A dark figure skimmed the roofs only landing for a second or so before jumping to the next. The shadow was searching, hunting, stalking... A man bellow heading home. He was unaccompanied and walking home in the night. Didn't he know the dangers that lurked in the darkness? Of course he didn't. This was quiet enough a town. The hunter leapt silently from the building. If the man attempted escape he would fail like all others had. The man bent to tie his shoelace. The creature thought it almost sad that this insignificant thing would be the last thing this insignificant little being would ever do...alive.

The hunter launched himself at the man quickly breaking his neck before slinging the limp form over his right shoulder blood seeping down the front of his pale blue button up from where he had dug his fingers a little over zealously into the corpses shoulder. He launched himself onto one of the flat roofs of the fire house in the small sleepy village of Westwood. What a quaint little name for such a quaint little town. He laid the body which was still rather warm. He threw open his merciless jaws and dug his fangs into the dark skinned neck of his victim. The red heaven ran down the demons throat in long streams like red silk ribbons. The monster inside purred with the deep satisfaction of a good nights kill. Once the body had been fully drained and almost as cold as predator that was his death he let the body drop with a low thud.

He quickly ran into the woods behind a small pale blue house with white shudders and a white stain glass door. He dug a large hole far into the over grown green forest. He threw the corpse in and began to cover it fully with heavy soil. Then he got to his feet and began walking at an abnormally slow pace even for a human. Suddenly a smell that made every other scent surrounding him seem insignificant...

He began to tear through the forest not caring if he tore down a tree of two in his haste. Venom was pooling in his mouth like a fountain. He could not wait to sink his teeth into whatever being was responsible for that tantalizing aroma. Once he reached the back door where lay a medium sized stone pool and a wooden deck that led through a glass sliding door. The smell was oh so much stronger and so he launched himself onto the deck landing with out sound then he looked up to see an open window with flowing white lace curtains. As he scaled the wall up to the window the scent was over powering. Pale arms reached out and gripped the frame for support he slid lithely inside the domain.

He surveyed the room. To his surprise there was a white rocking horse in the corner. A small table that seemed to be made for a dwarf and all manner of teacups, spoons, napkins and a teapot. The floor was plushy pink carpeting and the walls were painted with a garden with a small painted on archway that said Ryan's Garden. Then the hunter's eyes settled on the place the mouth watering scent was coming from. What shocked him more than all else was what was sitting on the bed staring at him. For on the bed was small child with a pink blanket pulled up to her chest with one hand and the other hand was by her mouth as she sucked her small thumb. Her bright blue eyes were wide with something he didn't quite identify as fear more curiosity and surprise. Long curly blond hair fell next to her face in a messy disarray, one piece fell into her eyes and she removed the finger from her tiny pink mouth to brush it clumsily away only to replace the finger only seconds later.

After a few more moments of deep staring she removed the finger from her mouth and pulled a little white and blue teddy bear into that arm and the other dropping the blankets to fully hug the ugly ball of fluff. Almost holding onto it for dear life. Which in a couple seconds she may have to. He stood not knowing what to do. If he fallowed his instincts and killed the child the she would most certainly scream making an escape difficult. He could jump back out the window and pretend this assured failure never happened. But, one thing he couldn't do was just stand there. Seems like the little girl was going to make the decision for him.

"Who are you?" Her small delicate voice reached his ears. The deep un-touched purity of her voice was agonizing yet bewitching at the same time. He didn't know whether to answer her question or to rip her throat out. It was a very close call. He slowly came away from the wall to stand by a small dresser across from her bed. He decided on answering then take it from there. But what should he tell her? I'm just the creature who plans on sucking all the blood from your body? He decided his name may be enough to appease her.

"I'm Kider..." He trailed off not meeting her unwavering gaze.

"Are you an angel?" She asked cocking her head to the side so it lay atop the bear in her hands.

"No." He snapped. Then he saw her flinch at his voice and felt something unfamiliar... Guilt? "Why would you think that?" He said slowly.

"My mommy said that daddy went to heaven with the angels... So I thought you might be here to bring him back." She whispered looking straight at him.

"No." He said curtly staring at his feet refusing the burning in the back of his throat.

"But you're beautiful like an angel..." She trailed of quietly dropping her head to rest on her knight gown clad knees teddy bear still held tight.

"I'm far from an angel little girl." He muttered not quite thinking.

"Ryan." She said quietly.

"What?" His gaze finally resting on her.

"My name is Ryan." She said her blue eyes intent on his face.

"Ryan..." He trailed off memorizing her face. From the thick lashes around her eyes to the button nose and pink lips.

"You're hurt!" She claimed swinging her legs out of bed and taking tiny steps towards him.

"What are you talking about I'm not hurt..." He trailed off when he realized where she was looking. The blood from the man he had killed just before arriving here. What could he possibly say. No that's not my blood. Never my blood. That's the blood of some man who probably had a daughter just like you and a family and is now in heaven with the angels just like your daddy? That's when it hit him. That every person he killed had a life. Maybe even a family... That had never fazed him before. What was this insignificant little girl doing to him? Soon she was only a foot away. She grabbed his hand. He pulled it away as if he had been burned. Which he felt he had. The heat coming off this little human was scalding and her pulse was so alive.

"Stay away from me." He gritted out pressing up against the dresser.

"My mommy always told me when you get a boo boo you need to go take care of it." She said putting her free hand on her hip.

"I don't care what your mommy says." He snapped.

"Well if you don't want to get sick then you should listen." She chastised. It was sort of funny come from a little girl.

"I won't get sick." He told her more calmly.

"Okay..." She said climbing back toward her bed and climbing inside. He just stood watching her. "Where's your mommy?" She asked innocently.

"She di- I mean she's with the angels..." He slowly moved forward to stand by her bed.

"Maybe she and my daddy can be friends." A smile broke out on her face.

"Maybe." He nodded.

"Are we friends?" She asked her small voice light and airy.

"Um... I don't um... think we could be... Yes." He sighed.

"I'm glad." She beamed. "Here come sit." She patted the space at the end of her bed.

"I should really be going erm... Ryan." He said.

"Oh..." Her eyes went down cast. For some reason that look made his cold heart ache.

"I guess I can stay for just a little longer." He said slowly and a blinding smile was his return and she patted the end of her bed again summoning him over. He took quiet steps and slowly sat at the very edge of her bed trying desperately to control himself for reasons unknown to even him. She trusted him now all he would have to do was reach out snap her neck and let the fresh delicious blood sate him.

"How old are you?" She looked up at him with wide eyes through her dark lashes.

"You really want to know?" He asked holding his breath. She nodded enthusiastically. "I'm one hundred and sixty." He let a rare smile grace his face as her face went to one of awe.

"Nah you're kidding." She squealed quietly in disbelief.

"Nope." He was still smiling down at her.

"You don't look older than my grandpa and he's eighty next week. I got a dress and every thing. Wanna see?" Her eyes gleamed as she shot from the bed faster than any human should. She opened her closet and pulled out a lavender colored dress with an indigo ribbon tied at the waist.

"Its very... Pretty?" He said almost as a question.

"Yeah..." She pouted in a way he almost found...adorable. "I wanted the blue one but mommy says I gots to much blue and I need more beraity." She said holding one side of her night gown and shifting her weight onto each foot.

"You mean variety?" He asked. He would admit she was very smart.

"Yeah variety." She nodded seemingly triumphant. She hung her dress back up and got back in bed. "So really how old are?" She cocked her head leaning on her bear again.

"Lets say I'm eighteen." He told her with another small smile. "How old are you?" He asked curiously. She didn't say anything but held up one hand and splayed out her fingers. "Five?" She nodded. He got a sudden impulse and slowly brought a trembling hand up to hers. When it reached its destination he touched his frigid palm to hers. She then closed her hand around his lacing their fingers. She giggled. "Your hands are so tiny..." He said in awe staring at their connected hands.

"No! Your hands are just big." She said huffily.

"Maybe so." He grinned and she grinned back. Suddenly she yawned widely causing him to look around the room for a clock. He spotted a number with blinking red numbers reading two thirty. A human as young as this should have been sleeping deeply hours ago. "You should sleep." He whispered.

"I don't wanna." She wiped one hand across her fast fading eyes.

"It's late." He said pulling the covers up over her.

"But if I sleep you'll leave." She sulked.

"I won't leave." He lied. She called him on it.

"Yes you will."

"Fine I will but I'll stay till you fall asleep deal?" He bargained.

"Deal." She smiled. He went to go over and sit in the cushy reading chair by the window.

"Kider." The sweet voice said before he was a foot away.

"Yes Ryan?" he turned to see her leaning on one forearm and the bear clutched in the other.

"Come here." She said softly. He walked slowly back over to her.

"You need to sleep."

"I know but I wanted to give you a good night kiss." She said. He raised an eye brow.

"Go to sleep Ryan." He said turning again. That would be a major test of his already dwindling control.

"Can Joey give you a kiss? He wants too." He turned again.

"Who?" When he looked she was holding out her blue bear.

"Joey. He likes you too. He wants to be friends." Kider walked slowly back over to the bed and kneeled down. She held the bear by the stomach and pressed its nose to his cheek. "Good night Kider." She said in a high pitched male voice.

"Good night Joey." He played along.

"Good night Kider." His cheek was suddenly warm just as she pulled back and dragged the covers up to her chin and tucked Joey under her arm.

"Sweet dreams Ryan..." He touched the spot on his cheek and walked over the large chair.

AN/ Not my usual style but the plot bunny struck and I had to capture it and pin it down ;) Please review I worked really hard on it. REVIEW!