She couldn't believe this human had followed her this far. She knew she was attractive and held sway over men, mortal men at least, but goodness this man was on the verge of stalking. Deidre did not like to be the stalkee, only the stalker. If that made sense at all. In any case, she was getting peeved at his persistence.

"Where are we going?"

So, this mortal man was either head over heels for her or simply mad. She decided it was the latter. Not only was he obviously following her, but he asked where 'we' were going. He obviously didn't get it. Deidre was trying to get away from him and he thought they were out on a date.

"You insolent man," she muttered, though loud enough for him to hear. "If you keep following me I will have to kill you in the most unpleasant way." She spoke as if in conversation, not bothering to look at his face. This threat was true. After all, she was quite the lover of gore. Yet the man though she was joking, which she did not do, and continued with his pursuit.

This was when she decided to take a little detour to a pub which seemed uninviting. Hopefully he would leave then. No such luck. He followed her right on in. Damnit! she cursed in her mind. Sure, she could make him leave, but why resort to such tactless actions? Besides, this man's blood sent a shiver of disgust up her spine. She didn't want this man. If she was lucky, some other mortal could see her as a damsel in distress and 'save' her, after which she would tear them to bloody shreds, and maybe have a sip.

It had been a while since Dan had been in Demaitre, especially back at his old job bouncing at the White Mice. Why was he back here? Because he didn't really like taking advice from the woman he fell in love with. Sure she was a vampire and told him to get away from the city, but low and behold he was back.

It felt good to be in the lights and sounds of the night club, but the bouncer kept his eyes peeled for any trouble. A woman walked in and didn't seem at all pleased with someone following her. Dan made his way over towards the woman right behind the guy, who seemed to be either downright plastered or crazy. Hell Dan already kicked out a couple of drunks, and they all looked the same to him. He quickly wrapped the guy's arm up so he had control over the guy's movements without applying too much pressure, but not hurting the guy in the long run. "Hey I think the miss here doesn't want your company." He said tweaking the guy's shoulder a little bit to make the point fuck with me and I'll break your shoulder. Dan knew all sorts of ways to put a quick hurt on people, but without any nasty injuries. He could've made the guy do a backflip easily if he wanted.

Turning slightly, Deidre narrowed her eyes at the man. He seemed different from other mortals, so perhaps he wouldn't be the best choice of meal either. But, he was better than nothing. As such, she answered for the ignorant man beside her.

"Oh, he was just leaving anyway," she smiled coldly, sending the man from her with the merest thought. He seemed confused for a moment, then just turned and left without so much as a good-bye. Heartbreaking.

Just as Deidre was turning around, with a dramatic flip of her long auburn hair, she turned back to the bouncer guy. "I do not appreciate your meddling, since you've just sent away my chance of lazy dining," she snapped. "But if you would be so kind as to buy me a drink, I may forgive you,"

It was possible the man would laugh and admonish her, in which case she would...well, when it came to that it would come to that. It was also possible that he was just as lonely or bored as she and would internally relish the thought of company. She didn't use her vampiric powers, just in case he did want company. Whichever he chose, she was already on her way to the bar, raising her body delicately onto the stool.

As soon as he took a look at the woman he was 'saving' Dan realized she wasn't exactly the kind of person who needed help. Jess warned him about vampires with these abilities, but he never saw it for himself. He let go of the man and turned his full attention to the woman in front of him. "Well sorry for not noticing the fact that he was your meal. He looked more like a stalker to me." He shrugged, and grinned as she said something about a drink. "I've got nothing better to do. It's been too damn quiet since I came back."

Scratching his head Dan took a quick look around. He didn't see any trouble, and decided he needed a little break. "Do you always have dumb shits follow you around?" It was only a few days since he moved back, and Dan was already back in the whole circus known as Demaitre's nightlife. Home sweet home.

He sat down on the stool next to her. "Yo." He said to the bartender. "I'll have a Guinness." Dan looked at the woman and turned back to the bartender. "Put her drink on my tab." It was always good working at a nightclub, especially when you usually did a good job.

Deidre smirked when he sat next to her. He even knew what she was and he stayed. Interesting. Most mortals who knew would go nuts and clingy, like those pathetic 'goth' kids of nowadays. Good thing this guy wasn't like that. She ordered a Sutter Home Zinfandel and sipped lightly at it.

"Yeah, I get a lot of those," she answered, nodding toward the man who'd just left. "And I was actually trying to get rid of him, you just helped at the wrong time. In any case, where've you been, if you just so recently got back?" she asked, not really caring, but making small talk.

Dan couldn't help but smile as the vampire order a sutter home zinfandel. He watched as she drank at the cheap red wine, and shook his head taking a swig of his guinness. Wine was never his cup of tea, usually he'd drink beer or rum. Beer didn't do shit to him, and he still needed to work for a while.

The bouncer chuckled a little as she answered him, and nodded. "That like a Jedi mind trick or something?" He asked more as a joke than an insult. "Well first of all I'm Dan. I was traveling up towards the U.S. to get away from here for a while, but there's someone here who I couldn't leave for long." Grinning he took another swig. Damn that alcohol felt good, but he missed Jess. He wanted to see her, but not yet. There were still things he needed to do before seeing her again. "So what's your name?"

Deidre cocked her head to one side at Dan's remark about Jedi but didn't say anything. She listened to him tell his little song and dance and noticed how his face softened when he mentioned that someone he 'couldn't leave for long.' It was quite obviously a woman; he need say nothing more. She nodded knowingly, smirking slightly at humans' easily corrupted emotions.

"Deidre," she said in answer to his question, taking another sip of her 'cheap' wine. There was nothing really for her to say, so she waited for him to start up another conversation. How helpless she seemed. Then she thought of something... "Where in the U.S. were you?"

She herself had gone to the U.S. to get away from her own depressions. Perhaps they'd been in the same place; that would be a coincidence.

Dan took another sip of his beer, and looked at the woman. Deidre was a nice name, and he shrugged at her question. "I was in New York for a while. It didn't impress me." He said and sighed. "Where are you from?" He asked swirling what was left in the bottle.

Deidre seemed like one of the more sophisticated blood suckers he'd seen, but he hadn't met that many at all. "What is it like to not age? It would certainly suck being stuck at the same age for eternity." Dan wanted to be with Jess again. He wanted to be like her, to live forever with her, but it would condemn him to a life in the shadows.

That was something he wasn't ready for that yet. "What's the thirst like?" He asked thinking about what it would be like. Drinking from people to live. Having to keep it under control all the time.

Deidre cocked an eyebrow at all of this man's questions. He was the strangest human she'd ever met, just as Hale was the strangest vampire. But vampires had an excuse to be strange.

"I'm from Italy, actually," she said smoothly, with a slight French accent. "I grew up in France...and left. I've been here and there, went to Louisiana for a short time, Florida, hate that place," She sipped her wine. Bitter stuff, really. "Never been to New York, though I plan on it...eventually," she chuckled.

This man actually got her thinking. She hadn't thought of these things since she'd been turned, and it did one good to reminisce, a little. "Not age? Who ever said we don't age? But, mortals would say that, I suppose," she sighed. "But you mean physically. I honestly love it. To never have to grow old and frail, to be able to travel forever, to learn forever. And as for our age, you must know, as I see in your eyes, we do not remain the same age. We look no different, but we do exist through the ages, and therefore become the ages. Our mind grows, though our body decays..." She smiled. That was the exact sentence He'd used to explain to her...

She ignored Dan's last question, as it was impossible to explain the desire to drink, and her own experiences and explanations would probably make him ill. Deidre couldn't describe the high of killing, of twisting the life out of some squirming mortal, to feel their hot blood caress her tongue and, if she were starving, to have it roll steadily down her own neck, sending shivers down her spine. She licked her lips just thinking about it. It was the deepest connection a vampire could have to a mortal they didn't kill. Deidre usually killed them.

Dan listened closely to the woman's words as she spoke about being born in Italy, and how she loved not physically aging. If Jess wasn't in his life Dan was sure he'd fall for Deidre. It wasn't exactly the best way to explain it, but that was what his gut told him.

"Yeah, most of us mortals don't see the difference between physical aging and actual aging." He shrugged and finished off the bottle. The bouncer signaled the bartender to get another one, and sighed. "What about those stuck as a child? I wouldn't want to be stuck in a body like that." Dan sighed and felt a little depressed. Smoking was allowed in the club, and he took out a pack from his pocket and a lighter. "Want one?" He asked offering one to Deidre after lighting one for himself.

She didn't seem to like the idea of him asking about drinking blood. It was probably something he didn't want to hear about anyway. Then he saw her lick her lips, and wondered whether it was a good sign or not. "Have you ever turned someone?" Questions were pouring out like crazy.

Deidre smirked at Dan's verbalized thoughts. A child vampire...how coincidental.

"I would certainly hate to be a child vampire," she started, thinking of Hale. "Then again, it has its perks. I know someone like that, looks five. He's a horrid monster, but then, aren't we all?" She shook her head. When he offered her a smoke, she made a face, as if burned, and hissed slightly. She hated cigarettes for two reasons: they were disgusting, and they were dangerous. She...didn't like being near uncontrolled fire, though she found it enticing.

"I hate smokers," she said simply. Then, at his question, she softened. "No,"

That was all she answered. In all reality, she'd never wanted to change anyone. The mortals that wanted to be changed were...stupid, to put it nicely. Yes, it was a wonderful existence once you got used to it, the glamor, the beauty, the blood. But..it was terribly lonely, for those vampires who retained part of their human soul, or clutched to it. Deidre did not cling to her old life, centuries ago. It would be a waste of her time. Perhaps...had she been left alone at the beginning she would have denied her current lifestyle. But, with Him, her other life was but a memory of something someone else lived and told through time. He life was not hers. Her death, her salvation.

Dan grinned and listened to Deidre as she spoke about a vampire who was a child, and how he was a horrid monster. Dan didn't know that many vampires so he didn't know whether they were monters or not. All he knew was that Jen wasn't a bad person, that was what mattered to him.

"Everyone's a little bit of a monster, but I don't then again I don't know that many vampires." He said taking a swig of his beer. Then he caught the reaction when he asked her about a smoke, and she didn't seem to like it at all. Dan put his out on a nearby ash tray. "Sorry if it was a pretty personal question. I wanted a person I care about to change me, but she wouldn't." It wasn't that big of a surprise for him. "What's it like to be changed?" Was it painful or was it no different than going to sleep? He didn't know, and he wanted to know as much as he could from Deidre.

Deidre looked deeply for the first time at this man. He was handsome, to say the least, but there was something about him. "Why are you asking such questions? Surely there is someone you trust more...?" She let her drink rest on the bar as she clasped her hands under her chin.

She watched the man intently, hoping she could get some sort of answer from his actions, his posture, his eyes, anything. "Anyway, it's different fro every person. I felt...like I was being given life. But that was only because I didn't enjoy my mortal life," She rested her temple on her fingers gracefully, trying to see her affect on him with her honey-coloured eyes.

Dan looked at Deidre and smiled. "Yeah I do, but she's new to the whole vampire thing. She doesn't know that much." He said shrugging and sighing swirling his beer bottle in circles. He loved her, but he just couldn't face her yet.

He listened to the vampiress's words and nodded. He could understand the whole different for each person. Then he looked into her eyes and blushed. Turning back to his beer Dan cleared his throat. Damn those eyes just made him feel like he was melting. "Well..." He had trouble gathering his thoughts. He wanted to look into those eyes again but he was afraid. Afraid of what? Afraid of falling in love with someone else.

"Want...another drink?' He said swallowing the butterflies that were trying to escape. Damn why did her gaze have that effect on him? Well of course he remembered the guy earlier, but he felt he had a lot more will than him.

Deidre smiled, though not warmly. She hadn't meant to have this affect on him, but hey, what happens, happens. She picked up her wine and finished it off. She usually didn't drink more than one: it didn't appeal to her completely.

"No thanks," she answered and shifted her position to face Dan. "So, tell me about this girl," she said, leaning on her elbow and crossing her legs. This girl seemed less than adequate; she obviously wasn't well learned in her own ways. Either that, or she didn't bother to tell the man who was so obviously infatuated with her what her life was like. Now, Deidre could never love a human, so she would never be in a relationship with one like this other vampire was with Dan. As such, she didn't know why she was answering all of his questions. But, she did want to know about this other vampire who clung to humanity.

Dan looked at Deidre, and let out a sigh. It seemed she didn't like his reaction, and he definitely didn't like it either. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to the vampiress somewhat, but something told him that she wasn't interested. He listened to her and nodded. She didn't seem interested at all.

"The girl?" He smiled and shrugged. "She's pretty young, probably a year or two since turning into a vampire." He said remembering her. "Hell she's pretty young, probably twenty by now. "She was trying to protect me by asking me to leave the city." He knew that this was going to hurt Jess, but he couldn't be without her anymore. He knew it was selfish, but he needed her in his life. It was way too lonely without her.

Deidre let her eyes fall downcast as she heard his explanation. Pathetic. A vampire for only two years? Granted, you had to start somewhere, but honestly, he thought she would turn him? After two years? Deidre didn't know of any vampire who would turn someone so close to their own turning; it was a superiority thing. Her kind, at least, loved being in control, not learning anything new about their powers suddenly after turning someone, being able to answer all questions and appear better. Vampires were a superior race.

"Really," Deidre said in response. "I'm certainly far from impressed. Why do you associate with such...inexperienced vampires?" she asked, cocking her head, attempting successfully to make herself appear innocent. It was her turn for the questioning, and she was going to get as much out of it as possible. Seeing his reactions made her think he would forget this other vampire temporarily and want as much out of this conversation, too.

Dan looked at the vampiress next to him and sighed. He didn't expect Jess to turn him, but he wanted to join her. What was the big deal being with the person he loved? Then he listened to Deidre's words shaking his head. "I care for her." He said letting out a sigh. She looked so innocent asking him...it was hard to not really tell her. "She's the world to me...without her I don't really know what to live for."

Yeah he was pretty pathetic, but he cared about Jess. "I just want to see her smile." He returned to his drink and finished it.

"Typical, typical human," Deidre clucked. "Do you really think she still cares for you? We are dead, m'dear, a shell of emotionless power. Of course, she could be one of those...other types who cling to humanity like a parasite," she shuddered for effect as she spoke of these vampires. It didn't particularly appeal to her to still love being alive. It was dull; but of course, watching people you knew, loved, die is a bit depressing. That's why vampires shouldn't hold tightly to life, it destroys them.

"In any case, if you don't know what to live for why aren't you already dead?" she continued sarcastically. "I would certainly love to help create that mess..." she hissed quietly, making it seem as though killing him was a good thing.

Dan looked at the vampiress for a second she was speaking like she knew him. For a second he felt like walking off, but he didn't. "You might be dead, but you still have a heart just like the rest of us." He said in response. Finishing off his beer Dan handed it to the bartender to be thrown away. "She's definitely one of those you mentioned. That's why I love her." He said brushing his hair back with his hand. He didn't care what this woman said, she was welcome to her opinion.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather not die now. I've still got bills to pay, plus taxes are coming up pretty soon." He said as if it was a common concern. "It'd be hard if I was dead." Looking at his watch Dan sighed and stood up. "Well sorry to cut this conversation short, but I've gotta get back to work. The boss'll kill me if I'm not working." It was true, he had to get back on the floor making sure everything was alright, plus he was hoping that the end of his shift would come sooner.

Deidre shrugged her shoulders. If he wanted to cling to that type of vampire that was his business, but she had a feeling it wouldn't last long. She sipped more at her wine as he continued talking, only pretending to pay attention. When she noticed she was being 'dismissed' as a conversation partner, she looked at him.

"Very well," she said shortly. "If you get bored I'll be here," she added lightly, not knowing whether he would take this offer to heart or not, but hoping she wouldn't have to find yet another object to distract her boredom.