Access Granted
While there was nothing lavish about Tyler's new apartment, its humble interior still had warmth that shone through in a simplistic fashion. Perhaps it was his Japanese background. There, every home, even a home that housed an impoverished family would be beautiful in its balance. That extroverted sense of beauty had traveled across the sea with the young man.
Ty lay across the couch; his left forearm draped across his forehead as his dark thoughts plagued his mind. The lack of hunting opportunities was driving him insane. Topped with the fact that he was fairly convinced his phone wasn't working, it would have sufficed to say that he was getting frustrated.
Apparently, frustration was the new red.
Star Tomlin was one week a vampire, and had yet to sink teeth into her first living prey. It should be noted that she did not starve; there was blood enough to survive on in her sire's refrigerator. Or at least, there had been, until the newly undead blonde had gone through the entire stock.
What caused the trouble? It was those damned spells.
First, there was a spell to retain her soul. That remained intact, and Star didn't regret its effectiveness, though being without guilt would simple things up, a bit. Second, a spell to subdue her inner demon, which chomped at the bit to unleash dark impulses, despite her lackadaisical habits and tendency to like rather than eat people. Oh, it was that second spell that was problematic. After a while, her hunger for blood was sated, but her hunger for a hunt just wasn't. That spell was simply no match...
The streets were an increasingly difficult place to find strangers, who could be seduced into exposing their necks for a little nibble. I promise I won't drink it all...
Even elevator rides within the hotel became small tortures. Really, I'm not a lush! I could stop. Sure, I've had my years of indulgence, but I've grown as a person...
In the end, there was only one man Star trusted herself to be around. One who was not only immortal, and her boyfriend, but could kick her ass if she got too thirsty. Outside Tyler's apartment, she pressed her nose up to the door jamb, simply breathing in his scent.
Tyler, despite his whirlwind of thoughts, couldn't help but feel the presence that approached his door. His insides twisted. It was a combination that froze him for a moment. On one hand, he could feel the presence of a vampire in close proximity.
On the other hand, there was the distinct impression that the woman he loved was also here.
It didn't take his mind very long to connect the dots, but he had no desire to rush to any conclusions. He didn't move. Instead, he stayed on the couch, waiting for the doorknob to turn, anticipation coursing through him. When the knob didn't turn, he chuckled to himself. “You are coming in, right?”
Oh, you jerk!
In answer, Star's forehead began a muted thumping against the wood. Pain still registered to her nerve endings, though less severely, and leaving little concern for facial bruises. She moaned pitifully, a sound Tyler no doubt heard from the couch. "Lazy much?" she chided through the door. "I'm a lady. Ladies don't let themselves in. They're ushered, with a gentlemanly arm-swoop. Actually no, don't do that, it looks kind of gay."
When the door didn't immediately budge, the blonde protested. "Tyyyler! Come on, I can smell you from out here!" The tips of her fingers traced a seam in the door. Up close, Star's improved eyesight meant she could see the flecks of dust in the wood grain. "Please?"
Tyler's eyes rolled, but the smile never left his face. His world was starting to make sense again already. “Coming,” he called, popping up off the couch with a new sense of life. Well... He knew what he meant.
He pulled the door open, and a rush of air laced with the scent of his girl hit him immediately. Since it had been asked of him, he leaned out with one arm, his other bracing him against the doorframe. An arm snaked around her thin waist pulling her into his apartment, and into himself. A few moments passed without anything being said. After a few intoxicating breaths, his eyebrows raised and a crooked smile splayed across his lips. Then, his lips pressed down into hers for long enough to make up for a few days of separation.
His hand also traveled far enough south, down her back, to make up for a few days of separation.
“So,” he said, finally, “Whatcha been doin?”
"Oh, nothing," she said, catching her balance after the tug and kiss. Meanwhile, her inner demon steepled its fingers and thought, 'Entrance has been gained... exxxcellent.' Star tiptoed her fingers down his shirt, then reached up and plucked Tyler's nose. Was he always this warm? Yes. But it never felt quite so arousing before. Star had the impression that if she snuggled closer, skin to skin, she could absorb all of it, enough to be warm again, too.
"Just hanging out with a girlfriend." She put her mouth on his collarbone and kissed it. All the while, the very masculine scent of Tyler's neck sang its siren song to her. Don't vamp out... don't blow your wad in the first two minutes! With some effort, Star lifted a sunny smile up to him. "Girls will be girls."
Ty's hand went down, resting low on her hip while the other came up to meet the first. “That they will,” he agreed with a nod and a faux-serious look. “And boys, gods love 'em, will want to sleep with girls.” Well, ok, at least this boy did. His thumbs hooked into the top of her pants, and played with them gently.
He then grinned his patented grin. “Which brings me to my next point. My new bed has not been properly broken in. Wanna help?” This was so much better than exploring the ins and outs of whatever it was she had been doing and hadn't told him about yet. Still, there was other exploring that could be done.
The chill in her touch threw him at first, but it didn't take long for him to adjust. He couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with how in love he was with her. How he adored everything about her, no matter what it was. They were kindred spirits, in their own special way.
"That depends," she said. Star arched away to give Tyler her patented look, this one of the oh-no-you-didn't variety. "When you say boys want to sleep with girls, I'm assuming you mean 'boy'," she poked his chest, "will want to sleep with 'girl'." She poked herself. "I'm not calling Vicky over here!"
Or if I am, you're gettin' one helluva surprise when I keep dialing, right to the 'C' names. Yeah that's right, sweetheart, two can play that game.
Outwardly, Star kept her expression even. As long as Ty answered this question correctly, there'd be no need for fisticuffs. If he answered it wrong, well... She was now a hair-puller and a biter.
Tyler crinkled up his eyebrows as he thought about what she said. Finally, he resolved to communicate using the simplest - translating to the least dangerous - method of conveying what he had originally meant. “Boy,” he said, pointing at himself, “Want sleep with girl.” As he said the word girl, he pointed to Star. He nodded to accentuate his point. “Make girl make funny noises.” He grunted. “Boy like.” Followed by a nod.
Before Tyler had his answer, he lifted Star up off of her feet and began to make his way toward the bedroom. It seemed like that was a good place to at least get started. He thought about digging his fingers into her sides, but decided against it. For now.
"Wait!" she screeched, kicking her feet. One of her shoes flew off, and its pointy heel dinged the wall. Star smacked her fists on Tyler's shoulders, completely forgetting to use her new strength, now that she had it. Apparently vampirism wasn't like being called as a slayer, where suddenly you were tearing doors off hinges. It was an applied ability. Star was horrible at applying herself.
"I'm hungry!" she complained. "I-- Ow! That fucking hurt!" She rubbed the spot where her skull hit the door frame. "Remember that time when I got distracted and I accidentally used my teeth? And you were like, 'STAR, easy on the teeth!?' It's not gonna be an accident this time! You've been warned!"