It was well past midnight when he arrived in the sleepy little town of McNary, he was about ten minuets from the city of Hermiston, a little blip of a town in the middle of Oregon’s High Desert.

Aaron parked his car, a black corvette convertible, just out side of a convince store named “McNary Market”. The store was closed but he didn’t care.

Getting out of his car, Aaron closed the door sharply, the sound ringing across the empty park.

Leaning against his car door and pulling a long, black cigarette from its case in his front shirt pocket. He lit it with an over sized silver lighter, after taking a long pull, and letting out a puff of smoke, he looked about. Staring off into the empty park, with its three swings and broken down slide, and taking in the sites of blackened apartment buildings and quiet houses, he couldn’t believe this was where his girl was living…

Dawn would be approaching soon and he needed to feed, but didn’t see any pray about.

Flicking his half smoked cigarette to the ground he stomped it out. Reaching through the open window of his car, he pulled out a leather jacket and put it on.

Dressed black from head to toe, he was a predator on the prowl. He was a seducer, and a killer, but he didn’t always feel like going to the trouble of it. Tonight was one such night.

After a short walk, he came to a darkened bar called “Russ’s Place”.

Perfect. Thought Aaron, smiling to him self. He didn’t feel like being around a gaggle of humans, so he found a perfectly hidden little place near the shadowy doorway and waited, like a spider in his web waiting for the flies to come to him.

After several moments of waiting, a large burly man came stumbling out of the bar, he smelled strongly of sweat, filth, and cheap alcohol.

Aaron considered the man for a moment but decided against it, he was more trouble then he was worth. Not that he wouldn’t have been easy to over power, Vampire strength was fare superior to that of even the strongest strong man. Aaron watch as the man stumbled to his beaten up truck and old Ford that had seen far better days.

Aaron shook his had at the man’s folly, he deserved what ever misfortune came his way.

Ten minuets passed after the heavy set man stumbled away, and Aaron could feel dawn’s approach, he needed to hurry, just then two women left the bar together. One was an elderly wisp of a woman, the years had not been kind to her, but she had helped the processes along with excusive drugs use and drinking of alcohol.

Her lank hair had once been a brilliant shade of golden blond, and her brown eyes where the dull soulless windows of one who had seen too many horrifying things for one life time. Her companion was several years younger, but definitely heading down the same path as her elder, there was enough of a resemblance between them the he took them from mother and daughter.

Moving faster then any man has a right to, and placing a hand around each woman’s mouth; he pulled his pray into the shadows behind the little bar.

Invoking what little magic was his; he placed both woman into a trance and willed them to sleep.

He took the elder first, pulling her hair away from her neck; he placed his arms around her in a lovers hold, lowering his mouth to the neck, and tearing the delicate flash with his fangs. Placing his lips over the wound, he took that first intimate drink, as her life’s blood flowed over his tong and down his throat, he relished in the endorphins that flooded his system.

He could understand the woman’s addiction to drugs, for it was the same addition he had for blood, but unlike she who could live with out the drugs he couldn’t live with out the life’s blood of his victims.

There was no better feeling in this world then the kill, to be swept up in the ecstasy of it all. As he drank, visions of her life come to him, flashes of her as a young girl in a frilly pink dress spinning under the summer sun walking down the isle in a white dress towards the first and only man she had ever truly loved, The phone call that told of her husband’s death, the first time she had used methamphetamines, beatings at the hands of various men.

Blood was the river of self and memories, and told it’s stories to those who drank from it.

Counting the old woman’s hart beats, he with drew from his pray, after a few seconds. She was still alive and he would leave her so, as vampires went he was rather lazy. Aaron considered it too much of a hassle to deal with the clean up, especially in little rural areas like McNary, wear death rates where low and everyone notices when some else goes missing, it was easier to just leave them in an anemic like state.

Running his tong over the woman’s flesh he simultaneously cleaned the wound of any smeared blood and sealed to wound. By morning all that would be left was a faded bruise.

After feeding on the second woman, he felt sated and content ready for the day’s rest.

After leaving his two unconscious victims beside some other patron’s car no worse of wear,

Aaron made the short walk back to his car. He decided to stay at the “Dessert River Inn” the only hotel in McNary, rather then drive into Hermiston or the neighboring Umatilla, and booked a room for the week.

After entering the room, and placing the “Do Not Disturb” sign upon the out side door handle, he closed the cretins on the overly sized window, and climbed into the sumptuous bed for a good long rest.

*****************************************************

With fall in full swing he was able to start his night’s work early. It was almost five when he let the hotel, and made his way into the suburbs to begin searching for his girl.

He had been one of the undead for nearly six centuries. And he had known his girl for all that time. Reborn to him century after century, He had known her both when he had been among the living as a mortal man and after he had been turned.

He had known her as a woman and he had known her as a man, even briefly as one of the large striped cats known as tigers, back before the animals had been endangered, still he had relished in killing the one who had taken her life for her pelt.

He had known her by many names but she would always be his Akira, his Anchor. The Scottish flower he had always pined for even as a mortal man.

He found her quickly. Much fast then he had anticipated. His instincts led him to a small debilitated old house, that seemed to be falling apart at the seams.

She sat there atop the front step, her long darkish blond hair pulled back and held by a clippie, black and red flaming pajama pants, a black tang top and bear feet. She was female in this life and full figured. With soft rounded feachers, and deep set eyes. Though her face was different he knew in his hart this was his girl, his Akira…

Beside her sat another familiar soul, though her face too was different, Fia, the Dark of Peace and Akira’s best friend and sister of the soul. He had expected her to be close to Akira but he hadn’t though he would find them together so soon.

Fia sat next to Akira, wearing a pair of faded jeans, a short sleeved t-shirt and what looked like a pair of combat boots. Her dark curls hung freely down her back. Her skin paler then his own, her face was rounded, with a stubborn chin, button nose, and perching eyes, was every bit as wonderful to look at as his Akira.

They sat together chatting for a while, Aaron smiled at the memories they brought to mind.

He stood watching them chat for nearly an hour in the shadow of a nearby tree, noting each time Fia looked up scanning the tee as if sensing his presents.

Finally they stood, embracing tightly bidding each other good night. Akira waved as Fia made her way down the drive heading for the street. Fia walked with her head bent watching her feet as she walked, then suddenly, as if by some instinct or perhaps sheer coincidence she looked up and right into his eyes. She backed up two quick steps and froze. Aaron sighed and made his way out of the shadows.

He hadn’t seen these two in nearly twenty five year, and he was about to learn new names, new life stories, but they where still his girl and her friend.

Three souls all interconnected… well four souls if you counted the other, but he would really rather not.