Strange Acquaintances

[Noctambule]

Arles had to shut down whatever talent he had to read thoughts almost completely. It was soo easy to simply let himself drift into Mandy\'s mind. Especially when he kept \'hearing\' Ben\'s name.

He was taking this as a sign though. What were the odds of encountering someone who knew Kerr? Who had any sort of history with him? As he continued to preen the pink-haired woman he had to pause. He truly didn\'t know her...he shouldn\'t be so quick to...to what?

There was some connection. Even if it was formed by a former betrayal and a current resentment. "I think it\'s even harder to let people go when you\'ve decided to do it," Arles voiced. "It\'s easier to let them go when it happens by itself...when you fall out of love with them or something of that nature."

It sounded deep and poetic but it was something you could learn even in a mortal lifetime. When you had to let go because there was no other choice but to make yourself miserable carrying a flame...well it was always much more difficult than the slow decay of a relationship.

The look she gave him was only mildly unnerving. Moreso because Arles was a devestatingly private person to strangers. He opened up easily enough about some things and yet he felt like Mandy could find anything out, supernatural ability or no.

"It\'s...not exactly the case," Arles said slowly. "He knew Kerr before me. He went to Kerr and Kerr refused so...he came to me. Then..." Goddess bless, then what had happened? "We turned him together," Arles finally said. "And eventually he chose to be with Kerr over being with me."

Then he had to let Ben go. He had always told himself and Ben as well that whatever made Ben happiest was what he wanted to happen. Of course he had secretly thought Ben would be happier with him. Things hadn\'t worked out that way.

Staring at Mandy, Arles wondered if he was constantly going to be destined to find Kerr\'s "leftovers" and to feel something for them. His own want of immortality had not been there at all but somehow he could relate.

"What about you and Kerr? Together before Ben?"

[Mandy]

Mandy had to hold her tongue, not to mention - monitor her reaction carefully to avoid pulling a face.

Arles had assisted in turning Ben? Kerr had been… opposed? And yet, despite all that, Ben chose the Irishman over the vampire whom had essentially given him what he`d wanted (if only by convincing Kerr of the resolve)? Suddenly, she had just that much less respect for either of the ‘happy’ couple.

"What about you and Kerr? Together before Ben?"

“Not exactly… well, not formally, I suppose I should say. I wanted to be with him very much. Actually, we got extremely close…” And really, they had. Just shy of consummating whatever twisted relationship they`d managed to form. Then... the trial, and nothing was to ever be the same again. “He admitted to me that he would never love me. At least, not in the same capacity that I loved him. And I was accepting of that. I just wanted so desperately to be a part of his life. A few months later…”

How exactly to explain the trial? Perhaps she could project the particulars through her thoughts?

“Well, we got summoned to the oligarchy and I… “ Mandy shifted her shoulders subconsciously, acknowledging her scars, “I was punished for Kerr sharing his nature with me. Shortly after that, we parted ways for the better portion of a year. Eventually however, we ran back into one another. Recently in fact… and I still wanted him, despite what had happened. Despite his confession of love to Ben. I was so pathetic – begging to be second.”

Shaking her head, she peered down into her lap with shame, the truth sounding so much worse when spouted out in succession, “Still think me clever now?”

[Noctambule]

The blond had wanted to pretend that he hadn\'t been entirely selfish. That he had helped Ben out of the young man\'s want for immortality rather than his own lust for companionship. He never wanted to believe that Ben would have used him for the means to an end. Most of all Arles wanted to believe that as long as Ben was happy and had what he wanted, the rest was inconsequential.

No doubt that the fledgling would think his attitude rather stupid. To some degree Arles could agree that it was foolish that his happiness would rely upon anyone else\'s state of being. Yet it had for that brief time. And no matter how selfless he wanted letting Ben go to be...it wasn\'t. Everything he had done had been with the ultimate goal in mind that Ben would stay his. He\'d lost as gracefully as he knew how.

Arles listened attentively to Mandy, really wanting to know her story. It sounded familiar...what vampire hadn\'t transgressed in such a way? To form a bond with a mortal, to have them punished for it...but then not all of the stories ended in such a way. It seemed almost anti-climactic that he\'d ended it like that.

The projected images supplied enough and Arles nearly jumped. He didn\'t like such things...well quite the opposite. He had liked it too much once and now he tended to shy away from...things of that nature.

"It doesn\'t make you less clever," He responded. "I think I did rather the same thing. Because being second is being something, right?"

[Mandy]

“Right.” She agreed softly, appreciating Arles tact no matter how superficial it may have been. At least she didn`t feel quite so foolish any more.

Willing her knees from her chest, Mandy sat up straight and regarded her vampiric companion with genuine adoration, inwardly aggravated that she was so easily won over by the man. But this was who she was. Quick to trust, easily naïve… overly friendly to anyone who seemed to give a damn. No wonder she always ended up on the shorter end of the stick.

“Thank-you,” She whispered, enjoying the feel of finger-tips against the back of her neck and scalp, “It`s nice to meet someone who seems to relate. I feel as though I`ve been alone for years… like everyone I share my feelings with, thinks I`m wrong.” Not that her thought processes or judgments were exactly right, but Mandy knew her faults. She didn`t need everyone else pointing them out to her. Even if Arles was just being polite and giving her a bit of ‘lip-service’, it was an effort well appreciated.

“I`m really glad I ran into you tonight, Arles.” The distraction was easily worth the vampires weight in gold.

[Noctambule]

Mandy uncurled and Arles was relieved. At least she seemed more at ease now and less...sad. Of course he wasn\'t digging deep and he knew that what was visible outwardly was superficial. Even so, he was glad that he wasn\'t the only one to have ended up in a stupid situation...and he liked sharing that knowledge.

His fingers continued to preen the oddly-colored hair and Arles was trying not to be focused on this one aspect. One day these quirks would get him into trouble. Someone with lovely hair and shiny objects would lure him to his doom.

Quickly, he scanned Mandy to make sure she didn\'t have too many shiny things on her person. He was unsure why he had the sudden distrust but...one couldn\'t be too careful when the sun could burn you to a crisp.

"It is not a problem," He answered with a smile. "And you\'re not wrong. Everyone is guilty of doing foolish things because they think it will make them happy."

He shrugged lightly. "As you\'ve noticed, I\'m sure, holding on usually doesn\'t make us happy."

Dark eyes travelled back to the ocean. It was peaceful and he was glad to have met Mandy...in a sick way he was pleased he wasn\'t the only person left out in the cold.

[Mandy]

They sat for the remainder of their ‘visit’ in relative silence, Mandy following Arles lead by staring out toward the turbulent sea. Occasionally, she would break the monotony of her gaze to steal a sidelong glance at her newest vampiric friend, captivated by his obvious charm and willingness to simply sit at her side. At least she didn`t appear to be in any immediate danger. Not now, anyway.

Little over forty-five minutes following the onset of their interlude, and she decided that it was time to go home.

Mandy excused herself politely, restraining the urge to ask if they would ever see one another again. The last thing she wanted right now was to appear desperate in Arles eyes. She was feeling quite desperate enough as it was, what with the news of Kerr`s recent return. There`d be no wisdom in adding to the anxiety of it all with needless want.

They exchanged mutual pleasantries before turning to fade off into the night, leaving Mandy to miserably contemplate the set of apartment keys still in the lining of her coat pocket as well as having to face Ichabod within the hour. She was forever reminded of the hopelessness of her situation when she looked into his eyes. Ichabod was connected to Kerr… they`d been together. And now she was with him, even if they hadn`t physically consummated that bond yet.

Oh heaven help her, but the situation seemed so hopeless anymore.