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Black and white tiled floor
Shiny wood tables and booths
Waitresses in pink dresses
Coffee pot perpetually in hand
The overpowering smell of it
The coffee rises above the food
Bacon and maple syrup on the air
It’s warm in here
The windows fog
Contrasting the bleak winter outside
A booth of teenage girls laugh loudly as they gossip
A biker and a couple of his buddies talk over plates of food
There is life here
Despite the late hour
In a back corner
In a small booth
Sits a lone occupant
His long, dark hair falls over his shoulders
His shirt glides across his chest
Highlights a toned physique
Tattoos pattern his skin
Sunglasses over his eyes
Hide both his identity and intentions
As he slowly nurses a steaming cup of coffee
He licks his lips
He’s watching something
Maybe someone
Like a woman
One of the waitresses
A little tall
A little heavy
Smiles a little too broadly
Laughs a little too loudly
Talks to the patrons a little too long
With curly hair
Dark brown
In a high ponytail
It bounces every time she moves
And green eyes that sparkle
Green like the spring
Like the earth
And things that flower
Like life itself
Things he hadn’t seen in a long time
He licks his lips again
He wonders
Does she taste like sunshine?
Watches as she bounces away
Disappearing into the kitchen
He checks the time
Knows her schedule
Knows he won’t have long to wait
She materializes in front of him
Coffee pot in hand
A smile
White as snow
Small talk
His own smile charms her
The words he picks are sweet
Like honey
He takes pleasure in watching the blush rise on her cheeks
He picks his moments
Leaves before she does
A large tip on the table
Outside
He admires the cold, still night
Smokes a cigarette under a tree
Waits
Soon, she emerges
Scans the surroundings
He is one with the shadows
He goes unseen
She shivers
Crosses her arms
Puts her head down
Starts walking
A corner of his mouth quirks upward
Nearest bus stop is at least two blocks
He follows
Quiet
Still in the shadows
Still unseen
Unheard
He is one with the night
He is one of its children
Her pace quickens
As if she senses him there
Can tell she’s being followed
He grins
Fangs glint in the sparse light
He picks his opportunity
Swiftly pulls her into a dark alley
Pushes her against the wall
Covers her mouth before she can scream
Smiles
Raises a finger to his lips
He can feel her heartbeat racing
Feel her breath come short and quick
Shushes her
Slowly
He uncovers her mouth
Slowly
He raises his sunglasses
Red eyes shine back
The scream bubbles in her throat
Dies as his hand comes up to caress her cheek
She cannot speak
She cannot move
He leans closer
Brushes his lips against hers
Tilts her chin up
Kisses her deeply
It leaves her dizzy
Unsteady on her feet
Gently
He turns her head
Bares his teeth
Sinks them into the flesh of her neck
She tastes like more than sunshine
Like warm earth
Ripening fruit
Sweet, but not sugar
Refreshing
A tang reminiscent of thunderstorms
He pulls away as he feels her go limp
Helps her down to the ground
Props her up against the wall
Watches as her breathing grows slow
Makes sure it stays steady
He was here to feed
Not to murder
He materializes a bag of snacks
Slips it into her bag
Pushes his sunglasses down
Her eyes fluttered open
Just as he slipped back to the shadows
Groggy
She reaches for the specter
But he has returned
To the darkness that gave him birth.