The Terrible Twelve

Chapter 13: A Dragon Learns To Feed

"Are you sure this is ok?" Viridian tugged on the edge of her dress again to pull it up. She felt rather uncomfortable if she was being honest. She didn't like being what she called 'all dressed up' which was just a simple sundress and heels. But it was middle of summer and apparently this was how people dressed when they were going to clubs at 2 in the morning.

"You look beautiful, stop worrying." Ian smiled as he held her face. "Can I kiss you?" It was a random question but Viridian could see in his eyes that he had been thinking about it all day.

"Why haven't you already?"

Ian smiled and looked down at his feet before looking back at her. "I didn't want to overwhelm you."

"I wasn't." Viridian pushed herself up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

It was a sweet kiss but Ian wasn't having any of that. He wrapped one hand around her waste and the other tangled in her hair. He weaved his lips into hers and held her every breath. When she finally pulled away she was gasping for air and there was bright red tinge on her cheeks. Ian chuckled and brushed his fingers against her cheeks. "You know you don't have to breath if you don't want to." Ian had taken her hand and pulled her down the hallway.

"What?" Viridian followed him willingly through the kitchen and towards the front door. "What do you mean? Breathing is kind of important."

Ian laughed while he unlocked the front door. "Not to vampires it isn't. Are you ready to meet your new city?" He smiled and waited for her response, an excited nod of the head. "Then here we go." He opened the front door and waited for her to exit first.

Viridian gasped when she exited the door. The city was full of light. There were people walking here and there, holding hands and laughing. Streetlights were bright as well as restaurants and storefronts. While some of them were dark, most of the street was full. It seemed that the nightlife of London was like that of New York City; it never slept.

Viridian leaped off the church steps and headed directly for the brightest street. Across the street was a line of shops and Viridian wanted to see what was in them.

"I thought you were hungry!" Ian yelled after her.

"Well yea but I want to explore first." Now that he'd mentioned it, Viridian was feeling the slight burn at the back of her throat.

"Ok but not for too long, the clubs close in two hours."

"What do the clubs have to do with anything?" Ian had caught up with Viridian and reached for her hand. She slipped hers into his naturally and held on tightly. She didn't want to get lost and the street with the shops was more crowded then the side street the church sat on.

"It's where we're going to hunt." Ian whispered to her. "It will be a lot easier for you there. People are drunk and don't think about who they're partying with as much as they should." Ian explained.

"Ok then. You do know best." Viridian was slightly put off at the mention of hunting. She wasn't sure that she was going to like the practice but she understood that she was going to have to learn sometimes even if she only drank blood juice boxes.

"Listen," Ian pulled her into a storefront that was closed for the night. "I know that this doesn't seem like something that you'll like but you've got to learn. It will come a lot easier to you once you're in the environment. You're a vampire now and it will be natural for you." Ian smiled and kissed her before walking back into the street.

"That's what I'm afraid of." She mumbled before she followed him.

The next half hour was spent walking the streets of London and trying to choose the appropriate club. Eventually they ended up at a rooftop after party for some movie premier.

"This is perfect because alcohol is free which means everyone will be drinking." Ian had lost his humorous smile and had exchanged it for a charming one. It had gotten him through the door without a pass and Viridian assumed it had gotten him many things throughout the years.

"Let's go dance." Ian offered her his arm and she took it gratefully. She wanted to stick close so that she didn't miss anything. They danced for a few minutes before Ian whispered, "Her."

Viridian turned her head to see a tall girl that looked to be in her late twenties. She was clearly drunk and was dancing alone. Viridian watched her for a couple of seconds before Ian left her arms and approached her. Viridian watched Ian talk with her and smile and make her laugh. Right before her eyes the girl nodded and started walking off the dance floor and Ian motioned for her to follow them.

When Viridian turned the corner Ian had her pushed up against the wall and he was staring into her eyes. When Viridian came closer Ian turned to her.

"Stand in front of her and stare into her eyes." She did as she was told. "Tell her that everything is going to be ok but she can't scream."

Viridian's hands were shaking but she did what he said. "Everything is . . . everything is going to be . . . Ok. Please don't scream." She stumbled her way through the sentence before turning to look at Ian.

He smiled warmly and placed a hand on the back of her neck. His thumb rubbed the edge of her hairline and she was soothed instantly. "Take a deep breath. You have to believe what you're telling them or it won't take. Try again."

Viridian took a deep breath before she stared into the girl's eyes. "Everything is going to be fine. Don't scream." She smiled, knowing that it had worked this time. The girl's eyes seemed to go hazy and unfocused and she smiled lazily before falling back against the wall. She looked comfortable and relaxed even though two people who could kill her surrounded her.

"Good girl, really good. Now let your instincts take over. Do what you feel." Ian smiled at her before his fangs slid out of gums and he lowered his head to her neck. Viridian took another deep breath before she lowered her head to the girl's other side. She could smell the blood running through her veins, sweet and hot. Her teeth slid out without her thinking and she opened her jaw to sink her teeth into the woman's neck.

Drinking blood was like nothing she'd ever felt before. The woman's blood was thick and hot and slid down her throat, easing the burn that she felt. She drank and drank before someone pulled her away.

"Careful love. You don't want to kill her." Ian held her back while the girl slumped against the wall with blood dripping from both sides of her neck. Viridian turned to look at Ian. He had blood sliding down the corners of his neck and she was surprised to learn that that turned her on. Without a second thought she kissed him, the taste of blood still on her lips.

Ian moaned into her mouth before pulling away. "One second love. We're not done yet." He brought the girl forwards and swiped his tongue along the marks left by his teeth. "The venom in our blood heals minor cuts and bruises which is perfect for bite marks." He motioned for her to do the same and she obliged. Viridian felt a little weird licking someone that she didn't know but on the other hand she did just drink her blood.

"Come on love let's get out of here. You deserve a cupcake." Ian smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the scene.

"What about her though?" Viridian looked over her shoulder at the girl who had slid down to rest on the floor now.

"She'll be fine. She'll wake up in the morning and think she just blacked out from the drinking."

"Are you sure?" Viridian trusted Ian but the girl did look a little pale.

"Mhm positive."

Viridian, satisfied with his answer, followed him from the club that they'd slipped into. Ian led her down a couple of streets before they landed in front of a bakery that opened early for breakfast. It was already five am and they had to get moving before the sunrise started. While Viridian could stand it, Ian wasn't a fan.

They sat in the courtyard of the small bakery and ate while morning businessmen walked to the tube. They laughed while Viridian enjoyed cookies and other sweets, Ian's present for a job well done. When they made it home, Ian escaped inside to the haven that was his coffin and Viridian stayed outside on the church steps after being kissed on the cheek. She wasn't ready to go inside just yet. She wanted to watch the sun rise on her brand new life.