Affleck’s was more than just an indoor market with four floors, it was a maze of alternative retail that drew in all walks of people from across the Rainy City.

  Amaris kept close to Dimha, not wanting to get separated from her in the crowd as the two blended in well. She wanted to reach out, take the Demon by the hand but hesitated each time her cold hand drew close, pulling it back at the st moment. The two headed into an area that was less crowded, tucked away at the back next to stalls of incense, jewellery and custom t-shirts from bands that had become retro.

  She let out a light chuckle.“What?” Dimha asked with a smile“Oh no, it’s just…” She kept her voice low “It’s funny what becomes iconic. Not in a ha-ha way, just…Yeah.” She shrugged, her eyes gncing from the t-shirts and back into the eyes of the Demon. She could still see her true self, although Dimha had her wings close together.

  She grinned.“People didn’t think Shakespear would be worth anything.”“Did you guys have anything to do with that?” “Oh, it was before my time, dear. I mean, I think I was around but…Wasn’t a Demon yet. Still, wouldn’t be shocked.”

  A stall showing various books, bound in cloth, silver jewellery of occult symbols and a few pieces of artwork was at the back of the room atop a bck tablecloth.

  The art itself was sketched in pencil, then shaded in. Some were in full colour, such as a drawing of a rattlesnake defending it’s nest. Others were in charcoal, a life drawing of a young woman gncing over her shoulder, her back on full dispy. All across a dark tablecloth.

  A young woman with deep brown skin on a face covered in piercings sat behind the desk. She had long, half-shaved hair that was dyed purple and wore a tank top underneath a burgundy leather jacket. She was currently sketching when she sharply looked up.

  There was a slight glint in her hazel eyes.

  “Ah.” She smiled sarcastically “Here to gloat?”“Wh-a…I’ve never even met you before.” Amaris shook her head “No, but I can smell it on you.”“Oh…” She shook her head, and smelled the air “No, no…I’m not. I’m just showing eh, my…Uh… Someone around the city.” Her eyes darted from side to side.“What’s your name?” Dimha had stepped forwards, pcing her hand on the desk and leaning towards the young woman “Gwen.” She folded her arms“Well, Gwen. You've been awfully rude to my friend here. I think you should apologise.” She slightly stretched out her wings “I take it you can smell me, too?”“I don’t have to. But you don’t scare me.”

  Dimha rested a hand on her chest, scoffing and pretending to look offended.“Scare you? No no no, dear. If I was trying to scare you, oh…”“Look, we’re just shopping. I’m sorry that you’ve had shitty experiences with Vampires, I have too.” Amaris still kept her voice low “But I wasn’t even alive, much less…This when the war happened. And I tend to keep my distance from other Vampires, if anything.”Gwen squeezed the ridge of her nose “Yeah, I’m…Shit, I’m sorry. You don’t need to apologise.” She shook her head

  Dimha leaned back from the table with a smile “That wasn’t so hard, now was it?”“If you’re looking to avoid other Vamps, there’s a guy on the second floor with red shades who sells knick-knacks. We’ve had some…Disagreements.” Gwen shot both of them an awkward smile, rubbing the back of her neck.“Oh, we’ve met. Tried to hit on me and wanted a threesome with a human.” Amaris shook her head, tutting “I’m only, uh…I mean, I only…” She cleared her throat

  “You drink men’s blood but you don’t do anything more than that, right?” Gwen ughed“Yeah, but it’s not like I see them as cattle either. Just take a lil bit. I mean, I don’t even like drinking animal blood. It feels...”“You really are different from most Vamps I’ve met.” She leaned forward, her elbows resting on the table“I don’t really run into many Lycans, myself.”“Well, we don’t stick around in cities much. Tend to prefer the open air.” “Please don’t ftter yourself, Gwen. I’m the first Demon she’s met.” Dimha rested her hands on her hips, her sly smile returning.

  Amaris took a closer look at Gwen’s wares, her eyes brightening at the sight of some of the books. “I make the cloth coverings myself. I’ll give you a discount, given…Y’know, I was a bit of a bitch. No pun intended.” “That’s very generous, thank you.”

  Taking a closer look at her wares, one book caught her eye. The cloth covering was bck, with well-crafted embroidery setting the rest of the scene. An old, decrepit man in a nightgown sat by a roaring fire. A Christmas CarolCharles Dickens

  Her eyes lit up immediately and she ran her hands across the cover.“You want it?” Dimha smiled “It’s yours?”“Wha-.”“She’s giving a discount anyway.” She gave another over the top shrug.“It’s just…Nobody’s ever bought me a gift before. And…I did have this book, a long time ago but I lost it.” Her voice was lowDimha leaned over the counter “She’ll take it.”

  She paid for the book and Gwen offered yet another apology as the two walked away, Amaris now reaching for her hand and taking it. That made the Demon smile slyly. “So, where to now? You’re still my guide, after all.” “We still haven’t even scratched the surface of this pce…And, thank you. For the book.”

  Dimha leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “We can always come back here another time, and I’d rather not make that red-shaded Vampire too jealous.” She ughed dryly “Besides, you got something nice.”“I should get something nice for you.”“Oh, darling.” She tutted “You’re the gift, silly.”

  Amaris cleared her throat, knowing well that if she could blush her cheeks would be fully red.“D-do you…Celebrate Christmas?”“Hmm. Rarely. Hell has a Christmas party, sure but that’s about as far as it’s gone for me. I never, well. Hmm. You could say I never had the right person or crowd to spend the holiday with. But I have done the whole, show up as a ghost and show some bastard the error of their ways thing.” She pointed at the book, which the Vampire was keeping close to her chest.“Did Dickens…” She raised an eyebrow“Oh no, we actually got the idea from him.” Dimha chuckled as the two headed down a set of stairs, still holding hands through the crowd and making their way to the exit.

  “Can’t owe everything to Demons.”

  ****

  With the evening came something everyone in Manchester was familiar with, the rain. Dimha and Amaris took cover inside a restaurant, facing each other on either sides of a booth while the pitter-patter of light rainfall tapped against the windows. A gss of wine sat before each of them.The sun had started to go down and Amaris stared at it for a few moments, but her attention was swiftly drawn back towards the Demon who had a light smile across her face.

  “Hmm?“Wondering what you’re thinking about.” “Oh, just…Things.”“Things, huh?”“Sorry. Sometimes I just…I guess I've been thinking about that book. Sorry…” She shook her head “Here I go again, just talking about me.”“I don’t mind it, darling.”“Yeah, but…”“There’s not all that much to tell about me.”“Oh, I don’t believe that at all. And I don’t mean about Hell or Demons or deals or any of that. I mean, you.”“Well, I suppose it’s only fair. Your pages are always open, mine aren’t…So, what can I tell you?” She leaned over the table with an ear-to-ear smile.“I-I won’t ask anything too personal.”

  She shrugged “I wouldn’t give a shit either way.”“Oh?”“I mean, I’d answer that.”“So…If you could be an animal, what would you pick?”“Hmm. Forever, or can I swap back and forth?”“Not forever.”“Hmm. Some kind of cat.” She shrugged “You know, I did once write up a contract where…Nevermind.” She waved a hand “I’ll keep work talk out of things for the rest of the night.”“You don’t have to.”“No, you don’t have to.”“I know it doesn’t bore you, but you said you wanted to know more about me, not that other stuff. The truth is, dear Amaris…I’ve been doing the same thing for so long, and I’m quite good at it. But because of that, it’s hard to know where the job stops.”“Is that why you wanted to come here?” “Deep down, in a way. I suppose.”

  She reached over the table, taking the Vampire’s hands in her own.“It’s why I like you. One of the reasons I like you. You’re not looking for anything from me. There’s no deals or contracts. I love what I do, yes…But. It’s nice to switch off.”“I did ask about that one thing.” Her gaze turned away.“Once. And you haven’t brought it up since. And even with that, dear. It’s understandable.”

  Their eyes met again. “Hey…” She stroked the top of her hands with her fingers “I’m not going to push you about it. I keep my word.”Shooting her a reassuring smile from across the table, Dimha spoke again “What animal would you pick?”“Well, seeing as how I can already turn into a bat, that one’s out.” She ughed awkwardly “Um, so…An Orca.”“An Orca? Why?”“They’re just really cool.” She grinned “And given I can walk and fly, choosing something that’s very good at swimming just makes sense.”“Well, you’d still be cute.”“I’d be in the open ocean though. Nowhere near Seaworld.”“Oh, well…” She grinned mischievously once more “People who like to hurt animals like that, they end up…” Her grin dropped “Oh, bollocks. I’ve jumped back to talking about work. I’m sorry, dear.”

  Amaris stroked Dimha’s hand.“It’s fine, don’t worry.”The Demon sighed heavily “Can I ask you something about you?”“Sure.”“Do you still celebrate Christmas?”“Kinda, in my own way. The book you got me? I used to read it every year. Sure, the Muppets knocked it right out of the park..”They both ughed.

  “But, there’s just something about having the physical book in your hand. It’s different.”“Anything else?”“I mean, it’s not like I…”“So long as I don’t sck, I’ll be able to stay in this city for quite a while. I’m definitely seeing a few Christmases here, so we’ll see.”“We’ll see?”“I want to see what happens.” She stroked the top of her Amaris’ hands with her thumbs “We’re immortal, so we have no excuse to rush. I know we've only met, but… I am growing fond of you.” “I mean, I’m fond of you too. I think that’s pretty obvious.” “You’re a book, darling. I mean that in the nicest way.”

  That made the Vampire grin from ear to ear, her fangs slightly showing.“So…What do you wanna do now?”“Hmm. Back to yours?"