It was surprising how cold L.A. could get at night, especially when you were hungry. Or in raggedy clothes that had long since lost their ability to keep you warm. Elwen Sarchet, El to her limited circle of friends, knew all about that. She had a depressing amount of intimacy with L.A.'s colder nights, and this night wasn't any different.

Elwen was walking the streets, as was her custom, searching for food scraps and occasionally asking for a handout. It was late, after midnight, and most people would be scared spitless to walk these streets- but Elwen knew them all like the back of her hand. She knew all their intricacies and all of their secrets. At least she thought she did. Nearly eleven years on the streets would give you that kind confidence.

She was walking down one of the sidewalks, her shoulders hunched and her hands rubbing together to generate warmth, when she saw a potential handout. A tallish man with auburn hair, wearing a very expensive looking suit was about to pass her. She didn't stop to think about why someone so fancy was walking down the street at one in the morning- she wouldn't get another chance like this for more than a week! There was no way she was going to miss it.

As he drew closer, Elwen made her steps more chaotic- she started fumbling around and muttering about how cold she was. When the man drew even with her, she slumped against him and stealthily swiped his wallet.

"Hey!" He shouted, his voice not remotely concerned, "Get off of me!" Elwen immediately complied while keeping with her sickly façade.

"I'm sorry," She mumbled, "I'm just so cold…" She finished weakly. The man, whose good looks Elwen now appreciated, put a safe distance between them. He looked at her oddly, as if somehow measuring her worth, and then straightened his suit dismissively.

"Yeah, well, go be cold in an alley or something." Then he turned and walked away. Elwen shrugged and then turned the other way. Once she was a safe distance from where their 'altercation' took place, she looked at her spoils.

She flipped open the expensive leather wallet eagerly. In the billfold, she found several one hundred dollar bills, along with a few fifties, and handful of twenties, and a variety of ones and fives.

"Holy shit…" She whispered as she dug through the rest of the wallet. There were a couple credit cards, but she ignored them; she had no use for plastic. The other item in the wallet was a driver's license. "Hello, Handsome." She told the image, "Josef Kostan, huh?" She asked the relatively empty street, "That's a pretty weird name… what am I saying? It's not any worse than mine…" She grumbled as she pocketed the wallet.

As she entered one of the dark allies she was so used to travelling, Elwen began planning what to do with such a generous 'donation'. The first thing to do was buy new clothes, and then she'd rent a hotel room and take a real bath. Then have a real meal… the possibilities seemed endless.

She was about halfway down the alley when she felt it. She froze immediately and let her senses check the area. Her hair was on end, her heartbeat was racing, her breaths coming gasps. Although she couldn't see or hear anything, Elwen knew that she wasn't alone in the alley. She carefully looked behind her, only to find the alley empty. When she turned around, Elwen felt her heart leap into her throat. A man, someone she'd never seen before, stood before her. Elwen just stared at him, completely entranced by his ice blue eyes. When he roared at her, her muscles went into overdrive in their attempt to get away. But, even as she ran with all she had, Elwen knew deep down that she would never escape. That's why she didn't make a single sound as she felt something pierce her neck. That's why she stopped fighting as her vision went black.

Josef wasted no time in hopping into his Ferrari and turning the key in the ignition. He couldn't wait to get home, he could still smell that homeless girl all over him. Maybe he was in a rush to get

home and shower, maybe he figured it was too late to worry about it, or maybe he was just that cocky, but Josef was going at least twice the legal speed limit when he saw the blue and red lights flashing in his rearview mirror.

"You've got to be shitting me…" He grumbled as he pulled onto the side of the road. When the officer, who was male- no luck there, asked for his license and registration, Josef reached for his wallet. When his hand found nothing but more fabric, Josef started laughing.

"Sir?" The cop asked warily, one hand moving to his holster.

"That sneaky little bitch!" Josef exclaimed with a laugh.

"Excuse me?" The cop seemed very concerned now.

"I've been robbed!" Josef told the officer as if it were the most spectacular thing on the planet.

"Look," The cop sighed, "I don't have time for this crap, all right?" It was Josef's turn to be confused, "It's almost two in the morning- if I book you, I've got to do all the paper work, and I won't get home until five." The vampire smiled smugly, he knew where this was going, "So I'm letting you go with a warning. I suggest you go home, and keep it in the speed limit on the way." Josef's smile widened.

"Thank you, officer." He said with mock sincerity. He waited for the cruiser to pull away before he pulled an illegal u-turn and headed back to the street where he'd been pick-pocketed. It was completely empty as Josef pulled up, which was understandable since it was almost two thirty in the morning.

As he got out of the car, Josef let his senses search for the girl. Besides the scent covering his clothes, he couldn't smell her. Therefore, he began retracing his steps. He was following a faint trail when he came upon the alley. It smelled so strongly of blood that he actually staggered for a moment. Once his head had cleared enough to tell that it was the pickpocket's blood, he took off into the dark. The alley was so saturated with the smell of her blood that Josef hadn't realized he'd found her until he stepped on her.

Josef knelt down, fearing that she was dead, and placed one hand to her throat. When he felt how ruined it was, he understood what had happened.

"A fledgling- gone rogue by the looks of it…" He mumbled to himself. He began rifling through her pockets in search of his wallet. When the dead girl groaned, Josef nearly jumped right out of his skin. She opened her eyes just enough to make out his face.

"Handsome?" She asked thickly. Josef ignored her and continued digging through her pockets.

"Don't mind me- just taking back what's mine." He said triumphantly as he removed his wallet. As he stood and moved down the alley, Elwen pulled herself up using the alley wall.

"Hey!" She shouted meekly, "Give that back!" The demand forced Josef to turn and stare at her.

"Excuse me?" He asked her incredulously, "You stole it! From me!"

"Yeah, I stole it fair and square!"

"Well that's some criminal logic for you!" Josef countered as he walked away. As he reached the mouth of the alley, he could hear her talking to herself.

"What's happening to me?" She asked herself, "Is this my blood?" Josef stopped in his tracks, finally putting everything together, "God, I am starving!" She exclaimed, Josef groaned.

"This is the last thing I need…" He muttered as he rubbed his forehead.

"How did I just hear you?" Elwen called from inside the alley, "You're too far away to hear!"

"Obviously not!" Josef said somewhat cruelly as he turned around and walked back to her. As he came closer, she began sniffing the air.

"You smell different…" She took a long whiff, "Blegh! Like something dead!" She took another long sniff in his direction before Josef snapped.

"Will you stop that!" She stared at him for a moment.

"All right, all right. Calm down, Stinky." He glared at her.

"Pay attention, because I'm only going to say this once." Josef checked to make sure he had her undivided attention, "You're a vampire now." He started quickly, "Avoid the sun, because it's not fun, find a cold place to sleep, and don't kill anybody." He could tell that none of what he was saying was actually sinking in. Oh, well, it wasn't his problem. "If you do kill someone, call this number," He produced a pen from seemingly nowhere and wrote the Cleaner's number on the back of her hand, "If you have any question that you desperately need answered, call Mick St. John." He said the name slowly, as if he were talking to a child, "He's listed in the phone book."

"That's not your name…" Elwen said slowly.

"I know. That's kind of the point."

"But, aren't you the one who made me this way!" She asked angrily. Elwen had a thing about parents that ditched their children.

"No!" Josef denied fiercely, "In fact, I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't stolen my wallet!" Then he turned and started to leave the alley.

"Hey! Where are you going?" She shouted after him.

"Home." He called over his shoulder without slowing down.

"What am I supposed to do now?"

"Figure it out!" Josef shouted just before he vanished around the corner.

"Oh, great… thanks a lot asshole…" Elwen grouched as she looked at her streets with new eyes.