Books Bite <Dhara>

[Rhett Keyes]

Even though he has a smile on his face, Rhett's microInequities tell a very different story. His steps are fast and heavy, he intentionally avoids walking too close to people and both arms are crossed at his chest. To him, seven years is a long time to dedicate your time and efforts to a place. It should mean something, right?

Only, it doesn't. Maybe it was wrong timing, or maybe he just was a big sucker. Some companies and place were like that. They took as much as they could from you and ran you around the wringer, but you never got anything back in return.

"It's just not possible." Rhett keeps thinking about those four words over and over again. He was left with no choice. Rhett quit. He'd rather quit, than get fired. Maybe when he got things figured out in his new life, he would find a different calling. One that suited him better.

Still, Rhett felt like a dog that had been kicked when it was already down. He was trying to adapt and embrace his new life, but it wasn't as easy as he thought it was going to be. He always looked at it as a 'minor life adjustment.' But it wasn't. He didn't eat anymore. Not food. He couldn't go out in the daylight either anymore. He had no pulse, no heartbeat, which meant he had to stay away from the living as much as possible. Sure, there were positives too, but his job was who Rhett was. Now who was he?

Rhett moved through the park, Thornside Park. His intentions were to head over to Gullsborough, find a way down through the sewers and hit the QZ. It didn't matter if he didn't eat, breath, or had a heartbeat. Everything there was dead, so he fit right in.

But, first thing was first. He had to eat. Well, drink. Usually, he just boosted his blood, but with the way he'd been helping people with their own blood in Jesse's family, it just wasn't possible tonight. From what he remembered, it wasn't like people remembered anyways, so once in a while wasn't that big of a deal, right? Yeah, Rhett was that kind of vampire. He didn't like feeding off people-not when he liked helping people. Saving their life, even.

He sees a woman by herself. With dark hair. Rhett looks around, his arms slowly uncrossing. He feels devious. Nefarious, even. Like he was doing something criminal. Because he was. He was going to take something from her that wasn't his to take. And just because he had to have it to survive doesn't mean he feels better about doing what he has to do. "I'm real sorry." He said quietly before he put a hand on her shoulder and yanked him to her, his fangs ready for the bite.

[Dhara]

The park at night was quiet and empty and perhaps that's why Dhara found herself here so often. It gave her time alone with her thoughts. She knew she shouldn't be alone any where after dark, but she wasn't used to living in a place like Harper Rock. The higher than average crime rates, not to mention all the supernatural things that lived here made the place doubly dangerous. However, she was a little to set in her ways to want some one around her at all times. She knew Ali would be furious if she found out that Dhara often wandered around town alone late at night.

Most of the time when she left Levi's office, she went for a walk to clear her head or simply to enjoy the fresh air. She was happy that it was getting warmer, though the nights still held a slight chill, to her at least. She paused a moment, rubbing her arms for warmth and looking around. When she didn't see any thing but an empty bench, she dipped her head to rummage in her bag for a book. Her long hair spilled over her shoulder, a few strands of black hanging in her eyes. She reached up absently to brush the strands back when she sensed some one moving towards her from the right. She ignored the feeling for a moment, thinking perhaps it was just another person out wandering the night like she was.

That was, until, she felt a hand close on her shoulder and pull her close, almost taking the slight woman off her feet and causing her to yelp in surprise. The hand had a hold of her shirt, her shoulder and the strap of her satchel. She carried pretty much her entire life in that bag and the fact that some one would try to take it from her made her angry. She yanked the thick, hard cover book out as adrenaline kicked in. She had no clue how to fight, she never carried a weapon, but she refused to give in and let some stranger take her bag.

Her loose shirt provided just enough give that she was able to turn some what. Bringing the heavy book up, she swung it upwards towards the face of the man who held her. At least she thought it was a man. She couldn't really see through the hair in her eyes, but the voice was deep and masculine. She put all the force she could muster behind her swing. A book was a pathetic weapon, really, but it was all she had. She only hoped she could surprise the thief in to letting her go so she could run away. After all, the man had apologized in advance, so maybe he didn't want to hurt her and she could escape. Who said they were sorry right before they mugged some one? She cringed as the book made contact, feeling the impact all the way to her shoulders. She wasn't sure where she had hit him, but she knew she had. She just hoped it was enough of a surprise that he would let her go.

[Rhett Keyes]

"Oomph." Rhett exhaled as the book came in contact with his shoulder. He let the woman go, but a hand went to the book and held it to his chest. Who used a book to fend off someone? Rhett looked down at the woman, then stepped back. "I think you blew out my shoulder. What is this thing made of?" He asked softly as a smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. It wasn't true, but the scenario was pretty funny to him.

The book was turned around so he could skim the title, not that Rhett read a lot. He got tired of reading during his two years at the tech school and now? Now, he didn't have time with all the work he did to get where he wanted to be in life. Maybe now he could have more time to read. Or do something else with his time. He shrugged when he read the title, then offered her the book back.

"I wasn't going to hurt you." Rhett said-though, that wasn't quite the truth. But people generally didn't seem to remember when he fed off them. "Not really." Rhett added on before he let go of the book. This wasn't something he expected to run in to; which made the idea of feeding a lot less compelling. "Sorry." Rhett muttered as he stepped back from the woman that he realized was a stupid target to go after. He was much taller than her, so of course she would notice someone looming over her before he could strike. "I thought you were someone else." Rhett blurted out before he edged his way around the woman, quite happy to go on his way. Blood bag seemed to be the way to go tonight. Disgusting. Everything about being a vampire wasn't something Rhett was comfortable with, as death was final in his eyes. Or had been.

[Dhara]

She turned to face him fully, releasing the book when he grabbed it. A half step back, looking like a frightened deer ready to run. Facing him head on, her face tipped up, revealed large amber colored eyes, ghostly pale skin and white hair to match, save the single streak of black, two inches wide. She blinked at his joke, watching him read the title then offer her the book. Both hands came up, tiny and delicate, to curl around the thick, leather bound volume. "Leather, string, glue, paper and ink." She finally said, answering his question in the most literal sense. "Well... Shakespeare can be deadly." This in reply to blowing out his shoulder.

She drew the book close to her chest once he released it. The Complete, Unabridged Works of William Shakespeare. Usually it was used as a text book for college courses. For Dhara, it was a little light reading, an escape from reality with out the frivolity of today's modern novels. She listened to him again, but didn't move any closer, her eyes fastened on his face, watching for even the slightest movement.

"Not really?" She questioned, her tone curious as she regarded him closely once more. "So the apology was what? For attempting to scare me to death, I suppose?" She was teasing him, trying to ease the tension she felt from being nearly... what? Mugged? Frightened? She really had no idea what had just happened. "Well I suppose it is a good thing my hair is already white." She turned to watch him as he moved around her, her head tilted slightly, now even more curious about the entire situation. "The park entrance is that way." She said helpfully, pointing towards the left. Then again, the park didn't have an entrance or an exit per se, just a path that was most commonly used. And then, absurdly, another bit of uselessly helpful advice. "You should be careful walking alone at night. You never know who... or what... might be out there."

[Rhett Keyes]

She cracks a joke and then a couple after that. I can't help but smile as I look down at her. Her quirky attitude makes me think she's young, along with her height, but I could be wrong. She's probably in college. Maybe two years in. Who reads Shakespeare for fun? No one, right? Had to be something for college. Then again, wasn't school out? Unless she was doing summer school.

"Yes. For scaring you half to death. For that, I'm sorry." Rhett nods his head, eyes back on the book. He heard where the park entrance was, but he wasn't looking to leave. He still needed to take care of the whole taking blood off someone. "What?" Rhett asked as she talked about things that might be out here at night. "What's that?" That was a strange thing to say, wasn't it? Did she know he was a vampire? Did he have the same problem Jesse did? Where people just knew something wasn't quite right about that guy they bumped in to.

"Yeah. I'd hate to run into another Shakespeare book. I think I'd need rehab for a good month." Rhett rubs at his shoulder, even though it didn't hurt. The initial shock and pain vanished a couple seconds after it encountered her book. "What did you mean, who or what? Is there some crazy running around town?" Maybe there was. Didn't he just see at a newsstand that they were looking for multiple suspects to a lot of cases of bodies being found in the lake?

[Dhara]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Dhara: She managed to put her book away without taking her eyes off him. “Well the Great Bard isn’t for everyone. However I can’t see him being traumatizing enough for rehab.” She chuckled and tucked her hair behind her ears, mulling over the answers to his questions. “Well you know. Gangsters… muggers. Vampires, werewolves and zombies. And lets not forget ghosts. All kinds of creepy things.” She grinned at him, wondering if he’d take her seriously or if he’d blow it off. There were only a few things on that list that actually were real and roamed the city at night. And sometimes during the day.

Rhett: “Ghost and werewolves?” Rhett asked her skeptically. He didn’t peg her for a woman that believed in that sort of stuff. Not with the genre she seemed to like to read. But did they exist? Rhett didn’t know. Jesse didn’t say anything about werewolves and ghosts, but vampires existed. So why couldn’t they? “What about the lochness monster and the banshees?” Rhett asked in good fun before his face grew serious. “I think you’d have a better chance at being mugged than me. But thanks for the concern.” Rhett gave her a small smile again. “You weren’t serious about the ghost bit, were you?” He looked around them, trying to take in a new possible piece of information he didn’t know about.

Dhara: “Well where I come from, Banshees are a very real thing. So why not ghosts?” She queried at him with a grin. “Though I am not so sure about werewolves. Zombies though, yes those exist I think.” She shifted slightly and tilted her head. “Well maybe. You are very tall and somewhat intimidating I suppose. But… I always have Shakespeare to protect me.” Her lips pursed for a moment. “As for the Lochness Monster… well all they found were thousands of golf balls. But then again, if it is there and it is as old as they claim, I am sure it would be able to hide.” She gave him a cheeky grin.

Rhett: Rhett can’t help but crack an amused smile at her quick wit and quips. Either she’s screwing with Rhett, which was possible, or she was half telling the truth. On the zombie and ghost thing at least. “Only thousands?” He asked, still amused. Rhett extended his left arm and offered his name to her, “I’m Rhett.” He said quietly glancing around them again. “I’ve heard you shouldn’t mess with the classics.” He shrugged his shoulders and then rubbed his right hand over his tattooed left arm quick before dropping both of them. “So-that way?” He asked, pointing to where she indicated where the entrance was before. He wasn’t sure he was leaving yet, but he wasn’t that type of guy either. The sort that held people; primarily women up only to hit on them and try to get in their pants. But if he did plan on leaving, he wanted to take the most direct route out so he could find someone or some other source of blood before he continued on with his night.

Dhara: “Dhara.” She said simply, her tiny hand slipped into
his and gave a firm yet some how delicate handshake. She tucked her hair back again and nodded a little. “Ten thousand I think? Maybe it was million. Golf does not interest me.” She studied his ink for a moment. “I like your art work. Did it hurt?” It wasn’t until the question was out that she realized he was actually trying to leave and she blushed, looking in the direction he pointed. “Yes, that is the most direct way.” She agreed, shifting from one foot to the other. She didn’t want to hold him up but she was intensely curious about his thoughts on zombies and vampires. Did he believe in either one? Had she made a mistake by mentioning them? She knew ghosts… well wraiths… were real. And she supposed ghosts and wraiths were the same thing, weren’t they?

Rhett: “I didn’t get it all done at one time. It was too big of a piece.” He confessed as he thought about how it felt when he got it. It had been a long time ago. Maybe a decade. He probably should get it all shaded in again, now that they were talking about it. “No. Well, this one did.” He laughed and pointed to the three crosses on his neck. “Those three I remember.” He rubbed at them, as he thought about her name. How to say it. It wasn’t difficult, it was just different. “Nice to meet you, Dhara.” He said as his eyes landed on her hair. “Which is your real coloring?” He wondered if that was rude, so backed it up with another thought. “I know a woman who has hair as light as some of yours. Maybe lighter.” It had been quite the conversation piece that one night. Not that he was involved in it, but everyone, or every woman seemed envious of the coloring. “Which way should I go to avoid the zombies, was it?” He knew they existed. One night he could summon them, apparently.

Dhara: She decided to start with her hair and gave an impish smile. “Neither one, actually.” She said in comment to the white and black. “I suppose it’s about time to change it up again.” She mused thoughtfully. “It is nice to meet you Rhett.” She looked over towards the path. “Well you don’t have to worry about Zombies in the park so you’re safe.” She said it seriously, because it was true. “If it’s not too personal, who are the crosses for?” She had automatically assumed it was a ‘who’ because that was what the cross usually symbolized. A memorial for someone or someones. “I can walk you out if you’re scared. Shakespeare and I can protect you.”

Rhett: Was she observant or was it just common sense? Rhett rubbed at the crosses, thinking how best to answer that question. She wasn’t wrong on the ‘who,’ part, but it wasn’t something he went around advertising. “When I was in my teens I lost a few friends to the streets.” He wasn’t going to give their names, because he didn’t think it mattered and he wasn’t going to open up their personal business and how they died. Mostly because it was colorful and a part of his life he wasn’t exactly proud of. Before he got his **** together. “And, I’m petrified. With all the would be muggers and gangsters, was it?” He laughed, and then shrugged. “I was actually just going to get something to eat.” Maybe he shouldn’t have said that. Maybe. Too late now.

Dhara: “I am sorry. It is never easy to lose someone, no matter how long ago that loss happened.” She looked up with that same cheeky grin. “You should be petrified. In Germany we have many stories of creepy things going bump in the night.” She chuckled and tucked her hair back. “But I should not keep you from dinner, that is rude.” She studied the tattoo on his arm for a moment. It seemed to be very detailed work and she admired it. “I could never sit for a tattoo. I am too much of a wimp.” She said good naturedly, turning slightly to the path.

[Rhett Keyes]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--
Rhett: He nodded his head, indicating that he agreed with her statement, but didn’t expand on it any further. “You’d be surprised the things the human body can sit through and even endure if you want something bad enough.” There were multiple aspects to that statement; like what the mind put up with and did, not just the physical aspects of things. “And truth is, I might have been a little tipsy for most these tats.” He chuckled and then rubbed at the cross tattoo again, thinking of the three he didn’t name. “And I’m a quick eater. So you aren’t holding me up too much.” That was an understatement. Rhett couldn’t wait to get his fangs out of the person he had them in as soon as he could.

Dhara: She eyed him critically and couldn’t resist another joke. “Do you need a trough? Some times I think I do.” For being as tiny as she was, she had an appetite to rival most men twice her size. She loved food and coffee, not in that order. “I was shot once.” She didn’t elaborate on how she’d ended up that way, just a simple statement. “It hurt like nothing I have ever experienced. And since I do not drink, I did not have anything to numb the pain. Not until the hospital staff gave me something.” She watched him rub his neck again, wondering if it was a nervous tick or just memories.

Rhett: He looked at her skeptically. What would she be doing to get shot? Then again, he had been walking by and been shot at by something in the sewers. So, it was possible. “Yeah, well we were just kids being kids. Did a lot of stupid stuff when I was a kid.” Rhett shrugged. He didn’t drink now (not that he could if he wanted to anyways), but hadn’t in years. And his diet was pretty strict too-before the whole vampire thing. He thought about the trough comment. A trough of blood. He coughed into a closed palm, his stomach churning at the idea. “You would think so for how tall I am, but I don’t eat much and when I do, I’m picky.” Hopefully they could move past the idea of eating, because soon it was going to get complicated to tell her anything else without exposing himself as a vampire. “You doing summer school or something?” His attention shifted back to a safe topic. Shakespeare.

Dhara: “Maybe a feedbag for me.” She chuckled and shook her head, tucking her hair back again. “I think everyone does stupid things when they are young, don’t you? How are you supposed to live your life if you don’t do crazy, stupid things.” She chuckled at the idea of being allowed the freedom to do something stupid. “Summer school? No… I don’t go to college. I audited a class once but that was it.”

Rhett: “So you’re really reading that for fun?” He chuckled and then put both his hands in the back pockets of his jeans as they made their way to the entrance. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” He admitted with a nod of his head. Doing stupid things taught people what not to do when they were old enough to know better in his mind. “You really from Germany?” He could tell that she was, even though he asked. “Isn’t it a big change; Germany to Canada?” He actually didn’t know much about Germany. Nothing he didn’t learn in school. Maybe they were similar in thought. Guess he would find out.

Dhara: “I am. It’s a lot better than some of the stuff written these days.” She pushed at her hair again, annoyed at the wind that kept tugging it in to her eyes. “I am from Germany. I was born there. But I did not come from Canada directly from Germany. I have travelled pretty much all over the world. After living in Germany we moved to Australia and from there I began travelling.” She left out Korea and all the other places she’d been. “I love to travel but for some reason I have stayed here for a year now. I am not sure why.”
Rhett: “That’s pretty bold. With all the werewolves, vampires, zombies and ghosts.” He said with a chuckle. He stopped when he realized the entrance wasn’t that far off. Just a few steps. It was quite the situation. He didn’t mind talking with Dhara, but he wasn’t actually going to get something to eat. So inviting her to continue the conversation seemed problematic as when they got some food and he didn’t get anything, she would ask why. “Anything else I should be worried about?” Rhett asked her as he stopped right at the entrance, not caring if they were in the way of other people who might want to come in. He wasn’t being a dick, he just hadn’t thought of moving before stopping and asking her the question. If someone came, he would gladly move to the side to let them through, but for now Rhett was a solid fixture right in the middle of things.

Dhara: “Truck stop coffee.” She said seriously, looking up at him. “Coffee is life and bad coffee is just… well it’s like mini suicide.” She chuckled softly and tucked her hair behind her ear, then looked thoughtful. “I’d kill for a coffee right about now…” She mused thoughtfully, though given her weapon of choice was a book, it was hard to take the threat seriously coming from her. However, she really did want a cup of coffee in the worst way.

Rhett: He laughed as he nodded his head. He didn’t drink coffee, or, well, he didn’t use to drink coffee, but he suspected it was like getting anything wrong that you ordered at any place you went out to dine at. An awkward and sometimes miserable experience. While Rhett didn’t go out to eat much (ever), that didn’t mean he didn’t know where some places to get some things to eat out at. “There’s a cafe about seven blocks or so that way. Some guys I know always stop there to help get through the night shift.” He points to the southeastern part of the city to show the direction of the cafe. “I can show you if you want.” The male shrugged. What else did he have to do with his long night anyway? Work? A bemused smile fell on his lips at that thought.

Dhara: She looked in the direction he pointed, vaguely familiar with a coffee shop being down there. She grinned, then looked up at him. “Would you? That is very nice. But I also know I am keeping you from dinner plans.” She adjusted the strap on her bag, then looked at him for a long moment. So many lectures about how she shouldn’t walk alone, and here, out of the blue, her erstwhile attempted mugger was offering to show her to a coffee shop. She mulled the idea over for a few moments and finally nodded. “That would be great, if and only if, I am not keeping you from something else.”

[Dhara]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

Rhett: “No, you aren’t keeping me from anything. Really. I tend to keep to myself and keep my nights quiet. And I’ll probably just grab something after getting you to your location safe and sound. With all those big uglies that apparently rear their head at night in Harper Rock.” He laughed, not really at her, but at the idea of all these things being in the city. It seemed crazy to him that just a few weeks ago he wouldn’t have thought of things like this. It would have been nothing more than listening to someone’s overactive imagination. Now? Now he didn’t know what was true and what wasn’t. “Come on.” Rhett said with a semi-closed wave in the direction they were going to go, before he went that way. Slowly. He would keep pace with her, but keep a distance to as to not invade her personal bubble of space. Mostly because he didn’t know if he gave off a ‘dead vibe.’ Did vampires do that? He didn’t want to get too close to find out. “Do you do anything else? Other than read the great classics, drink coffee and look for things that go bump in the night?” Rhett wasn’t very good at idle conversations, because he didn’t go out a lot and do that sort of thing with friends or co-workers. But he didn’t like silence either. If he was at home, he was watching tv-or at least listening to it as he read or did something else.

Dhara: She followed after him, catching up and walking right beside him. Close enough that she could reach her hand out and brush against his if she wanted. She didn’t really have a personal space bubble and often times forgot that others did. Usually if there were space between her and another person, it was because they were talking and she was looking up at them. But like this, when walking, she often walked close to the person she was with, though she kept her eyes trained forward, checking out her surroundings and taking note of where they were.

“Well I don’t always look for things that go bump in the night, though there are plenty of those. A wise woman just knows when to look away.” She said with a chuckle. “I drink coffee like it’s my job. I wish I could get paid for it.” Another soft, happy laugh as she tucked her white and black hair behind her ear. “Though to support that habit, I work a couple of odd jobs, and when I feel truly inspired, I stand on a street corner and play music.” Her fingers moved to the small violin charm that lay in the hollow of her throat, toying with it almost without thought. “What about you?”

Rhett: Rhett thought on how best to answer that. He couldn’t very well say, ‘I’m unemployed because I’m a vampire-could he?’ No. Even if this woman seemed to like talking about the abnormal. Or wait. Wasn’t it paranormal? Was Rhett now classified in the paranormal group? He hadn’t thought about it until now. “I’m between jobs. I’m looking for something new.” He started out, careful on how he said what he said. “The scheduling didn’t really work out. I wanted something more permanent instead of the flexible thing I’ve been doing for a few years and that didn’t seem to agree with my boss. So, I quit.” Rhett couldn’t even give a proper two weeks notice because he had to work the day shift and so if he called in tomorrow, it defeated the two week notice bit. “But I used to paramedic over in the Newborough district.” He told Dhara as they walked together. He stopped, looked around and then pointed to his right. “It’s that way. Another block or so.” He continued to walk. “Is that safe? To stand on a corner? In this city?” Rhett looked at the woman with a quirky smile before pointing to a building that used to be dark brick red, but was faded now and more orange red, than dark red.

Dhara: She listened as they walked, still toying with the tiny violin. “Maybe you can find a job that more fits with what you want.” She said encouragingly. She firmly believed that everyone should be able to do what they loved. Even if that meant switching jobs until you found happiness. Her head swiveled to see where he was pointing and she nodded. She’d passed by the building a time or two but had never gone in. His question made her laugh softly. “I’m honestly not sure if it’s safe in any city. And frankly it barely… well not even barely. It doesn’t pay the bills. But it’s something that I love and for that, I think any risk is worth taking. Don’t you? I mean people always like to live ‘safe’ and they don’t take risks. But sometimes you have to, to find what you love and enjoy.”

Rhett: He chuckled at the statement, then shrugged. “Depends. I’ve seen a lot of risk takers in my old line of work. Some don’t turn out so well.” He admitted before talking about the building he had pointed to. “That’s the place right there. The Grind.” He said the name for further emphasis, just in case she didn’t know why he had pointed the building out a couple seconds ago. “I guess if you love something, and you’re good at it, it would be hard to walk away from it though. Like you playing on a street corner.” Rhett wouldn’t know anything about that first hand. He loved his old job. It was what he mostly did, but he couldn’t go back to it now. Any place he went to would have rotating shifts and with him being new to the scene, he’d get the shitty shifts no one wanted. Not that he minded kissing his Friday and Saturday nights goodbye. What else did he have to do? “Maybe I’ll see you around sometime? On a street corner.” Again, he smiled a quirky one because of how it sounded. Rhett wasn’t against making subtle jokes of any nature, but also knew when it could potentially go too far for some people. “Hope the coffee is good. I expect a report next time we meet.” He couldn’t forget to feed. Jesse told him he had to do it every night. Or at least get blood from somewhere. Bags or rats he had heard, but neither were appealing to the male. There had to be an easier way or different solution in his mind. “Bye Dhara.” Rhett stood there for a second, before giving a quick, one handed wave and headed back in the direction they came from.

Dhara: She looked up at the shop and paused before going in as they finished their conversation. “It’s certainly interesting, playing on a street corner I mean.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “The funny thing is… no matter what country the street corner is in, music touches people in all the same ways.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled. “And maybe next time you won’t get hit with a book.” She countered, her smile turning to a grin. “Unless, of course, you don’t tip me for playing.” She teased, then pushed open the door to head inside as he headed down the street. She caught his wave and disappeared inside the shop, accompanied by the tinkling of bells over the door.