Helen soon grew familiar with the Ellis Winter library... She visited it frequently, and although she never checked anything out, or asked for assistance, the librarians knew her well. They soon began to refer to her as the "Library's Ghost". That's all Helen really was anyways. To anyone. A simple ghost who said nothing.

As usual, she walked to the back of the library, where ancient literature gathered dust, and she plucked a random book off of the shelf, and cracked open the text. It hadnt' been touched in years it seemed, and she was surprised there were no moths in it. The pages were yellow with age, and Helen's own pearl white skin contrasted them.

It was just after sunset, and Helen was just waking up. The perfect way to wake up in a good book. Most of the people in the library were starting to finish up, and check out, but not Helen. She was just getting started.

Niko had been walking by the Ellis Winter Memorial Library, looking for game. He happened a glance in a window, and he spotted a vampire. She was looking at some old book, her skin contrasting with the yellowed pages of that forgotten book. She had that pale look of the Nephim, his former coven. Well, well, well, he thought, intrigued.

Niko slipped into the library through the front doors, the librarian forgetting his passing at a single word. He made his way silently towards the back, drifting towards the mysterious girl in the library. Coming up behind her, he whispered in her ear; "What you readin', cutie?", a grin forming on his face.

Helen nearly jumped out of her skin, taken completely off guard. She turned around, clenching her teeth. She looked up at the other, and glared at him with her ice blue eyes seemingly boring a hole into his skull.

"What you readin', cutie?"

She raised an eyebrow, and ran her tongue over her fangs irratibly. "Words." She stated flatly. Oh dear, here came the sarcasm. Why couldn't she just enjoy a book in peace? Was there something so wrong in her seeking comforting texts that calmed her troubled mind? Apparently so.

Niko leaned back against a bookcase, his petty little entertainment done. Now for some serious game. "I knew it. I used the amazing powers of the eyes to find the truth on that matter," he said, smiling pleasantly. Nikolaus almost always smiled. That was either to put people off guard, or because he just found people amusing. This one was young, so it was more likely the second.

"So, my little Nephim, what is happening with the Children of Demonic Angels," using his knowledge of the original context of their name as a tool. "You see, I've been out of touch with the Nephim for a while, and I'm a little curious. Of course," he added, eyes gleaming wickedly,"I'm very curious about a cute young one like yourself." Niko's grin was looking almost predatory now; probably was.

The vampire rambled on about being out of touch with the Nephim, and what not, and a small grin played on Helen's lips.

"Funny you should say that, really. I'm quite the contrary. Invisible to the untrained eye." She didn't know what was going on with the Nemphim. She didn't care. Without God by her side, she was afraid she would probably end up talking to herself more than usual. Besides, it was better talking to God than yourself, right? It didn't exactly matter.

She really was surprised that one such as him had found her. Nonetheless been in a library in the first place. He didn't seem the type to be in a library. More like in a park, or a dark alley wooing a mortal for blood. Not an invisible friendless Nemphim like herself.

"Do I seem out of place?" he asked, seeing her eyes looking at him oddly. "I am, I haven't been in a library since the 16th century, I'm fairly certain. I might have gone more often, if a beautiful little library-goddess had been waiting for me those last four centuries." Niko was having a great deal of fun, both out of his game, and out of his companion. No matter what the games he was playing, he only played this type with girls he was seriously interested in.

"I wonder if they have any books in Latin here. It's been a long time since I used my Latin, and forgetting a language defeats the purpose of learning it, wouldn't you say, my white blossom?" He browsed the shelves, looking for a book.

"I am, I haven't been in a library since the 16th century, I'm fairly certain. I might have gone more often, if a beautiful little library-goddess had been waiting for me those last four centuries."

Helen grunted. Yeah, sure. Nice try buddy. She rolled her eyes, and shook her head slightly. Shame, wasn't it? That she'd managed to avoid such a pest for several centuries because he hadn't visited a library in quite some time.

"I wonder if they have any books in Latin here. It's been a long time since I used my Latin, and forgetting a language defeats the purpose of learning it, wouldn't you say, my white blossom?"

White blossom...? Ugh, that left a rancid taste in Helen's mouth. What a horrible name to refer to her. "It's Helen." She mumbled. God, if giving him her real name would make him stop calling her 'white blossom,' so be it. Reading in Latin, hm? Well, that was a new one. She knew right where they were too. She couldn't say she could read latin, but she could manage to put some words together. "Second shelf on your left." She said.

"Thank you, Helen, for the name and the books." He grabbed a copy of the Bible, written in Latin, and sat down against the walls. He began to read "Revelations", though his focus was on the nearby little vampire. OK, poetic doesn't work with her, speaking Latin didn't seem to impress her; she needs a more modern touch... Niko kept reading, noting cheerfully that his Latin was coming back. He may have been using the book as a cover, but losing the Latin would have been a shame.

"So, Helen, what kind of impression have I given off so far?" Still reading his Bible, Nikolaus uttered that question almost off the top of his head. Well, by knowing what she thinks so far, I might be able to get somewhere, he thought.

Well, at least he had some kind of manners. At least having the decency to say thank you gave him a few points, but not many. He was quite annoying. His cool, and flirtatious demeanor did nothing but annoy her. Her grandmother's suitors had been the same way. Her books were her only saviors. If she could escape from the foul, and boarish men that her grandmother attempted to have her wed to... She was gone.

That was such a long time ago...

He asked what sort of impression he had given her. She laughed a short, dry laugh, and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure you want to know what I think of you, kind sir." She said, with a bitter distrust in her voice. She sighed, and put her book back on the shelf. Clearly, she wasn't going to get any reading done with him hanging around. Of all the absent minded females that were in the world, why did this playboy pursue her?

"Actually I think I do. There's nothiing you can say about me that will offend me, because I can say far worse." Niko's grin was positively vicious now. "My name is Nikolaus van Heimlichtun, and I am a womanizing little animal who drinks my immortal life away, and have my way with any woman I can get. I really don't give a flying fuck about any other living thing, and the world is simply my little game to play," the vampire said with a cunning look in his eye and a smirk on his face. "I'm all this and more, and probably my worst sin is enjoying every second of it."

"Well, Helen, can you say worse?" Niko was grinning with pleasure, despite what he had described. This game was probably lost, but she was still entertaining, even if he had missed his shot with her. It was a great deal like a fencing match; thrust, counter, thrust. He was enjoying himself immensely.

Helen raised an eyebrow as Nikolaus introduced himself. Blunt little bastard wasn't he? She nodded, and chewed her light slightly. He definately needed to work on his womanizing though... Her lips curled slightly, not exactly a grin, but a smirk.

"Well, I would say your womanizing skills need work. If that is how you woo women, I'm not sure I'd like to meet the type of women you've managed to seduce. Especially if you care only for yourself." She shook her head sadly. Her melancholy persona was kicking in again, and her bitterness turned to sadness. "Some game." She mumbled.

Was that all she was? Was a pawn in everyone's game? She'd rather be invisible. She'd been through enough to know that people only brought pain. Especially if you were attached to them.

"If that hurt your feelings, I really am sorry. That's me. I won't pretend to love a woman to gain her favour, because that would be a sad way to get it. All I offer is a night of fun, for both." Niko tilted his head. "Of course, it's not like that's the only reason I play these games. Women are fun in more places than just the bedroom. That's just the endgame. And I wasn't lying in anything I said tonight, cutie." He looked at her thoughtfully.

"Oh, and your right. The women I get are usually as selfish and heartless as I am. Probably because I'm a firm believer in the fact that you get what you give. I offer petty fun, and that's what I get. I've never needed anything else, so I don't ask or give it." He put his copy of the Bible back.

"Helen, would you mind a piece of advice? I may be a pig, but not all men are. If you want to meet a man worth being with, look for him." Niko stood up, put his Bible away. "If you'd prefer, I'll leave, or if you'd like, I'll stay, and we won' discuss what we were just talking about."

Helen laughed. Feelings? No. Her feelings had long disappeared since her grandmother died. She shook her head, and sighed. "No, feelings aren't an issue here." She rolled her eyes and shook her head again. How pathetic. She wandered over to the back wall, and sat down, figuring she'd be here for awhile.

"Helen, would you mind a piece of advice? I may be a pig, but not all men are. If you want to meet a man worth being with, look for him."

Helen was taken aback by this statement. What did he care if Helen was alone? He cared for none but himself, yes? She grunted, and shook her head again. "Excuse me? I'm not sure what your intentions of telling me that were... But I'm a vampire. I have an eternity to find someone. I'm in no rush." She said as if she had a foul taste in her mouth.

She left his last question up to him. She didn't care. She'd already put her book back, so she didn't care whether he remained or stayed.

"Hmmm." He looked at her, calmly and levelly. "You are a bitter one. But not at me. Something in your past robbed you of all caring for others. We have a bit more in common than I thought. I don't care for anyone because it's never seemed important. You don't care for anyone because you've found it to be an unbelievably painful experience." He could see it in her eyes, that tightness of one who had loved, but had their love been shattered by immense pain.

"Well, I can tell I'm not welcome here. I think I'll go feed on someone in here," Niko said, rising from his seat. "What about you? Do you feel that need to feed?" He walked around a bookcase, his eyes now cold and sharp.

Her moods tended to sway from bitter rage to melancholic sadness from time to time. It just depended on who you were, what you said, and what time of the night it was. It was just her way of things. She sighed, and looked through Nikolaus, and her eyes became distant, thinking. He continued to babble about some thing or another, but Helen didn't really listen. Until she heard him speak of feeding.

"What about you? Do you feel that need to feed?"

Her vision focused on him, and she stood. She smoothed her black pants, and turtleneck, and pushed some loose hair behind her ear. "Yes, but not here. I can't ruin my ghostly reputation by harming others here. I wouldn't be welcomed any longer." She headed towards the door of the library, and looked behind her. Feeding in such a public place seemed less than polite.

Nikolaus looked at her oddly. "When did the Nephim lose the ability to manipulate mortals like molding clay? That librarian up front wouldn't remember me if I took a piss on her!" He laughed. "I'll be waiting by the bathrooms. If you get hungry later, you can join me," he said, then slipping off behind the book cases.

Standing by the bathroom door, he waited for the right kind of victim to come his way. Nikolaus was a picky feeder; only young women would do. He considered them something on par with sirloin steak to mortals. Stepping into the shadows nearby, as not to be too obvious, he began to wait for a victim to appear.

"When did the Nephim lose the ability to manipulate mortals like molding clay? That librarian up front wouldn't remember me if I took a piss on her!"

Helen sighed. In all honesty, she hadn't come to terms with her vampiric powers quite yet, but still, she held a level of respect for mortals that most vampires lacked. She still dwelled among them, and despite her ability to 'manipulate them like clay' as Nikolaus had said, she simply decided against it. Call it unorthodox vampire behavior, but Helen was just rebellious in her own subtle way you could say.

"I'll be waiting by the bathrooms. If you get hungry later, you can join me,"

She rolled her eyes in annoyance. Her vampiric hunger began to form within her, and despite her morals, sometimes the savage hunger was too much for a young vampire such as herself. She rubbed an eye, unable to believe she was doing this, and faded into shadow. She quickly arrived to the bathrooms, and leaned against the wall, silently. Let's see how impressive this guy's powers were, or if he was all talk.

Emerald eyes that drew you in blinked as the young woman walked down the streets. Her hair was long, blonde and pulled into a bouncy ponytail. Her body was perfect- the complete hourglass shape. You could have a picnic on her ass---

That's what Ariel thought.
The ancient kept an eye on the woman- following behind her. Ariel's mental sheilds were strong and they concealed her identity from lesser vampires. So- if no one older than her was in the vicinity- she'd go undetected and thought a mortal. Fortunately for her- one thousand something year old vampires were pretty scarce in Demataire- she herself had only met maybe two older than she. Her own long blonde hair fell around honey eyes that haunted you. Her own slender body was clothed in a black skirt and a black blouse. Black heels completed her outfit- along with a gold locket around her neck. All her power concealed itself as she followed the woman- not ready to hunt her just yet.

The pretty woman was walking towards two vampires- Ariel could feel their presence in the darkness and she smiled wickedly- eager to meet them- She did hope they were hungry. As soon as she thought it she felt the female vampire- the savage hunger rising to meet Ariel nose. Her laugh was stifled as she followed the other blonde. Ariel was getting the idea that the girl was a stripper- because the firey red heels, short skirt, and bikini top said it all. She shook her head. This girl was asking for it- but she was Ariel's dinner tonight.

Niko barely noticed Helen joining him, focusing on his plans. They really weren't amazing or anything, but sloppy work is bad always, and Helen being here added an extra reason to succeed. The last thing he wanted to look like was an idiot. He waited about 5 minutes, hoping some young girl would appear at the washroom. His plan set, Niko's thoughts drifted to other things. He remembered his time in the KGB, where his talents of execution and infiltration had earned him a huge income. Before that, British Intelligence in World War II. Before that, the Nazis. The last century of Niko's life was full of him playing what seemed to be cat's paw for someone else.

Snapping back to reality, Niko got tired of waiting. Staying in the shadows, he slipped through the library like mercury, sliding along at a startling pace. He caught sight og something interesting; a young brunette. She was short, but she had an hourglass shape completely in proportion. She was a good target. Now he began to work on info. She had a purse with the university logo on it. A university girl, too young for a Masters. The planning done, he prepared to move.

"Hello there," he said calmly. "My name is Nikolas Stromfur. I was told a girl from the university would be here. I need assistance, and they said she could help me. What's your Major?" he asked politely.

"Business," the young woman said, not looking up from her book.

"Exactly, your the one I'm looking for," Niko lied easily, lacing his voice with some of his power of command. Bait em' slowly, he thought.

The conversation continued, Niko slowly bringing her under his control. When he finally sat down next to her, she lived on his pleasure. "Helen," he called. "How do you feel about feeding on women?" he asked.

Helen watched Nikolaus work, and as she was still invisible, followed him over to the young girl. She listened to his suave words, and flirtatious lies. Though for feeding it didn't bother Helen as much as it did for idle chatter. Besides, Helen used similar methods. She preferred the lost and hopeless, however. In an alley, a tourist, or someone unfamiliar in the area... With their state of mind already vunerable.

"How do you feel about feeding on women?"

She raised an eyebrow, and crinkled her nose. "I'm not eating after you, if that's what you mean." She spat. How vile. How could she possibly accept something of that sort? She was perfectly capable of catching her own meal, and doing as she liked with it. She didn't discriminate gender, blood was blood, however males were preferred. Her hunger at times got the best of her, despite preferences and the like.

"Of course not!" he said, almost defensively. "Ladies first." There were several other reasons, one of the more prominent ones being that a Nephim like Helen would probably let the mortal live if she fed last. "I would never ask you to take my scraps. Consider her a gift, if you'd like. If you finish her, I can get more. If you don't I can finish her and catch more." It seemed charitable, and it was, to a degree. However, while Niko wasn't going to get what he wanted from Helen, making sure she didn't hold any antagonism was almost as important. Enemies shouldn't be left alive, and a library was hardly the place for a fight. Better to win her over, maybe never to a positive standpoint, but to the point she wouldn't help stab him in the back.

Nikolaus sat down in a lounge chair nearby, picking up the business book the woman had been reading. "Well, go ahead if you want. I'll wait until you're done, or it's clear you won't have her."