Sparkling.

The kid was bloody sparkling.

Mitchell blinked, removing his sunglasses slowly. Probably just the light, he thought, rubbing his eyes. Either that or too much of Nana's cooking. She really should cut down on th-

"What the cock is that?"

Sighing, Mitchell turned around to face his 'friend'. "Well, Seth, I'm going to hazard a guess and say it's a chandelier."

Seth's eyes went wide, "Really?"

"Haven't you got somewhere else to be, Seth?" Mitchell groaned, reaching into his worn out jacket and pulling out a packet of cigarettes.

"Not until five thirty," his companion replied, straightening his suit in a rather clueless manner.

Rolling his eyes, Mitchell lit one of the cigarettes, pushing it into his mouth harshly. With a final one eyed glance at Seth, he returned his attention to the lifeforms in the forest below him. There were two of them. The sparkly one (Mitchell choked back a laugh) and a...well, Mitchell could only assume the dully coloured brown blob below him was another human – either that or a rare form of floor monkey.

Soooo, we have a sparkly blob, and a...unidentified brown blob. Herrick's going to be thrilled.

"Reckon they're human, Mitchell?" Seth breathed over his shoulder, lust and hunger intermingling with the foggy smoke from his cigarette, "only, it's been so long since I've had a decent feed and-"

"No."

Seth stumbled back, "No? What do you mean no?!"

"No as in no - you can't. At least, not until Herrick's here."

"You honestly think Herrick will mind if I have a lit-"

"No, Seth."

"Oh, but please, Mitchell."

"I said no, Seth!"

Seth bit his lip, moving backwards slightly, bowing his head. Mitchell puffed into his cigarette again, reveling in the smooth, silky smoke that poured from his lips.

"As soon as Herrick gets here you can-gack!"

His speech was cut short as Seth's dainty hand wrapped around his throat ruggedly. The burning cigarette fell to the floor, embers curling off the tip angrily.

"That was my last cigarette," Mitchell mumbled, disdainfully.

Seth growled and pushed Mitchell further back into the rocky cliff face.

"It's been so long since I've fed Mitchell – far too long. I can't wait for Herrick any longer. Can't watch him turn another useless human. I need to feed, Mitchell! I want to feel the life draining out of them, I want to watch them try and run. I want to hunt. them. down. Mitchell!" Seth gasped lustily, fingernails dragging into Mitchell's throat. "I want to feed."

Mitchell sighed, pulling Seth's fingers from around his neck with incredible ease. Seth growled again, recoiling from the younger man.

"If you go down there," Mitchell explained, picking his still burning cigarette from the muddy floor, "You'll be leaving all sorts of clues."

"It's not like we haven't done it before!" Seth yelled, exasperatedly, "anyway, Herrick can sort it! He's a police office-"

"Not in America," he shook his head, sighing as he threw the cigarette back on the floor, crushing it with his heel, "he's got no authority here."

Seth clutched at his head, "Why do you have to make this so hard, Mitchell! All we have to do is walk down there and..."

"Seth," Mitchell yelled, turning his head to Seth rapidly, "For the last goddamn time we cannot go down the-"

"Oh, go on Mitchell - let the lad have some fun."

The shadows around the two men parted, giving way to a darkened form. A portly man stepped out from the side of the cliff, blood cascading down his cheeks and his pearl like fangs. Mitchell sighed once more, looking back over the cliff.

"I just think it's a bad idea," he admitted slowly, watching as the two blobs moved slowly west, dancing in the fading sun.

Herrick chuckled heavily, placing a dirt kissed hand upon Mitchell's shoulder. "Mitchell, Mitchell, Mitchell...Mitchell. There's absolutely no problem, you know how it is. We've got plenty of...hchmm...contacts over here. You worry too much!"

Taking his hand off the younger mans shoulder, he shooed them away, flicking his wrist impatiently.

"Now, go. Have some fun! Paint the town red, metaphorically that is, wouldn't want any more questions, would we now?" Herrick chuckled.

Seth grinned and Mitchell frowned.

"Whatever," he shrugged, looking down into the forest below, "let's just get this over with."

--

"Hey, Edward?"

"Yes, Bella?"

Edward Cullen turned to face his beloved, skin sparkling like a thousand gemstones. Bella bit her lip slowly, her thick brown hair twirled around her fingers anxiously.

"I just...wanted to ask you a question," she admitted, smiling nervously.

Raising his eyebrows, Edward responded with a quick 'what'?

"Okay," she sighed, wringing her hands, "this is gonna sound totally stupid and...lame, but...I've been wondering...You know like you're a vampire?"

She waited for his steady nod before she began speaking again.

"Well," she continued, "how come you don't...have...you'know!"

He tilted his head, "I don't have what?"

Breathing slowly, Bella spat it out - "Fangs!"

"Excuse me?"

"Fangs," she admitted, "why don't you have fangs?"

Edward just continued staring, face blank and stony.

"It's okay! You don't have to answer it! I mean, it's just...Oh! Never mind. My dad was just reading one of his lame vampire books an- oh! Not that vampires are lame, I mean – you're amazing, it's just...oh, crap! I'm messing this up, aren't I?"

"Just a bit," Edward laughed.

Bella threw a glare at him, but melted like butter when he sent a dazzling smile her way.

"I don't have fangs because...Well, it's simple really! Beca-"

"Vampire? You've got to be kidding me! Who would turn a cock like you?"

The two of them spun on their heels quickly, Edward placing himself in front of Bella protectively. Bella growled for a second, starting to mutter that she could take care of herself, but thought better of it. Edward knew what he was doing – she would leave him to it.

"What do you want," Edward whispered, face contorting with concentration as he began to read the mans mind.

"Oh god! What are you doing? You look like, well! I don't know what you look like – but stupids one word for it!"

Edward stumbled back in shock – he couldn't read the mans mind!

"Edward?" Bella put a hand on his shoulder, "Whats wrong?"

"I...I can't...I can't read his mind!" he stuttered.

"Read my...Oh my god! Mitchell!" the man turned around, laughing fit to burst, "Mitchell! Have you heard this? He can't read my mind! Oh god, it's like we've stumbled into a badly written book!"

"I heard, Seth," said Mitchell appeared from behind a tree, flicking leaves off his jacket as he did so.

The man, who Edward now knew as Seth laughed again.

"Oh, god! It's gonna be an even better feed now, Mitchell!"

"Just get it over it Seth, I can't stand this place anymore."

Seth stopped laughing, a sinister smirk appearing on his face.

"'Ight then, Mitchell. Right you are."

Edward pushed Bella back. This guy clearly didn't know what he was getting into. He clenched his fist, preparing to zoom by the man quickly, stop him in his tracks before he could get to his precious Bella.

This was all halted, however, as the man's eyes turned a thick black and his teeth expanded, large, sharp fangs hissing out of his open lips.

"Oh crap," Edward gaped.

Then the man attacked.