Xander walked through the wide corridor on the lower level of the mall and found himself almost wincing at some of the bright lights in random shop windows. The worst were places like Spencers Gifts; the neon beer and 'nude beach' direction light throbing against his eyes. But this was about finding a dress for the beauty on his arm, not about him, so the vampire sucked it up and tried to maintain a steady gaze forward at the mortals and occasional immortal that passed.

"Where were we headed again, hun? That first shop was heavily layered if ye know what I mean." The dark haired man gave her a smirk, refering to the perfumes the shop sold along with it's elaborate gowns; none of which the young woman had wanted.

Pressing through a few people, holding tight to Adri's hand in case there was a vampire among them with harsh intention, Xander and the girl stopped near a large potted tree in a small pavillion. "Do ye have an idea of what ye want? I mean... Ye know what I'm wearing so..." Considering himself lucky that the mall was open 24 hours a day; he smiled at the girl.

((Sorry it sux >_<))

"They're too damn expensive!" Adri said for what had to be the zillionth time. "I can't afford those and I won't let you waste your money on me Xander." She added stubbornly. "I won't. So until we find something suitable on a clearance rack or something, I'm not even going to look past the price tag." She stopped, turning in front of him and holding a finger up as if scolding him.

"And don't you even think about trying to figure out which ones I like and then coming back and buying one without me. You do that I'll be even more pissed."

Why was she so objected to his help? Because, some of those gowns were over five hundred dollars, there was one that was even in the thousands, which absolutely astounded Adri.

"And you-" She said poking her finger into his chest. "Were the one who suggested we went in there." Her hair was dyed a soft honey blond now, hoping to avoid any familiar faces and keep from being noticed. And well, it looked really natural to her and she really liked it. Maybe next time she would try a reddish blond...

"I told you Xander, I don't want anything so fancy. I could have gone to prom last year, but I didn't because of the fact that I don't really like dressing up." She wasn't a princess, she'd never been treated like one and never expected to be.

With a smirk, he nodded and listened to the shorter girl, her new hair color something truly to behold against her seemingly perfect compleciton. "Aye, I was the one who wanted to go in there. But only because I thought you'd like the black one in the window." It was a stupendous piece of fabric art; almost the ideal gown for a masquerade. And aside from the thousand dollar pricetag, it would have looked great on Adri.

When she poked his chest and spoke to him rather roughly, independently as she normally did, Xander only smiled. Catching her chin with his left hand, he snuck his face a wee closer to hers and pressed the end of his nose to hers, "Wouldn't dream of it. Now c'mon, darling. We've got a dress to find and we're killing time just standin' here." With that he kissed her in a gently peckish fashion, spun her on her feet and putting his hands in the butt pockets of her jeans, lead her forward through the crowd towards another store.

"How about this one?" His amber eyes followed the outline of some fairly pretty dresses in the next shop they passed, "Perhaps there's a discount rack in there, eh?" Xander spoke teasingly in her ear with his chin rested on her shoulder briefly as he waited for her to decide whether or not they went in.

"Oh and I did. It was absolutely beautiful Xander." She admitted. "But I wasn't going to let you buy that, and I don't care how much money you say you have or whatever." He had told her of course that price was really no object, but she wasn't going to have things like dresses and jewelry just handed to her like candy.

She didn't want Xander to think that she owed him, or even if he didn't think that, she didn't want to feel like she owed him. It was really too much for her to handle. Sure The sex was fantastic... And that dream she'd had had come to life by some miracle...

But she wasn't going to put her whole faith in it just yet. It wasn't as if the first or second man she met and liked would be the one she was planing to spend her life with.

God... She was only sixteen.

It wasn't her fault though that she'd grown up to quick... That she'd had to mature even when all she really wanted to do was be a kid. "Under two hundred and fifty okay? If something is two-fifty-one, forget it alright? Two forty nine... I'll let it slide if it goes over including tax." She said as he spun her around.

Adri couldn't help but squeal when he stuck his hands in her back pockets, grabbing her slightly. "You perv!" She nearly giggled as she pulled away. "Don't do that so quick! Warn me first or one of these days I'm going to smack you." She said sticking out her tongue.

With a sigh she looked over to the store he pointed out. "Debs?" She shook her head. "Those are only going to be high school prom dresses for those little wanna-be tramps. They wouldn't be appropriate for a high-class affair." She said simply, turning away. Amazingly she'd never spent too much time here... She maybe came once every few months when she needed new clothes. Other than that, she tended to stay away.

Xander let out a chuckle as the girl squealed and stuck her tongue out at him, the temptation to reach out and snag the tongue in a soft bite was almost overpowering, "Alright. Two-fifty it is. But I'm tellin' ye again, hun. I've got more than enough money. Me mum left me a small fortune when she kicked it; so it's not a big deal to spend say... Three-fifty or more." He winked with a smirk. The fact that his mother had left him something was a total load. But in his 'past lives', he'd saved up money doing strong jobs here and there, for the time being he was simply the nice guy next door.

Perhaps I'll be a lawyer again next time.... He considered the thought before returning his focus to the pretty woman.

"High school affairs, you say?" Xander cocked a dark brow as he fingered back his hair as he usually did, "Can't have that. Hmm... Oh!" He smiled, turning Adri gently with his hand on her side, "What about there?" It was a fantastic shop, full of masks, dresses and pristine costumes.

"If we're gunna find ye a dress - I'm willin to bet a week with no sex; we'll find it in there!" Again the vampire chuckled, the strange feeling of smiling so often something he'd not quite gotten used to yet, "C'mon, gorgeos."

Leading her into the dimly lit shop, the man couldn't help but feel as if he'd strolled into a fanciful timelock, what with the grand masks, elaborate gowns and considerable costumes. "It's it wicked?" The vampire almost sounded like a kid in a candy shop, his hand holding Adri's lightly, a grin on his handsome features.

"Well then why would I hope we find a dress in there?" Adri said as she raised an eyebrow. "I mean A few days without you looking at me like a piece of meat is fine. But a whole week without Mind blowing sex... Someone actually wanting to make me feel good and make sure that I'm enjoying? I dunno if I could give that up for too long." She said biting her lip with a small frown.

And that was the truth.

Everytime they had sex... It wasn't the sex that she knew. It wasn't pain, it wasn't punishment for some crime she didn't commit.

With Xander... It was as if he knew her pain. It was as if he were trying to show her that sex, that men weren't all monsters. He caressed her, kissed her... Loved her. He pleasured her before he even thought about himself, or so it seemed. The things he did to her body... He seemed to know her better than she knew herself when it came to pleasure.

She gave a shrug as she looked around the store.

"It's nice I have to admit... But it seems so expensive." She said biting her lip slightly. "And it doesn't look like they have a clearance rack or anything...."

Xander had to admit; he had a way with the young girl. Sure, he'd had sex with many women over his three hundred years on this earth, but it was different with Adri. Because he could feel her heartbeat in his eardrums and sense any fear that might bubble up between each bit of contact; the vampire knew how to play the cards perfectly.

"I was only teasin', hun." He grinned in a very 'boyfriendish' manner, his dark hair moving back away from his face with yet another push of his fingers, "An' clearance rack or not, Woman, there's bound to be something wonderous in here." Snaking a hand around her waist and holding lightly to her side belt-loop with his thumb, he lead her through a few isles, nodding his head to the plump woman behind the counter. A tall, gangly man coming from the back of the shop moved behind the counter with the woman and gave Xander a gruff nod as well, the woman's expression much brighter and kinder; like that of an old neighbor with cookies.

Picking up a small traditional black mask, like that of the infamous Zorro, and put it on. Sneaking his face down next to hers but to the back, Xander smirked and let his amber gaze run back and forth behind the mask as if waiting for cops to show up, "Think we could risk a bit of a venture in here?"

Scooping Adri up and throwing her over his shoulder, a hand gripping her legs tightly as he winked at the plump woman at the counter who giggled at his antics, "I'll save the damsel and we'll have a costume for the Masquerade in no time!" Turning elegantly and effortlessly with the girl's slight weight rested on his frame, the vampire walked down a few isles and stopped before a large rack of beautiful gowns. Fantastic masks and hair pieces adorning the wall to their direct left.

Xander put the girl back on her own two feet and stood there with his fists on his hips and his hard chest puffed out proudly, "I'm sure I've earned somethin' for the rescue, young damsel." He spoke as if he were a super hero and smiled, gazing down at the honey blond beauty.

She had been looking at a dress, a saphire blue color, very simple but elegant and pretty. And it had even been two-thirty! A little under what she'd told Xander that she wanted to spend less than.

But unfortunatly she quite literally got carried away in Xanders antics.

"Hey! Stop it! Put me down you pain in the ass!" She said as she tried to get out of his grasp. But it was surprisingly strong. She couldn't move at all. "Xander! Put me down you idiot! We're in a small, expensive store and I don't want you breaking anything!"

And as he did put her down, she stomped on his foot angrily.

"Stop goofing around alright! Or maybe we should just go to a high school prom! Because you're acting like the guys my age!" She said as she crossed her arms stubbornly. "Besides," Her voice was quieter now. "I don't want to draw attention to us or anything. The less people remember, the better. I mean I dyed my hair and all, but that might not really work I dunno." She said as she turned to look at the accessories.

Adri had been very independent, stubborn and pushy since the vampire had met her and he'd hoped that in time she would lighten up and be cool as a cuccumber; but that wasn't the case. The girl was still very petulent state of mind. And although he was well aware that she was trying to covertly continue her new life; he wished that she could at least note how much patience he was observing with her. Though Xander was one man that everyone seemed to have to be patient with from time to time anyway.

"Sorry, love." The vampire took off the mask and walked it back to the front to replace it on the short rack of it's multicolored brothren. Standing there, he sort of sighed and noted the woman gesture to him, "Me?" Xander mouthed to which the woman responded by smiling and continuing to gesture him over. "What's up?" The dark haired man put his hands in his pockets and stood before the counter.

"Is she having the trouble?" Her small voice served to remind Xander even more of an old woman next door that you might see in a movie.

"Come again?" He cocked a dark brow at her.

"Woman's troubles, youngin'. Woman's troubles." The woman, now recognized as 'Atty' by her sparkly name tag smiled, her tone light as if she'd asked the girl's name. "Cause I can throw on a percent off deal if it would save you some hassle." It was both one of the nicest and strangest offers anyone had ever given to Xander; and he took it.

"She's due in a few days I think. Been freakin' out everywhere we go, really." Putting on his best performance, the vampire smirked at Atty, "I'd greatly appreciate it, ma'am." And with that Atty threw her hand in a small gesture as if to say 'no problem' and smiled at the man. "Thank ye, ma'am. Really." Grinning broadly, Xander returned to the back where he'd left the young Adri, "Babe, ye're not gunna believe this! Atty, up there, says that everything in the store is twenty percent off!"

Frowning as he walked away, Adri looked over the masks, sighing softly.

Yeah she was stressed... But didn't he have any clue what could happen to her of she were to be found? What could happen to him if they found out that he was... And then if they decided to charge him with Rape? Kidnapping... Abuse...

Adri gave a groan. Maybe something as public as a ball wouldn't be so good, even if she did have a mask on.

"Hey Xander..." She bit her lip as he came back, shaking her head as he gave his news. "You're right, I don't believe it." She said simply. "But maybe I really shouldn't go. I mean if there are going to be a lot of people here. You know you could get in a lot of trouble because of me and I don't want that to happen. You don't need me to mess up your life." She said biting her lip as she put a lacy mask up.

"Xan.. I mean I want to go... But I don't think it's a good idea."

Xander frowned slightly as the young girl began stammering about possibly not going and his dead heart sank for a moment. But it rose once again when he heard her continue; she did want to go. It was probably killing her. The fact that just because of her situation with her age, his 'age' and those who might recognize her out in public: it would be a lot to weigh on a young woman's mind.

Putting his hand beneath her chin like he usually did when trying to either get her to pay attention to the soft words to follow or he just wanted her to look into those amber eyes of his. "Hun... The masquerade isn't one of those parties that people get into because they pay a certian amount of money for entry." Xander's expression was tender but almost parental in nature, "Ye have to be a certian kind of person, love. And trust me. I'm the one who was invited and was given the opportunity to bring you along."

Gazing down at Adri, the vampire smirked in that devilishly handsome fashion, "I wouldn't put you into a position that would cause you harm unless you wanted me to." Laughing shortly, Xander twisted away expecting that little swat of the girl's where she tried to physically correct him and his statement.

"Just trust me. Alright?" Giving her a small kiss, the vampire turned and looked over the dresses, grabbing a few random ones with pretty designs on them and moving towards the dressing rooms. "Now try on a few and we'll figure out what ye're gunna wear, yeah?"

She turned her head away from him as he looked into her eyes. Those eyes had some power to them... Because when she looked into those eyes, she wanted to do anything he said.

"Stop it Alexander." She said quickly. Granted he'd never told her that was his real name, but she hardly had to guess right.

"I mean just think about it will you? If a cop is there, and he recognizes me? What are you going to do then? What will happen when they catch you and I together? They'll charge you for kidnapping Xander. Kidnapping! That's no small charge." She said in a worried whisper.

She snorted though as Xander said to trust him. Trust... Yeah he should know that came really easy to her. Right...

"Xander! I can't go! Don't you understand? You can't just be so careless about all this! You can't just go all willy nilly and think everything is going to end up all happily ever after!" She was nearly shaking with anger, fear and frustration. How couldn't he see this? It was like... Like a dark cloud was hanging over this whole idea.

"Something's going to happen there, and it's not going to be good... I can feel it okay!" She turned on her heals to walk out of the store.

Adri had said his full name. A name he'd grown to dislike over the years and why he'd adopted the simpler and far more attractive, in his opinion, 'Xander'. But it wasn't like it was exaclty difficult to guess where the alias derrived from. Xander... Alexander... Pretty obvious.

Xander was almost baffled as what to do or say to the young girl to make her realize that the probability of one of her horrible relatives or a cop who would recognize her being at a vampires' masquerade were slim to none. So he stood there, keeping his hands to himself and listening to what she had to say, an intent expression on his features. "Hey!" The vampire said quickly, a look of almost frustration coming over him, though he kept a cool demeanor and tone with Adri.

"Have I ever put ye into a situation I either couldn't get ye out of or that put ye into danger at all? When those men came looking for ye; I got rid of them. When ye needed a place to stay; I helped you stay safe." Through the whole shpeel, Xander's tone was even but his eyes conveyed the difficulty he was having with making her understand, "I'm not holding these things over yer head but ye have to understand that I wouldn't be going out of my way to try and have a great time with ye outside the apartment building if I thought ye'd be in danger."

When Adri went to turn and leave, Xander grabbed her wrist instinctively and held it so she had to stop but that she wouldn't have to look at him if she didn't want to, "Ye said before that ye could feel there was somethin' weird about me. Like I was just like other men and whatnot... I've proven that feelin' wrong, yeah?" Voice soft, the vampire wanted to make her see that this would be a good thing to go and have fun for once without worry of being recognized and dragged off, "This is a chance to push forward with yer new life, Love. Really. And for the record..." He let go of her wrist so she could do whatever she wanted, "I do care and I know damned well that things never turn out happily ever after. I just wanted something good to happen for ye is all."

Turning his frame away from the girl, he took a short interest in the masks on the wall. Right hand fingering back his dark hair with a sigh before both hands crossed over his chest. A strange urge to just disappear came over him but at the same time he wanted to scoop the girl up and move to another country where the possibility of this sort of argument were completely and utterly non-existant.

"No, you haven't Xander. I know you haven't, okay? But why in God's name should I just wait for you to get something wrong." She said defensively, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And it's not that same kind of feeling. That was just general distrust... But this is something different Xander. Like I feel it in the pit of my stomach. I can't explain it any better than that." She muttered.

She needed a cigarette. That was what she really needed right now. But to smoke she'd have to go outside.

"Fine.... Whatever.... I'll go. Find a dress, I don't care. I'm going to smoke real quick." Sure she'd been trying to quit, trying to at least cut back... But things had just been too much for her recently. There'd even been a few close calls... Where she'd almost been found out.

"I'll be back hun..." She muttered, walking out of the shop.

Finding the nearest exit she stepped out into the cool night air. Lighting up the cigarette she stood against a pillar along the entrance way. It would only be a few minutes, and Xander seemed more interested in finding a dress for her than she did.