Rain or Shine, Shopping is a Must [open]

[Ares Lusitani]

Ares meandered through England, once again finding herself in the hills. It seemed that she was more often in the hills than anywhere else. It was easier for her, in a way. No acting. Just running and shining like a good amount of money. Humans and their diamonds - it was quite queer. Then, Ares was used to the sparkle and shine of herself and other vampires, so diamonds did little to excite her. With little to do without a clan, Ares reverted to sitting among the emerald waves of grass, letting the soft blades shift against her skin. Apparently, today seemed to be another 'sit in the meadow' type of day. Already the sun was high in the sky, whispering against her skin. The breeze did the same, working the same calming, relaxing magic that the sun wielded. Ares lay back in the grass, nearly disappearing in the long blades that drifted to her knee while standing. Letting her mind wander, Ares searched for the familiar hum that usually set her blood pumping, but didn't expect to find anything.

With a jolt, she was on her feet once again. Daniel, a red-haired, booze-loving Irishman who was visiting family, was prowling in the streets. The excitement of his hum thrummed within her. Eyes narrowing, she took flight on winged feet, racing with easy speed towards Evesham. Slowing, Ares stayed to the shadows. Lifting her gaze, she smiled as she watched storm clouds roiling in from northern Ireland. Perfect. She kept to the shadows for a few minutes, following a few yards behind Daniel, until the sun was blotted out. The light pattering of rain on her skin was refreshing, in a way, but her mind was set on Daniel's hum. It was losing excitement until it was just a buzz of annoyance. She watched him duck into a pub and grinned a bit viciously. For today, Daniel would be able to drink his ale in ease. Tomorrow was another day.

Realizing that the rain was seeping into her black t-shirt and jeans, Ares darted forward and caught the door of a small shop. Stepping in, she was assailed by the strong scent of perfume. Her lip lifted in a small sneer. She wasn't usually in contempt of humans, but it suited her just fine that she didn't need perfume to lure them into her grasp. She shook her head, trying to clear the image. Two thousand years, and now you're letting images into your head? She smiled without mirth and left the shop through the back, which opened into a small clothing store. Relaxing, Ares meandered the racks, eyes trailing over the soft fabrics.

[Alice Cullen]

In light of everything that had been going on, Alice needed some serious relaxation. Everyone at the castle was tense, so whenever Alice found a few moments to herself she would head into town. Sometime she would go shopping, and other time she would just sit in cafes, pretending to eat food and watching people go by. Alice loved observing people. Wherever she went, she always took careful glances at people, sometimes trying to peer into their futures to see where their decisions would take them. Alice had always found enjoyment in watching civilians, maybe because she had never really been one of them. Even back when she was a human, Alice had been unaccustomed to human life. From what she remembered, she never interacted with anyone. She had been completely lost in visions, so things like talking and eating and enjoying the company of others were completely foreign to her on a human level. Of course once she had found the Cullens, she began to understand what it was like to be able to interact with others, but everything they did was so... well. supernatural.

The Cullens couldn't do anything normally. Even when they played baseball it was abnormal, and while Alice loved it, there was something in her that longed to be apart of human life. That was why she had been so enthralled with Bella. Of course there was the fact that she made Edward happy, but her humanity also gave Alice a chance to live through her... To experience the mundane and normalcy of human life. Sure she loved her fast-paced vampire life, but there was always something she felt she missed out on by not ever having led a normal human life. It was like taking a bite of a meal that was missing one ingredient; something simply felt lacking... Like maybe she could appreciate the abnormalities in her current life if she had been able to experience normalcy in her first one... but now that Bella had been changed, all of that was over. She was one of them now, and once she got over her newborn tendencies everything she did would be perfectly supernatural and fantastic, just like the rest of the Cullens.

Alice sighed slightly as she walked along the streets of Evesham, glancing up thankfully towards the cloudy skies. Rain was coming. Alice quite enjoyed Evesham, though not as much as Forks. She had yet to really experience much of it, even though the Cullens had been living just outside of town for a month already. Most of her time had been spent either at Bella's side or hunting with Edward or Jasper. Alice had never really thought she'd ever say it, but it was good to get away from Bella every once in a while. Being around newborns reminded all of the Cullens of their thirst for human flesh. Even now, Alice was acutely aware of all of the humans wandering about the streets. Sometimes Alice hesitated to even draw a breath, but she had already fed just a day or two ago so she was in complete control of herself. Her eyes still glistened their well-fed golden color, without a hint of hunger within them. She had waited a few days after feeding before coming into town.. Had her eyes been as bright and golden as they were right after a feeding, she would have caught more curious looks than she was catching now.

The locals were clearly curious of the Cullens, whom had basically all kept to themselves. They weren't really trying to forge new lives for themselves, they were just trying to keep Bella under control. Naturally, the mysterious recluse family that had moved in nearby had caused up a bit of a stir, especially since whenever the Cullens did pop out, people couldn't help but observe how flawless they looked. Alice smiled at a pair of girls passing by her with wide-eyes from beneath their umbrella as she whipped out a big pink one of her own. She was used to this by now, after over a hundred years of it, but it still managed to amuse her a little. It was a normal part of her abnormal life. Alice nodded a hello to the girls as she smiled before they were behind her, obviously speaking about her in hushed whispers. Alice almost rolled her eyes good-naturedly in response, but an image passed through her mind... It was an image of a beautiful woman inside a shop... A woman of impossible beauty. Alice's face shifted to uncertainty for a moment before she regained her composure.

Alice wandered the streets for a few moments longer before she saw the shop the woman had entered. Another vampire... There was another vampire in Evesham. It was enough to make Alice dizzy. She couldn't see anything aside from the woman meandering through the racks of clothing, which made her understandably uneasy. Another vampire in Evesham could cause problems for the Cullens. If they were unknowingly encroaching on someone else's territory, they would be forced to flee again and Alice wasn't sure where they'd go. Alice stepped into the shop, walking purposefully towards the back of it that opened up into the clothing shop she had seen. Alice's gaze flickered across the store, but she spotted her instantly, her eyes trailing over the soft fabrics. Alice kept her mouth closed in a small thin line, taking a slow breath in through her nose and trying to catch a look at the woman's eyes as she held her now closed umbrella at her side

[Ares Lusitani]

With a gentle, measured hand, Ares lifted a shirt from the rack and pulled it flush against her. Tilting her head, she stared at her reflection in the metal of the rack. The crimson color of the shirt shot a shudder of disgust through her. Tossing the shirt back on the rack, she turned away and walked towards the lighter colors. She hadn't really realized the color, a deep wine color, before she looked at it in the mirror. She could remember vividly when she would go to where ever she was living at the time and looking at something reflective. That color had covered her - face, body, hands. A smile would flash the same color in her mouth. She shuddered again and moved farther away from the offensive shirt. With quick hands, she rifled through another rack with colors ranging from baby pink to baby blue to baby yellow. With easy strokes, she smoothed the fabric against her and frowned. She was restless as of late, and clothes weren't excluded. Everything was either too bright, too obnoxious, too... offensive. A light sigh left her mouth as she moved over to the jewelry.

Ares had been roaming for a long time, and had collected a good amount of money over the time. Her apartment in England was filled to the brim with clothes, none of which she would wear, when it came down to it. It was more of a saftey net. If one of her 'jobs' got too bloody, she needed a quick change of clothes. Her mind wandered to her last job. Jonathon Pulchek. 37. Two prior arrests. His death had been very satisfying. She nearly licked her lips in satisfaction. He hadn't seen it coming. None of them did. She hadn't elongated their deaths in a long while, either. She got the job done, dumped them, and left. No prints. No evidence. Just a strong sense of clarity and doing what was required of you. Ares pondered when she'd changed her tactics. She had once taken an older man home and tortured him, dragged every detail of what he'd done out of him, and then killed him just when he was about to 'escape.' A shiver of pleasure ran through her as she thought of his death.

A breeze brought the scent of a vampire to Ares's sensitive scent glands. She paused, glancing at the small, petite woman out of the corner of her eye. The vampire looked worried, uncomfortable, and was clearly trying to catch her eye. Ares smiled slowly. She had let her hunger bloom, so her eyes were more black than anything. Every now and then, she yearned for the burn of thirst. The vampire wouldn't be able to tell if she was a vegitarian or human-hunting monster. Ares turned to face the vampire, black eyes lighting on her face. She was a dainty little thing. The worried look in her eyes made her seem younger than she probably was. Without moving from where she was, Ares spoke in a quiet, flute-like voice that only the vampire would be able to detect. You seem worried. I'm not the cause of that, am I? Ares smiled slowly, eyes twinkling at the vampire.

[Alice Cullen]

Alice tried to remain calm as the vampire spotted her. Usually the girl was in complete control of herself, but the thought of trying to transport the newborn Bella to another location was.. well, troublesome, in a word. Traveling with her on their trip out here had been difficult enough, and she had been barely conscious for that trip. Trying to take her somewhere now when she was filled with untapped energy and practically zero control would only cause trouble. Alice could imagine what would happen if they tried to drive her somewhere new. Bella was perfectly capable of ripping off the door of the car and jumping out if she sensed humans nearby. Even if they tried to bind her, she'd be able to break free. It would take all of the Cullens to try to hold her down. When they had been fighting newborns a few months ago, every move Alice had made in battle had been about avoiding getting hit and making small devastating blows. She couldn't hope to hold down a newborn, so her agility had been her ally. The thought of trying to hold down Bella was.. daunting. Even Emmett would probably struggle trying to keep her under control, though he'd never admit it.

With all of this in mind, it was difficult for Alice to remain her calm and charming self. The vampire turned to face her, and as she did Alice felt a wave of disappointment. Her eyes were black. Alice couldn't tell whether or not she fed on humans or animals from a glance, so all she could do was assume she fed off of humans. It was highly unusual for vampires to restrict their diets to animals, so to simply assume this woman was a vegetarian was foolish and reckless. Alice knew she'd have to tread carefully, especially if this vampire called Evesham home. The vampire spoke in a voice that only Alice would be able to pick up on, You seem worried. I'm not the cause of that, am I? Alice smiled broadly, though she was more cautious than usual. It had been a long time since Alice had ever been forced to deal with a situation like this on her own. The last time they had run into other vampires in a possible territory dispute had been back in Forks, and the Cullens had all been there.. Carlisle had handled it, as the leader of their family, and Alice hoped she would be able to end this encounter on good terms.

"Well," Alice responded in an amiable tone, speaking so that only the other vampire would hear, "It's not every day that I run into another." She looked towards the clothes, feigning interest in them as she walked over to one of the racks. She reached out to feel the clothes, knowing it would look peculiar to any observing humans if she and the other woman just stood there watching each other. "I hope I'm not encroaching on your territory...? I would never mean to intrude." She was anxious, wondering how the vampire would respond. Before she could speak again, Alice's mind was filled with flickers of a red-haired man drinking happily in a local pub. Alice wasn't quite sure why this particular vision was filling her mind, but she could see him clear as day, drinking away. The vision seemed to have no point... He wasn't being attacked, he wasn't attacking anyone else, he was just drinking. Obviously his decision to drink himself into a stupor was somehow influential, but how? Alice couldn't help but wonder if this new vision was somehow linked to her encounter with this vampire.

[Ares Lusitani]

Ares watched as the vampire played 'human.' It was quite amusing, actually. Usually, Ares didn't even bother. Then, Ares rarely ventured into human atmospheres save to do jobs, so she couldn't really talk. With a light laugh, she moved around the rack so she could keep an eye on the small vampire. She didn't think the little one would do anything, especially since she was so concious not to alert humans to her presence, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She let her fingers trail through the various pieces of clothing, gaze dropped but still able to see the petite woman. She hadn't heard the whispers about this small, striking woman, so she must not have been here long, or didn't get out much. In that, Ares could relate. Personally, Ares thought it was an unnecessary risk to travel among humans. They were quite petty, jealous by nature, and had too many troubles to count. It was downright annoying to move within their ranks. Luckily, she couldn't actually hear their thoughts, just their hums.

The thought of hums made her listen for Daniel. His hum was soft, uninterested, bored. She had the feeling that tonight was the night he would strike. Some poor unsuspecting girl would be his prey. He wouldn't know her - wouldn't need to. They were all the same in his mind. They were all meaningless, all worthless, all meant for his momentary pleasure. He'd leave her alive, but she'd never be the same again. Anger pulsed through her as she went over what he would probably do. She would kill him tonight, before he touched anyone - before he got the chance to. The hanger beneath her hand snapped. The sudden, loud sound made her jump. She stared down at it, startled. Lifting her gaze, she smiled apologetically at the person working the cash register. Ares returned her mind to the vampire.

Yes, there are few here. Some, but not many. She let the vampire's words impact. Relax. You will not be made to leave on my part. I am not one to fight over territory, not when there are other things to argue over. Tell me, what's your flavor? For a moment, she let her mind drift back to what she had concluded. She would make him feel the pain, the fear. He deserved it. He had ruined two lives already. Now, his would be ruined, and then ended. She could track him easily - she'd heard his hum at least six times in the past two hours. And it wasn't the first she'd heard it. She nearly purred in satisfaction. She looked to the vampire. My name is Ares, if you're curious.

[Alice Cullen]

Alice was unaware that her attempts to seem human were amusing to the other vampire. She was simply so used to trying to blend in that it was habit for her to act like a human. She and the rest of the Cullens liked to lead lives as close to "normal" as possible. They already called enough attention to themselves by simply the way they looked. If they acted any more different than the people around them, it would be impossible for them to lead lives like they were humans. Alice enjoyed their lifestyle, so she had never really questioned it. She enjoyed blending in and being almost human. She enjoyed the pomp and circumstance of it all.. The little rituals humans did day to day were all fun for her. If she wasn't going to have fun in an immortal life, then what was the point of being immortal at all? There was nothing fun about being an outcast.. About not being able to blend in and live life as normally as possible. It wasn't as though they made many friends, because they always usually ended up keeping to themselves, but even with that there was something comforting about going to school and attending classes. It was familiar. It was the way their lives all should have been. The way Bella's had been.. Alice felt a sting of remorse as memories of Bella once again entered her thoughts. She quickly pushed them out of her head. This was no time to think about Bella... She had more important worries at hand.

Alice half-interestedly pulled out a pink shirt before placing it back on the rack again. The images of the man drinking were troubling to her, but she still didn't know how to make sense of them. Naturally her mind was racing as she tried to sort through all the possibilities of what this man might have to do with her future or her family's future, but everything was still shrouded in mystery. Was he simply a man? Had his images of what he was deciding to do completely coincidental? Alice almost laughed at the thought. Coincidence. As if such a thing really existed. There had to be a purpose for him appearing in her mind, she just didn't know it yet. This was one of the things she hated most about her gift. Getting half of a picture was almost more frustrating than getting no picture at all. True, it was useless for her to be completely in the dark about events, but it was equally useless for her to see something that had no explanation or apparent significance.

Alice was stirred from her thoughts as the other vampire broke a hanger and smiled apologetically at the cashier... Now that was unusual. A frown flickered across Alice's face. This woman was so controlled.. So capable. So why had she lost control of her strength and broken a hanger? It didn't take much for vampires to break anything... It took constant control to keep from taking doors off the hinges, but this vampire had broken a hanger. What had made her lose focus? She wasn't unaccustomed to her own strength, that was for sure. Alice would have been a complete moron if she hadn't noticed that this vampire was much older than her. It was apparent in the way she moved, spoke, and smelled. Something about her reminded Alice of Carlisle.. He had that same control. So why had she lost it?

Yes, there are few here. Some, but not many. Alice shifted her weight from one foot to the other as the older vampire spoke. Alice wondered if Carlisle was aware of these other vampires.. If maybe he knew them, or at least knew of them. She felt uneasy thinking that Carlisle might have brought them here without telling them that much. She had been uneasy about coming here at all, because it was always difficult to uproot so suddenly with such hasty goodbyes, especially when they were headed somewhere they hadn't been before... And most especially, when there were other vampires in the area. Relax. You will not be made to leave on my part. I am not one to fight over territory, not when there are other things to argue over. Tell me, what's your flavor? Alice had been able to relax until she was asked about her flavor. Alice smiled with ease, wondering if this woman could detect how she felt, or if it was really that obvious in her body language. Alice wasn't used to dealing with vampires that weren't family. She was always very careful to regulate how she acted when she was around others, but this vampire felt... smelled.. ancient. She was so much older than Alice, and it was important for her to be careful, despite the woman's friendly demeanor.

"My flavor... Well," Alice wondered if this is what the woman felt was one of those other things to argue about. "My family and I prefer not to drink human blood." Alice added lightly, as if it weren't a big deal. She picked up another shirt to briefly scan with her eyes before placing it back. Occasionally vampires asked why the Cullens fed from animals when humans were just as unremarkable as bears, but Alice wasn't sure if someone so old would be quite so open to such a revolutionary notion. Alice's eyes were still looking over the clothing racks when her mind became clouded with visions... She could see the woman standing over the man's body... He was still alive, squirming and writhing beneath her as he pleaded for mercy in slurred and misconstrued words as he lay some nondescript alleyway. Alice's eyes glazed over as she focused on the visions that filled her mind. She was looking beyond the clothing now, and into the not-too-distant future. Alice paused in thoughtful silence, though her visions filled her with uncertainty. "What do you prefer?" she asked, feeling as though she already knew the answer.

My name is Ares, if you're curious. Alice smiled, undaunted by her latest premonition. This woman was a human-feeder. If she killed that man, the other vampires in the areas might take offense to it, and since the Cullens were the newest arrivals... Alice tried to see what would happen beyond the man being killed, but it was still shrouded in mystery. "I'm Alice." She replied, her mind still racing. What could she do? Should she try to stop Ares?... No that was ludicrous. She didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell at that... But how was she supposed to just stand by and watch that man get killed when the Cullens might get blamed for it by the other vampires in the area? Moreover, what if those vampires she had mentioned were in a coven together and Ares was part of it? Then, Alice would create just as much trouble if she tried to stop Ares. Alice felt extremely uncomfortable now, uncertain of what she should do. All she really could do at this moment was try to make chit-chat and hope to learn more about the situation.

[Kai Danza]

Everything. Kairen saw everything, from ants crawling up the trees to motes of dust spiralling in the crisp air - air that was dripping with rain. Kai stared in wonder as light refracted off the small droplets, sparkling bulbs like natural fairy lights. But the wonder at every small, distracting detail, was lessened by the burning in her throat. Like swallowing matches. The (relatively) new vampire's hands flew to her throat, her glowing red eyes widening. No. She didn't want this, she didn't like killing the innocent ones. It was so easy, though, that at times it scared her. Such a simple matter to follow them home and drain them in their beds. At least then they didn't notice in such clarity. Sadness whirled to the front of her mind as she sank into her natural hunting crouch, meters up in the tree. drawing in a breath - scenting the air if you will - she froze, her demonic-style eyes darting towards a building to her left.

There was a sweet, sugary scent reminiscent of flowers that overrode her thirst and curiosity kicked in. Oh well. An excuse to save the human's life, at least for now. In just under a 76th of a second she'd kicked herself off from the tree, placing her feet in such a way that when she landed it was only as taking a step. Landing with a soft thud, the vampire shook out her vibrant hair from her burning eyes and looked for a moment at the building. The building, in which, she could smell the vampire scent, also had humans. A month. She was 34 days and 5.7 hours old, as a vampire. Chewing her lip with serrated, glinting teeth, Kai mused over the decision. If.. If she went in and unknowingly attacked one, then they'd all have to die. She didn't want to have police to kill as well.

Swallowing the venom that soaked into her mouth at the scent of humans and ceasing the influx of air that now sat, stagnating, in her lungs, Kairen began to move towards the shop. For some reason anxiety welled within her as she zipped up her Skelanimals hoodie, and pushed open the door. Her incredible eyesight was magnificent in situations like this - in the time it took the store-owner to notice her, she'd spotted the other two - but it was hard not to be distracted. Pain. Pain shot up and down her throat, lines of fire, searing, burning.. Her bright eyes widened in surprise but she forced herself to wait, subduing the flash burn with thoughts that that would come later, if only to stop the burning. She loathed it - not the blood, but the inevitability of the kill.

The burn was not forgotten, severe as it was, but Kai was attempting self restraint and so steeled herself against it, turning her attention to the pair of vampires on the other side of the shop. Better to not disturb them, but rather wait. Her eyes unerringly slid to them, just to get a quick look. One, pixie like in proportion and with short hair, the other taller with curls of dark hair. They were talking - of course, the words were audible to her, but she was distracted by the shop-keeper gawping at her glowing red eyes. "But.. what's..your..eyes..?" She looked up, refusing to breath for fear of being overwhelmed. Already, without breathing, she could smell the rich, warm scent, hear his heart thundering in it's internal caverns.. so deliciously sweet.. No. "Contacts," She managed to say with the last of her oxygen.

No, the man did not realise how painfully close he was to death. How every time he took a breath it was driving Kai to the point of insanity. Her pupils had widened and she was gazing blankly at him, refusing to allow herself the pleasure of the hot blood, flowing over his neck and - NO. Unclenching her fingers from the counter, which now had several indents in it, Kai stepped back looking frightened. The shop keeper was gazing at her in an almost concerned manner. Confused, the man whirled and vanished into the Employees Only room, thus saving his life. The alabaster pale girl, rings under her eyes and unnaturally pretty (with unnaturally red eyes), took four and an eight steps back, unwittingly towards the others, looked shaken.