It was just turning dawn. I was standing out on the patio on the first floor looking up into the graying sky; the light just filtering through. Just as the sun started to peek over the horizon I hear someone come up the walk. I look over to see Aiden walking up with a bag on her shoulder, walking briskly under the over hang as if she were hiding.
"What's the rush Aiden? Haven't seen you in a while. What's the rush?" I inquire as I walk up to her fiddling with the keys.
"Nothing. I've been getting phone calls on my cell from some of the old guys I used to be sold to. I keep telling them I'm not for sale any more but they just don't get the picture. Not to mention the guys in the History 405 class well..." She trailed off and opened her long black coat to reveal an short black jean skirt with fishnet stockings under it. Her top an almost see through mesh corset with a crimson silk top underneath. She waited for an answer. "You get the point. I feel like a cheep look." She shook her handle and looked tired.
"A cheap look? You look rather expensive to me." she smiled at her, trying to break the sullen mood. "Don't worry about those old and well...and young horny men. You're not a slave anymore. You can make your own choices so don't give in. Never give in." She laid a soft hand on Aiden's cheek.
"Thanks, I think I'm just going to go to bed for a while." Aiden gave her a peck on the cheek and went into the building. She made her way to her room and went inside.
Zain made her way up to complex, in a furry to get away from the sun. Her face is already starting to burn a bit from the morning sun.
"Hey Zain! Now what's your hurry? The sun isn't quite up yet. Need the key to my room or are you headed to the basement?" Aki turned to the sound of rushing clicking feet.
"Sorry Aki, I really have to get inside or I'll be a walking flame ball. Then we can talk." she quickly slipped into the flat and hiding behind a wall from the sun.
Eddie Stillwater sat atop the flat that she lived on, she was always an odd one about heights and enjoyed sitting at the highest point of any building to think or to relax- she was doing both as the morning sun caressed the sky overhead.
Myra stretched awake as her alarm clock sang shrilly on the table beside her bed. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat up slowly. She always hated waking up. Not waking up early, just waking up. She wanted to throw her alarm clock at the wall.
She got out of her bed and trudged slowly towards the door that led to the patio outside of her flat. She sat down in a wire chair and watched the sunrise. It wasn't often she got to appreciate such beauty. Not when she was so busy trying to keep a steady income.
"Well, at the moment I don't have to worry about that." She said to herself sarcastically, thinking about the job she had just lost. She sighed and stared out at the city below. She wondered when the rest of her neighbors would awake.
"I...", she sighed. "Well, since everyone seems in a rush I'm just gonna plant my ass and someone comes to me." She went to a bench and laid down looking up at the now pink and orange sky. "I have a feeling today is going to be a weird one."
Zain quickly slipped behind the basement door and down the stairs that have several curtains that hung to keep the sun out of the basement if there was an unexpected guest. She slipped off her cape and clothes and laid down on the black silk master orgy sized bed (imagine a bed big enough for four people comfortably, I've seen it but I don't know what it is called so I call it orgy sized) nude. Her breathing started to slow and her body went cold with the rising of the sun.
Aiden stretched inside the door and threw her coat and bag in a chair. The window was open adn the sun shone in bright and clear. She quickly strode to the window and shut the blinds. The power of the rising sun still hurt, she was a Vampire, although not allergic to the sun it could still hurt. It hurt her eyes, they had never seemed to dilate right. Aiden went to the closet and pulled out some clothes, she decided to take a wake-up shower and then she'd go to into the common area and sit to greet the waking peoples in the building. People watching , one of her many hobbies.
As the sun finished its journey into the morning sky Myra stood up and walked back inside. She glanced at the clock. It was about 7:05.
"I guess it's about time to get dressed. I need to go job hunting." she thought as she walked back into her room.
She turned on the stereo and blasted Hawthorne Heights as she picked out an outfit for the day. She chose a hot pink pair of skinny leg jeans, a black t-shirt with hot pink metallic skulls all over it, and a plain black hoodie.
Next she went and sat down in front of her mirror and put on her makeup in the usual style and brushed and teased her hair, adding the final touch of a hot pink skull barrette on the left side.
Over all she was pleased with how she looked. She turned off the stereo and left her room to stand in front of the fridge, searching for something to eat.
Aiden locked the door and began undressing. She piled the dirty clothes in their piles and turned on the water. She herd the Hawthorne Heights music from another room and listened. When the water was almost scalding she stepped into the shower. The water cascaded over her body as she soaked in the feeling of the warm water.
After a few minutes Myra gave up with an exasperated sigh. She'd grab a granola bar or something from a convenience store on her way to the mall where she had an interview. She really hoped she'd get this job. She need it badly. She had no way to support herself if she didn't. No money for food, rent or anything. She wasn't sure how long what was in her checking account would last.
Myra grabbed her purse and headed out the door, turning and locking it behind her. She walked down the stairs towards the common room and out the front door. She left the building praying she'd get the job.
Myra returned to the flats a few hours later in tears, make up smeared all over her face. She hadn't gotten the job. The manager said she didn't fit the store's "image" in truth she was two sizes bigger than their "perfect" sales woman. She was a six instead of a two.
Myra wiped her eyes angrily and threw open the door of the building, throwing herself into an elevator, too lazy to climb up the stairs like she usually did. Once she reached her floor she got off and walked to her room, unlocked the door and stepped inside. She threw her jacket and purse down in a corner and flung herself onto the couch in her living room, accidentally hitting the wall with her arm and making a loud bang. She hoped her neighbor was awake by now. Otherwise she would have woken the boy that lived in flat 125 up with that noise.
Once she had cried her fill, she decided to make herself feel a little better by making a cup of tea. She walked to the kitchen and began to gather what she'd need to make her drink. She realized she didn't have any honey.
"Fuck." she said to herself, "Hmmm...I wonder if he has any honey?"
Myra turned from the kitchen and walked out of her door and walked the few feet to the right and stood in front of room 125. She knocked on the door and prayed he wasn't sleeping and wouldn't get mad at her for knocking on his door. She had never actually met her neighbor. She just new he was gorgeous.
Yume looked up from his book as he hear a knock on his door. He wondered who it could be as he hadn't ordered anything and no one at work knew where he lived. Now he took a moment to think about this. Getting up he put his book down, marking the page, and headed to the door. The only thing he hadn't taken into accord was his state of dress (boxer briefs and a over sized shirt), but he answered the door before he realized anything.
Myra looked at her neighbor, completely startled by the way he looked. Damn he was gorgeous. Studdering, she said, "I'm really sorry to bother you, but I was about to make some tea and I didn't have any honey and I was wondering if you maybe had some I could borrow?"
Myra looked her neighbor over after she had finished talking. She defintely didn't expect him to answer the door in just a t-shirt and underwear. Though she did have to admit she didn't mind.
Javar, Zain's little stooge was sliently floating around and decided to watch the seen between the two neighbors discussing honey.
Yume looked at his neighbor with interest. Where had this preety little thing been hiding? He looked over her frame and smiled. He sure did have honey....
"Yea, I have some. The kind in the little bear bottle if that means anything to you." He smiled at her. "Why don't you come on in and I'll make us both tea? I have some warm cake too. Have to find some way to waste my days." He gave her an excited grin. "I mean, I'd like to meet my neighbors at some point."
Myra smiled sweetly at her neighbor. She noticed he didn't bother to ask her if he could sneak away and change. It made her smile even more.
"That sounds wonderful." she said, "By the way, I'm Myra. I live in flat 123. Sorry about the bang earlier as well, I was a little upset and kinda hit the wall." she laughed, "The kind in the little bear bottle? Always the best."
Eddie finally slipped back into the appartment complex, headed to her own cozy nook on the second floor. her appartment was often quite dark- she kept heavy draperies over the windows to block out the irritation that was the sun. She liked her sleep, her privacy, and the dark. She moved into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee before sauntering into the bathroom and beginning to run the bath.
"I'm Yume. You apparently know where I live." He gave a little laugh and started to cut the cake and put the kettle on. "So what do you do during the day? And have a seat. No reason to stand when you don't have to." He pointed to a seat at the little kitchen table.
Aiden steped out of the shower and onto the cold tile floor. She sivered. Grabing the towel off of the hangerand tieing it around her she went to the wardrobe to choose an outfit for the day. After all sleep was overrated, she still had three days before she needed it anyways. As she stood beside the open wardrobe doors she turned on the straightner and shook her hair into place. She chose a pair of old jeans that had wholes in the knees and a black cami top. From the drawer she graber the necessary undergarmets and got dressed.
She sat infront of the miror on the desk, shecould cast a reflection when she wanted to. Applying her makeup in the useual gothic-emo style as her students called it, she straightened her hair and then went to the fridge to find something to drink or eat. Blood was substantial, but the lack of it made eating a habit now days for her. She looked upon he bare shelves and decided to go bug people for food.
Lord Zain woke up from her dead sleep with a jolt and a gasp of undead life. She knew not what had waken her from the dead but she knew she would not be able to sleep with this disturbing feeling through out her body.
She slipped into tight leather pants that tied in the front then slipped on a loose dark blue silk shirt that had soft ruffles at the end of the sleeves. She slipped on her topaz colored pendant that would protect her from the sun while upstairs in the lobby.
She glided up the stairs past all her dark heavy curtains and into the common room. She sat in one of the large cusion chairs and called for her minion Javar.
Myra smiled sweetly at her neighbor and took a seat where he had pointed. She began to speak, "Well, I used to work. But, unfortunately that's come to an end. I got fired the other day. I went to a job interview this morning, hoping to fix that, but I didn't fit the store's "image." Apparently I wasn't thin enough or pretty enough." Myra sighed and looked down at her hands on the table. She really wished she could get a job. How was she supposed to pay her bills?
Myra started speaking again, "I have no idea how I'm going to pay for my flat in two weeks when they collect rent. I have no idea how I'm gonna go grocery shopping. I just don't know what I'm going to do."
Aiden wandered to the common room to find Lord Zain in a chair. She decided to ask the dear why she was up at such an early hour.
Zain held Javar by his toes upside down listening to the gossip he had picked up. "Morning to you too Ms. Aiden. I had this unpleasant feeling disturb me and it continues to bother to keep from sleep so I thought I would see what happens during the day in the complex. Not much of interest really, just some simple patter between neighbors. There are some things I'd object to, but it is not my place to interrupt mindless flirting."
Zain ruffled Javar's large ears gently and he was off to another part of the building.
"How are you this morning?"
"It's just Aiden, if you don't mind. And there are more things than flirting going on in this building I can assure you. I object to quite a few things here. What unpleasent feeling? I'm the usual, hungry, tired, and in want of warmth, And your self?" Aiden sat on the sofa next to Zain's chair.
"I guess I just having been feeding as well as I used to. My main food source is engaged and can't feed me anymore. I could have my pick of any of the dancers at my club that I own downtown, but I prefer the lycanthropes or supernatural." Zain sat in the chair in an elegant posture, with the poise of a great predator cat.
"Humm, sounds depressing. I'd love to feed off of anything to replace the energy that my classes take from me. You own a club?" Aiden perched herself oh the arm of the sofa and watched with her emerald eyes and Zain looked ready to pounce.
"Yes, yes I do. It's Guilty Pleasures just off of 5th. My manager was the one that was engaged and well her fiancee is very 'snippy' I guess, so I'm looking for an opening. I'm thinking of asking the young man that lives in 125. His blood smells sweet, does it not?" Zain had a spark go in her dark midnight blue eyes.
Aidens own eyes shown fire. "Oh yes, I can smell it from down the hall, it keeps me up. Oh how I wna to taste it, or even his energy.. " She looked down and the right back into Zain's eyes.
Zain gave her perfected smirk that hid her fangs but showed her pearlly white teeth. "You have a good taste about you. Aiden. I'm sure there is a position for you at my club. Varying from behind the bar to the muscle. If you're interested, that is."
"Of course Dear, but what's in between? I'd love the job, and as for my taste, I do like to think that I have good taste." Aiden flashed a smile of her own.
Myra turned to face Yume and said, "I don't know why I'm dumping all of this on you. You just wanted to know what I do during the day. I'm sorry. I got a little carried away."
Myra looked around his flat and smiled, "You're quite the decorator."
Through the thumping bass and guttural growling of her nighttime lullabies, the faint sound of water running hit Dani’s ears, ruining the heavy rhythm of sleep. Her neighbor must be running a bath, she figured, and decided it wouldn’t hurt to do the same. With a lithe twist of her body, she kicked off the silken sheets (and a few pillows in the process) and flipped herself onto the Oriental carpet-covered floor. Baring her sharp little teeth, she blindly crawled the short distance to the cool black marble of her bathroom. She reached up and to her right, twisting the jeweled taps of the sink before rising to kneeling position. Dani dunked her face under the cool flow and rolled her stiff shoulders back in order to shrug out of her silken kimono-esque bathrobe, leaving her naked and shivering, her pale hair dripping icy across her flat chest to tease her nipples.
K’so! (D*mmit!) she cursed silently in Japanese. Dani moaned, feeling her aching erection at the sensation.
And nobody to finish this off with… The image of her pretty neighbor, right next door floated to consciousness. She groaned again, in frustration this time, and rose to drown the rest of her body in the necessary cold shower.
Coffee in hand, Eddie made her way to the filled tub and switched the water off. She flipped on her radio, and the CD of one of her favorite Japanese bands filled the small but elegantly designed bathroom with music. She slipped out of her clothes and into the water with a pleased sigh. She wondered avidly what she would do with the remainder of her day.
Aiden herd the pipes groan under the stress of two showers going on the second floor. Maybe she would pay them a visit in a little while. She needed to play after all, and nothing but Zain looked apealing right at the moment.
Zain was quiet now, and softly stroking the fabric of the chair arm. Quietly enjoying the peace.
After having gotten her desires under control beneath the chilly spray, Dani fiddled with the ornate hot and cold taps, fashioned like outspread wings to match the spout which was the head of a gargoyle, to add hot water. As steam began to envelop her slim form, she gracefully bent over to drop the diamond-like plug on top of the drain to allow the bath to fill, closing ivory lids over her indigo eyes, her lips curving up in a sensual pout as she imagined a man (his features vague, since she didn’t know anyone here yet) coming up from behind to grasp her lean hips and lay a kiss upon her shoulder before slamming himself into her slick, waiting body. Once again, as she rose slowly and her features scrunched into a frown, she knew she was unlikely to be able to fulfill that fantasy in anything other than her upcoming novel –
Of Those Desires Forbidden, No Longer Hidden. “Oh!” she gasped softly, reminding herself that she had prime material for her story. She reached out quickly and tapped the button of one of the recorders that she kept in each one of her rooms – for just such occasions – and repeated that which she had just daydreamed. As she spoke, her voice unconsciously slid into that husky lilt that hinted of her arousal, which was becoming evident, once again. Ignoring it this time, she then turned back to her bath, adding in perfumed water and bath oils from various bottles until the marble basin was filled with silky, frothy suds before sliding in herself. Dani leaned her head back, exposing the full curve of her neck to the cool air, her eyes closed as she continued her thoughts where she had left off, allowing herself a bit of pleasure as she stroked herself within the heated glide of her palms.
Dirty, she thought, smiling to herself,
but that is what baths are for.
Aiden waited as she watched Zain playing with the fabric on her chair. She smiled and looked up at Zain's face. "So now what would you like to do Dear? Shall we go and see how the tennant of 125 is fairing?" Aiden flashed a wicked smile and waited.
Zain chuckled, it sounded rather evil. "That sounds like a scrumptious idea" Zain quickly stood up and offered her hand to Aiden
After finishing her “dirty deed” Dani pulled the diamond out of the drain, allowing the suds to swirl away into nothingness, then grabbed a fluffy black towel to dry herself off with. She then took a smaller purple one to her hair, dropped the dampened cloths to the ground, and sauntered the short distance to her bedroom, to sit herself in front of her vanity, still in the nude. Dani squinted at herself in scrutiny before drawing exaggerated cat tails on her upper lids in hot pink eyeliner and adding some blush before sweeping extra glitter across her lids and cheeks. She started to get up, then catching a glimpse of herself,quickl
y applied black lipstick before eyeing the contents of her walk-in closet. A few moments passed, she decided on a pair of zebra stripe tights under a black tulle tutu and a plain black tee then chose to compliment her outfit with dozens of strands of opera-length pearls and an assortment of spiked and studded wristbands and matching choker. She made it to the door before realizing, she had nowhere to go and no one to meet. “Hmmm…” she wondered aloud. “What to do?”
Aiden takes Zains hand and follows her.
A short while later Eddie exited her hot bath, towelling off and dressing. She wore a thigh-length skin molding black dress and a pair of knee high silver stockings with small skull and cross-bones across them. Her hair she tucked back into a simple ponytail.
She heard the squeal of pipes as the girl next door finished her shower. I hate meeting new people, for the first time. Twisting her wrists in agitation of indecision, sending her loose wristbands clinking against her low-slung belts reassuringly, Dani narrowed her pretty eyes and opened her door hesitantly. She peeked out, and seeing no one else in the hallway at the moment (after all, only one other girl was on this floor for now) she then walked towards the stairwell. And then back. And then a step or two in the direction of her neighbor, arm upraised in preparation to knock.
Eddie lifted several books into her hands thoughtfully, she'd finished each of them, but wasn't sure if she was quite ready to return them to the library yet. Bah, I can always get them again later. She thought decisively to herself, throwing on a pair of loose, black shoes and pulling the door open. She took a surprised step back when she saw her neighbor standing, posed as though she'd been about to knock, "Oh, hello!" She murmured, "Startled me for a moment. Name's Eddie- you new here?"
Zain lead Aiden down the hall by the hand softly
"Ai-eee..." The undignified squeak caused her to widen her eyes in surprise. Relax, you fool! Smile, relax. She followed the advice of her inner dialogue and curled her lips in a smile. "Eddie." She savored the different name on her tongue. "I am a bit new here, and thought I ought to meet my Mistress Neighbor." She slid her left leg behind her right in a shallow bow and bent her head forward. "Lovely to meet your acquaintance," She said, putting a hand out for the other girl's.
"A pleasure to meet you as well. It's an interesting change to have a neighbor whom I don't have to climb the stairs to visit." Eddie smiled and took her hand.
Aiden followed along her hand in Zain's as they made their way to his door. The energy could be felt all through the hall.
Zane, floated silently down the hall with Aiden and softly knocked on tennant 125. Waiting.
Aiden waited silently. Listening to the beat of his beautiful heart through the doo.
"Thanks." Yume said with a smile. "I try at least. Its hard to do on a short budget." At that moment there was another knowck at the door. "Excuse me Myra I'll be right back" He set down his tea and went to answer his door. He had a feeeling he was going to be kept very busy today....
Zane listens to Yume's footsteps on the other side and waits silently.
Myra grew slightly angry. She had hoped to be able to talk to this extremely cute boy alone. Now one of the other tennants was knocking at the door. Great. Well, her fantasy was just crushed. She'd have to try again she guessed. She sighed heavily and played with the tea in her mug. As always, she'd probably go home alone. At least she had this slight talk.
Aiden listened to the sound of him. He was comming to the door. She stood silently slightly behind Zane.
Subconsciously Zane boosted her magic to make her appear irrestisably sexy, doing away with all flaws.
Aiden noticed a subtle change in Zane's features. She smirked and decided to not change herself, if he didn't like her the way she was without her usually ritual fine tuning then she didn't care.
Dani let her breath out in a minty exhale across Eddie's knuckles, her lips making a light kiss above the flesh. She then rose, letting her hold linger a moment more than might be considered proper decorum, and said, "Well, and I might say the same. It is sort of cozy just the two of us girls up here, maybe we should have a... sleep over, a slumber party, you could call it." She let out a low laugh, her eyes glittering mischieviously.
Eddie couldn't resist a playful grin of her own, "Sounds intriguing," She replied coolly, "You're welcome over any time."
With a slow wink of one eye, "I'll hold you to it." Then, realizing she still had nothing to do, she licked her lips, slicking them before speaking again. "So, what are you to do on this day? A rendezvous in a naughty bookstore, a chat at the local cafe, maybe just a picnic on the rooftop?" Though she wasn't sure how likely these acts were, she was truly curious where this delicious creature was headed.
"Nothing so very exciting, I'm afraid," Eddie chuckled, though shook her head sadly, "I'm merely returning a few things to the library."
"Extremely exciting, my dear Eddie!" Dani exclaimed, a bit of true zeal entering her husky tones. "What interests you in the way of literature? ...Would you like accompaniment on your way?" Wouldn't it be a strange occurence if she were to be one of my faithful readers? She laughed silently to herself, a slight smile of her onyx-hued lips the only clue as to her thoughts.
"Well, anything and everything I'm afraid," Eddie was silent for a moment, mildly amused at Dani's response to her answer, "Though I'm in preference of the action and fantasy novels. And to be honest, I wouldn't mind the company." She gave a small smile.
"Lovely," she offered the crook of her elbow. "Do you wish to depart now? I wouldn't mind having enough time afterwards to maybe do a bit of shopping or looking around in the town. I've only just recently moved in, after all, and a woman should well know her surroundings." She blinked slowly, a dark memory threatening to surface from the depths of her bright eyes, and she squashed it hard.
"Sounds like a great idea to me." Eddie shifted her books into her other arm, "I haven't had much time to get to know the area myself. Though I did somehow find the time to hunt down the library." Her free hand touched Dani's arm gently, "You okay?"
"Oh? Yes, I am fine, wonderful even." Dani gave a smile, her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly. "Just a cautionary comment." she said, while putting her hand atop Eddie's own, tucking it into the crook of her arm. "But, let us depart. After all, being new here, I am not aware of the closing time of this library, nor if there even is one." She smiled, more firmly now, her eyes glinting sharp and confident.
"It's only a couple of blocks." Eddie smiled warmly, "Shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Then we can go out and... tour the town."
"Good day for walking," she said, starting to stalk forward in her hot pink stilettos, which matched her eyeliner perfectly. "Know any good places to have -some- fun?" Dani said with slow pauses between each word, loading them heavily with meaning.
Stumble!