Anomaly

Chapter 2

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[Unedited]

I whipped my body around quickly, my muscles instinctively clenching in defensive mode. Despite my poor sense of smell, I picked up on the strange, distinctive scent of the male standing behind me, clearly visible in the dark. He didn't smell human but he definitely wasn't a vampire. His scent was like trees and earth and I found that I didn't like it. Nothing about his presence made me feel thirsty or tempted me to drink from him. Strange. Relieving, but strange.

He was tall, much taller than myself, and looked to be in his early 20s—just a few years older than I was when I was turned. He had sandy colored hair and dark eyes. In contrast to the dark of the night, there was the slightest glow emitting from the depths of his irises unlike anything I'd seen before. My heart sped up slightly at the observation but when I blinked, his eyes looked normal, human. I blamed the hallucination on my poor senses.

"Who are you?" I asked bluntly. The man gave a small smirk and took a step closer. I curled my fists instinctively but did not step back. I did not fear human men. Though I was weak for what I was, I was certainly not worried about my ability to protect myself.

"I'm Vincent," his voice was friendly and inviting. "And you are?"

"Diana," I told him, still somewhat skeptical as I shook his hand. "What are you doing here?" I asked. "If you don't mind me asking," I added in a softer tone, not wanting to sound rude. I hadn't ever seen anyone else at this beach before and I was curious.

"I live just over there," he said smoothly, gesturing towards a woodsy area a little ways from the water. Ah, so that explained the earthy scent. I hadn't had much one-on-one contact with humans but I suppose it made sense that they would all carry different scents based on their settings. "And yourself?"

"I left something here earlier," I told him, my fingers automatically moving to the necklace wound around my neck. "I was just coming back to get it."

"It's a little dangerous for a girl like you to be here all alone at night, isn't it?" He asked. His expression held no malice, only inquiry.

I allowed myself to crack a small smile. "I think I'll be alright." If anything, I worried for him. I knew vampires hunted around these parts and if he was living in the woods, mostly isolated, he was vulnerable. But I couldn't think of any tactful way to give him that warning. Obviously, our existence was expected to remain a burdensome and solemn secret. I could only hope that if he had survived this long, he would be okay.

"I should probably get going," I said. It was nice to meet you, Vincent."

"Wait," he called as I was turning around. "At least let me walk you to your car? It will give me some peace of mind." I smiled again and gave him a small nod. I found it endearing that he cared for my safety. I suppose, on the outside, I did look somewhat fragile.

We walked to the car in silence, our feet crunching against the gravel. I felt very peaceful, as I always did at night. I could hear the sound of the waves brushing the shore and the light breeze. And though I'd just met Vincent, I appreciated his company. It'd been so long since I'd conversed with anyone other than my current family of vampires.

"Well, this is it," I said once we got to my car. "Thanks for walking with me," I told him.

"It was my pleasure, sweetheart." And then, just as I was climbing into the front seat, I felt a hard, strong hand yank on my shoulder causing me to immediately propel backwards standing in a defensive position. I narrowed my eyes threateningly at Vincent and cursed myself for having been so damn trusting. His features had somehow transformed in the almost nonexistent lighting. He looked evil.