It was time to feed. The familiar ache in Anna's abdomen as she woke up reminded her that it had been five days since her last meal. Tonight was feeding night...again. It wasn't really a time she looked forward to. Yes, her inner beast enjoyed it. But Anna did not. She hadn't enjoyed it three hundred years ago, and nothing had changed much since then. She still needed human blood, she still hated that she needed it.

She threw the covers off of herself and sat up. Anna slept in a bed, mostly because a coffin would only serve to remind her every evening as she woke up that she was a beast. Beds were also far more comfortable, in her opinion. She quickly dressed in her standard baggy Levi Strauss jeans and a plain white fitted t-shirt. Her mother's necklace she tucked into the shirt, not wanting to expose it to any more weather than was necessary. She'd already had to replace the string four or five times.

When she was ready, Anna left her room the Nephim coven behind at a fast pace. Running felt easy for her. Comfortable. Probably because she'd been doing it for so long. Running, up until a year ago, had been her life. Pushing her tiny frame to the limit, Anna sped past everyone in town, faster than even those who were immortal could see. Where would she feed tonight?

She settled on an alley next to the warehouse. All sorts of unsavory humans visited the area, and she knew no one would be suspicious of someone in the alley. All she had to do was wait for one unsuspecting human to come along. Anna had a unique way of feeding. She waited for a human to come as she waited cloaked in the shadows. (She was a master at blending.) Then, she knocked them out with a swift blow to the head. Yes, they would have a bump but it wouldn't hurt too terribly much later. She generally tried to drink from places they would notice bite marks, like at the back of the neck for females. Their hair would cover it. She drank just a little bit, and then moved on to another location. She fed from about five humans a night, usually, so that she wouldn't drink too much from any of them.

Anna was such a woosy vampire, she knew. But to her, it wasn't worth it to kill her victims. She waited patiently in the shadows, but her mind wandered as she waited, and her cloak slipped. Anyone with a decent eye could see her, but she had no idea.

Old... She was older than most she met....

But not older than Rem, no.... She hadn't found one older than Rem yet.

Spirit felt the urge to curl up next to her adopted mother, smelling her scent, playfully biting at her hair and wrestling on the bed. But her mother was off hunting on her own and Rem had let her go out too. She knew her mother still fed from humans... But she was stronger. She could stand the blood and only kill them when she had to. But Rem knew she was too young, human blood only made her throat burn with eagerness.

But this girl... Older than Bullet had been, did not make her throat burn. She was not human, but vampire.

She was wandering in the shadows and Spirit could smell her. And she could feel her. That was something else that was exciting her, distracting her from her lack of future. There was some little worm gnawing at her constantly, but she was ignoring it, knowing that it was only bad....

The little girl on the rooftop could feel this vampire's hunger, and knew well the torture that went with it. She'd tried starving herself so many times to make her mother happy. Was that why this girl starved herself? Was there someone that she loved and would do anything for?

Wanting reassurance that her mother was still there, she reached out with her mind, feeling the woman easily and taking comfort from that.

She tried to reach this woman though... But her mind was strange... Was alien to her. It was hard for her to think the words to the girl, but maybe the other would feel her? She didn't know.

"Hello....?" The word was whispered, soft... tentative though not fearful.

Anna caught herself. She could feel that she was visible again. She pulled the shadows around her again with haste. It wouldn't do to have her meal see her before the time came to pounce. As she felt herself become shrouded in the darkness once more, Anna felt something. It was a strange feeling, but she couldn't put her finger on it. It was the feeling you got when your nose itched, and you thought of that old superstition that said someone was talking about you.

Feeling curious, Anna looked around. She couldn't see anyone in the area. What was going on?

Then Anna heard it. It was soft and quiet, and it sounded like a child. It came from above. Quicker than anyone could see, Anna jumped to the roof and crouched down low. Glancing around, she noticed a smallish girl. A child? On the roof? Something was not right here. Tentatively Anna sat down and looked straight at the girl. "What are you doing up here, sweetie?"

And then Anna inhaled. Her unnecessary breathing had slowed with the years, to the point where she only respirated every minute or so. Now that she got a whiff of her surroundings, she was surprised. There was no trace of human in the vicinity. Yes, she could smell them down below. However, there was no human as close to her as this girl was. This meant only one thing, of course: the child was a vampire.

Recognition dawned on Anna's face. "Ah, I see," she said, before the girl had time to answer the other question.

Spirit found it amusing that the girl (or woman, she couldn't decide which to call her) looked around as if hearing her voice out loud. That hadn't happened in nearly seven months now. Back when the snow first started to cover the ground. Now the snow was long gone, May, Rem had taught her.

As the vampire approached, she didn't shy away. This one wasn't angry... Wouldn't hunt her. She was safe. Besides, she might not have been strong, but she was quick, even out running Rem when she tried.

She narrowed her eyes curiously at the woman, the dark green even darker in the dim light of the rooftop but just as intent. Her face seemed full of questions that went unasked, as she was still having trouble touching this other one's mind. She tried to pry in slowly, but as she lacked the strength of the bond she had with Rem, it was hard. Normal people were weak, easy to hear their thoughts, and often they amused her. But vampires, though this was only the second or so that she had tried...

It was difficult.

It was even more difficult because she couldn't be sure that the woman would understand the hand gestures that she had used with Rem for a while, the little bit of sign language that she knew. As the breeze fluttered her red hair into her face Spirit gave a snarl and brushed it out of the way. Rem had refused to let her cut it like she usually did, but then again, that's why the ends of her hair were still straggly and dead. Oh well.

'Why you here?' she signed in basic, broken sign language, trying to push the thought through her mind as well. But she knew that the woman probably wouldn't understand either. Maybe... Maybe she'd feel the curiosity and the gist of her non-verbal communication.

Seeing a small child snarl was something strange. Yes, Anna understood that the girl was probably older than she looked. Most vampires were. But still... to see those innocent looking facial features contorted into a feral grin over a piece of hair... It was, again, strange. Fascinating, too. The girl was intriguing Anna.

The girl spoke again. Well, signed with her hands, really. The strange thing was, Anna understood. Anna, who had never learned even the sign-language alphabet. She wrinkled her forehead and cocked her head to the side. With a quick movement she darted to sit beside the girl. "I... I need to feed," Anna replied, still puzzled as to how she knew what the question was.

"How can I understand you?" Anna asked, hoping the girl understood. She really didn't know if she was incapable of speech, incapable of hearing, or what. Could vampires even have those handicaps? It was hard to know. Everything puzzled Anna at that moment.

The feeling Anna had felt earlier continued. Annoyed, she mentally shrugged it off. Then, to her surprise, it went away. The strange feeling that someone was watching her disappeared. Another glance around her proved that the girl was still the only one around. The ache in her abdomen revealed that she wished a human might have appeared earlier. But her meal could wait. Anna was too fascinated by her new friend to leave.

She nodded as the other vampire spoke. Well it was obvious that she needed to feed, so why wasn't she going?

Spirit shrugged at the question but tapped the side of her head as well. She wasn't sure how it worked, but she knew what it did. So the woman could hear her thoughts, or at least the ideas of them. It was hard though, trying to convey even those.

The girl gave a shooing motion, trying to tell the woman that she should eat, that she shouldn't wait to feed. "It will only get worse... you know that..." Her voice was soft and faint in the woman's mind. "Go... Feed.. I'll be here." She tried to urge. But she wasn't sure how much was really getting through. So instead she made the motion again and sat on the roof, looking up at her.

((Sorry it's so short, have to run!))

The girl had the right of it, of course. Anna needed to feed. It had been five days, and her body was used to the five-day schedule. six days was definitely possible for her, but her body my complain a bit. She nodded her head and whisked over to the edge of the roof again. "I'll be back," she said softly, and jumped off.

Anna landed in a crouch in the shadows. To her delight, a human woman was lounging against the side of the building with a few purchases from the warehouse in her hands. At the moment, she was only smoking a normal cigarette. Anna could tell by the smell. Normally Anna didn't like to feed from a human already high on drugs. It had the ability to transfer to her with the blood. A quick sniff revealed that the other woman wasn't high... yet. The other items in her hands would put her on the train there in minutes.

She made it quick. Within a second she was beside the woman and had knocked her out quietly. Raising the blonde's thin and brittle hair, Anna lowered her small fangs to the back of her neck and found a vein. She delicately bit bit down, not one to make a mess of her meals. The sweet, sweet blood flowed into her mouth, and Anna reveled in the pleasure. How hard would it be, really, to just keep drinking... the woman could last, right?

It was always hard to pull away, but Anna always managed. She'd never had the heart to fully drain her victims. Now, she moved on to another alley nearby, and then another, performing the same ritual several more times. All five of the humans would wake up and think they simply passed out. They'd certainly be used to it, which was an advantage to feeding off of the junkies.

Returning to the roof more quickly than any of the humans could see, Anna smiled at the girl. "Yes, you were right. Now, really. You must tell me. How do I understand your signs? I've never learned them."

She waited rather patiently for a child, but then hunting animals was more challenging. They weren't everywhere like people were. She had to be patient until they came around unknowingly or until she found them.

Spirit occupied herself though, but looking up at the sky. It was a cool night out, not quite summer, but of course the chill didn't bother her anymore. She hadn't gotten sick since Rem had changed her, and it was something she rather enjoyed. She'd even asked Rem to do the same to all the other kids, but she'd refused quickly, even been furious with her for suggesting it.

So the little girl had never made the suggestion again.

The woman came back though and the girl sat up again. The scent of blood was strong with her, but not death... Strange... Strange that she fed and did not kill. Rem too could do that, but such strength was beyond Spirit's abilities.

When she heard the woman's question though she gave another shrug and again tapped the side of her head. She wasn't sure exactly how it worked, but she could talk to people's heads. A way of communicating and a good one since she had lost her voice. Why she couldn't speak, she didn't know... But because her noises hardly sounded human, she'd learned to write and read rather quickly. Rem had taught her sign language as well, but that was just basic.

"I am special... I'm different than you." She tried to tell the woman using only her mind, but she wasn't sure how much would really get through. "I talk like this because I can't talk like you."

The feeling of satisfaction in Anna's abdomen was both wonderful and terrible at the same time. Her body felt wonderful, but her mind would always reel with horror at what she had to do. It had always been a confusing state of being for her, which was one of the reasons she kept to a strict feeding schedule. Her schedule helped her to make it seem more like a task than a necessity, even if that was a huge misconception.

The only answer Anna received to her question was that the girl was different. Well, certainly being changed at a young age was different. Anna was only seventeen bodily, but this girl was so much younger than that, even. She assumed that even as a human the girl hadn't been able to speak, which meant that her vampire self had found another way of communicating: telepathy. Anna had heard of it before, but didn't think she herself had the talent.

"I'm Anna," she said, remembering basic manners. She motioned to herself. "What's your name? And how old are you, really?" Anna was, again, curious.

Rolling her eyes as the woman pointed to herself and said her name, Spirit sighed. She wasn't deaf or stupid or anything. She was just as smart as any other kid her age, probably smarter actually.

With a sigh she bit her lip at the woman's words, not because she didn't understand or anything like that of course, but because she didn't know if the woman had understood her before. Could this Anna understand her? Could she hear the words in her head? How could Rem hear them so easily but with others she had to struggle. Dr Victoria said that it was most likely because Rem was her 'sire' that it was far easier to speak to her. But... There was one option that she had that could help her powers become a little more clear.

They were still weak and emerging, Victoria had said, but it might be easier for her to communicate through physical contact. And it had been easier for her to talk with Victoria when she was touching the woman. Clothing as okay, but skin to skin was even better. A direct contact, the doctor had said.

So she reached out, placing her fingers onto the woman's cheek. "This makes it easier." She said, her voice quiet, though defined. Able to be heard now as she felt the woman's mind easier. "I'm Spirit, I can hear fine, I just can't talk. I'd tell you how old I was if I really knew, but I don't. Dr. Adams says I might be six, maybe seven or five, she doesn't know for sure." She said, a shrug evident in the tone of her words. It didn't matter to her though. She wasn't worried.

"Why did you wait so long to eat? Weren't you hungry?"

It shocked Anna a little bit when the girl touched her cheek, but that feeling faded away as a rush of information flooded Anna's mind. No longer were the girl's words soft and whispered. They were clear as day. It made Anna smile faintly to find that the girl could communicate easily, after all. "It's nice to meet you, Spirit," she said.

So the girl really was young, then. She must have been changed recently if she was still around six. It was sad, to see a life taken away at such a terribly young age. Seventeen was bad enough, really. But six? What kind of monster would do such a thing? Perhaps a Tarepha. They tended to not mind utter destruction. Such things were not common among Anna's kind. The Nephim preferred a... softer... approach. Anna nodded to show that she understood everything, now.

Why had she waited? Anna had been asked that question before. Isaiah thought she was insane, as he felt the need to feed every other night. She explained to Spirit the same way she explained it to everyone else. "I don't like feeding up here," she said, pointing at her head, "even if I love it down here." She gestured to her abdomen. It was difficult to explain. "I don't want to harm the humans. They have lives to lead, and they need their blood, too." Aside from that, it also just seemed wrong. But then, Anna's family had been Puritans. It was how she had been raised.

An idea struck her. Without speaking, Anna tried to communicate back to Spirit. "Can you hear me, too?"

Spirit could feel the flood of emotions that went along with the questions that must have been running through Anna's mind. Frowning at them as she didn't understand why the other was feeling this way she tilted her head.

But she nodded as she listened to the explanation of why Anna had waited so long to feed. But it only brought up more questions to her quick and grasping mind. One of them was most prevalent. "You don't like to feed... Yet you take five people in one night... How is that different from taking one every night?" She asked with a scathing look. "If you don't want to hurt them... Why do you hunt them at all?"

"I don't hunt them cause I'd hurt them... And I want to hurt some of them... Like the ones who hurt me. I'd kill them.... Feast over their bodies... But... I don't just hurt them. I hurt others to, and that makes mama sad. So I don't wanna do that. I don't like making Mama sad ya know." But there was a wild look on her face, her nostrils flared slightly as she took in the scent of human blood. She ached for it... Wanted it more than anything...

But she had to fight the urge... She had to stop herself from slipping back into the demon she'd been before. The one who'd hunted innocents, the one who hadn't cared who she'd killed or why...

"But Mama found a way... I don't have to fight it anymore." Her hand slipped away, after the silent question. Spirit had sensed a question, but she hadn't heard anything. Nothing more than the vague emotions that she'd been getting previously.

The girl's confusion was understandable. Vampires beyond her years had failed to understand Anna's choices. She grasped for words that conveyed her reasons and emotions. "Well, I took five so that I wouldn't have to take much from any one of them. None of them will wake feeling dizzy or drained because they didn't lose much blood. If I took the same amount of blood from one human that I get from five, it would leave them very, very ill and possibly in danger of death."

As to the suggestion that she feed a little every night... Anna had heard that before, as well. "I could take on a night, but I don't feel it necessary. I can survive five days comfortably without blood. It doesn't really strain me overly much. I can go as many as seven days without showing any ill effects."

More questions filled Anna's mind when Spirit spoke of her own feeding habits. If the girl didn't feed off of humans, what did she feed off of? "It's a good choice to avoid hurting people, Spirit. If you can't control yourself, your mother was wise to tell you to avoid them. What, then, do you eat, though?" A simple question, hopefully with a simple answer. And more questions arose. "Is your mother your sire, or your real mother?"

A small disappointment filled Anna when her mental question went unanswered, meaning that she didn't possess the same ability to communicate through thoughts. Well, no matter. She had plenty of other talents that the girl might not possess. No need for jealousy, really. Anna wasn't the jealous type.

Spirit gave a small 'hmph' as she heard Anna's explanation. It kind o made sense, but why torture yourself when you didn't have to? She herself knew it was easier not to kill when you were full. She knew that it wasn't as difficult to resist the burn in the air that meant a human was near.

She blinked though as the woman asked her what she did hunt. What else? "Animals. What else is there? It doesn't taste as good, but it's good enough." She said as she brushed her hand against the woman's cheek. "We go out to the camp grounds. There are lots of deer just outside the city. I'm even faster than the are." She said with a proud grin.

The girl pulled away though as Anna asked her final question. Rem wasn't her real mother of course... But... But she'd been the only mother Spirit had ever known. She never had anyone else treat her with the love and attention that Rem did. She'd seen mothers with their children, but Rem... Rem gave her so much more.

Her fingers moved back up to the woman's cheek again, but she hesitated, her face careful as she answered. "She... She's the only mother I have known... The only one to care for me, to love me. She's far more than my mother... She gave me a new life, not only with what we are... It made her sad to do this to me, but it would have made her even sadder to lose me. She didn't want me to be like this, not yet she said, but she had no choice." She trailed off into a whisper, letting her hand fall away.

Oh yes, animals. Anna tended to forget that it was possible for vampires to eat animals. Once, a long time ago, she'd gone down that road. She'd come out of it with a lesson: animal blood wasn't for her. It was her wonderful luck that about an hour after she'd drank from a deer, the blood returned. She couldn't keep it in her system. The blood had come out of her ears and nose until it was gone, leaving her very hungry. Her body repelled all animal blood.

She shuddered, and shook her head. "Yes, animals I suppose. I can't keep their blood down, so you should consider yourself lucky. I've had some... bad experiences with it." That was to say the least.

This Rem sounded like one of the nicer vampires. It sounded to Anna like she'd saved Spirit from something, and turned her to save her life. Well, it was an unconventional way of saving someone, but it worked... sort of. The poor child would be stuck at six years old forever, which in Anna's book would not be much fun. Seventeen was bad enough. "Rem sounds lovely," she told Spirit. "Does she belong to a coven? Do you live with other vampires?" It would be interesting to know what sort of vampires this little one was associating with.

It would be an absolute atrocity if she were being made to live with the Tarepha. The Ishak might not be so wonderful either. That was one of the qualities that drew Anna to the Nephim: they didn't relish in violence. The Nephim didn't kill their victims, not usually. Actually, many of their meals were consensual. Anna never went about it that way, though. It was too personal. She could never let someone know what she did to them. It seemed... wrong.

It was strange that she couldn't use the blood of animals, Her and Rem both had no problem, but maybe it was like she was.... One of the kids she used to live with, the memories were so blurry now, she'd get kind of sick if there were certain things around. But when they went away she'd get better. Maybe it was something like that.

She looked up as the girl asked if Rem was in a coven, or if they just lived by themselves.

Spirit put her hand up to Anna's cheek again. "No... It's just us. Sometimes Tori comes to visit, but it's just us. I haven't meant many vampires. I've... kinda heard of the Covens, but I just know what they are, dunno anythin' about'em." She pulled her hand away, shrugging slightly. She could still smell the human blood on the girl and it was making her agitated.

There was a growl, or the beginnings of one rising in her throat. Spirit clenched her fist as she tried to push it back. The scent of humans burned her throat, but she could stand it. But the blood raw? The scent of the pure blood of the humans....

It was too much. Anna almost smelt human if she thought about it. No... Not human, like human blood. Her green eyes were hard as she looked over the edge of the building. She had to control herself... Had to keep herself in check. She couldn't attack the girl... That wouldn't be good. But... But what about another human... If she found one... A bad one like Rem did... She could have blood... Good blood...

She nearly groaned with pain and desire. She wanted it.... It was so hard to resist now...

Anna felt sympathy for the girl. It must be terribly lonely for one so young to be living with practically one other person most of the time. But obviously this Rem woman had the right idea. Anna had human scent on her from hunting, and it was visibly affecting Spirit.

"Are you okay, Spirit? You look hungry. It's probably difficult for you to be out here." A quick glance over the edge of the roof showed that more humans had arrived to get their taboo substances. Besides that fact, Anna probably stank like one to high heaven. Concerned about the other girl, she moved to the side so she wasn't downwind. Yes, Spirit as a vampire would easily be able to smell her no matter which way the wind blew. But hopefully it would help a little bit. Anna didn't want her to attack anyone. Many of the vampires in covens were never happy when independent vampires risked secrecy through violence. A breach would help no one.

What time was it? Anna knew that at least two hours had passed, probably more like three, since she'd left her room at her coven house. And what if someone noticed them on the roof? It would be mighty suspicious to any passing human if they saw a young girl and a child on top of a building late at night.