Ava woke up, unsure of where she was or how she had gotten there. The last couple of hours were a blur to her. She attempted to stand, but her legs were shaky. She supported herself with a hand against the tree, while she studied her surroundings. She was in a wooded area, though she heard the faint rumble of cars so she knew she wasn't too far from the road. She thought it strange that she saw no sign of civilization, even though she couldn't be far away. She tried to piece her thoughts together, but only recalled fuzzy, confusing images. She decided she would get back to her motel and try to figure out what had happened.
She took a step forward, the sound of leaves crushed under her black lace-up boots shocked her. She became aware that everything seemed louder, and brighter, as if her senses had heightened. She ran a hand nervously through her pixie-cut, grey-white hair. She thought she might have been drugged, but that seemed unlikely. She didn't recall drinking around anybody, and she'd never done any. Bringing her hand down to her neck she felt dried blood. She gasped. 'Where could that have come from??' She told herself to stay calm, but the situation was strange. She sat against the tree again, trying to collect herself. First she had to figure out which way to go to get out of the woods.

It had been like any of other night. Ereba sat on a bench in the park as her dark, violet eyes zeroed in on a passing couple. They gave her a cursory look as they walked along. She shook her head. If only the mortals knew who they were passing. To them, she may seem like a normal woman waiting for her sweet, but underneath her early-twenties body was a being whom had walked the Earth for a little under a century. She had witnessed so much in her life time. Until she met the sun's cursed embrace or die at the hand of a hunter or kin, she'd continue living and experiencing. Some saw it as a gift, but she saw it as a mix.

Sighing, Ereba got up from the bench as she straightened her purple-blue plaid button up. Her brown hair fell across her face as she looked around. It seemed her supplier had failed to come, a first if she remembered correctly. Her footsteps crunched against the gravel as she slowly made her way on the park's path. She needed to find blood from somewhere else lest she fed on a human. The thought repulsed her and caused a shatter of ecstatic temptation to ripple through her body. She never knew why she made the switch. Maybe she felt bad for feeding on a human? If so, it was a sentiment not many of her kind shared.

Before coming out of the park, her heightened sense picked up something from the woods. She took a waft of air as a smell, so potent, filled her nostrils. It was stale, but she knew the smell. It was impossible for her not realize what it was.

She followed the smell as it led into a patch of woods. A few minutes passed as a grey-white haired girl sat against the tree. She seemed dazed, confused. Ereba didn't need the light to see the marks on the girls neck. As she drew nearer, she crouched down and just observed. A new born. "You okay?" Ereba finally asked. "It's a little late to be out alone by yourself. Come on, lets see if we can't get you home. What's your name?"

Ava heard the footsteps coming a long way away, but she didn't stand. She was confused, and couldn't tell if the steps were approaching her, or going the other way. When the woman approached her she stood up, slowly, trying to determine wether or not she seemed to be a threat. She was always cautious of other people, as she had found people were rarely as kind as they appeared. She didn't have many options, however, so she decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"I'm fine," she said, putting a hand gingerly to the wound on her neck. "My name's Ava." She felt steadier on her feet now, and though she still felt a bit dazed, a bit of clarity was returning to her. She studied the woman for a moment. "What are you doing out here?" she asked, then awkwardly added, "I mean, thanks for the concen! It just seems strange that you were out in the woods at this time…"

Ava shut her mouth. She chattered when she was nervous, but this was not the time for that. She needed to get back to her motel, and this woman seemed trustworthy enough. "Sorry," she sighed. "I'm not sure what happened to me. I really just need to get out of the woods…"

Ereba's eyebrow arched up, a bemused smile creeping across her face. The new born had yet to realize where she was. Looking back, she motioned behind her. "Not sure what you mean by woods, but you're presently in Central Park," she said. "I'm just out for an evening stroll. Quite normal, I think?"

The sound of approaching footsteps drew Ereba's attention as a lone man walked on by the nearest pathway. She nodded to him as he nodded back. There was curiosity in his eyes - no doubt wondering if this 'Ava' girl was drunk or worse. Her eyes refocused on the bite wound. It seemed one of her kind had been careless. The etiquette demanded those that turned another oriented them to their new life. If neglected, new born's turned feral. Feral, in turn, drew unwanted attention. That attention drew the presence of the hunters - or the Enclave. Ereba shuddered at the thought.

Ereba extended her slender slightly bronze hand. "It'll come back. Your memories to be more precise," she said. "I'm Ereba. Nice to meet you Ava. I'm on my way to a pretty, little cafe just around the block. I'd be pleased if you joined me. Assuming you have no other plans to attend to?"

Ava glanced around the park for a moment. How had she not figured that out first? She shook her head. She was really shaken up, so it wasn't a huge mystery that she had been confused. "Oh, right… sorry," she said. "That makes sense…"

Ava shook her hand tentatively. She cocked her head slightly, at what she said about her memories. "You mean you know what happened to me?" she asked. She was a bit suspicious now, but the fuzzy face she could now recall was most definitely not her. "I would love to," she said, obviously a bit more on guard. She didn't seem to mean her any harm, however, and she had no reason to refuse. "I probably should get cleaned up a bit, before, though." She had blood on her denim jacket, and her black and white dress. "The blood could be a little alarming to some people."

Giving the girl a once over, Ereba nodded. She indeed needed a change of wardrobe. Perhaps an explanation too. The vampire cursed her poor choice in words. Instead of raising the Ava's alarm, she'd rather have explained in a civil manner. Well, she'd have to get used to it sooner or later. "That's not a bad idea," she said. "One would have to wonder exactly what you were doing to look like ... that."

Standing up, the violet eyed woman looked around as she felt eyes watching her. There was no scent, which concerned her greatly. Enclave seekers were on the move. "We must leave here," she said. "I'm not sure how much you remember, but you're about to undergo a great many changes, New Born. We've got watchers hiding away in the darkness. You will follow me lest you wish to turn into a feral or be enslaved by them. I assure you; you wouldn't want either."

Without looking to see if Ava would follow her or not, she began to walk in the direction of her abode. Being an older vampire, her territory was given a wide berth by seekers and honored by the Enclave. She had friends within the vampiric society, but she hadn't want anything to do with them. They were a pompous bunch who ruled like kings underground. She wouldn't have that. Unlike most, she didn't crave the company of others. She just wanted to be alone. Unfortunately, this was a rare case. This child needed guidance, and she would give it if Ava had so desired.

"I'm sorry, what are you talking about?" she asked, following quickly, her hands in the pockets of her dress. She suspected that this woman was crazy, what she was saying made no sense. If she were a little more skiddish, or maybe a little smarter, she probably would have gone her own way. She would have found her way back to the motel on her own just fine. She had no idea why she was still following her. Perhaps because she seemed to know something, and Ava was completely baffled.

She was beginning to retrieve bits of memory. She had left her motel, she couldn't remember why, and there was a man she didn't recognize speaking to her. He was persistent, wouldn't leave her alone. She remembered what seemed to be a diner, as well. Is that where she met the man? She remembered distinctly, now, throwing coffee on his lap when he wouldn't back off, and how he didn't even react to the near-boiling liquid. She tried to remember what happened afterwards, but that was all still a blur.

Ereba ignored the girls question for now. Her attention was more so focused on what was unseen. The world moved with such certainty that mortals often forgot how the most significant of change happened in what was overlooked. Ava wouldn't have known that the Enclave was following them at this minute. Their hunters were taught from birth to move with the ebb and flow of the shade. To reveal oneself was to lead to violence, which her kind avoided unless absolutely necessary. A part that came with that was subjugating new borns to formal education of their ways. There was no freedom with the Enclave.

Stepping onto the sidewalk, Ereba looked back. She was surprised that the girl had chosen to follow her. She gave her a once over and continued on her way. Her home was close. It was time to ease the girl slowly to the truth. "An odd question," she said. "But what are you craving? Don't think. It's an instinctual thing, which you'll learn to love in due time. You've changed Ava. The marks on your neck proves it. Tell me, do you believe in vampires?"

Somewhere from the distance, Ereba heard a faint hiss. It was a warning. She fought the urge to answer the offender as she kept ushering herself and Ava along. "They're close," she said more so to herself. "Your blood has peaked their curiosity."

"Craving?" she asked. There had been a strong craving that she had been trying to ignore. "Blood…" she murmured, without realizing it. She looked up at Ereba. "This is crazy," she said. "Of course not…" Alrhough all the evidence pointed to vampire, she couldn't believe that. There was just simply no way that the stories could be true. She tried to come up with any other logical explanation, but nothing came to her.

As a child she had loved stories about vampires. Much to the irritation of her mother, and the dismay of her twin brother, she spent so much time immersed in vampire lore, stories, and movies. She would pretend to be a vampire, and force her unfortunate brother to be her victim. It was a phase though, a childish belief in the supernatural. She grew out of it, and moved on, and now she felt like she was being dragged forcefully into one of the stories she had loved, and now feared.

"Whose here, what do you mean?" she asked, her nervous gaze scanning their surroundings. This was one time she didn't let her curiosity get the best of her, and she didn't slow down.

Ereba heard it all as they promptly crossed a street. The craving for blood was the strongest desire her kind could have. If she could draw a parallel, the narcotics humans used would be the closet of comparisons. At the same time, it was different. Unlike drugs, blood was a necessity, the only way to live. Ava should've considered herself fortunate. While she was quite composed, others in her position would have went on a frenzy. The initial thirst was never kind.

"The Enclave," Ereba said as they neared a large tower complex comprised of individual lofts. She could have gone anywhere in New York. Even afforded a home in the most affluent of neighborhoods. It was her love of the busy city life, which kept her in these cramped quarters. Plus, she would hardly know what to do with all the space. "You'll learn to know - respect - them soon enough. Think of it as your new identities government. Whatever they will, you'd do well to listen. I can't go into detail here, nor can I prove to you what I'm saying is real."

Taking out a card from her handbag, Ereba swiped it across a card reader, which let her inside the lobby. After general hours, her building went on lockdown. Only those with keys could get in - outside of breaking the door of course. She put the card away and promptly pulled Ava inside.

"All I ask is a bit of faith," Ereba said as she pushed the two of them into the elevator. As the doors closed, she saw several figures standing outside, the look of anger and suspicion clear on their face. The elevator doors beeped as it began its quick, smooth ascent to the highest level. She took in a deep breath of air. "You can't go back to living the same way anymore, dearest. If you choose to leave, I shall not stop you, you'll find out first hand upon dawn's rise."

The doors opened as a small room with a single door rested at the opposite end. The top floor was hers, which had cost her a handsome amount of currency. With her eccentric habits, she could ill-afford any noisy neighbors hearing. It would have proved unfortunate for her if it was reported and for them.

She walked out and turned to stare at Ava. "Come," she finally said. "You'll use some of my clothes and we'll throw yours into the wash. I suppose you'll have questions. New borns who're fortunate to live past their first hour typically do."