Tepin sauntered up to David in a much more friendly fashion, offering a broad smile.  "Please excuse my husband, he has been quite over protective of our Aiyana since Jeremiah broke her heart."  She kneeled and offered her hand to David.  "I'm Tepin, Aiyana's mother.  She was dancing with you.   I assume the two of you were getting along?"

Tepin's voice was softer than normal, and her Tikal accent shined through, deeper than Aiyana's but enough to connect them in David's mind.  She sent out a soothing vibration that he would feel even if was not connected by the blood.

Then, Tepin reached through the blood to her husband, reaching him wherever he was was at any given moment through that deeper bond that they shared.  Her mental voice was more seething than soothing.  I'm disappointed in the Childe.  She's never behaved this way before.  Perhaps you could make certain that it doesn't happen this way again?

Pretty much the last words any guy wants to hear when he’s hanging out with a girl is “my parents are coming” followed immediately by “my father doesn’t trust me around strange men.” David stopped playing - instantly - and took a look around. He understood, alright, but the couple that was heading toward him was anything but usual. The woman seemed hardly more than 17, dressed as a lady with strong intent in her eyes. But it was the man, the father, that freaked him nearly out of his pants. He wasn’t sure what to make of the hair, the shades, the dark clothes and a hint of Marilyn Manson on steroids.

His knee-jerk reaction was to grab his guitar and run. But he’d seen a lot of strange people and run into a lot of trouble in his short life, so he kept his ground. Boldly, and without any knowledge of how useless his words would be, David whispered loudly, “It’s Ok. Don’t worry about it.” As it turned out, it wasn’t all that OK.

When Akiel spoke to him, David felt a strong push in his mind. He only stared. He had no intention of answering. Then, suddenly, Akiel and Aiyana were off and disappeared into an alley. David’s mouth gaped after them, not sure what he should do.

Tepin spoke and he jumped. He felt instantly embarrassed by his reaction. He took her hand and gave it a light shake and returned it.

“Um … hi, Tepin.” He stood up. It just felt wrong sitting while a lady stood. “Yea, I was playing for her and she was dancing. She’d really something and I like watching her … I mean … she dances very well and has a great ear for music. We just met so, um … but yea. We were getting along just fine, Ma’am.”

David wasn't shaking outwardly, but there was an earthquake rolling in his head.

Tepin kept her dealing with nice humans face on - no steely eyes, no power backing every word, every motion.  It was hard.  Humans were such fragile creatures and apt to run at the wrong time.  You must never run from anything immortal.  It attracts their attention.*  So, she used her most soothing manner with him, the way that she would with a new familiar, one unaccustomed to the ways of power and authority.

"Yes.  She is really something.  That's why Akiel and I are so protective of her."  Tepin gave a rueful laugh.  "But I suppose everyone thinks that about their daughter or son.  At least for a little while."  Tepin smiled up at David, truly trying to put him at his ease.  "You must be something to have captured her attention.  Would you play for me?"





*  The Last Unicorn

Once standing, David was sure that Tepin would read him the riot act. Or maybe he just hoped she would so it would be over and done with. This wasn’t the first time he’d had to explain himself in a sticky situation, so he expected the worst. That way, he’d be pleasantly surprised if things went well.

He was pleasantly surprised.

Tepin’s accent, though not heavy, reminded him of Aiyana’s mellow accent. Though the two did not look particularly alike, there was a charisma about Aiyana that was accentuated in Tepin. She was obviously her mother. What truly surprised him about Tepin was her warmth and easy way. David shifted from nervousness to comfort quickly enough for him to feel at ease with her. She managed to make him blush a bit.

“Oh, I don’t know if I’m all that, Ma’am. We just sort of hit it off. She’s a very persistent and free spirit. Oh, and my name is David. Just David.”

She’d asked him to play for her. He nodded and leaned down to pick up his guitar. Leaning into the strap and adjusting it some, he looked into Tepin’s eyes. He was hoping he’d see a song in them that might please her.

“I’d love to play for you,” he said. Rather than ask what she’d like to hear, he decided to replay the song he’d been playing for Aiyana when her parents arrived.

“Up in Memphis the music's like a heatwave
White lightening, bound to drive you wild
Mama's baby's in the heart of every school girl
"Love me tender" leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle
The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Every word of every song that he sang was for you
In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon, what could you do?”

He played a comfortable and rhythmic guitar solo, losing himself in it and forgetting that anyone was listening.

“Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please”

He sang the last chorus with heart and soul - his guitar and his voice in harmony, imagining Aiyana dancing as she had done, and how happy she’d made him feel.

Tepin laughed out loud on the corner of the street, delighted with the performance.  "That was wonderful, David!  You have game!" 

She clapped her hands, and her white skirt belled out in the breeze.  Then, she reached for the guitar.  "Show me," she requested.  "Show me how to play something, anything!"  Her eyes pleaded with his teasingly, and she seemed as eager as a school girl.  "Please?"

Through the blood, however, a disquiet was growing within her.  Something was going on between Akiel and Aiyana, and it didn't seem to be going to the original plan.

David smiled, as happy as any other street performer would be to hear praise. It seemed doubly pleasing coming from a young woman of beauty. He passed on the thought that she seemed much too young to be a mother of someone as old as Aiyana. Such thoughts were roads to confusion and uncomfortable questions.

When she reached for the guitar, David slipped easily out of the strap and turned it around to hang it over Tepin’s neck. It pressed down on her long hair, and he hoped she didn’t mind. Fortunately, he’d previously tuned his guitar to an open tuning, so chording would be easier for her; just a matter of a guided finger here or there. He stood before her, and hovered his hand over her left hand as if asking for permission to touch her. She seemed agreeable, so he positioned her hand over the third fret and guided a finger across two strings. Her hand was cool to the touch, but he thought nothing strange of it.

“Here,” he said, holding a pick in his free hand. “Hold it like this, pinched between index finger and thumb, then gently strum from top to bottom across the strings. Keep your finger down firm on those two strings and give it a go!” The hummingbird was a lovely guitar with a luscious sound, so even her first strum would sound earthy and open.

Stepping out of the dark entrance of the alley, Akiel turned once more to Aiyana.

“You go. I’ll wait here for Tepin.” He leaned down a little closer to her ear. “I think I freak him out,” he whispered.

Tepin held her fingers down on the strings indicated and strummed the pick down and up.  She was delighted to hear the warm tones that her strumming produced.  She closed her eyes, strummed again, and laughed.  When she opened her eyes, she saw Aiyana cutting through the crowds to come towards them.  She raised a hand and waved.

Although Aiyana was smiling, Tepin could feel her pain within the blood.  It was not unlike the emptiness that Tepin herself had faced when Akiel had left her briefly.  Duty was a stern mistress, and facing it alone was proud and painful.  Aiyana may have almost lost herself in blood frenzy, but she hadn't.  Tepin saw pieces of herself mixed all through Aiyana.

"Aiyana!"  She called out, smiling broadly.  In the tongue of Tikal, she continued, "I like your young friend.  Will you be alright alone with him?"

To David, she added joyfully, "Aiyana's coming!"

Aiyana giggled just a little bit as Akiel whispered in her ear.  She turned and whispered back.  "I think you're right.  You do freak him out."  She grinned quickly up at Akiel, and then, she was out of the alley like a shot.  Her color was high from the fresh feeding, and she felt much more in control of herself.  She was eager to get back to her evening. 

"Mother!"  She ran up to the pair on the street.  "I'll be fine!!"  She spoke in English.  "David!"  Her voice was high and light.  "Father sends his regrets, but he's waiting for Mother at the bar up ahead.  He didn't want to lose the good seats we snagged!"

David was already smiling when Tepin called out Aiyana’s name. He’d enjoyed Tepin’s presence more than any other mother of a prospective girlfriend, and felt as though he could talk to her. Maybe he felt too comfortable. When Tepin joyfully announced Aiyana’s arrival, he called out in a clear voice: “She’s my little whiskey girl!”

The sudden happiness that ran through him when he saw Aiyana surprised him. She seemed to bounce and it made him feel good. So good, in fact, that he wanted to hug her right there. He restrained himself, however, mainly because he didn’t want to leave the right impression on her parents. Least of all the dark, somewhat scary man who contrasted with the light, definitely unscary woman. Man, he thought, what a study in contrasts that couple seems to be.

“Hey, Aiyana!” he said with unintended relief infusing the words.

Tepin shrugged out of the guitar strap as gracefully as a swan dipping its beak in a still pond.  In one fluid motion, she had relinquished the guitar to David, and she spread her hands down the front of her dress, pressing out the sequined bits carefully.  She wished briefly, for Aiyana's sake, that they had longer than the weekend of the festival to spend here.  In those moments, she went from the laughing, bell girl that David had seen back to the concerned Mother that she had been when she arrived.  Impressions had been made, which was what counted. 

"I'm off to see your Father and get my drink," Tepin told Aiyana.  "No slurping the sloppy while I'm gone, ok?"  She kept her tone light, but the blood was as serious as Akiel had been.

"It has been a pleasure to talk to you, David.  I hope that we see you again before the festival ends."  She smiled at him, stepped back, and allowed herself to be caught up in the crowd and carried to Akiel. 

Aiyana watched Tepin step away before she glanced up at David and smiled shyly.  "Your little Whiskey girl, eh?  How would you even know what I drink?"  She asked playfully.  She glanced down at her watch.  Ten o'clock.  The night for her was very young.  She wondered how David would keep up.

Tepin handed the guitar back to David with a style that made him smile. He liked her. She made him feel comfortable enough to be natural. He bowed slightly in troubadour fashion.

“It has been my pleasure meeting you, Mrs. … I’m mean ... Tepin. See you later!”

Tepin disappeared into the crowd, but David’s attention had already turned to Aiyana. She seemed more real, somehow. It was an odd thought - one of many David would have and release without further consideration. He hadn’t thought that Aiyana would have heard his spontaneous endearment. He blushed, feeling a bit caught out and needing to explain.

“Maybe you warm me up like whiskey. Loosen me up. That’s a good thing, right?”

He grinned. The whirlwind of the past hour or two hadn’t yet sunk in, and David wasn’t much interested in trying to figure it out. It was odd, he thought, that contrary to his worry when she first mentioned her parents, he was more interested in her than before. There was something - intangible, energetic and unfathomable about her and her family. They seemed a little mad in a good way, freaky in an intriguing way, and hypnotic in a completely inexplicable way. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Whatever it was, it was invigorating and he wanted to spend more time with her.

“Dance more? Get a drink so I can find out what you like? More shopping? What’s your pleasure, Aiyana?” He knew what his pleasure was - and that was learning more about Aiyana.

Tepin allowed the blood to lead her straight to Akiel in the alley.  She slipped in beside him and reached out to caress his cheek.  Her lips brushed over his quickly, her fangs extended just enough to be felt but not used.  The streets still fairly teemed with people, but none entered the alley.  Her white dress sparkled in the lights shining down over the buildings.

"I'm hungry," she whispered in his ear, giving in to the freedom of the weekend.  Luciously, she pressed her body up against him.  "Let's hunt."

Aiyana grinned at David and shook her head.  "So, you think I make you drunk?"  She wasn't really expecting an answer and didn't wait for one.  "I'll make you think 'your little whiskey girl' by the end of the night!" 

It never even occurred to Aiyana that she had slipped into the easy role of flirtation that she had watched so many times in Tikal.  It just seemed natural to her to roll with whatever David said and keep going.  She didn't notice the shimmer in her eyes or the tilt in her head, the way that she touched her hair or bit her lower lip.  Flirting, with this boy, came naturally to her.

"You wanna leave the guitar in my room and hit 6th Street?"