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Cupcakes Anyone?

    Arlene was cleaning up after dinner. She picked up the plates and grumbled to herself, while scrubbing and rinsing the plates clean. 

    “Lock the door, Arlene! I’m taking Becky to Dazzle to get her a new pair of tutu!” her mother shouted from across the hall. Arlene could hear Becky scrambling down the stairs.

    “Bye, sis!” she said, excitement in her voice.

    Becky and her girlish ways. Her sister is only 10 but the differences in their personalities are so evident. Arlene was never one for dresses. Cropped hair, with 3 earrings on each side of her lobes. Becky, on the other hand has always been the perfect little lady. Always insisting to wear her long brown hair down, always proper even when she’s sitting. An avid student of ballet, she loved prancing and twirling around the living room with those flexible legs of hers. Arlene was not so blessed in that sense. She is however, the artistic one. She loves colours and can paint anything, with anything. She can play the guitar by ear. She thought she had a pretty decent voice as well, if not mellifluous.  In short, she considered herself a pretty respectable punk chick. Although she’s not feeling terribly punk at the moment, washing dishes.

    And then, there’s that feeling again. Odd, but recently she has been feeling that she’s being watched. She dismissed it as pure imagination. Arlene wiped her hands on the towel next to the sink, turned around and to her surprise, found herself staring face to face into a pair of glowing... red... eyes. 

    She screamed. 

    The creature looked mildly annoyed and winced, turned his face away muttering under his breath. 

    She was cornered against the sink. She tried punching and pushing past him to escape but it was like pushing against a brick wall! 

    “Help! Someone help!” she tried again.

    With one hand, without even looking, he grabbed both of her wrists to stop her onslaught. Holding her at arms length much like someone would, carrying a dead carrion. He hoisted her up easily, her feet barely touched the ground.

    “Oh my God! Please don’t drink my blood!”.

    With that, he turned to look at her. And recognition sinked in. It was the man from the park! Except that she was pretty sure this time, that he was not a man. His face pale and long, was perfectly chiseled but effeminate. His skin flawless. His long straight hair, tumbled by the outside wind. And his eyes, now narrowed, had a reddish tint in the iris. And he was so goddamn strong.

    Still holding her wrists, he lifted her, shrieking, across the kitchen and plopped her on the kitchen table.

    “I came to return this!” he slipped the bag off his shoulders and slide it next to her.

    She gasped. That’s her paint bag. In her panic she had totally forgotten about it, assuming it was where she had always put it, in the store room.

    There was a moment of silence. “Thank you,” she stuttered.

    She watched him as he started pacing back and forth. His footsteps making not a single sound. On closer inspection, even his clothes were unusual. Underneath he wore a light shirt with no sleeves, but he had what seemed like a thick black leather vest, over the shirt. The vest itself was laced with strings with intricate curlisque patterns around the edges. Both of his wrists were wrapped by the same material. His pants were of the same color and to her horror, she could see, the hilt of two large daggers, crossed behind his waist. She imagined him plunging it into his victims and felt a cold shiver running up her spine.

    Suddenly the soundless footsteps stopped right in front of her. She dared herself to look up into those fiery eyes.

    “You can, thank me, actually.” he said, arms crossed. Motioning with his head to the cupcakes on the kitchen counter, “Bring me those, tomorrow. Same time as last.” With that, he turned to leave, stopped, snatched two cupcakes off the counter and strode off towards the sliding door.

    “... And what if I don’t?” she squeaked and immediately regretted her impulsiveness.

    He turned and gave her a devastating sideways glance. 

    “Then I will hunt you down and drink your blood!” he said and disappeared into the dark. 

    Walking in the night, he had to chuckle despite of himself, as he popped the cupcakes in his mouth. So much for stealth!  The look on her face when he left was enough to make him laugh for nights. He admit it was almost hoovering, but he couldn’t help himself. Ah females. He couldn’t remember the last time he had fun with the she-kind. She is quite attractive too, for a human. Drink her blood? Really? What does she think he is a filthy vampire demon??? 

    Which reminded him, the eclipse will be upon them soon. But he was not worried. He is after all, one of the best night hunter of their kind.