailored to fit his more masculine body.

Oh, how lonely a night can be. Matthias kept walking.

Alia had worked late that night. She swears that her supervisor would have a melt down if she didn’t know how to fix his computer problems all the time. You’d think that he’d know more about those kinds of things since he was in charge of what she did and such. Oh well.

Walking down the side walk she was still dressed in her work clothes; black slacks, white button down shirt with sleeves rolled up to above her elbows. It was a hot night after all. Hair was pulled back into a ponytail and emerald eyes were alert. She knew of the dangers that could be lurking after dark.

Up ahead walking in the opposite direction was a pale man. Due to his pale skin it immediately sent signals to her brain that he was none other than a vampire. Of course she could be wrong, but she had yet to see anyone that pale out during the day.

”Good morning.” She said to him, knowing well that it was probably morning for most vampires since they had to wait till the sun went down. Hopefully he wasn’t hungry or evil. She did have a few tricks up her sleeve though should she find out he was anything but nice.

"Morning? Ah, but I thought this blackness meant night. Perhaps I was wrong in my assumption, however." Matthias offered a small smile that sported no teeth. He wasn't out to scare anyone.

"It's a fine time of day, but... not a time some should be wandering around." He touched a pale hand to his chest, the rose bouncing slightly as it brushed up against the suit. "I know this myself."

"Pardon me for my ramblings, but.. why are you out so late?"

She smiled back at his reply. At least he didn’t seem on the darker side. Though of course it could be misleading. She read that vampires like to charm there victims before doing anything. So she still remained a bit uneasy though didn’t let it show.

”Yes. Wandering at night in the city is definitely not a wise choice.” However she didn’t have a choice. Well she probably could have called for a taxi, but she liked walking more and plus it didn’t cost anything money wise.

”I’m out late, because I had to fix a computer at work. Oh well. At least I got paid extra money for it.” Hands were in her pockets as she spoke as she had nothing to carry other than her purse which was slung over her shoulder.

”Seen anything exciting yet tonight?”

"Money's a nice thing. One of the only benefits of having a job," he said with another slow smile. Still no teeth showed and no fangs poked out from his lips. He'd stopped walking when he got too close to Alia previously, allowing her space. He knew he shouldn't invade a human's space. She smelled human... no, reeked of it. He didn't need to inhale to recognize the scent. It was everywhere.

"Exciting? No, I'm afraid not. I've yet to find something new or exciting in the last few years. What about you, miss... hm, I don't believe I caught your name."

”Sometimes. I surprisingly like my job unlike most of the people in this world. Money is just a bonus.” Not like she needed it though with her parents paying for most of the apartment she resided in.

”Should I trust my name to a vampire?” She said teasingly yet at the same time she was still quite serious about it. Not like she needed a vampire knocking on her door and deciding he’d come back for dinner and she was on the menu.

"I see. One of the lucky ones, then..." he said, his expression turning blank with the faint hint of a smile. Something he'd picked up from his past boyfriend.

"I don't know." He smiled fully now, revealing the fangs. "Should you? The choice is yours, as I will not try and sway you into choosing."

An eyebrow rose as he smiled and fangs displayed. That did little to reassure her in the decision she might choose.

”Are you always this charming or am I just lucky?” She said teasingly yet again.

"Always." He said with a nod. "I apologize that I couldn't have met you when I was alive," he said, finally teasing her back.

Well that almost made her blush. Most guys ignored her due to being at work all the time, plus she ignored most of them in return as she was engrossed with her work and thought little of anything else.

”Well I’m sorry that you aren’t alive anymore. That would depress me I think. I rather like sitting out in the sun sometimes. Perhaps I may be more lenient in giving a name if you give yours first.”

"Ah, one learns to live with the realization after a while." He took one step back and bowed, straightening himself afterward and holding out the rose.

"Matthias Beaumont. Just Mat if it's easier on the tongue."

"Now do you wish to offer a name? Or shall I not be so graced as to?"

”But still.” She wasn’t sure what else to say about the subject. At least it was kind of changed when he bowed, held out the rose and told his name.

She took the rose that was offered and smelled it. Very lovely fragrance indeed.

”Matthias is definitely a name I have not heard.” You’d think she’d get used to names she’d never heard before. After all Lucifer wasn’t a very common name either.

”Alia Maestri.” She finally stated after much consideration over the subject.

"Ah? A pity. I believe it to be German." He said, he smile fading into something that resembled a small, childish grin.

"Oh. A pretty name. I thank you. Most would not have the courage to offer their names to a being such as I..." He turned slightly.

"It seems there is a... trust issue." He admitted sadly.

”I’m flattered that you think I have courage. Not sure if I would consider myself having that certain personality trait.” Of course some others might beg to differ after what she suffered with her brief encounter with Kaldun. The scar on her neck was healing nicely though, but still was quite distinctly in the shape of a bite mark. She wasn’t sure which one had been worse, the biting of her neck or the burning of her side. It was a toss up.

”I don’t blame them about the trust. Vampires have a bad reputation; of course some fit the profile of being bad. I understand what you have to do to survive, but that doesn’t mean people like it.” Her voice rather mellow as she spoke.

He seemed to contemplate this, placing a hand on a building to lean on. "Modest it seems, too."

He blinked and thought for a while about this, making a gentle yet irrevelant hand gesture. "Yes, I understand that. Much as I'm sure animals don't like the fact that they're sent off to slaughter houses and eaten. But I do admit, it is rathe disgusting... I'm sure I wouldn't want to be my dinner." He said, smirking wryly.

She shrugged her shoulders when he said that it was modest of her to say so. It was his opinion if he thought she had courage or not. It was her opinion that she didn’t.

”You make a very good point.” She didn’t much like the idea of animal’s going to slaughter houses either, but that didn’t mean she was going to stop eating burgers. She was a meat eater as well as a veggie lover. If the gods had intended them to be veggie lovers then they wouldn’t have give them incisors.

”But I’d rather not be eaten.” She said playfully this time trying to relax herself as well as make it clear that she didn’t want to be somebody’s dinner and especially his.

"You are much too kind." He said in reply to her comment. He was glad she could understand his case, if only somewhat.

"Oh, don't worry miss Alia. I don't intend to eat you. You're the first to not run away screaming. I only eat to live, in any case."

Another almost tight smile.

”Glad I could do something original.” She said doing a small curtsy as she smiled.

((Sorry for the shortness.))

He chuckled. "Are you sure you're not just glad you're not being eaten?" He said in turn with a soft and lazy tone to his voice.

”Or I could be glad you’re not eating me.” She said laughing back. ”Why is that?” Hopefully she didn’t give him a reason to want to eventually.

"You could." He agreed with a nod. He frowned slightly at the question. "Would it disgust you to know I have already fed tonight? And I do not play with my food. I had no intentions of actually eating somebody... the thought is even foul to me."

She did stop smiling for a moment as he said that he’d already fed that night. An awkward silence fell before she finally made up her mind.

”Like you said before. It’s the only way you’ll survive. I’m going to think of it as your kind of burger.” She finally drew a smile back to her face.

”It doesn’t disgust me.” She said sincerily.

Your kind of burger. He liked that and smiled, once again showing off those brilliant white fangs. "Ah, that's a relief. Thank you kindly."

He bowed again.

"Now... lady Alia, excuse me for interrupting you in your tavels. Do you wish to depart?"

”Your welcome.” She shrugged as he asked if she wished to depart. ”You weren’t intruding at all. I’m rather glad you bumped into me rather than a vampire still looking for their burger.” The sentence was followed by a laugh of her own.

”You are welcome to walk with me if you like.” And with that she started strolling down the street.

This made Matthias chuckle a bit more. He pressed his lips into a smile with no teeth, nodding as he straightened himself out once more.

"It would be a pleasure." He said softly, following silently beside her like a ghost.

”It’s nice to know that not all vampires are cruel. I’ve had my fair share of running into vampires and only one out of several was proper and nice like yourself.” Hopefully he would take that as a compliment. She had meant it to be one.

"Proper? Moi? The idea is perhaps laughable, but thank you all the same. I have yet to run into one of my kind that is cruel here. But, I suppose it is very well possible." He offered a graceful shrug of one shoulder.

”Perhaps I have been mistaken. Of course I don’t get out much anymore in the city after dark so I wouldn’t know.” She said shrugging again. Posture as she walked was elegant and straight, just like everything else was in her upbringing. No slouch was evident like most people did as the walked or sat.

His pace and posture matched hers as he walked beside her, as if mimicking her. This was just how he held himself: with pride and elegance. "Yes... it is not a good idea to be travelling after dark. I speak from experience, I suppose. If you travel these parts at night you might run into me." A grin.

”Well if I’m going to run into you after dark, I should come out more often.” She said teasing him with a huge smile on her face. ”So where do you live? Or do you just wander?” The woman had always been curious to find out more about vampires.

"That's good to know." Not all monsters are scary. "There's at least some hope for me, then." He commented as he continued to glide along by her side. "I live near here... in an apartment, if you were wondering. I came here to find someone."

”Oh? Who are you looking for?” She asked inquisitively, her pace still steady and she was actually quite relaxed now around the vampire. Any panic or anxiety she had earlier faded away a little while ago.

"Someone by the last name Valentine. An old friend of mine." His shoulders went up into another shrug. "It wouldn't be fair to say I'm stalking him, just simply... looking." If that makes sense.

”I don’t believe I know anyone of that last name. Do you know his first name?” Most likely not as he didn’t say his first name.

”No I don’t think you are stalking him. You’d have to know where he is for that.” She laughed as she teased him. A stalker that didn’t know where their target was didn’t seem to be a very good stalker.

"Ah, a pity... the name... it, ah... Lucifer. That's it. I'm not sure I know about his current whereabouts."

He smiled and offered a chuckle once more. "Yes, I believe you're right."

She stopped walking when she heard the name Lucifer. It had to be the Lucifer she knew. After all, how many people walk around with that name? She only knew one and she doubted there could be two in one city.

”Lucifer? I’m pretty sure I know him.” Yeah she was pretty sure. Of course this also sent other signals of Kaldun and what happened with that. Subconsciously a hand lifted to feel her neck where he had bit her and torn away at the flesh.

”I’m not sure where he is at either at the moment. Just spoke with him the other day though. How do you know him?” Gaze never left Matthias the entire time she spoke.

He stopped when she stopped as well. "Ah, you know him? Sad, that you do not know where he is meandering now..." Stupid boy, Matthias would have said if he were not in front of Alia. She was a lady and he held his tongue for her, for she had no need to hear of his scoldings.

"Sad, but I loved him once. Now, pardon, mademoiselle... I am just looking for him so he... stays out of trouble." Because Matthias was the father Lucifer never had.

"But, ah.. excuse my ramblings." A smile.

”Yes it is sad. I’m worried about him, but don’t know a phone number or anything to call him. The only time I see him is when he stops by my apartment occasionally.” She let out a sigh and her smile had faded from her face some time ago. Hand had dropped from her neck finally and back to her side till it finally ended up in her pants pocket.

”Loved him? And he hasn’t bothered speaking with you or anything?” That was kind of sad as well. He cared about Lucifer and yet had not been able to talk with him or stay in touch.

”It’s quite alright. Sometimes rambling makes people feel better.” She offered a smile though she was still thinking about what he said earlier. Keeping out of trouble. Did he know about Kaldun? Or just talking about Lucifer in general?