What day was it? Better yet, what night?

Amadahy had no clue. Nor did she care. Only the time until sunrise mattered. Sadly, it was coming close. In a few hours bored, little, miss vampire would need to go home or find some place to crash. If she did not, well, she would just collaspe. Her vampire "handicap" always caused her to drend the coming sun. She felt leftout. Her sire, J. W. Bliss had given her that trait. She either had to find a place to rest safe and in the dark, or let fate have her. How many times had she woken up in some stranger's bed? Too many. How many times did she end up in a morge? Far too many.

Amadahy sneered at her lack of reflection in a bent diner's spoon. It was the most boring night of her vampire exsistence. She had already haunted all the bars that night and a park. She followed a young man, here, to Mel's Diner just to watch him sit at a table and sip coffee. For the past hour she wanted for him to enter the restroom, alone, so she could have a piece of him. Only a sip or two. Maybe three. Alas, he just sat there, looking sexy, tempting, and thoughtful.

Through the corner of her eyes, she watched him. Her blood red lips curled into a flirty smile as she noticed him standing up. Her tongue ring clicked frantically against her teeth as the man passed behind her and stepped into the men's room. Smoothly, she slid off her stool, straightened her mini-skirt, and followed the man. The other two people in the Diner did not notice or care.

Click. She locked the door and rounded the corner to see him heading for a sink. She smiled, evilly. "Hello, sweety," she purred.

((Hope you don't mind me posting.))

Sakura opened the door to the diner and had a seat at one of the booths. She was wearing one of those thin insulated jackets that a lot of stores were selling. She was also wearing a pair of blue khakis. She noticed a girl walking into the men's restroom, but didn't think much of it. She didn't get a good feeling from the girl, maybe she was a hooker, Sakura didn't know. She looked at the door wondering what was going on in there.

"What can I get for you?" The waitress asked Sakura. The waitress was a young girl, well compared to Sakura she was. She was forty five years old. "I'll just have tea." She told the girl. The waitress walked off with the order. What was going on in the bathroom? Sakura thought to herself. She got up from her seat and decided to check it out. She pushed on the door and it was locked.

As Sakura pounded on the door she could hear some yelling coming from the front of the diner.

“I don’t care if that was your table, you haven’t been here as long as I have, and besides you would probably just drop the her tea or spill it all over her anyways, find something else to do… go mop the floor or something.”

Naomi didn’t know what to say as the other waitress continued to yell at her, so she just walked away trying to brush off what was just said. Naomi was use to being treated like crap by everyone so it really didn’t bother her she just slid her glasses back up and walked over to Sakura handing her the keys to the bathroom.

“Here this might help, but I don’t know if you really want to go in there.”

Naomi’s voice was soft, and Sakura could tell by the way she walked that the young girl didn’t have much self-confidence.

Sakura turned to face the waitress who handed her the keys. The girl was just about the same height as her, but much younger. The girl didn't seem to have much self-confidence by the way she held herself. Sakura took the keys, "Thank you very much." She turned and looked at the door, but turned to look at the girl again. "I'm Sakura." She extended her hand to shake. She observed the girl and got a pretty good feeling from her.

As Sakura extended her hand Naomi began to shake and back away with a look of fear in her eyes.

“I’m Naomi”

She said with a shaky voice, tripping over her shoe lace and falling flat on her ass.

Sakura dropped her hand as Naomi backed away. She watched as the girl tripped over her shoe lace, and fell down. Sakura walked over to the girl and bent down. "Are you alright?" She asked while extending her hand to help the poor girl up. This girl seemed to have a lot of fear for reasons she didn't know why. Sakura was worried about the girl and forgot about the whole men's restroom for a second.

"Yummy," Amadahy purred, licking the blood off her lips. The young man stood before her, pressed against the wall. He was confused, afraid, and turned on. Poor fellow. The very young vampire clicked her tongue ring against her teeth, again. A habit provoked by almost any emotion. It had only taken a few commands to get the mortal backed into the wall and submissive. She did not drain too much from him, since they were in a public place.

"Uh, who are you?" the man asked, sounding half confused and half enchanted. Amadahy just smirked and patted his rosy cheek. Without a word, she started for the restroom door. Then, she heard someone knock.

The mortal jumped in his skin. "What?" he blurted out, coming to his senses. He headed for the door, but Amadahy stopped him with a strong hand. "Stay still," she commanded him, with her only vampire gift. He stayed still.

There was a pause outside the door, adding to Amadahy's panick. Had she been a more experienced vampire, she would not have worried. Unfortunately, she was young and not experienced. "Hello," she said, a little too loudly. "We've been locked in." She lied, of course, thinking it might help.

Sakura turned around at the sound of the girl's voice. She got up and looked down at Naomi. She walked to the door fiddling with the keys in her hand. "Hold on a second. I gotta find the right key." She said a little loudly through the door. She wondered what the hell went on in the bathroom, but forced it down concentrating on finding the right key. Finally she found the right one and opened the door. She looked at the girl in the mini skirt. Her gaze shifted to the man standing still with the girl. For some reason she expected to see the man lying on the ground drained of all his blood. "Sorry to bother you two." She looked a little confused for a second, and backed away from the door. "I'm Sakura Akumura." She introduced herself and bowed a little bit. Damn old habits! Sakura thought to herself. Why was she so paranoid? It was because of her encounters with three other vampires. She's had a stressful past couple of weeks.

Amadahy watched as the door opened and was relieved to see another female. She opened her mouth to speak when the other girl introduced herself. Amadahy's eyes widened as Sakura bowed.

Great. Another bowing person. As if Morrigan isn't enough with her strange hand gestures, funky language, and habitual head-bowing, Amadahy thought, holding back a groan.

"Thanks, Sakura," she said, "We were locked in. I know I'm not supposed to be in here...but I was worried about this guy. He seemed drunk." She doing her best to lie, and was failing miserably.

The man behind her moved. Amadahy's command ability only lasted a little while. "Thanks!" He blurted, sounding stupid and surprised. Two seconds ago he thought the goth girl was trying to hook-up with him. Suddenly, there was a burning sensation on his neck. He reached up and rubbed it. When his hand came back down he saw blood. "Argh! What the hell?"

Amadahy gasped. She had forgotten about the bite marks.

Sakura's eyes widened as she saw the bleeding from the man's neck. What's up with me and vampires? she thought to herself. She quickly grabbed a towel and pressed on the bite marks, trying to stop the bleeding. "Someone call 911!!" She walked the guy to the booth. "Keep pressure on the towel." She said looking at the goth girl. "You outside now!!" She was furious, there were way too many vampires in this city. She thought that the man would be dead if she didn't knock on the door.

Being the confused, emotionally unstable girl that she is, Amadahy obeyed Sakura and bolted outside. Her excitement had left her, as did her smile. She stood outside, in the cold nervously waiting. Her cheeks were rosy from the fresh blood.

"Great," she snapped at herself, "I can't do a damn thing right! How could I forget the bite marks?"

She pictured Bliss' reaction. He would roll his eyes, nothing else. Morrigan would laugh and laugh, in that loud, annoying Irish way she did. Amadahy groaned. "I didn't mean to freak him out."

After making sure the guy was alright Sakura stormed outside slamming the door behind her as she went. "What was that in there?" She pushed the girl forcefully against the side of a building. "What were you going to do to him if I didn't interrupt you two?" She demanded. She just couldn't seem to get away from vampires. She calmed down, but didn't let go of the girl. She fought a vampire before and she was sure she could do it again, but she wasn't going to unless she had to.

Amadahy was shocked. She had never met a mortal like this before. At first, she did not react. Her green eyes were as wide as saucers. Never had someone snapped at her like that. Not even fellow vampires. She fumbled for words.

"I...I'm sorry," she blurted. "Is he going to be okay?"

She felt so stupid. An older vampire would not be in this kind of mess. A better vampire would not be pinned against the wall by a mortal.

Sakura let go of the vampiress, "Yes he's going to be alright." She looked into those green eyes. "He's lost some blood, but not enough to cause a real problem. We managed to get the bleeding to stop." She sighed and leaned against the wall. "Were you going to take as much as you could, or were you going to take a little bit and leave him be?" Sakura was tired of vampires and all the secrets; she just wanted to scream at the top of her lungs to let out all of her frustration.

"I was only going to take some. Not all, Amadahy replied, being honest. Though, of course, she would have taken more had they been in a more private place. She stared at her feet, her lips curved into a frown.

"I'm sorry I made you mad," she said, being honest again. She looked back and stared at the girl. "Who are you? I've never met a mortal like you before." Her eyebrows creased. This lady must have known other vampires to act this way.

Sakura looked at the girl, "I own the Unmei Dojo." She said memories of the night from Hell rolling through her mind. "I'm sorry for overreacting back in there. I've just been on edge for the past week." She sat down on the cold ground. "I have one last question for you, what's your name?" She could've used a few shots of hard liquor right then, her head was swimming with memories of everything that happened in the recent weeks.

Amadahy paused, she could not recall her name from the shock. "Amadahy. Amadahy Yewbeam," she answered. She continued to stare at the girl, confused and enchanted.

She owns a dojo? That's so cool! Amadahy thought, something like a smile reappearing on her red lips. Suddenly, she remembered that she used to work. I used to draw tattoos for money, she reflected. How long ago was that?

Amadahy sighed, moving her gaze to the night sky. She assumed it was cold outside, since it was winter in Canada.

Sakura forgot her jacket inside the diner and started to shiver a little bit in the Canadian winter. "Well it's nice to meet you Amadahy, though I wish it was under better circumstances." What Sergei Konstantinov said to her in the mall was burned into her memory no matter how hard she tried to get rid of it. She followed Amadahy's gaze to the night sky, "It's almost always beautiful at night here." She thought outloud. She was always wondering when Sergei would come to try to take her life. "Do you remember what it felt like to be turned into a...vampire?" She made sure no one was near enough to hear this.

Amadahy continued to stare at the sky. She nodded, slowly. "It's nice to meet you, too," the goth said, thankful she could not blush. She listened to Sakura talk, focusing on the stars. It took a second for the mortal's question to sink in.

"Yes, I do," she stated. She paused. "For me, it was exciting. I wanted to be a vampire, see, so I welcomed the pain and pleasure."

Bliss had been so gentle and kind that night when she was turned. How naive she had been. She actually believed the vampire wanted a lover. But he had Morrigan, then Aspen. There was no room or need for Amadahy. She sighed, remembering how her heart broke when she realized the truth.

Sakura took her gaze off the stars and looked at Amadahy. She was definitely curious about what it was like being a vampire, but she didn't want to become immortal. She didn't want to live each day drinking from those she used to call kin. "Do you enjoy being what you are?" She looked back up at the stars; the boundless emptiness of space reminded her of how she felt. She felt she was lost in a black nothingness without anyone, but those she couldn't have. There were so many things she missed in life. She missed her mother and father, and the feeling of being loved. She'd die alone in a world that held many secrets she didn't know or couldn't even comprehend.

Amadahy was not the best vampire to discuss these topics with. She was of the Nephim coven. They were "shadow-walkers", neither very good humans nor very good vampires. Amadahy smiled, her eyes still locked on the stars.

"Yes, I do most of the time," Amadahy said. "There are times, though, that I hate what I am. Then, I look at Morrigan and change my mind. If I could become like her or Bliss, I think I could be happy. They make vampires look cool." The young vampiress sounded so naive, and she was.

Sakura nodded and looked at Amadahy. "You know that being 'cool' isn't everything." She sighed and looked back up at the eternal blackness, "That's no reason to want to be anything." She wondered what lied beyond the life of any being. If she was going to be killed by Sergei she wouldn't give in without a fight. "Just because someone makes something look cool doesn't mean you should do it." She sighed and looked down at the ground.

Amadahy glanced at Sakura. Her eyes seemed blank, but a lot of thought was moving behind them. She smiled, weakly. "Well, to tell the whole truth. I was escaping from my mortal life. I just wanted it to be better, but nothing seemed to fill the hole inside of me. I believed that immortality would." She paused, still looking at the other girl. "But, a part of me still wants to be mortal. Becoming a vampire changed much more than what I thought it would."

Her big eyes glistened with blood tears. Why was she telling this stranger all this? Amadahy had always kept a wall around her heart, her feelings, her true thoughts. Why break it down now?

Sakura nodded listening to Amadahy. "I know what you mean about having something missing in life." She sighed and took out a tissue. "Here; the thing missing in my life is having someone to love." She thought about Colton and how he made her feel complete. She knew she couldn't have him, but she needed him. She laughed a little bit it was funny how she was opening up to this complete stranger. Actually she saw herself in the girl for some reason.

Amadahy was relieved that Sakura did not laugh at her. She half expected the girl to tell her to suck it up. But the girl understood. Amadahy smiled. She shoved her hands into her coat pockets; her left hand played with the red yard that lived inside her pockets. It was the only thing that crossed over from her mortal life to her living death. She could not even remember why she had it or why twisting it between her fingers brought comfort. But she play with it anyhow.

"Do you want to back inside? It's cold out here," Amadahy said.

Sakura was shivering a little bit, and looked at Amadahy. "Yeah that sounds good." She got up and offered to help Amadahy up as well. "The cold is sometimes good for some." She sneezed off to the side. "Sorry." She stared up at the night sky and smiled. Somewhere out there she somehow knew those who cared for her were watching her.

From the shadow of one of the nearby trees Michael stood with his hands in his pockets. Smirking.
Funny how different people react to different situations. Most people would have freaked out and ran away the vampire. Some others would have attempted to kill it. But Sakura befriended it. What a strange girl.
He watched as they entered the dinner together, not wavering from his spot.
After confirming that she was in no danger around Amadahy he began backing away into the shadows of other trees then disappeared entirely from view.
Good luck Sakura-san. Welcome to the world of vampires.

As Sakura entered the diner she looked back sensing someone was watching her, but didn't see anyone. Maybe it was the cold she was starting to get. She turned back around and entered the diner with Amadahy. She thought about Michael Sorn and what he said to her, 'Your grandfather died honorably in service to the emperor. That is how I know him.' He knew a lot of things that she didn't know about her grandfather. Maybe one day she'd find Michael, and they would talk about that.

Amadahy would have felt a presence if she were not so young. There is a gap between the mortal life and the undead. A gap some people leap over. Amadahy was not one of those. She had lost most her mortal gifts, like the need to survive, but had yet to gain enough immortal abilities. She did see, hear, or feel the other vampire. She did notice Sakura's back-glance, but that is all.

"Where are you from?" Amadahy asked once they were back in the diner.

Sakura slid into one of the booths that were open, and waited for Amadahy to join her. "I'm from Okinawa, Japan." She said pleasantly, she visibly calmed down a lot. Sakura didn't completely trust Amadahy, but she respected the young vampire. "I come from a lineage of samurai you see." She said. Her head was starting to pound a little bit, but she ignored it.

"Well now that I answered that, time for a question of my own...Where are you from?" She asked laughing a little bit.

"Tennessee, U.S.A." Amadahy replied, not very proudly. "I come from a long line of rednecks...one of each married Cherokee woman, who became my mother." She paused, her fingers still twisting and twirling the red yarn in her pocket. She had said too much. Might as well say more.

"But I moved to Canada a long time ago. I like it better here." The vampire stared off to the right, away from Sakura's eyes. She hoped the mortal could not read what Amadahy was trying to hide.

Sakura listened to Amadahy. She wouldn't press the subject if Amadahy was uncomfortable with it. "I lost both my parents before I came here to Demaitre." She looked outside at the street. "It's a lot different from Okinawa. There wasn't so much rushing around." She smiled as one of the waitresses brought them some water. She dipped her finger in it, and started swirling.

Amadahy nodded, agreeing with Sakura, though she did not know anything about Okinawa. Of course, the goth did not like change most of the time. She had to be ready and see it coming. She had to ask for change, like becoming a vampire, before she would accept it. Japan sounded like a cool place, but she had no urge to go and find out. Morrigan told her enough stories about the place anyway.

When a glass of water was set before her, she frowned. She was not one of those vampires that could consume mortal food easily. She pushed it aside keeping her gaze on Sakura. "My sire's sire lived in Japan for about 100 years, I think. She liked it, but was discovered and chased out. She turned one or two people while there," Amadahy told Sakura, thinking she might be interested in the statement.

Sakura nodded as she listened to Amadahy. She was definitely curious about this vampire that Amadahy had mentioned. "Do you remember if your sire's sire made any mention of what island they inhabited? Because there are many islands that make up Japan." She said after taking a sip of the ice water. She remembered stories of something similar to what Amadahy had told her, but she wasn't sure. Whenever this vampire lived in Japan she doubted that she was even born.

"I don't remember which island. I'm sure she's told me, but I can't think of it. I think one of the smaller ones," she answered. Amadahy made a face. Morrigan had the habit of switching old names and new names, which made understanding what she was talking about difficult. Also, apparently old vampires have nicknames for places. Amadahy shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

"I can't remember," she repeated. She placed her hands on the table and picked at her nails casualy. Amadahy was beginning to wonder if Sakura was a vampire slayer of some sort. What if she already knew about Morrigan was using Amadahy to reach her? Amadahy's head was tilted down towards her hands but her eyes were staring at Sakura through thick, black lashes. Why was a mortal involved with humans? And she was from a family of warriors. Amadahy clicked her tongue ring against her fangs nervously.

Sakura nodded as she mentally recalled a tale from her childhood about a demon that came out during the night killing the children who were bad by drinking their blood. Sakura believed that the tale wasn't true, but now she had her doubts. The creature probably was this vampire that Amadahy was talking about. She took another sip of water and looked at Amadahy. "Are you alright?" She asked. "It's just that you seem to be contemplating something."

It was always a surprise when she met vampires. Each one was different from the other. Sergei Konstantinov was her first encounter, and he nearly killed her in her own dojo. If it wasn't for Kevinsanya then she'd probably be dead. The vampire Cole she met a week after that attracted her. She thought about how much she wanted to be with him.

Amadahy blinked. Her tongue-clicking stopped. She raised her head up and smile meekly. "Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking too much," Amadahy replied. "How many vampires have you met so far?" She had to ask.

Her nails were perfect, as usual, she quit picking at them and slid them into her lap. The yard in her pocket was buring a hole, but she resisted it. The habit's origin was unknown to Amadahy. She only knew she had to have it near by. Even when she slept, bathed, fed, or had sex the yard had to be there. She did know why it was such a comfort to her.

She blinked twice. Her hand was in her pocket twisting the yard. Her lips puckered as her eyes glanced downward. Apparently she hand had a mind of it's own.

Sakura closed her eyes and thought about all the vampires she met. "I met five vampires including you Amadahy." Sakura said as she opened her eyes. There was Sergei, the one who wanted to kill her; Kevinsanya, who saved her and knew her grandfather; Cole, who she couldn't get her mind off of; Rain, the girl she tried to save but failed. She thought the woman she met after talking to the private investigator, Link, was a vampire as well, but she couldn't prove it. Sakura was sure there were a lot of vampires out in the world, and she only scratched the surface.

Amadahy shook her head. "Wow. You've that many and none have killed you? Not that I want you dead!" She paused, biting her lip. "I'm just surprised. Most mortals I've met...died, turned, or refused to believe in the undead." She grinned. "One actually thought I was crazy and tried to help me through my 'self-made illusion'." She chuckled.

Staring out the window she saw a few strangers pass by. A couple, a beggar, and some guy all walked past the diner. Amadahy stuck out her tongue ring and dragged it across her lower lip; which is an odd habit of tongue-ring bearers. Sakura still had her full attention though.

"Anyway, maybe Morrigan the weird knew your ancestors," Amadahy said as she pulled the napkin from under her untouched glass of water. She tore off the corners, frayed the sides, and pulled a pen out of another pocket. With a studied hand she began to doodle the image of a cat in an alley.

Sakura nodded grimly as Amadahy spoke to her. "Well one of them wants me dead." Thinking of Sergei sent shivers down her spine. "I just don't feel like talking about him right now." She said looking out the window as well. She laughed a little thinking of someone trying to help Amadahy through her 'self-made illusion'. "Would it be possible to meet with Morrigan? I just want to talk to her for a few minutes." She kind of doubted this Morrigan knew her ancestors, but she was willing to try anything.