Love At First Bite (girl x girl)

Chapter 1: Ruby Red

I walked down 5th Street, rain soaking me to my core. The umbrella I always carried was closed by my side, sticking out of my bag.

I liked it when the weather was like this, it was safer for me to go outside during the day when it was rainy and overcast.

The sun and I didn't really agree, and it's not just because of how pale I am.

I'm a vampire.

And I've been alive for a long, excruciatingly boring, lonely 691 years.

I was turned at 18, but we'll get into that later.

I suppose my life hasn't been all that lonely, I've been widowed thrice. All lavender marriages to wealthy men who I've inherited a fair amount of money from. I'm somewhat well off now thanks to them.

I cared for them deeply as friends, they kept my secrets, I kept theirs. They understood me, part of me anyway.

They never knew I was a vampire.

I tried to keep that to myself.

All my hosts were women. I'm a lesbian if the "lavender marriages" bit didn't tip you off already.

All my previous hosts had asked to be released from their services. Either because they didn't want immortality, grew tired of me, or were scared off.

I have a lot of enemies, so I don't blame them.

I haven't had a host in over 20 years, and blood bags and coconut water just don't cut it after awhile. So forgive me if I sound a bit melancholy, the hunger gets me down.

I was walking up Pine Street now, I was almost to Dewy's Vinyls. I went there every week.

It always made me feel a wave of nostalgia.

Something was different today, there was a car parked out front I'd never seen before.

I brushed it off and entered the store. There was a welcome sign hanging in the window, so getting in was no problem for me.

I nodded a hello to the store owner, heading over to the oldies section.

I barely looked up. I wasn't in the most social mood today, I just wanted to buy my record and go home.

I was so hungry, and so tired.

I already owned an unreasonable amount of records, but I couldn't help it. I loved music, and vinyl was my favorite way to listen to it.

My copy of Songs for Swinging Lovers had become scratched, so I was here to to replace it.

The atmosphere changed. I smelt her before I saw her.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't see you come in." An unfamiliar voice came from my side.

I turned to look at the person who spoke, and froze.

She was the prettiest girl I'd ever seen.

"Welcome to Dewy's, what can I dew for you." She greeted through an awkward wink, visibly trying to not wheeze at her own joke.

She wore high wasted jeans, and a deep red sweater that left her shoulders and neck exposed. Her round glasses were the cutest thing I'd ever seen, no her freckles were, or maybe it was her eyes.

Okay, all of her was cute. Every. Single. Thing.

"I... I uh-" I stammered nervously.

I drew in a breath to calm myself, and that's when it hit me again.

Her scent.

Oh my stars. She smelled delicious.

"You alright?" She asked me with a kind smile, her blue eyes sparkling. They were my favorite color, my favorite shade and everything.

"Uh... Yeah." I let out a stale laugh. Nervously placing a hand over my mouth, and trying to keep my fangs under control. "I'm good."

"Can I help you find anything?" She asked with another smile.

She's so happy, so energetic.

"I- I'm looking for a Frank Sinatra record."

"And which one would that be?"

"Songs for Swinging Lovers." I replied.

"Haha well, you're in luck." She pointed behind me. I turned to look, and I was standing right in front of it.

"Oh." I said laughing nervously again.

"Need anything else?" She said.

"Your name?" I asked.

"Ruby!" She extended her hand. "And you?"

"Vesper." I answered taking her hand, and being very thankful that I couldn't sweat.

"That's an.. interesting name." She said politely.

"Yeah, it's pretty old school." I forced a laugh.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Vesper." She gently took back the hand I'd been shaking for entirely too long.

"You too. I haven't seen you in here, or around Wooddew before. Are you new?" I asked.

"Yeah! I always wanted to move up north for college, and I figured Oregon was a good place to go." She smiled. "I love it here."

"How long have you been in town?" Was I asking too many questions?

"Barely two weeks." She laughed.

I laughed too. Her laugh was so beautiful and contagious, I couldn't help it.

"Can I help you find anything else today?" She asked kindly.

"Oh, no. This is the only thing I came in for. I guess I should start making my way home before the weather gets worse." I didn't really care about the weather, and I didn't want to leave the store.

Well it wasn't the store I didn't want to leave. It was her. But we'd just met, and I didn't want to scare her off.

"It's coming down pretty hard out there. Good thing you have an umbrella." She said, gesturing to my bag.

"Yeah," I chuckled. "It wouldn't be much fun walking through the rain without it."

"Oh you didn't walk here did you?" She asked sounding shocked.

"Yeah. I don't have a car, and I'm not a big fan of busses. So I pretty much walk everywhere." I explained.

I'd never gotten those ride sharing applications either. I wasn't much into technology. Or up on current trends at all for that matter.

Things come and go so fast, and I'd gotten bored of trying to keep up with it all over the centuries.

"How far away do you live?" She asked. "I wouldn't mind driving you if it's not too far."

"Oh that's too kind of you, I couldn't-"

"Don't be silly!" She interrupted. "It's no problem at all, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

I still felt like it was too kind, but her scent was intoxicating, and I wanted to know her better.

So I accepted her offer, paid for my record, and walked with her out to her car.