It was such a beautiful night.... The trees were covered with a heavy snow. Now and then a solid, muffled thump announced the descent of another mound of snow that finally became too much for the bow that had supported it. The world was as still and silent as he had ever seen it.<br/><br/>He'd never much cared for cold. It didn't bother him much... but he found the heat much more enjoyable. Sure, with just the right amount of heat from the right source, he would burst into flame, but he'd always enjoyed taking risks. He stood beneath the shelter of a giant pine whose bows were heavily coated with snow. Inside the ring of shelter created by the tree, the shadows were impenetrable. He was utterly invisible to the mundane masses passing by only twenty feet from his vantage point. The town was quaint, small, and peaceful. It was right out of a Christmas painting. He mused to himself that there had never been anything like him in any of those paintings.<br/><br/>The sudden sound of laughter rose above the mellow sounds of life coming from the town and he glanced to the side. Two teenagers were tossing balls of snow at eachother, each ducking behind trees and cars to avoid the missiles launched by the other. In their excitement, he knew their pulses would be accelerated. He could almost hear the heavy, wet pounding. He had not fed in weeks in his attempt to keep a low profile. Living in such a small town was difficult for him. The townsfolk were guaranteed to notice if someone went missing... and then there was the drama that would ensue if he didn't completely drain his chosen 'donor'. The donor would remember what had been done, and then they'd go talking about it... and he couldn't have that.<br/><br/>His throat burning with thirst, he ignored the teenagers and strolled out from under the tree. Once he stepped free of the tree and moved down onto the sidewalk, his figure was exposed under the beam of a street light. He was lean, tall, and muscled. His hair was dark and long, his skin deathly pale. He paused under the light, glancing up at the source. The droplets of snow in his hair looked like gems, reflecting the light merrily. His heavy coat was merely a prop in his human charade. He had no need of it. He would have been just as comfortable without it, but then he'd have attracted attention. His feet thumped softly on the snow coated concrete as he began walking, headed toward his tiny little apartment.