"Pleasure's all mine" I murmured to Kenzin. "Would you care to join me? I'm not hungry at the moment, but I could do with a relaxing chat, perhaps at that cafe?" I said, motioning to the building down the boulevard about fifty paces.<br/><br/>"Sounds good to me, Ariez" she replied, and we walked to the cafe--The Lava Joint.<br/><br/>I scanned the room for any vampires who would pose as a threat to Kenzin, but found no one. Relaxing, I gestured to the waiter and asked for a glass of blood, and looked to my guest.<br/><br/><br/>"Do you serve wine?" The waiter nodded. "A glass of Pinot, please." As he left, I turned to Kenzin.<br/><br/>"So, what is a beautiful woman like you doing out at night alone? The threat of being bitten doesn't appear to frighten you, and it's too late for dinner."<br/><br/>"I never said it didn't frighten me--perhaps I like the fear. It keeps me on my toes, I never know what might happen. And I prefer the night. It is, well, used to be, calmer than the day. And now--" the waiter returned with the drinks," I just like the atmosphere. The people are different, and there's always something interesting to do."<br/><br/>We clinked glasses and sipped our drinks.<br/><br/>"I quite agree. Besides the obvious fact that sun will kill me, there are other reasons I enjoy my...state. There is comfort in the dark. It capes you, covers you in a loving embrace. It holds you, even if you don't want to be held." I was looking far away. Somewhere, Marina must be aware. Is it even possible for her to die? I don't recall her being dismembered.<br/><br/>I shuddered. I'd rather not recall that night, finding my love dead.<br/><br/>Kenzin looked thoughtfully at me. She knew I was in my thoughts. Gently, she asked, "Do you remember your last sunrise?"<br/><br/>I gazed at her for a moment, and when I spoke, it was soft. "Yes. I will never forget. The sky turned from indigo to pink, then from pink to orange. The clouds were shaped like dreams. There is no other way to describe that night, that morning."<br/><br/>"That sounds beautiful. Had you yet met the love that you were speaking of earlier?"<br/><br/>"Yes, Marina was the one who changed me. She found me when I was alone, with no family or kin. I accepted her gift willingly, lovingly. She taught me so much. She was my first love, and really, my only. No one else is like her, as far as I've seen." I was smiling, thinking about all the time we spent together, hunting, talking.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry the hunters killed her. My first crush was on a teacher, but I haven't had a first love yet."