Home Again, Home Again

[Existentially Odd]

He paid closer attention to Mandy\'s large apartment building as they walked up the stone path leading to it. It seemed quite old and sophisticated, a simple six-storey structure with a lot of character in its façade. It also wore an air of security like a well-loved cloak. They pushed through the glass doors and he was even further impressed; classically-styled couches nestled against each other, creating cosy niches amongst tall bookcases. The various, scattered objéts d’art were tasteful and warranted closer inspection but it certainly wasn’t the time now.

Still holding her hand, Kerr walked with Mandy past a sleepy-looking clerk sporting the nametag ‘Brett’ on his lapel. He was sitting behind the reception desk staring intently at a computer screen, typing rapidly on the keyboard. He only spared them a cursory glance and an offhand, “Evening,” as they passed, though a flicker of surprise crossed his features when he saw a man accompanying Mandy. This unmasked expression made something satisfying flare in Kerr’s chest. It glowed there as she led him to the elevator and pressed the button pointing upward.
   
   “This looks nice. Very tasteful,” he told her conversationally, feeling cocooned in the ambience of the foyer. He glanced over his shoulder at it once more as he spoke, so that she’d know what he was referring to. He was glad that it was a public place, and that he had unqualified access to it.
   
   Watching for her reaction, Kerr was unsure whether he should surrender her hand and walk out, now. Although he’d intended escorting her to her door, it certainly seemed she could avoid getting up to no good now that he’d got her into the building, and he didn’t want to intrude too much. He was focused intently on where their flesh touched, ready in an instant to let her go and take his leave, should she indicate that was her desire.

[Mandy]

The lobby elevator arrived within moments, halting to the tone of a singularly impressive "ding". It resonated throughout the whole of the main foyer, echoing down nearby corridors and reverberating from the rafters high above. Amazing how long the vibration could cling to life using nothing more than an open plain of air and poorly insulated walls. She couldn`t help but smile at the simple beauty the sound managed to achieve.

...the elevator doors suddenly rumbled to life...

The decorative slats parted ways down a mutual ground and slid briskly apart, a blast of warm air rushing out against Mandy`s face and carrying the faintest hint of Jasmin at its heels. It wasn`t uncommon to be bombarded by a variety of unusual smells when entering the elevator shaft...it all depended on what the tenants were cooking, or burning at the time. Thankfully, the scent of the evening had not been an unpleasant one, if only for Kerr`s sake. She hesitated before the open compartment, relentlessly maintaining her grasp upon the slightly wind-chilled surface of her companions hand. Now came the tricky part.

She turned to him, her smile trickling down into a look of shyness. What could she say in order to invite him up without giving the impression that she was after something, more? Her face reddened. Not to say that the prospect of something more did not appeal to her....but, it was really too soon to even be considering such options, wasn`t it? Had she assumed her face was red? Ha! It was down right purple! Mandy`s own chain of malapropos thoughts had sabotaged her futile attempt at remaining rational...oh there would be no hope in her resisting his charms now...

"Kerr..."she began awkwardly. "I want you to know that I don`t make a habit of inviting strange men up to my apartment, least of all someone that I`ve only known for a few hours..." her thumb ran nervously over the surface of his hand. "But...your not just some strange man to me..." the words became lost in her throat. She wanted him to follow her upstairs and see where it was that she called home...to observe his reaction within her own element and soak up the pleasure of his company before the inevitable finally came to be...It didn`t have to be anything more....

She squeezed his hand affectionately, swallowing hard. "Would you like to walk me to my door..." she wavered. "...maybe take a peek at how the "starving-artist" set lives?"

[Existentially Odd]

Well, he\'d certainly got his answer; and he\'d got his wish to see her to her door.  As invitations went, this one (to come and see her home) was as sweet and shy a one as he\'d ever received.  He felt somewhat bad, also, knowing that it was enough to have resolved the mystical protection whatever forces there were in the universe had constructed to bar vampires from the homes of mortals without invitation.  He would be able to gain entry to her domicile forever now, unless she was able to perform the necessary banishment spells to block him again.
 
"I\'m pleased that you don\'t feel me a stranger - in any sense of the word.  I\'d be delighted to accompany you up and to see inside your apartment, of course, but then I really should be going," he told her, his expression displaying his regret clearly (he hoped).  It was the truth, however; dawn was approaching, after all.  With a smile and a gentle tug, he stepped into the elevator with her, waiting for her to show him around.

[Mandy]

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

The key to her studio, (the very same from before) turned with a satisfying "click" as Mandy toyed with the "trick" door knob, jiggling it just, so...the latch suddenly popped, then released.

"Its not much-" she repeated (though not in a shameful manner) and pushed open the door, flicking on a wall switch. "But it`s home."

Light flooded the single area living space where the spiky haired creature took up shop, her face beaming brightly up at Kerr as she tugged him playfully through the door frame of her apartment. Good Lord, she had a tendancy to drag him about...but God love him for putting up with her impulsive behaviour! Like a child lost in a world of candy and sweets, she excitedly led Kerr to the very center of her studio apartment, fanning out her arms in a grand gesture he appeared to find slightly amusing.

"Well...what do you think? Not bad for one person, right? Anymore space than this, and I don`t know what I would do with myself!" she flopped down upon a favorite corner of her tan love seat and stretched her arms out high over head in a rather cat-like manner. Speaking of cats....

She watched as Kerr`s eyes made a quick "once over" of the decidedly ethnic themed suite...his focus eventually coming to rest on that of an empty dish and vacant little box resting on the kitchen floor. She grinned, flipping over onto her stomach. "I`m planning on sneaking him in tomorrow...I mean...this morning after I get my shopping done." There came a dramatic pause accompanied by a lingering yawn and flashing wink. "Think I`ll get caught?"

[Existentially Odd]

He chuckled as he bunched his coat around himself and sat on the other end of the seat she lay upon, quite close to her face.  He\'d looked about as much as he dared, intrigued by the relative cubby-hole she existed in (quite the opposite to his expansive home) but not ill-mannered enough to actually step into the kitchenette or bathroom as he desired.  So he sat with her, looking down and finding the way she gazed up at him nothing short of cute.  The lack of space between them, the closeness, was oddly comfortable, considering how recently they\'d met.
 
"Oh, probably.  You haven\'t a subtle bone in your body, from what I\'ve observed," he teased with a crooked grin.  "Good luck with it, however."

[Mandy]

She laughed, tranquilly peering up through a collection of nearly impossible eyelashes. "Luck has nothing to do with it, my friend!" she explained with a grin, "For example....growing up, I`d become quite astute at sneaking cookies from the cookie jar on the top shelf of the pantry cupboard. Now I ask you this...does that sound like the accomplishment of one who is unable to move with a certain amount of stealth?"

It felt good to have someone to joke with again, someone who just got her corny sense of humor. For years, she`d roamed the nameless city, not necessarily in search of a kindred spirit and yet, remaining ever hopeful for one. Could it be that at long last, she had finally found her soul match in Kerr? She stretched. Her fatigue was beginning to catch up with her at long last, hindering her ability to remain focused...

   She stretched again, only this time, her entire body fell waste to the effects of an all encompassing yawn. She could only suppose at the hour...perhaps it was better that she didn`t.

Mandy twisted onto her side, her head inadvertently finding rest upon Kerr`s available lap...a feather soft sigh escaping her slightly parted lips. She was so tired all of a sudden, not surpirsing considering the length of her day. It was becoming more challenging by the second to keep her eyes from drifting shut, from falling asleep before she could walk him back to her front door....stay awake...she didn`t wish to be rude to her guest....

"Kerr...do you believe in fate?" she whispered softly, her awareness fading nearly as fast as the the progressively illuminating evening sky just outside her big bay window. She wrapped her free arm around the caps of his knees pulling him close, and before Kerr was able to deliver his answer, she had drifted off to sleep.

[Existentially Odd]

Fate? He supposed he did believe in it. There were unseeable forces at work that had caused the strangest of things to happen at the least predictable times throughout his long existence so, yeah, he could deal with labelling that spooky circumstance ‘fate’.  He didn’t suppose to be able to identify the fruits of fate’s labour, however.
   
   Kerr watched Mandy sleep for a while, acknowledging the tired lethargy that was approaching with the new day, and knowing that he had to return to his haven soon. That thought identified, he still couldn’t quite bring himself to stop observing her. It helped, to be given free reign to inspect her profile, while he thought over the night’s events. He took his time processing it all, thinking about their accidental collision, the conversation at the jazz club, the ill-fated parting and the traumatic reunion. She’d bounced back well, from the harrowing encounter with the vampire… surprising, really. He supposed it was helped by the fact that she didn’t know that the man had been a vampire.
   
   And then there’d been that hug. Thinking on it made him conscious of her prone state in his lap, of the warmth emanating from her trusting being. He touched her face, smiling vaguely when she sighed happily (or perhaps it was just an extra loud exhalation that he wished to interpret as a happy sigh) and continuing his tender contact with her, stroking down her cheek and then to her throat. He rested the back of his fingers there, against her jugular, until his being resonated with the rhythm of hers.
   
   It was really too much, he knew it, and his awareness of his guilt snapped him from his reverie into action. He extricated himself with as much skill as he was able, moving first her hands and then lifting her head. He placed a nearby cushion beneath it while he went over to the bed, pulling back the covers on the most easily-accessed side. Then he went back to the love seat and began taking off her shoes gently. Pleased that she hadn’t stirred yet, he pressed his lips together in concentration as he scooped her up into his arms to carry her to bed, straightening as quickly as he dared, lest she awaken.

[Mandy]

The slightest moan emitted from the base of her throat as her body was lifted from the warm sofa into the safety of Kerr`s strong arms. She remained a sleep however, either unaware of the movement or unconcerned by it. She`d known that Kerr was there with her just prior to drifting off for a little shut eye and as unfounded as such a revelation might be, she trusted him with everything she found most important in the world...her life included.

She nestled her face against the curve of Kerr`s neck as he made his way toward the recently tuned down bed, her tiny hands clutching instinctively at the lapel of his jacket. The contactual pressure of their two forms conveyed a comforting sensation, one even a soul experiencing the deepest of slumbers could appreciate. Safety and security were implied through such touch, and how important it was for people to know both. Had Mandy been awake, her face would have no doubt shifted to an unthinkable tint of red but things being as they were now, her cast continued to stay the same, calm and euphoric.

He leaned over the mattress, tenderly depositing her body upon the neatly pressed sheets and in a single, skilled motion...slid her beneath, pulling the comforter across the plain of her form. She winced faintly as the cool materials encased the whole of her person but it lasted only momentarily. Within seconds, her angelic expression had returned and she appaered to be settled in for the remainder of the night.

Kerr gently withdrew his arm from under her, his face dipping intimately close to hers in the process of gaining the leverage needed. And that was when it happened.

Without warning or any previous indication, Mandy Lynn`s left hand found the defined curvature of Kerr`s jaw and in an unfailing show of her affection for him (even at rest), pressed the pillows of her lips against the slight of his cheek. The kiss couldn`t have lasted more than a wrinkle in time, but it had been soft and innocent. Would she have found such bold impowerment during the waking hours?

   Kerr blinked in silence.

  "G`night..." she mummble incoherrantly and that being said, rolled over onto her side.

[Existentially Odd]

"Good night," he answered, feeling pleased. She had such a way with little actions; he found it soothing, though why he should be reassured by her ability to show tenderness was beyond him at that late hour. All he knew was that her subconscious gestures of trust and affection were as curious to him as they were a comfort, and he was keen to know more of her.

Beyond that, there was no real thought. It took him a few moments to locate all the light switches and figure out how to lock the door on his way out - plus, he did sneak a little peek into the kitchen just to see how things were arranged in such limited space - but very soon he\'d grabbed his cane and left her sleeping peacefully. It was time for him to find some rest as well.

[Mandy]

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

Mandy awoke later that same morning to find the sun light beaming in through her balcony bay window and Kerr...nowhere to be found. At first, she`d suffered the slightest disappointed that he hadn`t decided to stay and camp out on her couch, but only at first. His promise to walk her home from work later that night managed to keep her spirits floating high. And oh, how the anticipation made the day taste so abundantly sweeter than most!

She delighted in the knowledge that he must have tucked her safely into bed before taking his leave, as the shower water splashed against her face, and meditated contently on the particulars of their tender (though slightly confusing) embrace out on the street, while packing away a bowl of cold cereal. From styling her spiky red locks to flossing the furthest reaches of her teeth, thoughts of Kerr never ceased to leave her mind and all the while, a secret little smile played at the very edge her features. So intensely did she smile that as she finally slipped on her shoes and locked the door behind her to leave, the muscles in her cheeks had begun to grow sore. God she loved how this man made her feel!

In minutes, she had exited the townhouse complex with an exuberance of energy, her smile quickly turning to a look of utter determination, her game face.

She was on a mission........

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

The shelter volunteers didn`t know what had hit them when Mandy entered their front doors a little after 10:30AM, her sights clearly set on the little tabby kitten crying out relentlessly in the back room of their facility. She knew his meow well as she`d been there to see him before, and it gave her nearly as much joy to find that he was still available for adoption as it did to know that she would soon be able to show him off to Kerr.

She signed all the necessary paper work and handed over the $35.00 adoption fee within seconds of having arrived, much to the animal handlers` great amazement. Then, like a blur seen out from the corner of ones eye, the strange, red haired pixie and tiny fluff ball of a kitten were gone. There had been no reason to linger, she`d gotten what she came for and besides....it broke her heart to hear the countless other meows and barks of those she was unable to save.

With the kitten tucked securely away within the front lining of her coat, she hurried herself home.

* * * *

"There it is." Mandy Lynn whispered into the jacket, two golden eyes staring expectantly back up into her face. "Your new home."

She peeked around the the trunk of a rather colossal tree growing in front of the Winchester Suites, her palms sweating some as she contemplated the best pattern for attack. Should she hide the kitten in her purse and hum loudly in order to disguise its cries as she walked through the front lobby, or simply rush along as though she`d forgotten something important and leave the kitten at her breast? Either method had its flaws, but alternatives were scarcely limited. Damn her limited budget...if only she could just pay the $500.00 pet deposit...then none of this would be necessary at all!

She clutched the tiny creature closer to her chest, its body beginning to shake....from the cold, or out of fear? Damn...no time to think things through, she would just have to hurry by and hope no one heard the kitten meow.

"Alright now little one..." she whispered, her heart pounding with the excitement of doing something against the rules. "We`re going to head in now-" the kitten whined, "And not a peep out of you, otherwise neither of us may have a home to live in."

(Continued in Late Night Rendezvous)