takes a moment every so often to look around, making sure she's alone. After yesterday's attacks she's extra wary of any sound.

hoped Alfred was right, and keeping his scent on her would help keep other vampires away. She wondered if he had bothered to feed yet.

pulls a few more radishes out of the ground for the salad she plans to make for supper, she looks up and looks around again.

a chill run down her spine, stands up and looks around again, looking for any movement in the shadows around her garden. "Who's there?" _

she calls out, fumbling for the cross inside the collar of her shirt.

's eyes grow wide with fear when she sees him. "The vampire at the market..." hugs her basket of vegetables to her as she backs away.

stands still, clutching her basket and stares at him. "Are you ... apologizing to me?"

not about to walk into the shade with this creature so close. "I don't understand, aren't you just doing what you creatures do?"

still doesn't come any closer, but relaxes only slightly. He could be doing this so she lets her guard down. "You did scare me. You_

would have killed me, wouldn't you?"

takes a tiny step closer. "You said it was because of Alfred. Is it because his scent is on me? Or is there another reason?"

frowns at him. "I'm glad you didn't, I was already bitten the day before and I was still weak from the blood loss."

still frowning at him. "Do you like being a vampire?"

"Alfred wasn't given a choice." She looks at him for a moment. "How long have you been this way?"

stares. "And you look young too."

looks sad when she hears that. " You had your whole life ahead of you. You have no regrets?"

"You did this for companionship. Berwald isn't the one you were with yesterday. He is evil."

"Yao enjoys killing, and he enjoys the suffering he causes. I've seen him once before. Does Berwald enjoy killing?"

"Hmm, I guess it's all perspective, and how you see things on your side." She tilted her head and looked down at him. " I can't trust_

any of you, do you understand that? "

looks down at her basket. "He's different somehow. He promised to never hurt me. His scent keeps other vampires away too."

looks like she's about to cry. "K-Killed? He's killed before?" She looks up and looks around the garden, something inside her crumpling. "

"Oh, him ... yes he admitted to killing him. I thought you meant he's killed others."

how this boy has managed to tear down everything she thought she could trust. "How does it make him more dangerous?"

"Really hungry? Like I haven't eaten in a long time? I have a headache, I'm irritable, unpleasant to be around."

flinches a little when he touches her. A part of her brain is telling her to run away, but she stands her ground and looks at him. "You've_

learned this quickly for only being a vampire for ... three or four days?"

"If Alfred managed to kill an older vampire right after becoming one, then he must have a lot of strength."

"Are you keeping a human alive?" frowns at him. "Why would you do that?"

takes a step back from him, "Ivan and Ludwig both told me no vampire can be trusted. Yet some of you take the time to be concerned about_

humans. Maybe everything isn't absolute."

looks down at her basket of vegetables. "Apology accepted, Yong Soo."

"Okay, I'm learning too. This is the first time I've ever dealt with vampires and demons. I'm pretty sure we didn't have them in my town."

"I have no experience with any of this." She pulls the small, gold Orthodox church cross out from under her collar and puts it out where it_

can be seen. "See? Brought up in the church."

"I hadn't done it yet because I just moved here recently, but I put up a red corner in my house too."

"Eastern Orthodox. Would you like to see it? ... although ... " frowns, looks at him. "If I invite you into my house, I can't stop you_

from entering again."

"Alfred already has permission to enter my house. I have to be careful Yong Soo, you do understand that." Walks out of the garden toward_

her kitchen door, looks back at him. "Are you coming?"

opens her kitchen door and leaves it open for him. Sets the basket of vegetables next to the sink, then waits for him to come inside.

"Thank you, it's in here." steps through the kitchen door into the living room, walking toward the corner where the embroidered towel_

frames the religious icons. "This is called a Red Corner. It's a special place in the house to put religious icons." Watches him _

to see his reaction.

Watches carefully, feeling satisfied the Red Corner will provide her with some protection. She reaches over and covers the icons with_

the rushnik. "Does covering them up help?"

looks at Yong Soo suck on his fingers. "Sorry about that, will some ice or something help that?"

"That's good. At least I know now it works."

"This is what I have to protect myself. I don't have a lot of special abilities. and powers."

"I've been racking my brain, trying to think of what I could do. This helps, the cross helps. I'm not a hunter, I have no idea what to do_

if one of you decides I'm lunch. So far I have this and Alfred's scent to protect me."

"You do? I met one named Ludwig a while ago, but I haven't seen him in a while."

"I would, if I had any idea how to contact him. I need to return his handkerchief too."

"I appreciate it, Yong Soo. So far it's been quiet today, but it's getting dark, and yesterday I was attacked twice. Who knows what will_

happen tonight?"

nods and gives him a small smile. "Yes, I am very careful now."

blinks at the slight of hand, then smiles at the flower. "You know magic." Takes the flower and smiles. "Thank you."

" You should ... are you going to use it to lure victims in?"

"Really? I've always been quiet and shy. I keep to myself. That's hard to do in this town though, for the wrong reasons."

sighs when she's patted, "Okay for now, but for how long?"

"Yong Soo, yesterday you had no trouble capturing and holding me. I'm a weakling compared to you."

"Will help when a vampire decides to sink his fangs into me?"

"I hope so, but so far all the vampires I've encountered are young vampires. What happens when a older one finds me?"

" ... sadistic one? Are there lots of those?"

"Okay ... then when that time comes, I will have to deal with it." looks at him, "Are you going to feed tonight? It's getting dark."

"I'm glad you feel better, Yong Soo." She looks down at her hands.

"A little, I'm learning vampires can be different. Still, I would like to find a hunter and talk to them."

"Thank you, will I see you again soon?"

"Yes, that does sound good." Smiles at the bow. At least he still had good manners.

waves as he leaves, then closes and locks the door behind him. She walks back to the red corner, and pulls the rushnik back to reveal the_

icons underneath. She felt a little bad she had used Yong Soo as a guinea pig to test them out, but she had to know if they would_

work or not.