Enzi's face brightened. "Lovely." he chirped. He pressed against the gas petal and took off into the city streets once more. He could sense she had questions for him. "You're curious....Why I'm being so kind....aren't you?" he asked staring out the windshield into the darkness ahead of them.

Ronni nodded slowly, also staring out the windows into the swirling night as they drove. Her chin resting in her hand, the little girl was still silent, partially because of her cough, partially from exhaustion, and partially from being tormented to the point of silence whenever in the presence of a vampire. Her most recent owner was responsible for that.

"I don't believe in those type of people. In those type of places. And it disgusts me that they had you on shock collars..." he sighed. He side glanced over at her. "Ya know, I'm open to anything you want to ask....I may not be able to answer all of your questions....But I'll try." he smiled. He watched the cars go by, the buildings a blur. He was almost home now....Only three blocks left.

Ronni was about to speak, but jumped since, just as he mentioned them, the bracelet on her left arm gave her a powerful scare. She yelped as she felt the shock surge up her arm, and she threw herself backward into the seat, gripping it and trying to make it stop. Someone must have stepped on or kicked the remote by accident back at the market. She winced as it continued stinging.

Enzi screeched to a stop in front of his apartment building. He reached over to Ronni, taking the bracelet in his hands and breaking it in half. He did the same with the one on her right. "I'm so sorry about that...." he said tossing the bracelets to the floor. "Are you okay?" he asked. his eyes searched her face.

Ronni inhaled sharply, rubbing her wrists to sooth them. The left on was red now from the episode. "I'm...fine," she managed to say as the pain subsided. She glared at the two broken silver bands, then coughed again loudly. Once that, too, faded, she looked up at him. "Thank you," she whispered hoarsely, still stroking her wrist.

He was out of the car and around to her door before she could say anything. He opened the door and held a hand out for her to take. "Good, I wouldn't want you to get hurt." he smiled as she thanked him. "You are very welcome, Ronni." he sighed and glanced over her once more. "Welcome home."

Ronni took his hand, a bit more comfortably, but not without wariness, and climbed out of the car. His skin was cold, which made her draw her hand back almost immediately after she was out of the vehicle, and she turned around to face his home.

He closed the door behind her with a slight click. He turned around, and then glanced down at her. It wasn't much. Just an old apartment building. It only had two floors, but it worked. He sighed again and walked toward the lobby doors. He stopped at the entrance, waiting for her to come.

The little girl trudged after him, thoughts swirling through her mind as she followed. Her tangled red hair seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, and her blue eyes were downcast as she pondered how a stroke of luck may have passed over her life. When they reached the door, she looked up, and actually smiled for a fraction of a second before resorting to her blank, empty stare.

Enzi held the door open for her, and smiled down at her. "It's not much...But it'll have to work." he said silently. He gazed around the cobblestone room, peering at the dead plants and broken lights. He sighed again and slowly walked towards the stairs. He was room 13. An unforgettable number. He stopped at the base, waiting for her to catch up.

She strode over to the stairs as well. Even she hated her silence, but what was there to say? Lots, she thought. How could she put her thoughts into words, though? Her bare feet made a light tip-tap noise which echoed through the empty room as she approached him, and her right hand again was brushing the scar at her neck as she mulled over bitter memories.

"You seem to do that a lot....Is there something there?" he asked, gesturing towards her neck. His brows pulled together in confusion.
He climbed the steps slowly, one at a time they creaked with old age. He sighed and thought about how she was going to live with him.

Ronni's head snapped up as he said this, and she gave a steady nod. Pulling her fiery hair back as she followed, she revealed the two scars; old puncture marks that had been made long ago. "This," she said softly, hanging her head low when she let the strands fall back into place, therefore concealing the marks once more.

"...I'm so sorry...." he whispered. He looked down at his feet as he reached the platform to the next story. He looked down the short, narrow hallway and sighed. "Room 13." he said. "I'll be there in a minute..." he said walking back down the stairs in around the corner.

Ronni watched him, then paced down the hall, looking at each door as she passed. Reaching number thirteen, she stopped, tentatively waiting his return. The quietness of the hallway disturbed and unnerved the girl, and she leaned against the door, waiting. She couldn't get in if she wanted to. She had no key.

Enzi returned to her a few moments later. "It was unlocked ya know." he chuckled as he opened the door with ease. Inside, it was rather dark, but light enough you could see. There was a small TV, an old couch, and a two person table. No fridge though. Vampires didn't need to eat. "You have your own room now." he said pointing to a door in the small hallway.

Ronni walked inside, and, though to most people it wouldn't have been much, she felt spoiled as she looked in the direction she had pointed. She ran her hand along the length of the couch, feeling its cushiony softness beneath her fingertips. She marveled at how...normal the place seemed. Reassured, she slumped down into the sofa and sighed, partially relieved.

A smile twitched at his lips. He sat down next to her, draping an arm on the back of the couch. "You seem...surprised." he chuckled slightly. His eyes went liquid yellow again. "Now, do you have any questions for me, Ronni?" he asked with a halfhearted smile across his face.

Ronni's cerulean gaze met his liquid gold, and this time she didn't look away. She still didn't understand. "Why are you so...different?" she inquired, her hands resting lightly in her lap as she watched him. It was the best question she could come up with, and also the most haunting.

"Different....? What do you mean?" he asked. He didn't understand this question all the way. His brows pulled together again. He locked his gaze with hers. Shifting so he was facing her all the way, he took her hand in his and waited for the reply.

She felt his cold skin against her own, but this time she didn't pull away. "Different...from the ones who gave me this." With her free hand, she again pulled the canopy of cascading red locks away from her neck, and the two scars seemed to glisten in what dim lighting there was. Again, she let her hair fall, and looked away, staring at the floor, almost shamefaced for asking such a thing.

Enzi nodded. "I see what you mean...." he paused, trying to think of what to say. "Well....I don't....I don't like what I am. And how the others can just treat humans like they do. I'm not sure how they can do it...It's disgusting." he scowled at a point in space. "I only feast when I'm thirsty...And you can tell that if my eyes are darker. Black...." he sighed.

Ronni nodded in understanding, but she began to feel a tad queasy when he mentioned his thirst. However, the fact that his eyes were gold reassured her, and she leaned back on the couch. She let her hand remain in his, and she closed her eyes for a moment as another cough erupted from her lungs. As it subsided, she groaned, and a rumble sounded from her stomach.

Enzi's eyes flickered to her stomach. "Are you hungry...?" he asked quietly. He hadn't thought about that. He had no food in the house. And he only had enough money for a small meal down in the cafe. He sighed. "Guess we're gonna have to do some shopping." he said chuckling.

Ronni shook her head. "I am hungry," she admitted, but she groaned again. "But I-" A moment later, she sprang up and ran, searching frantically for a restroom. Finally locating it, she rushed inside, dropped down on her knees, and retched. Nothing but bile, the bitter substance produced by the liver, came up, and she moaned miserably.

Enzi rushed after her. Terrified. “Ronni? Are you okay…?” he asked dropping to his knees beside her. He rubbed her back in sympathy, unsure what to do. It had been along time since this had happened to him. He tried to sooth her with silent ‘hushes’.