Humans suck.

[ms]

The bed? What a strange idea. He had never slept in a bed before, never even gave the thing a thought. The “bed” of his childhood was straw with a quilt that he shared with his sister, mother, and father. After he turned it was bars of a home-made cage. In the freak show it was the same, only with straw now. And after that… the street. A bed? Never in his life had he slept in a bed. Still sitting on the ground, he waited until he heard the water turn on before he worked himself to his feet again.

The sheets felt cool and soft under his sensitive fingers, the blanket soft and full. Pushing the hair out of his face he pulled the top cover back, finding the mattress just under it. Peeling the over-large shirt off, he slid in, jeans slipping on the clean cloth. The pillow cradled his head, the edge of the mattress the stiffest part, and the most comfortable. So this was a bed. Comforter tucked under his arms, his curled his knees to his chest, arms under the pillow to lend support, and just like that he was out.

He never heard Ginny come out of the bathroom, never head the shower turn off. And her voice fell on deaf ears. The magic of the first time ever in a bed was enough to lull him in the deepest sleep he had ever been in.

[†The Blood Countess†]

Ginny noticed at this point that he was asleep. Wow, the earlier incidents had drained the poor guy. A gentle smile appeared on her face as she walked over and pulled the blankets over him a little more. With the male now tucked in, Ginny pulled out the bed from the sofa. Alright, so she lied about how tired she was but he needed the bed more than her. It was every bit as comfortable and besides, she was used to sleeping on the bed pulled out from the couch. But instead of falling asleep, she pulled out her computer from her backpack. The WiFi was free here and it was time to check up on a few things.

No messages on Myspace. Nothing on Facebook. No roleplays to reply to. Wow, what a slow day. The Myspace and Facebook she could care less about since it was only a method of keeping contact with friends. Fortunately there was nothing on the news about a suspicious splash of blood nor piles of ashes. So far.

Well, there was nothing else of interest so she turned off her laptop and placed it back into the bag. Now, to get a good rest. Another item was pulled from her pack: a brown, fuzzy rabbit in a Tinkerbell costume. Yeah...her guilty pleasure was sleeping with not only her blanket but a stuffed animal.

Curled up, blanket over her, Ginny drifted off.

[ms]

He had never slept so well in all his life. The sun had gone past noon and the great clock in the lobby was striking five before Colin even started to rise from sleep. First thing he noticed was the ache between his shoulders. Then it was his slow breathing. Ounce by ounce he woke, the sun full on his face warming him. The blanket was wrapped around him, the bed supple beneath his spent body. He was still tired, but he was rested enough to need to wake and take care of things.

Pushing himself upright he stretched, mind blank, and wincing in relief as his spine popped and cracked all the way up. A sharp pain made him curl around himself for a moment, holding his breath. Right, his rib. He’d have to find something to do about that later. Where was he? As his mind turned on more and more he realized that he was somewhere that was not familiar. But there was one smell that was; Ginny. Must be her hotel, this must be her bed… where was she? There, he could smell her a little more as his nose stirred into life. She had showered, would she mind if he did too? It had been some time since he had a hot shower.

Padding on wide feet that had lost their sandals at the restaurant the night before, he shuffled with hands outstretched to not run anything. The door was found, the cool tile as well. He closed it, stepped out of his jeans that she had gotten him, used the restroom, turned on the water, and almost yelped at the heat. It was so hot, when one’s skin was used to fountains and ditch water. But it disappeared quickly, the use of real soap in his hair and on his skin telling him that it was okay.

He was clean, he was relaxed, and the water was off. Drying himself with a real towel, he shook his head to get the water out. Then he sat on the toilet lid, soft towel wrapped around his waist. He had never felt so good before. Opening the door he felt the AC push the steam at his back into the bathroom again. Sitting on the bed’s edge he touched his hair. It was getting long, his face needed a good shave, and he was clean. Wow.

[†The Blood Countess†]

"No...I don't like crickets..." Ginny muttered. "Damned elves...smushing oranges...not good for..." Woa! What on earth was she dreaming about?! Grumbling, the female finally awoke after Colin emerged from the shower. Stupid dreams. Stupid disorganized thoughts. Oh well, at least she was feeling a lot better. Food sounded wonderful right now...
"Oh, hey Colin. Hungry? I've got some snacks."

The female climbed out of bed, still clutching her stuffed rabbit. Had he been able to see, she wouldn't have had it out in the first place. I mean it when I say it was a guilty pleasure to sleep with a stuffed animal at her age. "I have a few sandwiches from going to the local market. You want turkey? I'm gonna have the tuna."

Ginny opened the fridge and pulled out the two sandwiches. They weren't that expensive, only a few dollars each one. She even had a few cans of spaghettio's and a microwave to heat them up in. Ginny set the sandwich before Colin and immediately dug into her meal. Her blood sugar was low and it had to be boosted before she starts sweating and getting headaches. Yes, Ginny was hypoglycemic and had to eat something every few hours to keep these symptoms at bay.

[ms]

She was up and moving a lot faster than he was. Smiling slightly as she gave him a sandwich he opened it happily and dug in quickly. Cold meat, full of juice and taste. Within seconds most of the sandwich was gone, the complicated body of a wolf and its human half requiring vast amounts of energy to run. Living off rats and strays and frozen homeless humans hardly provided enough. This was wonderful. Such an offer, to the life of the lucky. He had to re-think his profession of the last hundred years.

“You’re very kind, letting a destitute werewolf into your hotel to sleep on your bed and eat your food. You said before that you liked to help people, but this is a bit much. You even got me clothes. You’re quite a mystery Virginia dear.” He couldn’t help but wonder about her. Many people freaked at a wolf more than a vampire.

[†The Blood Countess†]

Ginny squinted her eyes and laughed. "My friends tease and say that my selflessness will be the death of me one day but I don't think it will. I know it may be strange to some, especially that I'm helping a werewolf. But I don't care, really. You're not among the 'bad' and never sought to hurt me like so many in New York do. Some guys tried to mug me once but a cop caught them in the act. Here I thought I couldn't trust strangers but then you came along. It's strange how things happen, isn't it? But that's what makes life so grand! Without surprises what would life be?" Dull, that's how it would be.

Ginny had finished off her sandwich at this point, relieved that her Hypoglycemic symptoms have finally faded. "Besides, I just couldn't leave you there, could I? That would be wrong. Plus I have a very guilty conscience and it would haunt me. I know, that's strange isn't it?" The female looked down at the empty, plastic box and heaved a great sigh. Regrets were something she thought on quite often despite how often she stated that it wasn't a good idea to think on the past. None of them were severe at least.

"Anyways...looks like I don't have to leave for a few more days for Europe...the flight was canceled because of bad weather over there." Ginny scratched the back of her head and gazed towards the window. Hopefully her friend won't be irritated at her for being late in London.

[ms]

The food was gone, making him extremely happy. She had an interesting way of viewing the world, one that he hadn’t seen in a long time. Remembering that there was a trash-can by the door inside the bathroom, he stood, holding the clamshell from his food in one hand, the towel in the other. Crossing to Ginny he took her empty holder, going back to the bathroom and dropping them in the bin. Once he had a place mapped out he could travel rather well. Closing the door a bit he hung up the towel and slipped into his pants again.

“It’s rare now, I’ll tell you that much. How is your shoulder? Do we have to open it up and get the metal out? Or is it gone? You seem to be moving around with it easily. And I’m sure they’ll understand the weather.”

[†The Blood Countess†]

Ginny shook her head, "Fortunately the bullet never entered, it just tore through the flesh and disappeared in the dark. I suppose I got lucky...I never got shot before and never had that much blood leave my body at once." Her hand rested atop the healing wound on her shoulder and winced. A hard scab had formed over it. At least it finally sealed over. As for her energy levels, they were low, and it wasn't because of blood sugar. "Thanks to you I got out of that situation alive and I can't thank you enough for that."

Her cellphone went off at that point. Swiftly, she picked it up and looked down to see who it was. Ugh! Forget this. A push of the button was all that was needed to ignore the call. "Sorry about that. Someone who I don't want to talk to just called. I think I'll shut off my phone before he calls again." And off it went. Good riddens to the caller.

"So...is there anything you want to do?"

[ms]

She did get lucky indeed. Lead was not something to keep in the body, and it would be found if she went through the airport security. That would not have been good. But he had kept her alive, and for that he felt the weight in his chest grow light. Her phone came into play again, and he almost laughed at the irony of it all. A phone call had been the starting mark of their friendship. And here it was again, at the end of the drama. For now, hopefully for a while. Flopping backwards on the bed he smiled at the way it reacted.

“Wonderful inventions, these beds. Perfect for the tired body. I’m going to find a way to get one of these. How long has a mattress been around?! What do I want to do? Sleep, eat, live… I have no idea. How about you? You know the ‘to do’ things better than I would.”

[†The Blood Countess†]

"Mattresses have been around for hundreds of years, Colin. Looks like you've missed out on a lot for however long you've been alive." Ginny laughed and glanced down at her watch. Not a bad time but it would be too late in the evening to go out. The sun was setting and she wasn't up for the idea of leaving the safety of this hotel. More vampires were prowling around out there and she wasn't too keen on getting shot again...or threatened.

"Well. We can talk I guess. It's starting to get dark and I'd rather not run into more leeches again. Damned vampires." she spat. Hopefully she won't have to run into more of them for a long time. Ginny WAS joking around about being a slayer anyways. She had no skills when it came to fighting, only defense and offense with a gun. That's it. And many vampires had age and experience on their side whereas she was only nineteen!

But a walk sounded great. Maybe if they head to the safer parts of town they can get some pretzels or something. Yeah. "If we head towards the more crowded areas we should be fine though. Wanna go there?"

[ms]

“One hundred, twenty years.” He stated, dragging himself back up to sit again. Didn't sound all that long now that he thought about it. “But these things were expensive. On a farm where you could barely afford to buy next-year’s seeds, mattresses were something you didn't have. Or circuses. That was just unheard of. On the street there’s no where to put it. So, yes, I guess I have missed out.” He was talking more to himself than to her. Such a silly thing to fret about, a bed to sleep on. A box did just the same thing. Sliding off, he knelt on the ground, feeling around for his shirt. A walk sounded good. He needed to work off the extra energy he had managed to get before he could get some more sleep in and feel well enough to go on his way again, leave the poor girl out of the crazy state of wolves and vampires.

“That sounds great. I rather like the idea of the new New York. I’ve never seen it this way before, with another person around. And if we stay in enough light the vampires should be held at bay.” This was starting to sound good.

[†The Blood Countess†]

"One hundred and twenty years? Wow! Only twenty years short from my great grandmother. Sweet woman she was, I barely remember her though. I was eight when she died I think yet I remember her sometimes..." Ginny shook her head. So he was old enough to be like a great, great grandfather! "A farm? Woa...I've only visited farms but never lived on one. Must have been hard living in such conditions." she grinned.

So he's lived on the streets for most of his life? Ginny's shoulders dropped when that thought hit her. Poor guy. Well, he was used to it, but no one should have to be in that sort of situation. And, as a werewolf, it would be hard, neigh impossible for him to get a job! "Yeah, I guess it will be safer. But when night really does settle in, we should head on back here. I'm certain some gangs around these parts are composed of vampires."

Maybe werewolves too. That thought was a bit unsettling.

"I wish I could carry a gun with me but I'm under twenty one still." She mumbled. Still nineteen and only six more months to go before she leaves her teenaged years behind. Life was going by so fast...yet she enjoyed every moment of it...most of the time.

"Well. I'm pretty much ready to go say for my hair. I'll just put a beanie on and hide this ridiculous frizz." Screw makeup, she didn't feel like putting it on tonight. With the beanie now on, she opened the door and swung her purse over her shoulders, "Let's go."

[ms]

OOOOOHHHH… insult to injury. She just called him old… well, kind of. It was indirect, but it was still calling him old. Raising an eyebrow as he slipped the shirt over his head Colin stood and dusted off his knees. He didn't feel too bad, not for his “age” anyway.

“It was a long time ago, things have changed. It wasn’t that hard, but then again, I didn’t know anything else.” He followed her out, sticking his hands in his pockets and looking at his bare feet. “Hopefully if we’re careful enough you won’t need that wished for gun. Where are we heading off to?” He knew the backstreets, but he had a feeling they weren’t going to be taking backstreets.