Puppet

The car handled beautiful and Alice couldn't help but smile at the beautiful vehicle. Caleb had been an apprentice mechanic before his death and he had tried to share his enthusiasm for the profession with Alice. She took some notice in areas and when he showed her a Morgan all those years ago she knew that was the car she needed in her life. It was a way for her to feel connected to Caleb after his death but she never thought that she would be able to drive one. Reaching the store she carefully parked the car before stepping out Angelo by her side.

"So what do you wanna get?" Angelo asked from her side.
"Let's start with some food? Then we can go from there," she replied smiling. She hadn't realised it but Angelo had a soft face, hidden behind his scowls was the face of someone who had been hurt more times than he could count and it showed in the slight lines and dull sparkle in his eyes. As they pushed the trolley down the aisles, Alice managed to feel some sort of normalcy for the first time in her life. Of course people stared, you had Alice a beautiful pale skinned girl with bright red hair accompanied by a dark looking man covered in tattoos and eye make up. Angelo pushed the trolley allowing Alice to gain subtle glances in his direction. She was still trying to work out her feelings for the vampire, he seemed nice enough but something made her more cautious around him compared to the others. It may have been is need for silence or the fact when he spoke he commanded the others attention without calling for it.

"What are you thinking about?" Angelo asked Alice curiously a slight smirk gracing his lips.
"You," Alice answered honestly and bluntly.
"What about me?" Angelo asked a little more defensively.
"I don't know, everything I guess?"
"What do you want to know?" He asked with a smile. Alice stopped in her place for a moment before asking something bold coming from her.
"Who broke your heart?" She didn't blurt it out nor whisper the question was there but it was genuine. The look on his face wasn't surprised or angry simply disappointed. Alice didn't know if the disappointment was in her, her question or perhaps himself.

"How do you know my hearts been broken?" Angelo asked.
"Just a feeling," she replied before continuing her walk down the aisle. He chuckled lightly to himself as he pushed the trolley behind him thinking to himself. This girl was different than the others he had known. She was nothing like Lexi, no one could ever be like Lexi. The beautiful blonde vixen had stolen his heart from the moment they lay eyes on each other. Walking the streets of Italy in 1912 Angelo knew that she was the one. For Italy her skin was unusually white and her smile was unusually haunting although Angelo would never admit that too her because as haunting and unnerving as the smile could be it was was one of her most perfect features.

Alice continued walking in silence. She knew that it was time and patience that Angelo needed and that all she had to do was wait and he would open up to her like a book. She grabbed items off the shelves as she passed, grabbing biscuits and chocolate, chips and salsa, cans of spaghetti and other items to cook. They were nearing the last aisle when Angelo finally opened his mouth.

"Her name was Lexi," he stated simply.
"How did you meet her?" Alice asked not wanting to force him to reveal more than he wanted.
"We met in Italy in 1912. I was walking down the street and she had dropped her bag I offered to help her and in return she told me to take her on a date," retelling the events brought a smile back to Angelo's face, the memories of their time spent together.
"What did she look like?" Alice asked also smiling at the way Angelo spoke of Lexi.
"She was beautiful, she was a little but shorter than me with straight blonde hair she wore to her shoulders and the most stunning grey eyes I have ever seen," his words began to come out as a whisper as the thoughts of Lexi continued until the final memory of their time spent together.
"You really loved her," Alice stated. This sent her on a new train of thought, what if she chose Angelo and he could never truly get over Lexi? What if she didn't choose him and she was her way to move on from what had happened.
"If you don't mind me asking what happened to her?" Alice asked carefully unsure whether or not this was information to be discussed in the open.
"You can ask but I don't think I'm ready to tell you. It's something to be discussed with everyone considering everyone was there," he said simply before pushing the trolley towards the register and placing the items on the conveyer belt before swiping his credit card and walking out with the bags. He handed the keys back to Alice who got in the drivers seat and continued back to the ancient mansion she was hoping would soon feel like home.

The drive was comfortable although filled with silence. When they arrived at the house Angelo grabbed all the shopping bags and took them into the kitchen as Alice locked up the car and walked into the living room to find Ryan and Ricky sitting and talking.

"How was your trip?" Ryan asked Alice smiling.
"It was good, got everything I needed," Alice said before seeing the pack of cigarettes on the coffee table.
"Do you mind if I have a cigarette Ricky?" Alive asked as she eyed the packet from the door way.
"Sure," he said throwing her the packet which thankfully she caught along with the lighter. She walked out the front and sat on the bench on the porch before lighting one of the cigarettes inhaling the silky smoke into her lungs. She heard the front door open but didn't bother looking over, she wasn't sure who it was or why they were there.

"Hey," Alice looked up to see Josh walking towards her picking up a cigarette and lighting it. "What are you doing out here?"
"Having a cigarette," Alice said blankly.
"You shouldn't smoke it's bad for you, you know," Josh said sarcastically.
"Well you do it," Alice replied a little ticked off.
"Yeah but I'm never going to die. You haven't got that luxury just yet," Josh said calmly. The two sat in silence as they finished their first cigarette reaching for another from the packet.

"So how was your time with Angelo?" Josh asked in an attempt to make conversation.
"It was alright I guess. We spoke a little bit about Lexi but he wouldn't tell me what happened to her," Alice replied hoping that Josh could provide her with some sort of answer to her question.
"I don't think you should be asking me. Wait for him to tell you," was all she got from him.
"But why can't you just tell me? It's obvious she died but I want to know how," Alice replied slightly frustrated. "Did someone hurt her? Was she attacked by a vampire hunter?"
"Look I'm not telling you. You need to ask Angelo it's not my business to tell," Josh stood from his seat and walked back into the house without a single word.

This was going to be harder than Alice had first thought. But she would find out what happened to Lexi before she made her decision. She realised the days were starting to count down meaning she had only six more days to make a decision as to who she would spend the rest of her life with. As barbaric as the idea sounded there was something about it that drew Alice towards it and it's mystery. She would get to live forever with someone who wanted her, she'd have a child and a family. Something she had never had before, perhaps it was the assurance, the guarantee of always being here that she liked. Whoever she chose would be there for her for all eternity, at least she was guaranteed something.