1-1 => Tiula and Project Alice

Maria clambered onto the shore and glanced around her. It was pitch black; the whole town was asleep. Behind her, James was emerging from the sea.

"So this is America," murmered Maria in Italian. James grinned, his white teeth flashing.

Suddenly he froze, becoming a perfect statue into the night. "Someone's here," he muttered. "Another one of us."

OOC: I'm assuming we are in forks right?

I wasn't really paying any attention... but I caught the scent of something... something new... something unexpected.
I wasn't in the mood for a confrontation, but I decided to wait for them to come to investigate.

OOC: Wherever you want in the US.

Maria breathed in, and scented vampire. James tensed, ready to jump in front of her, but Maria held him back.

"Wait," she said. "Let's see who it is."

She called a greeting in excellent but accented English, inviting the stranger to show themselves. James shifted uneasily beside her, but she laughed her tinkling laugh. "Peace!" she said. "We're probably in their territory."

OOC: Somewhere with a beach... lol. Somewhere in Washington... I'll get back to you on that.

Interesting... Not what I expected at all... They seem friendly.
There was a small hill dividing us... I walked up the hill... stopping at the top.
Theres no doubt that they could see me now.

If they wanted to fight... I'd let them make the first move, I have my own way of dealling with things.

The two vampires stood side by side, watching as they saw another climb the hill in front of them. James growled, and lurched into a protective stance in front of Maria. His shirt fell open, showing a muscular body.

Maria pulled him upright with another gentle laugh, and came forwards until they were less than ten metres apart. James came forward more slowly and cautiously, baring his teeth. He touched Maria's bare shoulder, and she smiled as if he had spoken to her.

"Greetings," she said, "I thought I smelled someone. Where are you from?"

The male was very protective... but the female seemed friendly enough.
The looked different... Italian maybe.

"I'm from Canada... well I used to be... I'm alone so you can tell your friend to calm down, I wouldn't fight you two... not unless provoked anyway.

OOC: I'll be back on later.

*Ok*

Maria laughed again and touched James' wrist. He nodded and fell back. "He's too protective," she said, and then turned back to the strange vampire. "What is your name? I am Maria; my mate is James."

"I'm Chealsea... oh I almost forgot... Welcome to America."

I'm assumed by the way they were dressed that were from Italy or something close to that.

"Where did you swim from?"

Maria smiled. "Pleased to meet you. I don't mean to be rude, but does it bother you if we hunt around here? We swam from Italy for a fresh source of food, there are illnesses and what we can get tastes revolting."

James came forward and again pressed his palm to Maria's elbow. She frowned at him, shaking her head, but sighed and spoke again. "James wants to know who you run with," she said.

"No... go right ahead... just be discreet about it thats all"

I didn't know how to answer the second one... nor wanted to go into much detail about it.

"I don't run with anyone... I used to run with the Haligonian Coven based out of Halifax, Nova Scotia... But I have since left them. I'm alone if thats what you wnat to know."

James nodded and lowered himself into a crouch, ready to run. "Andiamo, Maria," he said. "Let's hunt!"

Maria lifted a hand to prevent him. "Wait," she said, and frowned at Chelsea. "You want to hunt with us?"

"I'd love to but... it appears our diets may differ slightly."

James frowned. "How do you hunt?" he asked. His voice was low and soft, with a rich, appealing accent, but it held and undertone of suspicion. Maria glanced apologetically at Chelsea.

"I told him there was nothing to fear, but he doesn't trust you," she said. "We've been alone for so long, it's rare that we run into company. He gets nervous."

Almost imperceptably, James placed his hand onto Maria's wrist and they shared a silent conversation.

"So, how do you hunt that is... strange?"

"I'm surprised you haven't noticed the colour of my eyes."

"They're golden," Maria said in surprise. "Not like ours. But as I said, we don't often run into company. I've never seen eyes like yours before, but I don't know what they mean." She stopped, and pursed her lips. "I've seen: red, burgundy, black, and white."

James' hand pressed harder into her arm. "I've seen them before," he muttered. "But I don't know who."

"Would you like to explain James... or should I?"

James scowled; he hated not knowing. "I've seen your kind before," he said. "My friend said that you denied yourselves... but I don't know what it is you do."

"It can't be all that terrible," piped up Maria. "Tell me; I won't be cross, and James won't attack. I won't let him."

"I don't hunt humans..."
I paused briefly.
"I hunt animals."
I hated having to explain this to everyone.
"Call me what you will... it's how I was raised."

They took it well. James snarled softly through his teeth, but it was surprise only, not aggression. Maria's face looked shocked, but then her face gained a delighted look.

She had wanted this for a long time; a way to live without being a killer. Yet to live off animal blood - the idea seemed too simple, that there must be a catch.

Incredulously, she asked, "Does it weaken you in any way? And does it mean that you can... live? With humans?" To her, it was a whole new world, a wonderful opening, a way to be rid of an eternal death.

There reactions were... unexpected.

"No, it doesn't weaken me at all... atleast not in any way I know, and yes it does allow us to be around humans but it we need to feed more often then those who prefer the normal diet."

I didn't know what else to say.

Maria's eyes widened. To be around humans without eating them! What self-control!

She wanted to try this strange method of feeding. "Where is the best place to go?" she asked. "And... what happens if we come across humans? I don't know if I could not feed..."

James was less enthusiastic, but he said nothing. He would hunt with Maria, even if it was only stinking animals. But it seemed a waste - they had come from Italy to find a new source of food, and now they were drinking animal blood! He tried to imagine what it would taste like.

"Before we get started... I was wondering, can either of you do anything special?"

James scowled at the intrusion, but Maria nodded. "When I have skin contact with someone, I can hold a two-way mental conversation. They can 'talk' to me and I can reply. Hardly useful! But when I touch someone, I can make them feel whatever I want. Pain, happiness, anything."

She smiled slightly. "James is now telling me that he wants me to be quiet," she clarified, motioning towards her wrist, which James was casually touching.

"I haven't met many others who can do something outside of the norm."
I paused... thinking about hiw I should them what I can do.

"Would you like to know what I can do?"