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Description
Chapter 2

Catelyn awoke around nine the next morning and hopped out of bed, ready to start the day. She decided to spoil herself with a couple pieces of toast with cinnamon-sugar on it and got dressed. It was summer so she wore a white t-shirt and a red ankle-length India style skirt.
     “I need a nice dress for tonight. The one I wore last night isn’t nearly formal enough for Chez Louis.” she said to herself. She drove around town, looking for the perfect dress. She finally settled on a long black one with matching high heels. She was walking towards her car when she glanced into the window of a small antique shop. Sitting on a wooden stand was the most beautiful black stone pendant she had ever seen.
     ‘That would go perfectly with my new dress.’ she thought. She felt hypnotized by the black stone. She walked into the shop and looked around. The Shopkeeper came out and spoke to her in a sibilant hiss.
     “Isss there sssomething you need?” Catelyn nodded.
     “I was hoping to see that necklace in the window if you don’t mind.” the shopkeeper nodded and got the necklace. He handed it to Catelyn, praising it.
     “It’s made of genuine obsssidian and hung with a sssilver chain. It’sss one of a kind. Do you like it?” Catelyn held the necklace up by the chain and admired it’s beauty.
     “I love it.” she said. “But it looks so rare and lovely. It probably costs more than I can afford.”
     “Gimme fifty dollars and it’s yoursss.” The shopkeeper replied Catelyn looked at the old man in amazement.
     “What’s the catch old man?” she asked warily.
     “No catch. I jussst want that thing out of my ssstore.”
     “Why is that? Is it unlucky or something?”
     “Well...” The shopkeeper was hesitant.
     “Spill it old man, or I’ll tell everybody that I know not to shop here!”
     “Okay, okay! The necklace isss sssaid to be curssed!” Now Catelyn was sure the old man had lost it.
     “Cursed? Are you serious?”
     “It hasss been sssaid that only a Vampiresss lover may wear this necklace. Anyone else will die.”
     “Oh, come on. That’s just a bunch of baloney. Everyone knows vampires don’t exist.”
     “Do you want it or not?” Catelyn thought for a moment, then said.
     “Mind if I try it on first? To see how it looks on me.” The shopkeeper shrugged.
     “It’sss your funeral.” Catelyn put the necklace on and looked at herself in the mirror. Catelyn touched the stone and felt a small warmth in her fingers.
     “There is no such thing as vampires. But I’ll take the necklace anyway. It looks good with my dress.” Catelyn gave the shopkeeper the fifty dollars and walked out the door.
     When she had driven away, the Shopkeeper shook his head in amazement.
     “That woman is going to be in for the shock of a lifetime.” and with that he shuffled into the back room of his shop for a mid-day nap.
     Catelyn went home and fixed a salad for lunch. Storm came up on the table and looked at the shiny trinket his owner was wearing.
     “What do you think Storm? Pretty isn’t it?”Catelyn said. Storm sniffed at the necklace. It sent a tingle through his whiskers. He hissed and hid under the couch.
     ‘What’s gotten his tail in a knot?’ she wondered. She finished her salad and did the dishes. Out of a nervous habit, she started cleaning the whole apartment. She finished around four in the afternoon. She looked around for something to do. Storm came out from under the couch and mewed softly. Catelyn picked him up and cuddled him for a moment. He was still scared of the necklace, and squirmed to get away. Catelyn put him down and sat on the couch. She read one of her favorite magazines for a while. At half past five, she decided to start getting ready for her date with Shadow. She showered, and washed her hair, then pulled it back into a neat bun. She went into her room and changed into her new dress. It showed off her curves rather nicely.                 “Shadow is going to love it.” she muttered. She pondered for awhile whether to wear makeup or not. She never wore much makeup, even at work. She felt it made women look cheap and fake. She decided just to wear a tiny bit of mascara and some lip-gloss. She then put in a stunning pair of diamond earrings to complete her outfit. She stepped over to her mirror and checked herself over.
     “Perfect!” she said with a smile. She walked into the living room and looked out the window. The last rays of the sun were ducking behind the horizon. At the same moment the doorbell rang. She walked over, calmly, and opened the door.
     There stood Shadow, wearing a suit similar to the one he had worn the previous night, one hand behind his back, the other at his side. He bowed gracefully, pulling out two dozen jet black roses from behind his back.
     “For you, my lady.” he said. Catelyn took the roses and looked at them.
     “Oh, Shadow!” she said. “These are lovely! I’ve never seen roses like this before! Where did you find them? Oh, wait. Where are my manners? Come in, come in.” Shadow stepped over the threshold and looked around
     “You have a nice apartment.” He said. Catelyn filled a vase with water and put the roses in it.
     “It’s not a lot, but it’s home.” she replied. She was walking back towards the door when a storm grey blur rushed towards the door.
     “Storm!” She yelped. Shadow looked down and saw the cat racing for the door. He quickly shut it. The cat stopped in his tracks and looked at Shadow. Shadow knelt down and held out his hand, crooning softly.
     “Here kitty, kitty. Nice kitty. Good boy, come to Shadow.” Storm walked to Shadow slowly and rubbed his cheek against the man’s hand. Catelyn stood there, shocked. Shadow looked at her.
     “What?” he said. “You look as though you’ve never seen a man pet a cat before.”
     “It’s not that.” she said. “It’s the fact he’s letting you pet him. He hates strangers.”
     “I have a gift with cats” Shadow said with a smile. He stood up and looked at Catelyn.
     “You look lovely in that dress.” Catelyn blushed.
     “Thanks.” She picked Storm up and put him on the couch. “Stay.” she said quietly. Storm looked towards Shadow and gave him a feline death glare. Shadow looked him in the eyes, smiled, and nodded. Catelyn and Shadow walked out towards the street together.
     “What was that all about?” she asked. “The way you looked at Storm I mean. It was almost like you were talking with him.” Shadow chuckled.
     “Oh, that. He was giving me a warning look. So I just eased his worries. He thought I was going to steal you away.”
     “How do you know that?”
     “It’s all in the eyes Catelyn. All in the eyes. So, should we take your car or mine?” he pulled a bunch of keys out of his pocket and pushed a button on a small remote attached to it. A car horn beeped nearby. Catelyn followed the sound to a jet black Ferrari parked in front of them.
     “Well, you drove all this way. It would be a shame to leave your car just sitting here.” Catelyn said. Shadow smiled.
     “I agree completely. After you, my lady.” he said, opening the door for her. Catelyn got in and Shadow closed the door. He got in, started the car, and they were off.
     “So, do you know where Chez Louis is?” Catelyn asked. Shadow nodded.
     “I looked it up after I took you home last night. I called earlier to make reservations.” they drove in silence for a while, then pulled up to the restaurants front entrance. The valet walked up as they got out. Shadow tossed him the keys, saying
     “Take care of it.” The valet nodded, and drove off. Shadow extended his arm to Catelyn. She took it, and they went in. They stopped at the entrance to the dining room, where the head waiter stepped up, and asked if they had reservations.
     “Table for two please.” Shadow said. The head waiter checked a large book which held the night reservations.
     “Oh yes! Mr. Nightwalker and guest. Right this way.” He said with a pompous voice. He led them over to a table near a window, set down some menus, and left. Shadow pulled out one of the chairs so Catelyn could sit down. She sat and marveled at what a gentleman Shadow was. She glanced through the menu. It was mostly expensive Italian and french foods.
     “Get anything you like.” said Shadow. “It’s on me.” Catelyn smiled. Sweet, handsome and generous. What a find! She settled on a plate of spaghetti and set down her menu. Shadow was looking through the menu with a slightly agitated expression.
     “Something wrong?” she asked. Shadow looked up.
     “Oh, sorry. I’m just a little peeved that practically everything on this menu has garlic in it.”
     “You’re allergic?”
     “You could say that.”
     “We could ask the waiter to skip the garlic if you like.” Shadow looked relieved.
     “Thank you. I can’t stand the stuff. Just the scent of it makes me sick.”
     “Maybe it was a bad idea to come here. It’s mostly Italian food.” Shadow smiled gently.
     “Not at all. I’m just glad I get to go out with such a pretty woman.” Catelyn blushed. A waiter came to take their order. They told him what they wanted, and the waiter asked if they wanted anything to drink.
     “A bottle of your finest red wine please.” Shadow said. The waiter smiled and went off to get their orders. Catelyn decided to strike up a conversation.
     “So, Shadow. Not to be nosy, but what do you do for a living?” she asked.
     “I live off of my great grandfathers inheritance.” he replied
     “I thought you looked too fancy to be a blue collar worker.” Catelyn chuckled. “With your outfit, and the fact you were in one of the cities more expensive nightclubs is a dead giveaway.”
Shadow laughed.
     “By the way Catelyn, I’ve been wanting to ask. Where did you get that necklace you’re wearing?” he said, suddenly serious. Catelyn fingered the stone.
     “What, this thing? I bought it this afternoon at some old antique shop. The storekeeper told me the most ridiculous story. He said the necklace could only be worn by the lover of a vampire. Silly huh?” Shadow nodded.
     “Yes...Silly.” He had a far off look in his eyes. As though trying to remember something.
     “Shadow?” said Catelyn. “Are you okay?” Shadow nodded again.
     “I’m fine. That necklace just reminds me of something my great-grandmother used to wear.”
     “Oh.” An uncomfortable silence rang between them.
     ‘Jeeze, I hate these awkward silences. What do I say? What do I do.?’ Catelyn thought.
     “So Catelyn, last night you said you knew the Bouncer at Crimson Nights. How did you two meet?” Asked Shadow, breaking the quietness.
     “It’s complicated. See, I lost my parents when I was 10. I don’t remember what happened. I was living in the streets, scrounging for food behind a local school, and this big kid walked up to me and offered me his lunch. That was Brucie.” Shadow looked at her, amazed.
     “You were living on the streets at ten years old? How horrible.”
     “Yeah, it’s okay though. I had Brucie as a friend, and that’s all I needed.” Shadow smiled.              “But still, no one should be alone at that age. You’ve come a long way.” Catelyn smiled back.
     “Heh, it’s not exactly a rags to riches story, but it’s good enough.” Shadow looked at her with kind eyes.
     “I admire your spunk.” He said. “I would have never been able to make it on my own at 10 years old. I would have been dead in a week.”
     “Believe me, there were some close calls.” Said Catelyn. “There were pedophiles, pimps, cold winters, gangs, and there’s a high chance of getting run over in this city.”
     “How did you manage?”
     “It was all thanks to Brucies’ folks. If they hadn’t taken me in when I was thirteen, I wouldn’t have made it to18.” Their conversation was interrupted by a waiter approaching with a bottle of wine. He poured them two glasses and departed. Shadow sipped his wine, sighed happily and smiled.
     “You were right Catelyn.” he said  “This is the only place in the city to find good wine. It’s just like the wine back home.” Catelyn smiled back.
     “Where are you from anyway?” She asked. Shadow took another sip of wine.
     “I’m from a small village in Romania. My family’s lived there for hundreds of years.” He replied.
     “You’re from Romania? You don’t even have an accent.”
     “I learned English when I came to America. I tried very hard to forget every trace of my past. That includes my accent.” There was a tone in Shadows’ voice that said he didn’t want to talk about it. Catelyn inwardly cursed herself for being so tactless.
     “Sorry.” She said quietly. There was another silence between them. Catelyn once again tried to strike up a conversation. They chatted happily until their food came. They ate and talked. The more they chatted, the more friendly Shadow became. After they had finished their dinner, Shadow said
     “Why don’t we pay and go for a walk? It’s good for digestion.” Catelyn nodded. Shadow payed for their meals, left a generous tip and he and Catelyn walked out together.
     “We can come back for my car later.” Shadow said as he put on the alarm. They walked down to Central park together and walked around. They were looking at the statue of Balto when a cool wind blew past them. Catelyn shivered, having forgotten her coat at home. Shadow looked at her, took off his own coat and draped it around her shoulders.
     “Here.” he said. “It’s getting chilly out.” Catelyn pulled the warm jacket closer around her shoulders.
     “But won’t you need it?” She asked, looking at him in his white shirt, which gave her a generous view of his well sculpted torso. He shook his head.
     “I can stand the cold quite well.” He suddenly stopped. His eyes darted from side to side.
     “Shadow?” Said Catelyn. “What’s wrong?” Shadow put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
     “Listen very carefully. There are three thugs behind us. No! Don’t look.” He said as she turned her head to see. “Just stay close to me and everything will be fine.” Catelyn obeyed and allowed him to lead her away.
     “What do you think they want?” she whispered.
     “What any other robbers want with a pretty girl and a rich looking guy. To rob me and probably rape you. Just stay close and you’ll be fine.” He whispered back. “Come on. We’ll go back to the restaurant and I’ll take you home.” Catelyn nodded and quickened her pace. They were almost out of the park when Catelyn saw three forms on the path ahead. Shadow swore under his breath.
     “Dammit! They cut us off!” He muttered. “Catelyn, take my hand. I’ll keep these thugs off you.” Catelyn nodded and did as she was told. The thugs walked up to them. Two of them were armed with lead pipes, and the other had a heavy chain.
     “Well, well, well, boys what do we have here?” Said the one with the chain.
     “Looks like a nice little couple on a date Boss.” Replied another, tapping his pipe against his hand. The other pipe wielder came up behind Catelyn and Shadow.
     “Look guys.” said Shadow. “We don’t want any trouble. Just let us pass and nobody gets hurt.” The Boss laughed.
     “Did you hear that Roscoe?” He said, jabbing the pipe wielder closest to him. “This guy thinks he can take us all on.” Catelyn gasped. Roscoe! She knew that name! She let go of Shadows hand and looked at Roscoe.
     “Do you remember me Roscoe?” She asked. Roscoe looked confused for a second, then his face brightened with recognition.
     “Black cat? Is that you?” He asked. Catelyn nodded.
     “You’re damn right it’s me! Is this what I taught you Ross? Teddy? Look at you. You’ve become thugs.” She said, turning to the other pipe holder. Teddy dropped his pipe.
     “Big Brother.” He said. “Is that the famous Black cat of the streets? The one who used to be leader of the Killer Cat gang?” Roscoe nodded.
     “Yeah Teddy, that’s her.” The boss looked confused. Why weren’t his two muscle heads robbing the tall guy and having some fun with the girl?
     “I thought I taught you guys to make a living helping people, Not robbing them.”
     “Sorry BC, but after you left we just kind fell apart. The gang got taken over by that guy.”said Roscoe, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder at the chain holder.
     “Well, how about for old times sake, you let me and my friend here pass. We were just about to leave.” said Catelyn lightly, as though she reasoned with deadly muggers everyday. Roscoe and Teddy moved aside and let them pass.
     “What are you two idiots doing?!” screamed the chain holder. “They’re getting away! Get them!!!” Teddy gave him and angry glare.
     “We don’t listen to you anymore. The Black cat was right. We’ve become thugs.” he said. Roscoe nodded in approval.
     “Well said little brother.”
     By this time, Catelyn and Shadow were well out of central park and on their way back to the restaurant.
     “Well.” said Catelyn. “That was nice. I haven’t seen Ross and Ted since I got my job with Mark.”
     “You handled that expertly Black Cat.” said Shadow. Catelyn blushed.
     “It’s just a nickname I picked up when I was the leader of a small gang.” She said. Shadow laughed.
     “The Killer Cats doesn’t sound like a small gang. It sound like you were queen of the streets.”
     “Okay, it was a fairly large gang. We focused on helping people rather than hurting them. Ted and Ross were two thugs I picked up off the streets and taught to be kind. I was pretty deadly with a chain when I was younger, so I was pretty well known.”
     “I see. So do you still do it? The gang thing I mean.”
     “No. I gave it up when Mark hired me. I packed my stuff, Gave my chains to the second in command, said my goodbyes, walked out the door, and never looked back.” Shadow was quiet for the rest of the walk back to the restaurant.
     When they got back, Shadow asked the valet for his car. When the valet returned with it, Shadow got in the car alongside Catelyn and they drove off towards her apartment.
     “Shadow?” asked Catelyn. “Is something wrong? You’ve been awfully quiet since we left the park.”
     “Oh, sorry. It’s just...You and I are a lot alike. We left our pasts behind us to get a fresh start, neither of us had very good childhoods.”
     “You never said anything about your childhood.” interrupted Catelyn. Shadow sighed.
     “Your right. I didn’t. Well, I suppose I can tell you. You see, your first impression of me was right. I am from a very good family. My father owns a large castle in the village where I was born. He’s a Count you see. Count, ha! Aristocracy has been dead for years, but Father refuses to let his title go. Well, anyway, I told you I lived off my grandfathers inheritance. Father didn’t want me to have it because at the time, I was only 18.”
     “You could have had that money. You were of legal age weren’t you?”
     “Not in my village. You have to be 20 to be an adult there. My father wanted my older brother to have the money for safekeeping, but he’s never been good with money. He spends it all on wine and women. Anyway, Father and I had a fight the night I left. I took my inheritance, packed my things and left on the next boat to America. I had studied English back home, so I was able to communicate quite well. I haven’t seen my mother or my dear older sister in three years. And if I go back now, I’ll just have another fight with father.”
     “And I thought I had a bad childhood. So you’re a runaway?”
     “Yes. But I wish I could go back. Even if only for a minute, just to see Mother.” Catelyn smiled.
     “A bit of a momma’s boy, eh?” She teased. To her surprise, Shadow laughed.
     “Yes, I was!” he said. “When your father has as much love for you as a cat for the water, you tend to turn to your mother for comfort.” Catelyn laughed again. They soon pulled up to Catelyn’s apartment building, and she found herself wishing she lived farther away. Shadow walked her up to her apartment, ignoring the death glare Harold was giving him. Catelyn was about to go inside her apartment when she remembered she was still wearing Shadows’ coat. She handed it to him, blushing.
     “Thanks for lending it to me.” She said. “It was warm.” Shadow chuckled.
     “You’re welcome.” He said as he pulled it on. “We should do this again sometime. I haven’t had this much fun since I left home.”
     “Well, you have my number. If you ever feel like going out again, just give me a call.” Said Catelyn.
     “I’ll do that. Goodnight Catelyn.” said Shadow, turning and walking away. Catelyn smiled and walked inside. She took off her shoes and collapsed on the couch with a sigh. Storm came up and meowed softly at her.
     “Storm, I think this has been the best day of my life. Shadow’s sweet, charming, handsome, gallant, brave, and rich.” Just then, Catelyn remembered why she had gone out with Shadow at night instead of the day.
     “I work all day with no breaks” He had said. But hadn’t he told her just tonight that he lived off his grandfathers inheritance?
     “I can’t believe he lied to me!” Catelyn said in outrage. Then she calmed down and started thinking rationally.
     ‘He was reluctant to tell me about his family at all. Maybe he didn’t tell me about the inheritance when we met because he didn’t want me to date him for his money only. Yeah, that must be it!’ She thought. She stifled a yawn and decided to go to bed early. She did have to work tomorrow after all.

Description
Chapter 2

Catelyn awoke around nine the next morning and hopped out of bed, ready to start the day. She decided to spoil herself with a couple pieces of toast with cinnamon-sugar on it and got dressed. It was summer so she wore a white t-shirt and a red ankle-length India style skirt.
     “I need a nice dress for tonight. The one I wore last night isn’t nearly formal enough for Chez Louis.” she said to herself. She drove around town, looking for the perfect dress. She finally settled on a long black one with matching high heels. She was walking towards her car when she glanced into the window of a small antique shop. Sitting on a wooden stand was the most beautiful black stone pendant she had ever seen.
     ‘That would go perfectly with my new dress.’ she thought. She felt hypnotized by the black stone. She walked into the shop and looked around. The Shopkeeper came out and spoke to her in a sibilant hiss.
     “Isss there sssomething you need?” Catelyn nodded.
     “I was hoping to see that necklace in the window if you don’t mind.” the shopkeeper nodded and got the necklace. He handed it to Catelyn, praising it.
     “It’s made of genuine obsssidian and hung with a sssilver chain. It’sss one of a kind. Do you like it?” Catelyn held the necklace up by the chain and admired it’s beauty.
     “I love it.” she said. “But it looks so rare and lovely. It probably costs more than I can afford.”
     “Gimme fifty dollars and it’s yoursss.” The shopkeeper replied Catelyn looked at the old man in amazement.
     “What’s the catch old man?” she asked warily.
     “No catch. I jussst want that thing out of my ssstore.”
     “Why is that? Is it unlucky or something?”
     “Well...” The shopkeeper was hesitant.
     “Spill it old man, or I’ll tell everybody that I know not to shop here!”
     “Okay, okay! The necklace isss sssaid to be curssed!” Now Catelyn was sure the old man had lost it.
     “Cursed? Are you serious?”
     “It hasss been sssaid that only a Vampiresss lover may wear this necklace. Anyone else will die.”
     “Oh, come on. That’s just a bunch of baloney. Everyone knows vampires don’t exist.”
     “Do you want it or not?” Catelyn thought for a moment, then said.
     “Mind if I try it on first? To see how it looks on me.” The shopkeeper shrugged.
     “It’sss your funeral.” Catelyn put the necklace on and looked at herself in the mirror. Catelyn touched the stone and felt a small warmth in her fingers.
     “There is no such thing as vampires. But I’ll take the necklace anyway. It looks good with my dress.” Catelyn gave the shopkeeper the fifty dollars and walked out the door.
     When she had driven away, the Shopkeeper shook his head in amazement.
     “That woman is going to be in for the shock of a lifetime.” and with that he shuffled into the back room of his shop for a mid-day nap.
     Catelyn went home and fixed a salad for lunch. Storm came up on the table and looked at the shiny trinket his owner was wearing.
     “What do you think Storm? Pretty isn’t it?”Catelyn said. Storm sniffed at the necklace. It sent a tingle through his whiskers. He hissed and hid under the couch.
     ‘What’s gotten his tail in a knot?’ she wondered. She finished her salad and did the dishes. Out of a nervous habit, she started cleaning the whole apartment. She finished around four in the afternoon. She looked around for something to do. Storm came out from under the couch and mewed softly. Catelyn picked him up and cuddled him for a moment. He was still scared of the necklace, and squirmed to get away. Catelyn put him down and sat on the couch. She read one of her favorite magazines for a while. At half past five, she decided to start getting ready for her date with Shadow. She showered, and washed her hair, then pulled it back into a neat bun. She went into her room and changed into her new dress. It showed off her curves rather nicely.                 “Shadow is going to love it.” she muttered. She pondered for awhile whether to wear makeup or not. She never wore much makeup, even at work. She felt it made women look cheap and fake. She decided just to wear a tiny bit of mascara and some lip-gloss. She then put in a stunning pair of diamond earrings to complete her outfit. She stepped over to her mirror and checked herself over.
     “Perfect!” she said with a smile. She walked into the living room and looked out the window. The last rays of the sun were ducking behind the horizon. At the same moment the doorbell rang. She walked over, calmly, and opened the door.
     There stood Shadow, wearing a suit similar to the one he had worn the previous night, one hand behind his back, the other at his side. He bowed gracefully, pulling out two dozen jet black roses from behind his back.
     “For you, my lady.” he said. Catelyn took the roses and looked at them.
     “Oh, Shadow!” she said. “These are lovely! I’ve never seen roses like this before! Where did you find them? Oh, wait. Where are my manners? Come in, come in.” Shadow stepped over the threshold and looked around
     “You have a nice apartment.” He said. Catelyn filled a vase with water and put the roses in it.
     “It’s not a lot, but it’s home.” she replied. She was walking back towards the door when a storm grey blur rushed towards the door.
     “Storm!” She yelped. Shadow looked down and saw the cat racing for the door. He quickly shut it. The cat stopped in his tracks and looked at Shadow. Shadow knelt down and held out his hand, crooning softly.
     “Here kitty, kitty. Nice kitty. Good boy, come to Shadow.” Storm walked to Shadow slowly and rubbed his cheek against the man’s hand. Catelyn stood there, shocked. Shadow looked at her.
     “What?” he said. “You look as though you’ve never seen a man pet a cat before.”
     “It’s not that.” she said. “It’s the fact he’s letting you pet him. He hates strangers.”
     “I have a gift with cats” Shadow said with a smile. He stood up and looked at Catelyn.
     “You look lovely in that dress.” Catelyn blushed.
     “Thanks.” She picked Storm up and put him on the couch. “Stay.” she said quietly. Storm looked towards Shadow and gave him a feline death glare. Shadow looked him in the eyes, smiled, and nodded. Catelyn and Shadow walked out towards the street together.
     “What was that all about?” she asked. “The way you looked at Storm I mean. It was almost like you were talking with him.” Shadow chuckled.
     “Oh, that. He was giving me a warning look. So I just eased his worries. He thought I was going to steal you away.”
     “How do you know that?”
     “It’s all in the eyes Catelyn. All in the eyes. So, should we take your car or mine?” he pulled a bunch of keys out of his pocket and pushed a button on a small remote attached to it. A car horn beeped nearby. Catelyn followed the sound to a jet black Ferrari parked in front of them.
     “Well, you drove all this way. It would be a shame to leave your car just sitting here.” Catelyn said. Shadow smiled.
     “I agree completely. After you, my lady.” he said, opening the door for her. Catelyn got in and Shadow closed the door. He got in, started the car, and they were off.
     “So, do you know where Chez Louis is?” Catelyn asked. Shadow nodded.
     “I looked it up after I took you home last night. I called earlier to make reservations.” they drove in silence for a while, then pulled up to the restaurants front entrance. The valet walked up as they got out. Shadow tossed him the keys, saying
     “Take care of it.” The valet nodded, and drove off. Shadow extended his arm to Catelyn. She took it, and they went in. They stopped at the entrance to the dining room, where the head waiter stepped up, and asked if they had reservations.
     “Table for two please.” Shadow said. The head waiter checked a large book which held the night reservations.
     “Oh yes! Mr. Nightwalker and guest. Right this way.” He said with a pompous voice. He led them over to a table near a window, set down some menus, and left. Shadow pulled out one of the chairs so Catelyn could sit down. She sat and marveled at what a gentleman Shadow was. She glanced through the menu. It was mostly expensive Italian and french foods.
     “Get anything you like.” said Shadow. “It’s on me.” Catelyn smiled. Sweet, handsome and generous. What a find! She settled on a plate of spaghetti and set down her menu. Shadow was looking through the menu with a slightly agitated expression.
     “Something wrong?” she asked. Shadow looked up.
     “Oh, sorry. I’m just a little peeved that practically everything on this menu has garlic in it.”
     “You’re allergic?”
     “You could say that.”
     “We could ask the waiter to skip the garlic if you like.” Shadow looked relieved.
     “Thank you. I can’t stand the stuff. Just the scent of it makes me sick.”
     “Maybe it was a bad idea to come here. It’s mostly Italian food.” Shadow smiled gently.
     “Not at all. I’m just glad I get to go out with such a pretty woman.” Catelyn blushed. A waiter came to take their order. They told him what they wanted, and the waiter asked if they wanted anything to drink.
     “A bottle of your finest red wine please.” Shadow said. The waiter smiled and went off to get their orders. Catelyn decided to strike up a conversation.
     “So, Shadow. Not to be nosy, but what do you do for a living?” she asked.
     “I live off of my great grandfathers inheritance.” he replied
     “I thought you looked too fancy to be a blue collar worker.” Catelyn chuckled. “With your outfit, and the fact you were in one of the cities more expensive nightclubs is a dead giveaway.”
Shadow laughed.
     “By the way Catelyn, I’ve been wanting to ask. Where did you get that necklace you’re wearing?” he said, suddenly serious. Catelyn fingered the stone.
     “What, this thing? I bought it this afternoon at some old antique shop. The storekeeper told me the most ridiculous story. He said the necklace could only be worn by the lover of a vampire. Silly huh?” Shadow nodded.
     “Yes...Silly.” He had a far off look in his eyes. As though trying to remember something.
     “Shadow?” said Catelyn. “Are you okay?” Shadow nodded again.
     “I’m fine. That necklace just reminds me of something my great-grandmother used to wear.”
     “Oh.” An uncomfortable silence rang between them.
     ‘Jeeze, I hate these awkward silences. What do I say? What do I do.?’ Catelyn thought.
     “So Catelyn, last night you said you knew the Bouncer at Crimson Nights. How did you two meet?” Asked Shadow, breaking the quietness.
     “It’s complicated. See, I lost my parents when I was 10. I don’t remember what happened. I was living in the streets, scrounging for food behind a local school, and this big kid walked up to me and offered me his lunch. That was Brucie.” Shadow looked at her, amazed.
     “You were living on the streets at ten years old? How horrible.”
     “Yeah, it’s okay though. I had Brucie as a friend, and that’s all I needed.” Shadow smiled.              “But still, no one should be alone at that age. You’ve come a long way.” Catelyn smiled back.
     “Heh, it’s not exactly a rags to riches story, but it’s good enough.” Shadow looked at her with kind eyes.
     “I admire your spunk.” He said. “I would have never been able to make it on my own at 10 years old. I would have been dead in a week.”
     “Believe me, there were some close calls.” Said Catelyn. “There were pedophiles, pimps, cold winters, gangs, and there’s a high chance of getting run over in this city.”
     “How did you manage?”
     “It was all thanks to Brucies’ folks. If they hadn’t taken me in when I was thirteen, I wouldn’t have made it to18.” Their conversation was interrupted by a waiter approaching with a bottle of wine. He poured them two glasses and departed. Shadow sipped his wine, sighed happily and smiled.
     “You were right Catelyn.” he said  “This is the only place in the city to find good wine. It’s just like the wine back home.” Catelyn smiled back.
     “Where are you from anyway?” She asked. Shadow took another sip of wine.
     “I’m from a small village in Romania. My family’s lived there for hundreds of years.” He replied.
     “You’re from Romania? You don’t even have an accent.”
     “I learned English when I came to America. I tried very hard to forget every trace of my past. That includes my accent.” There was a tone in Shadows’ voice that said he didn’t want to talk about it. Catelyn inwardly cursed herself for being so tactless.
     “Sorry.” She said quietly. There was another silence between them. Catelyn once again tried to strike up a conversation. They chatted happily until their food came. They ate and talked. The more they chatted, the more friendly Shadow became. After they had finished their dinner, Shadow said
     “Why don’t we pay and go for a walk? It’s good for digestion.” Catelyn nodded. Shadow payed for their meals, left a generous tip and he and Catelyn walked out together.
     “We can come back for my car later.” Shadow said as he put on the alarm. They walked down to Central park together and walked around. They were looking at the statue of Balto when a cool wind blew past them. Catelyn shivered, having forgotten her coat at home. Shadow looked at her, took off his own coat and draped it around her shoulders.
     “Here.” he said. “It’s getting chilly out.” Catelyn pulled the warm jacket closer around her shoulders.
     “But won’t you need it?” She asked, looking at him in his white shirt, which gave her a generous view of his well sculpted torso. He shook his head.
     “I can stand the cold quite well.” He suddenly stopped. His eyes darted from side to side.
     “Shadow?” Said Catelyn. “What’s wrong?” Shadow put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
     “Listen very carefully. There are three thugs behind us. No! Don’t look.” He said as she turned her head to see. “Just stay close to me and everything will be fine.” Catelyn obeyed and allowed him to lead her away.
     “What do you think they want?” she whispered.
     “What any other robbers want with a pretty girl and a rich looking guy. To rob me and probably rape you. Just stay close and you’ll be fine.” He whispered back. “Come on. We’ll go back to the restaurant and I’ll take you home.” Catelyn nodded and quickened her pace. They were almost out of the park when Catelyn saw three forms on the path ahead. Shadow swore under his breath.
     “Dammit! They cut us off!” He muttered. “Catelyn, take my hand. I’ll keep these thugs off you.” Catelyn nodded and did as she was told. The thugs walked up to them. Two of them were armed with lead pipes, and the other had a heavy chain.
     “Well, well, well, boys what do we have here?” Said the one with the chain.
     “Looks like a nice little couple on a date Boss.” Replied another, tapping his pipe against his hand. The other pipe wielder came up behind Catelyn and Shadow.
     “Look guys.” said Shadow. “We don’t want any trouble. Just let us pass and nobody gets hurt.” The Boss laughed.
     “Did you hear that Roscoe?” He said, jabbing the pipe wielder closest to him. “This guy thinks he can take us all on.” Catelyn gasped. Roscoe! She knew that name! She let go of Shadows hand and looked at Roscoe.
     “Do you remember me Roscoe?” She asked. Roscoe looked confused for a second, then his face brightened with recognition.
     “Black cat? Is that you?” He asked. Catelyn nodded.
     “You’re damn right it’s me! Is this what I taught you Ross? Teddy? Look at you. You’ve become thugs.” She said, turning to the other pipe holder. Teddy dropped his pipe.
     “Big Brother.” He said. “Is that the famous Black cat of the streets? The one who used to be leader of the Killer Cat gang?” Roscoe nodded.
     “Yeah Teddy, that’s her.” The boss looked confused. Why weren’t his two muscle heads robbing the tall guy and having some fun with the girl?
     “I thought I taught you guys to make a living helping people, Not robbing them.”
     “Sorry BC, but after you left we just kind fell apart. The gang got taken over by that guy.”said Roscoe, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder at the chain holder.
     “Well, how about for old times sake, you let me and my friend here pass. We were just about to leave.” said Catelyn lightly, as though she reasoned with deadly muggers everyday. Roscoe and Teddy moved aside and let them pass.
     “What are you two idiots doing?!” screamed the chain holder. “They’re getting away! Get them!!!” Teddy gave him and angry glare.
     “We don’t listen to you anymore. The Black cat was right. We’ve become thugs.” he said. Roscoe nodded in approval.
     “Well said little brother.”
     By this time, Catelyn and Shadow were well out of central park and on their way back to the restaurant.
     “Well.” said Catelyn. “That was nice. I haven’t seen Ross and Ted since I got my job with Mark.”
     “You handled that expertly Black Cat.” said Shadow. Catelyn blushed.
     “It’s just a nickname I picked up when I was the leader of a small gang.” She said. Shadow laughed.
     “The Killer Cats doesn’t sound like a small gang. It sound like you were queen of the streets.”
     “Okay, it was a fairly large gang. We focused on helping people rather than hurting them. Ted and Ross were two thugs I picked up off the streets and taught to be kind. I was pretty deadly with a chain when I was younger, so I was pretty well known.”
     “I see. So do you still do it? The gang thing I mean.”
     “No. I gave it up when Mark hired me. I packed my stuff, Gave my chains to the second in command, said my goodbyes, walked out the door, and never looked back.” Shadow was quiet for the rest of the walk back to the restaurant.
     When they got back, Shadow asked the valet for his car. When the valet returned with it, Shadow got in the car alongside Catelyn and they drove off towards her apartment.
     “Shadow?” asked Catelyn. “Is something wrong? You’ve been awfully quiet since we left the park.”
     “Oh, sorry. It’s just...You and I are a lot alike. We left our pasts behind us to get a fresh start, neither of us had very good childhoods.”
     “You never said anything about your childhood.” interrupted Catelyn. Shadow sighed.
     “Your right. I didn’t. Well, I suppose I can tell you. You see, your first impression of me was right. I am from a very good family. My father owns a large castle in the village where I was born. He’s a Count you see. Count, ha! Aristocracy has been dead for years, but Father refuses to let his title go. Well, anyway, I told you I lived off my grandfathers inheritance. Father didn’t want me to have it because at the time, I was only 18.”
     “You could have had that money. You were of legal age weren’t you?”
     “Not in my village. You have to be 20 to be an adult there. My father wanted my older brother to have the money for safekeeping, but he’s never been good with money. He spends it all on wine and women. Anyway, Father and I had a fight the night I left. I took my inheritance, packed my things and left on the next boat to America. I had studied English back home, so I was able to communicate quite well. I haven’t seen my mother or my dear older sister in three years. And if I go back now, I’ll just have another fight with father.”
     “And I thought I had a bad childhood. So you’re a runaway?”
     “Yes. But I wish I could go back. Even if only for a minute, just to see Mother.” Catelyn smiled.
     “A bit of a momma’s boy, eh?” She teased. To her surprise, Shadow laughed.
     “Yes, I was!” he said. “When your father has as much love for you as a cat for the water, you tend to turn to your mother for comfort.” Catelyn laughed again. They soon pulled up to Catelyn’s apartment building, and she found herself wishing she lived farther away. Shadow walked her up to her apartment, ignoring the death glare Harold was giving him. Catelyn was about to go inside her apartment when she remembered she was still wearing Shadows’ coat. She handed it to him, blushing.
     “Thanks for lending it to me.” She said. “It was warm.” Shadow chuckled.
     “You’re welcome.” He said as he pulled it on. “We should do this again sometime. I haven’t had this much fun since I left home.”
     “Well, you have my number. If you ever feel like going out again, just give me a call.” Said Catelyn.
     “I’ll do that. Goodnight Catelyn.” said Shadow, turning and walking away. Catelyn smiled and walked inside. She took off her shoes and collapsed on the couch with a sigh. Storm came up and meowed softly at her.
     “Storm, I think this has been the best day of my life. Shadow’s sweet, charming, handsome, gallant, brave, and rich.” Just then, Catelyn remembered why she had gone out with Shadow at night instead of the day.
     “I work all day with no breaks” He had said. But hadn’t he told her just tonight that he lived off his grandfathers inheritance?
     “I can’t believe he lied to me!” Catelyn said in outrage. Then she calmed down and started thinking rationally.
     ‘He was reluctant to tell me about his family at all. Maybe he didn’t tell me about the inheritance when we met because he didn’t want me to date him for his money only. Yeah, that must be it!’ She thought. She stifled a yawn and decided to go to bed early. She did have to work tomorrow after all.