that?"

he lifted up what he was holding. "it's dinner."

"it's a chicken."

his smile widened. "yes...we're having chicken for dinner."

"it's alive."

the small, white chicken clucked stupidly at me in the mesh cage teren was holding up. teren twisted his lips and walked through the open space in the wall that led into the kitchen. insanely curious, i followed him. he set the cage down on a granite island in the center of the spacious area. he looked up at me with his lips still pursed.

"this is how i prefer to buy them. i picked one up last night after my meeting."

i was fascinated. i didn't even know there were stores where you could "pick-up" live chickens. this city really did have everything. he was still looking at me oddly and i finally realized why he bought them alive.

"oooooohhhh. you're gonna..." i pointed at the doomed chicken and he nodded.

"you're not usually here for this part...you're early." he seemed a little disappointed, like he'd have to forgo his snack or something.

i crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the counter. "don't stop on my account...go ahead."

he furrowed his brow at me. "are you sure? you might think of me differently after you see this. it's not the sort of thing you can un-see." he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "i could go somewhere else. you don't have to watch."

i shook my head and smiled. "i want to see all of the different pieces of you...and this is a pretty big piece." i made a go-ahead motion with my fingers. "go on...just don't spoil your dinner."

he rolled his eyes and then smiled with just one edge of his lip. it was a cocky, self-assured look that made my heart speed up a little. then he opened his mouth a little wider and his fangs snapped down into place right before my eyes-my heart sped up a lot. i wondered if he could hear that, but got distracted by the thought from him opening the cage door. the stupid chicken didn't move, other than to flick its head rapidly here and there. what it was looking at, i had no idea, for it certainly was unaware of the danger approaching from behind it. i had a sudden, strong desire to shout at the dumb animal-"don't you know that death is stalking you? run!"

i watched in silence though, too fascinated with the hunter versus prey scenario playing out before me, to make a peep. i held my breath at what the poor chicken didn't know was coming, but i did. then, lightning-quick, teren grabbed the chicken and sunk his teeth into its neck; it feebly clucked once. he drained it in three seconds. i counted. i didn't breathe for any of those three seconds.

he pulled the chicken away from his mouth and set the lifeless carcass on a chopping block set on the counter. he wiped just a spot of blood from his lip and stared at the dead beast. then, very slowly, he turned his head to face me. he looked very worried.

"that was..." i struggled for the words to summarize just what i was feeling at that moment, "...kind of hot."

he blinked at me. "what?"

i shook my head. "yeah, i know...right? i'm a little surprised too...but, yeah, that kind of turned me on."

he gaped at me as he slowly moved his head back and forth. "you're so weird," he said, as his fangs retracted back to wherever they went when they were hiding.

"said the vampire who just drained our dinner," i wryly replied.

"touche," he laughed. a burner on the stove had a large pot of water sitting on top of it, and he turned the knob to hot.

i stepped over to where he was now washing his hands, of all things. "you did that so fast."

drying his hands on a towel, he gave me a serious look. "there is no point in needless suffering. i'm not cruel."

still morbidly curious, i asked, "how long would it take to drain a human?"

his jaw clenched and he frowned at my question. "i will never drain a human."

i shook my head and brushed aside his concern with my hand. "just in theory...how long?"

he looked at me a long time before answering. "i've heard it can be done in seven seconds."

holy...dang...

"wow...you'd never even know what hit you."

he looked over at the chicken, almost like he now felt sorry for it. "yeah."

wanting to lighten his mood, and perhaps actually being serious with my request, i playfully tossed out, "will you drain my boss?"

his head snapped back to mine and the corners of his lips lifted. "what?"

i slipped my arms around his neck and, relaxing, he curled his around my waist. "the shrew i work for. just a smidge. just enough to knock her on her ass for a few days."

he kissed my nose. "no."

i ran my hands suggestively down his shirt, and then started un-tucking it. "i'd be most...appreciative."

he laughed as he watched my hands pull up the fabric. "are you offering yourself to me, if i suck on your boss?"

i husked out a laugh and kissed his neck. "hmmmm...is it working?"

he pushed me back and stopped my hands from unbuttoning his shirt; his grin was wide. "no...i'd rather go back to abstaining."

i smacked his chest. "some vampire you are. i can't even get you to nibble on a human for some lovin'." i shook my head and dramatically sighed. "what is the supernatural world coming to?"

teren laughed and walked over to the chicken. "you should be grateful i'm not more inclined to 'nibble on humans,' as you put it." holding the feet with a silicone pot holder, he immersed it in the boiling water for a few seconds, then set it back on the counter. when it cooled enough, he grabbed a leg and started removing feathers.

my stomach churned at the sight. "ugh, see-ya. i'll be in the living room."

he stopped his hands to look over at me. pointing at the chicken carcass he was plucking, he said, "this...this makes you squeamish?"

i pointed to the feathers in his hand. "yes. that...that is gross."

he was chuckling at me as i turned the corner into his magnificent living room and plopped onto his super soft couch. he finished preparing the chicken and then brought us out a glass of wine-blood red, of course-to enjoy while the bird cooked. we snuggled on the sofa and talked over our couple days apart while we sipped our drinks. he talked about his meeting, and how impressed his boss was with his last article-a feature on how to enjoy the city on a tight budget, which, as i looked around his incredible home, made me wonder how he'd known what to write about. i didn't think he had to "budget" for anything. i told him about my mom and sister wanting to meet him and he gave me an anytime you're ready look. that brought the conversation around to this weekend, and meeting his parents.

we decided...well, he decided and i grudgingly agreed, that he would pick me up at my place after work friday night. i had a feeling he was mainly picking me up, just so i wouldn't bail on the whole event. he said he could make the sixty mile drive in forty-five minutes, if we hit the traffic just right, so we'd be arriving just in time for dinner. i didn't know what unsettled me more-how fast we'd be going to get there so quickly, or the getting there just in time for dinner part. was that arriving in time to join his family for a meal, or arriving in time to be the meal?

the majority of my brain really wasn't worried about his family killing me...after all, he was right, that would be a pretty rude way to meet your son's girlfriend. but i'm only human, and there is an intrinsic fear of knowingly walking into a predator's den. like the fear you get when you go to the zoo, and the only thing separating you from the field where the lionesses are basking in the sun, is some vegetation, a ditch and a short fence. i don't know, but i'm pretty sure, given the proper incentive, that really wouldn't pose as much of an obstacle as the zookeepers would have us believe.

we finalized our plans and talked over some details, like, they have a pool, so bring your suit. then we ate our roasted chicken on the patio and watched the sun set, the burnished reds and oranges rippled across the sky and reflected in the water below it. when we were full and satisfied, teren proceeded to satisfy my other hungers as well...and i'd been right-his very nice dress clothes looked much, much better crumpled up along with mine beside his very spacious and luxurious bed.