Flawless complexion, immaculate nails, sharp trained eyes that honed in on every detail. The most keen tracker. Exquisite ears that could hear the flutter of a humming bird's wings 30 yards away. You were meant to be the most attractive. It was disarming and drew people to you. Like a beautiful poisonous flower.

An apex predator.

You were dangerous.

And bored.

How many centuries had it been? It was headache inducing to keep count. Life had become routine and quiet. Maybe that's just how it was when death had less chance of coming for you.

Surroundings and technology changed, but people? Not so much. At this point your family had long since passed. Friends and lovers too. You traveled far from your maker, though you kept in contact. She will always hold a special place in your heart. It's a relationship unlike any other - no mother and child, no lover or friend could ever compare to the person that gifted you eternal life. Eternal beauty. Endless knowledge and wit. Charm beyond your human capabilities.

You sat on the patio of a cafe situated next to a bookstore you liked to frequent. Chuckling to yourself you flipped through a vampire romance you'd picked up next door.

Humans never ceased to entertain you. They could be so close to discovering and unavailing the truth then get hooked on some minute detail and veer completely off subject. Now there were very few truths to what they knew vampires to be.

For starters, you were real, not some paranormal creature lurking in the dark. You weren't nocturnal, but your eyes were very very sensitive to light. It was easier to hide away during the day but not really necessary, especially with sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat.

Signature pieces in your wardrobe.

Your skin didn't glitter or burst into ash in sunlight. You weren't pale unless it had been too long between feedings. And you most certainly were not cold and dead. That last one always made you laugh a little.

Your heart still thrummed in your chest. Your skin was soft and warm. Heightened senses and dietary restrictions aside - it didn't feel much different from when you were human. There were some things they got right. Wounds healed in seconds, pure silver burned your skin and a wooden stake to the heart would end your life as much as it would any mortal's.

Holy water, bibles and crosses were all rubbish. You weren't a demon after all.

"You're late," you smirked, glancing over the rim of your dark sunglasses.
"Are you sure this is the cafe we decided on?" the greenette huffed, taking a seat across from you.
"Zoro, I assure you, it has never changed. We should work on that sense of direction of yours." you pushed your shades back into place.

It was an overcast day, but sometimes even that was too bright for you.

"We'll do that after you get better taste in books."
"I didn't think you were much of a reader." You closed your book and leaned across the table.
"I feel like you're calling me stupid." He frowned.
"My dear Tiger," you tapped his nose, "I would never."

You and Zoro were an unlikely pair, frowned upon by the world's you hailed from. He was a shifter. Unlike most of his kind he could only take two forms - man and tiger. This made him an outcast. You always thought it also may have had something to do with his terrible sense of direction. Maybe he just couldn't find his way home.

But he always found you.

The two of you worked together frequently, hunting in tandem. You drained them and he cleaned up the mess. Human food wasn't terrible but it didn't sustain you. Of course, you needed blood and Zoro could eat whatever as long as you provided the booze. The nearby mountains supplied cover and a bevy of non-local hikers and campers. People that lived freely, alone and outdoors. Luckily one successful excursion meant you didn't have to feed often.

"Sure." He rumbled
"There's a hiker a few miles southeast."
"Already making dinner plans." He murmured taking a sip of your coffee before scrunching his nose up at it.
"Too much sugar." You said in unison.
"You always do that." You chuckled, "My order never changes."
"It should." He pushed the cup back toward you, "So, a hiker hmm?"
"Yeah, seems like a loner. He's been out there for a week or so." You rested your chin in your palm and watched him fiddle with the cover of the book you'd been reading.
"Any booze?" He glanced up to catch your gaze.
"None that I could see. But I'll buy you a nice bottle after."
"So generous." He smiled.
"Can't say I've never done anything nice for you Tiger."

Zoro's single slate eye scanned you as you rose from the table tucking your book into the black leather satchel you carried with you. Your outfit today was simple - a black off the shoulder oversized sweater with fitted charcoal jeans that stopped just above your ankles and a pair of clean red low top converse. He was always impressed by how you made such casual outfits seem elegant. He was certain you'd look perfect in a burlap sack.

By nature you were attractive to your prey. Like a Venus fly trap. They never see it coming.

Unfortunately, not being a vampire meant Zoro fell in the prey category. Had you ever thought of him as such?

Maybe 50 years ago?

"It's rude to stare." You commented, a teasing simper tugging your red lips.
"Not really hunting attire." He blew past your flirtatious undertone.
"You know I could do this in a cocktail dress."
"That I'd like to see." He finally volleyed both your tone and smirk.
"One day Tiger." You reached for the sleeve of his navy flannel.

Being used to it now, he allowed you to lead him by the wrist toward the edge of the forest. The two of you chatted a little, continuing to tease each other as you followed the man-made path up the mountain. When the tree line grew thicker and light was more scarce you left the trail. It was harder to trek through the fallen trees and moss coverd rocks but there would be less chance of your meal spotting you. The element of surprise was necessary when hunting.

You turned to Zoro realizing the wildlife had gone silent. His nose was already in the air. You removed your sunglasses to focus on the shadows dancing with the breeze around you.

Someone else was here.

A few yards away a stray ray of daylight reflected off something metal.

Before you could speak Zoro was in front of you perrying a blow with a fallen branch. A man, larger than your Tiger, hopped back into the clearing allowing you to get a better look. He had bronze skin and silver waves cropped tight against his skull. He wore a tattered black leather duster with the sleeves ripped off. It looked like he'd just walked out of a sandstorm though there wasn't a beach or desert for hundreds of miles.

He charged forward attempting another attack when the sun caught the two hook shaped blades that should have been his hands.

"Shouldn't you be terrorizing couples out at Lover's Ridge?" Zoro grunted, swinging the large branch at his face.
"Boss is extending the territory." The Cryptid muttered back barely dodging the strike.

You dumped your bag in the grass searching for the knife and pepper spray you kept on hand. While you were an exceptional huntress - fighting was not something you often engaged in. Zoro on the other hand would run head first into battle. He wasn't afraid of anything.

The two of them continued back and forth until Zoro was frustrated with the cumbersome branch. After knocking Hook Man to the ground he quickly snapped the wood in half. He spun the pine in his hands getting a feel for their weight as the man scrambled back to his feet.

The Cryptid smiled catching sight of you shuffling through your belongings in the grass. He'd almost forgotten you were there. Following his gaze Zoro lunged forward just a second too late. Your name left the greenette's lips as you looked up to find your opponent mid swing. The screech of your knife against his blade brought Zoro some relief as he ran toward you cracking one of the timbers against your attacker's head knocking him to the ground again.

"Are y-" Zoro's question was finished in a gurgle of blood as a hook plunged through his right side.
"No!" The voice that left you didn't sound like your own.

As Zoro stumbled forward you threw your blade slashing the Hook Man's neck. Zoro coughed but continued to turn with just enough force to ram the splintered pine straight through your attacker's chest. He immediately collapsed as a gasp rattled up his throat.

Not bothering to stand, you crawled on your hands and knees to Zoro as he landed sprawled out in the grass.

"No, no, no..." you murmured over and over resting his head in your lap.

His eye searched your face while you wiped the blood from his lips.

"Don't worry, Tiger." You caressed his cheek glancing at his chest as his breath grew more erratic, "I can fix this."

As long as his heart was still pumping you could do this.

Could you?

You had to.

You'd never changed anyone that wasn't human before.

Taking a deep breath you leaned down, turning his head to expose his carotid artery. His vision blurred as your fangs sank into him. The sensation was cold, almost numbing. It made him tired.

So tired.

Five minutes was all you needed. Five incredibly long minutes. You felt the tension leave this body as you pulled away, wiping his blood from your lips and chin. His chest stopped rising.

Fuck.

That never happened before.

You really couldn't?

Minutes passed.

An eternity.

Bloody tears rolled down your cheeks as you watched the only person you'd let close to you in a century lay lifeless in the grass.

"I'm so sorry." You whispered.
"It's ok." Zoro rasped from your lap.

Frantically you wiped your eyes with your shirt. The cuts he'd gotten during the fight vanished while the wound your bite left formed silver scar tissue.

You couldn't fight the smile, the relief, the joy and leaned over holding his face between your hands.

"You're really ok?"
"I think so." He answered, returning your smile as you kissed all over his face.
"I thought I lost you." You sighed nuzzling his cheek.
"You saved me." He returned as many kisses as he could from this awkward angle.

The two of you stayed like this quietly for a moment.

"Hey,"
"Yeah?" You sat back to look at him.
"Does this mean I can turn into a bat?"
"Idiot." You chuckled, pressing your forehead to his.