Having lived in Italy for about eight-hundred years, Mathius knew that his English was probably beginning to get a bit rusty and he almost did not recognize words as he heard mortals gabbering amongst one-another.

"Scusi." he said to a mortal woamn, carefully walking by her and sitting on one of the benches that lay against the brickwalls of the Subway System, something that Mathius had never been on, living in Venice for so long: he almost missed the gondolas, but just for an instant before he reminded himself that missing things only led to pain, a feeling that he could most-certainly still feel.

"Mi scusi," he began asking the woman who sat next to him, not sure if she would get it or not, "Puo' indicarmi la strada per il centro?"

"I'm sorry, boy, I don't understand." the woman said in a sympathetic voice: Mathius had to resist from rolling his eyes. He knew that she wouldn't understand since he was speaking in Italian and his English sucked, but she didn't have to go and call him a boy...

"Ci..." he nodded, moving to another bench because the woman was looking at him rather oddly.

A sigh escaped his lips and he leaned his head back against the dirty birckwall, closing his eyes.

Tiffany was juggling a rather large arrangement of white day lilies in her arms, her simple, springy yellow dress with no embroidery or design, save for a tied bow in the back, fell mid-calf and was perfect for running through the subway system in a hurry. The little yellow sandals on her feet, unfortunately, did not share this quality.

Puffing out a little breath, she realize that her train had yet to come. Glancing around, she noted a free spot on a bench near a random boy. Hustling over to it, she sat down and promptly set the arrangement carefully between her feet. That wedding was in an hour... The one main arrangement in the dead center of the altar was late, because Gabriel, the deliveryman, and son of the shopowner was 'sick' (or so he said), and his mother was tied up in other matters. Her car was at home, so she had high-tailed it into the subways.

One foot was a bit sore, and she just knew that was going to be a blister that night. Whining mentally, she untied the yellow ribbon around her throat and used it to secure her mousy brown hair up in a ponytail. (Apparently she's feeling like a fifties flashback clothing-wise. XD)

Smiling the the guy beside her, she looked about. There was a growing crowd, since the next train was to be here shortly. She might have been heated with all the running, and she was rather winded, but the cavernous tunnelways were cold. She was cold-natured anyway, so that while not all nasty and sweaty, she was getting tired - and there was still half of Demaitre to traverse. Oy.

She reached for her pur-NO! Aaaah! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!!! She had left her purse at the store. It was lying on the shelf beneath the front counter exactly as she had set it down, and it sat there in her mind now, taunting her with her inability to reach it. Grrr. Well, she had her Metro card, so she supposed as long as she did not lose that, she was fine. But, man... Today was hectic!

"The bride better like this, because there is no time to make another!"

The woman had waited until this morning to even place the final order, so the usual sampling was impossible... Whew! But Dr. Tiffany Cowper was determined to get those flowers to their destination on time!

((If this is not an open topic or you just do not wish me to post here then let me know and I will delete it. ^.^))

((No, that's fine :heh: ))

Mathius smiled at the woman who had been attamepting to carry a very large flower arrangement around while wearing sandals: there had been many women like that in Venice, wearing outrageous high-heeled shoes and attempting to drag around three kids in their arms while their husbands smoked cigars and nodded thoughtfully at other men who passed by.

He stood up, forgetting that he looked like an un-civilized sixteen-year-old with blue hair and walked over to the woman.

"Scusi, signora." he said, trying to think of the English way to say what he had to, "Would you like me to help you?" he got out though he had an Italian accent, of course.

"Ah! Grazie!" She smiled, hearing the accent. Tiffany was a Dr. of History, Mythology, but she studied ancient languages and athropology for her job as an archaeologist, of sorts. This was one of her several part time jobs while she was staying in Demaitre.

"I appreciate the offer, but I am going quite a ways from here, and I doubt that you want to travel that far!"

She noticed his unease with the language, and tilted her head, smiling, but curious. By all appearances he was a young punk - if the accent was not a surprise, the offer of help was, a little. Chuckling at her stereotyping, she grinned.

"I have to get these to a wedding in..." She glanced at her watch, using a knee lifte up to prop the arrangement on, "Whew! Thirty minutes!"

The rumbling of a car approaching sounded in the distance, but it whizzed by. Two more and she would be rolling towards the other side of town, and the church.

"That's fine." he nodded, "I have nothing else with which to occupy thine time. It would be only proper to assist you, signora." he said remembering some more English from a long time ago.

She laughed softly, and extended the flowers to him.

"I can't imagine... Thank you so much for the offer! I hope you do not mind running about. It's going to be a close thing..."

Another train rushed by, and the whistle of her train roared along the rails. The doors opened, and she pressed close to the teenager who had offered his help, making sure not to get separated as the crush flowed into the car, along with them. She wove her way to one side, and found two seats, gesturing to them so that he could sit, along with the flowers, and looped a hand over the bar above her.

Thine... Had he said thine? Odd, but then again, as long as she could understand she was not going to nitpick. She would have to find a way to pay him - get his name and then pay him, she thought, as she remembered her forgotten handbag.

The car was packed, but few people spoke, so she tipped her face over to him with a smile, knowing the system well enough to be able to relax some on their way. She also had opportunity to really look at the male who had so kindly offered her assistance.

"I really, really appreciate your help. The woman ordered this final arrangement not more than a couple of hours ago, and if the flowers are not there... it's her centerpiece for the altar."

She blew a piece of hair out of her eyes, twining her fingers about it, and slipping it behind her ear as she smiled to him.

"Are you from around here?"

"I just moved here from Venice." he smiled, shifting the arrangement into his other arm carefully. "I suppose that would title me as a locale citizen."

"My guess is that you are from around this area as well?" he asked.

Fool of a woman. Can't she smell the blood on his breath? Can't she tell he is immortal? Unfortunatly, Therocrar could not ambush her on the train. Too many witnesses, and even though he was hungry, Warlord Decimus was no fool. Mortals had defeated him before in large numbers, although today, people seemed weak. Therocrar waited until the next stop. Then, running at full speed, he grabbed the mortal woman from next to the vampire and bolted off the train. He couldn't have been more than a blur to anyone but the vampire, but that's what he wanted. He wanted a good fight as well as a feed. It had been so long since he had killed. Too long.

"Actually I have only been here a month or so. I moved. Well... I had been in Rome, actually, for the last year or so, finishing up some coursework, completing my doctoral studies, and here I am. Demaitre is a place that I think I can stay for a long, long time, though. I hope to make it a home."

She smiled, and looked down at the Metro card in her hand, then back to him.

"I would pay you, but you see, I left my purse at the florist's... erm.. Where I work. I was in such a hurry and all, but if you leave me a name and address I will be sure to get something to you in repayment."

"No, that's fine." he said, shaking his head, "Sometimes I think I get paid too much at work." he sighed, knowing he sounded bizzare. he looked like a sixteen year old and here he was discussing work...

((Oops, sorry, DarthLoser.))

It was strange, his speech and his appearance, because it was at odds on so many levels. Smiling, she clung to the bar with both hands as the train lurched to a stop, and the doors opened, people swarming the stages again. Nudging his arm, she tried to stick close again as the people flooded, but in the milling she got separated a few feet by ahurrying business man. She looked about for a large cluster of daylilies and blue hair, but she stepped back to survey, and caught sight of him, waving as she walked towards him. Only, before she could get there, she felt arms about her.

With a squeal, Tiffany felt herself lifted, eyes flying wide as she began to writhe and kick. But they were moving. It was too fast for her to think about really. One moment she had been standing beside Mathius, and the next she was going so fast that she could see nothing but a blur of colours and sounds.

She clung on, not wanting to be dropped, though she was not sure that was sch a bad thing. Opening her mouth wide, she let out a loud, terrified scream, beating at the persons back.

Only, Tiffany knew enough by noe of the vampiric world to know that there was only one thing in Demaitre who could move so fast, and that was why her heart was running at a pounding rate.

Mathius ran after the vampire, going just as fast if not faster and tackling him and unfortunately Tiffany, down to the ground.

There was a space where time seemed to slow. The breakneck pace at which the vampire holding her was running was broken, and in the smooth, gliding moments of being airbound, she saw a swath of blue hair, a neon sign, heard the crackle of the intercoms.

Then she was hitting the hard floor on her back, relaxing her body, but lifting her head to keep from banging it on the floor, but she still got a good knocking, sprawling in a rather unladylike position beneath her kidnapper, who seemed to need a moment to catch his breath, before glaring back at Mathius and shoving at him, speeding off down the stage, and leaving Mathius and Tiffany alone.

Having a guy land on you can take the air out of a girl, on top of the fall, and she sucked in air, feeling rather achy. In spite of the burn in her lungs, she sat up shakily and looked around, picking herself up and dusting herself off. Her right arm was scraped up, and she would have some bruises, but was otherwise unharmed.

Moving back towards Mathius, she checked on him.

"M-Mathius? You alright?" She was still a little discomfitted from being nearly kidnapped, so she had not yet had time to equate Mathius's speed with his race.

((I godmoded, but only because I wanted to get the show on the road. ^^))

"I'm fine." he smiled, standing up and brushing himself off, "I am sorry that I landed on top of you," his pale cheeks turned a pinkish color. "I didn't mean to, but that bugger was slightly fast."

Dammit! The one he had tried to kidnap had also been a vampire! How had Therocrar missed it? She had seemed human... But Therocrar knew he needed blood, and he needed blood soon. He drew the six inch knife from his shirt and turned around. No, it wasn't worth risking. He would find other prey.

"Fast, yes... fast, because he was a-uh... fast runner."

She finished lamely. It would probably not be best to make accusations, she could just keep her suspicions to herself.

"If you are saving me, then you have my permission to fall on me as much as you want. I can live through that..." Her eyes followed the place where the vampire had disappeared. "But I don't know about... kidnapping."

She laughed a little nervously. "I can't believe that just happened..."

Suddenly, her eyes flew wide.

"Ohohoooooh!" Her hands pressed against her head, mussing her hair a bit, and half-covering her eyes. "Ooohhh, noo! Where are the daylilies? The flowers!? What time is it!?? Oh, oh, oh, the wedding! The bride is going to be furious! I am SO fired!"

She stamped her foot like a child.

"No."

The last syllable was meek, and looking at her scuffed watch, she realized that in the next ten minutes she was not going to make it, especially since the connection they were supposed to make was pulling away before her eyes. She watched the faces pass by dejectedly, making a defeated noise and gently smacking her forehead with the heel of her hand.

"Way. to. go. Tiffany. I can hear it now. 'Oh, I'm sorry I was late and couldn't deliver your main centerpiece. I was almost kidnapped.' Perfect. I can just hear the responses to that now. Uuuh..."

"Where's the wedding?" he asked quickly, "I think I could run the flowers there for you, if they're not ruined..."

Tiffany paused and looked over to him half-hopefully. Yes. He was a fast runner. She wanted to be suspicious, but though Mitchifer, in particular, had warned her about the varying moods and temperaments of vampires, this one was on good behaviour, so...

"It's at the corner of Roux Boulevard and Cappe Street (Hm. I made these up, obviously. XD). If we exit here..."

She looked at the listings of destinations, and plotted the path in her mind.

"If you exit the subway here, and go five blocks North, four West, then you should be at the intersection. The big Cathedral on the right is the correct building, and if you take the corner around it and walk along the back, there should be someone waiting for you at a back entrance to take the arrangement."

Shaking her head, she wondered if even he could make it.

"Right now, more than just getting there, you might get your head bitten off for the lateness... I won't charge the woman, obviously, since they are late..."

She wanted to throttle the woman, not collect money from her. Gr.

"But, you don't have to - you've done quite more than you have obligation to for me today." She smiled and glanced at his hair.

"An unexpected kind of angel, I guess."

"I would hardly call myself an angel." he smiled showing pointed white teeth, "But, helping is what I do best. I should be ab le to make it pretty easily anyway." he nodded, picking up the flower arrangement.

"I'll be back pretty soon to tell you how badly she flipped out." he smiled again, turning and beginning to run.

"Uh. Alright, hey - thanks!"

She called after him with a semi-wave. For an instant, she was curious as to whether he would actually come back. He could be making a mickey of her, but... he had saved her, and he was trustworthy, surely.

So she parked herself on a bench near there, very watchful of any people-nappers, and wished that the flowers made it in time... And that the seemingly young vampire kept the fangs to himself. He seemed to confident to be too young, however... She guess he must be at least a decade older than he looked, but beyond that, she was clueless...

After only about fifteen minutes, Mathius ran up behind Mashiara and said, "She didn't flip out."

Tiffany rested the back of her head against the back of the bench, looking at Mathius upside down, with a startled expression.

"Oh. Wow! Hi!"

Rising, she turned and tucked her hair behind her ears, smiling.

"She didn't? I am very surprised at that... She isn't the most... pleasant... of customers. Glad you didn't get yelled at."

She stood there for a moment...

"Uh... do you have a pen or... something. I want to pay you, but all I have at the moment is my subway card."

She waved the Metro card vaguely and seemed a bit sheepish. She hated it when she left her purse, because things like this always happened...

"Please do not worry about it," he grinned, "I'm a rich fool as it is."

"That lady was on the verge of yelling; her face turned purple, I swear to you, but I lean towards the persuasive side I suppose." he smirked.

"Purple? Haha! That sounds like her. But, tell me - how exactly did you persuade her?"

Surely he would not harm, nor injure the woman. He did not seem like a brash sort of person, but she was unsure, and she found herself again trying to give him an age.

"Rich?" Odd, but then, as she had remembered, with so many lifetimes, most vampires did amass some substantial wealth. "I still wish there was something I could do. If you've really nowhere to go, then come back to the shop with me so I can get my purse and I'll buy you lunch. It's the least I can do - please let me repay you somehow. Else I'd have been in lots of trouble - without your help, I mean."

"No, it really was not any trouble at all. Please, you do not owe me a thing. That woman was not a problem at all, nor was the task. I've dealt with far worse before." he nodded his head simply.

"However, milady, I would be very pleased if you were to give in to allowing me to take you out for lunch." he smiled pleasantly, forgetting his young appearance. As odd as it was, he saw himself as a nine-hundred year old man, not a sixteen year-old punk...

Tiffany laughed slightly. Lately, people had been so kind to her,, and she who had a love of doing for herself was finding it difficult to get used to allowing others to do things for her.

However, when he turned down her offer to invite her to lunch herself, she pressed three finger of her left hand over her mouth thoughtfully, thumb resting on her jaw. She knew he must not be that young, but it was rather amusing. He could not be mmore than eighteen at the most, outwardly, and coming from him the question was funny. Her eyes danced a bit, but she ran her fingers of her lips saying nothing for a minute.

"I... beg your pardon. I know it's rude, but... How old are you?"

Sixteen." he said sketchily, not very sure as to whether or not she meant his appearance or his real age.

She blushed slightly, feeling a bit awkward.

"Yes... but I mean..." She gave him a significant look and curve her second and third finger like fangs. "How old are you?"

She was not opposed to accepting the invitation, and she supposed he would look like her younger brother...

"Hmm... I would love to, but I really can't accept anything else from you without repaying you. It isn't polite. Perhaps another time when I can pay for you in exchange for facing the bride from hell for me?"

She cracked a grin at that.

"Well, firstly, I'm nine-hundred and sixty-four years of age and secondly, you do not need to repay me." he grinned, "And besides which, that woman didn't take much convincing. You're much tougher though, apparently."

"Wha-? Oh!" She worked her mouth a moment, flustered. Wrinkling her nose playfully, she shook her head. "What a terrible thing to say!"

She was grinning, however.

"That does make a difference, you know, knowing your age. It was hard to place because... erm... Well, I am sure you can figure that out."

Laughing a little, she shook her head.

"Alright, if the offer is still good. I don't want to impose, but if you are offering seriously, then let's do. Perhaps at least I can give you some mealtime conversation..."

"Well, I haven't had anyone to talk to in a very long time." he smiled bitterly. "So, where would you like to go?"

"Hmm. Well, whatever you like is fine. There is a little sandwich shoppe one black down and around the corner, or there is a little convenient store closer if you are just feeling a little muchy... Aaand... There is Mel's Diner. I don't know how health-conscious that food is for you, but I have heard they make good cheeseburgers. If you like something a little more upscale? For lunch even there should be stands all about... so whatever you like."

She smiled pleasantly.

"Well, I have never eaten a cheeseburger before." he said with a slight shrug. "And I have never been in a diner before, nor in a convenience store. You may lead the way: I am still clueless to America today..."

Continuation here.